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Philippians
1:12-18; 12Now
I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for
the greater progress of the gospel, 13so
that my imprisonment in the
cause of
Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to
everyone else, 14and
that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my
imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
15Some,
to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also
from good will; 16the
latter do
it
out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17the
former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure
motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18What
then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is
proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.
Paul
takes courage rejoicing in his beloved Lord and Savior Who is preached no
matter the circumstances or consequences for him.
A. The Character
Paul
In
His Confinement
vs. 12, 13
Philippians 1:12-13;12Now
I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for
the greater progress of the gospel, 13so
that my imprisonment in the
cause of
Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to
everyone else,
1. The Cause of His
Confinement; vs.
13 “.
. . my imprisonment in the
cause of
Christ . . .”
Paul
was imprisoned in Rome for preaching Christ
having
appealed to Caesar. (Acts
25:11)
2. The Nature of His
Confinement;
There
is evidence that the fair treatment of Paul was deteriorating.
a.
He Speaks of His Own Death More Freely
Philippians
1:21; “For
to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
2nd Timothy 4:6-8 “6For
I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my
departure has come. 7I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the
faith; 8in
the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to
me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
b.
History Attests to Some Changes in his Confinement.
In
the second year of Paul’s imprisonment (a.d.
62), Burrus, the Praetorian Prefect, to whose custody he had been
committed (Acts 28:16), “the captain of the guard”), died; and Nero
the emperor having divorced Octavia, and married Poppoea, a Jewish
proselytess (who then caused her rival, Octavia, to be murdered, and
gloated over the head of her victim), exalted Tigellinus, the chief
promoter of the marriage, a monster of wickedness, to the Praetorian
Prefecture. It was then he seems to have been removed from his own house
(after two years, Acts 28:30) into the Praetorium, or barrack of the
Praetorian guards, attached to the palace, for stricter custody; and hence
he writes with less hopeful anticipations as to the result of his trial.
(Jamieson - Faussett & Brown)
Our
Mother’s
Day Courage Award DOES
NOT go
to Poppoea,
a jealous, self-serving murderess.
Certainly Mary, the mother of Jesus, is at the top of the list. (Luke
1:46,47 ) 46And
Mary said: “My
soul exalts the Lord, 47And
my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” Also
Eunice and Lois, the mother and grandmother of Timothy, (2nd
Timothy 1:5).
“For
I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your
grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it
is
in you as well.”
We commend our mothers who have sought to rear their children
to respect
and obey God in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
God bless you, moms.
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