Rose Murdock's Notes on The Epistles

1: Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 2: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3: I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4: always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5: in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 7: For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8: For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9: And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10: so that you may approve the things that are excellent, ...

12: Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13: so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14: and 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. 15: Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16: the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17: the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18: What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19: for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20: ac...

21: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22: But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23: But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24: yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25: Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26:so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. ***  Paul had just said in verses 19-20 that he knew he would be delivered from prison through their prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus, and yet Christ would be exalted in his body whether by life or death. He further explained by saying that for him to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The life we live in the flesh, as Paul said in Galatians 2:20, is Christ living in us. We live by faith in Him. We c...

27: Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 28: in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. 29: For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30: experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me. ***  Paul asked the Philippians to walk worthy of the gospel of Christ so whether he was released from prison and comes to see them or not, he would hear that they were “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Once again, we see Paul not trying to turn their eyes to him in dependency, but to the Lord, to stand strong in faith themselves. A true father recognizes tha...

1: Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2: make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4: do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6: who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7: but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8: Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9: For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is abo...

12: So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13: for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 14: Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15: so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16: holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 17: But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18: You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me. ***  Paul encouraged the Philippians to continue in obedience to God and the gospel of Christ. They had done so when he was with t...

19: But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20: For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21: For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22: But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23: Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24: and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly. ***  Paul told the Philippians of his plan to send Timothy to them shortly. He wanted to know how they were doing and trusted Timothy to bring back word that would accurately reflect what Paul wanted to know. He said he had no one else of kindred spirit like Timothy. No one who was genuinely concerned for the Philippian’s welfare. Paul was looking for their spiritual condition because he cared for them as ...

25: But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need; 26: because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27: For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28: Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. 29: Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard; 30: because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me. ***  Paul told the Philippians that he was sending Epaphroditus back to them. Epaphroditus had come to Paul in Rome from Philippi to bring a contribution for his needs (Philippians 4:18). Paul called him his brother, fellow wo...

1: Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. 2: Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3: for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, 4: although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6: as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. 7: But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8: More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbi...

12: Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13: Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14: I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15: Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16: however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. ***  Paul was not claiming to have already known and obtained the power of resurrection from the dead, or the full knowledge of Christ, and His suffering and resurrection. Yet he pressed on so he may “lay hold of that for which also (he) was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” In other words, for whatever reason Jesus got a hold of Paul, he wanted to g...

17: Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18: For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19: whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. 20: For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21: who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. ***  Paul invited the Philippians to join his example of living as he had just described in the previous verses, and to observe those who followed the same pattern. Paul gave himself as an example, not to boast in himself or to gather a following for himself, but because he knew the Lord, and was whole-heartedly pursuing the path of righteou...

1: Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 2: I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3: Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. 4: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!| 5: Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7: And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ***  Paul encouraged the Philippians with great affection to stand firm in the Lord. He urged two women, Euodia and Syntyche, to live in harmony. Most likely they had some type of disagreement between them. Paul c...

8: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9: The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 10: But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11: Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12: I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13: I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14: Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. ***  Continuing his th...

15: You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 16: for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17: Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.  18: But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19: And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20: Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 21: Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. 22: All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household. 23: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. ***  Paul continued discussing the gift t...

1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2: To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3: We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4: since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5: because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6: which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7: just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8: and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit. ***  Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians around 61-63 AD while in prison in Rome. Probably around the tim...

9: For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10: so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11: strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12: giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. ***  Because of their faith in Christ and love for the saints, Paul told the Colossians that they had not ceased to pray for them since they day they heard of it (vs. 3-4). The content of their prayer for the Colossians was similar to the prayer for the Ephesians, though the Ephesians prayer went into more detail (Eph. 1:17-23 and 3:14-21). Specifically, Paul said they prayed for the Colossians t...

13: For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14: in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16: For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17: He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18: He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19: For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20: and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. 21: And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in ev...

24: Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. 25: Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26: that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27: to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28: We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29: For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. ***  Paul said he rejoiced in his sufferings, not because he enjoyed suffering, but because he was doing his share on behalf of...

1: For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2: that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3: in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4: I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5: For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. 6: Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7: having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. ***  Paul’s struggle, or labor, concerning the Colossians, Laodiceans, and all tho...

8: See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9: For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10: and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11: and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12: having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13: When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14: having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross...

16: Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17: things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18: Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19: and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. 20: If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21: “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22: (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23: These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made r...

1: Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2: Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3: For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4: When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5: Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6: For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7: and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8: But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9: Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10: and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who create...

12: So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13: bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14: Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16: Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17: Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. ***  Paul had just spoken of evil behavior, heart attitudes and speech which they had laid aside in the old man, and here he described the new man’s heart and speech. As the chosen, or elect, of God—ones...

18: Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19: Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20: Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.  21: Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. 22: Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23: Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24: knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25: For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality. ***  Paul began to address specific roles in relationships—wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters. The same ones he addressed in his letter to the Ephesians. What he...

1: Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. 2: Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3: praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4: that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. 5: Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6: Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. ***   This first verse completed Paul’s instructions regarding specific roles in relationships. Masters were to be just and fair to their slaves, giving them what was rightly due to them, while being aware that they too have a Master in heaven. Remember Jesus said to treat people the same way you want them to treat you (Matthew 7:12). This ...

7: As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information. 8: For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; 9: and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here. 10: Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings; and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); 11: and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.  12: Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.  13: For I tes...