Their Own Interests

In Paul’s ministry, he has different companions working along with him in the work of the gospel. He calls Epaphroditus as “my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier” (Phil. 2:25). In this short-term mission trip, Paul and Epaphroditus become gospel-partners. Their relationship reflects the beauty of the gospel as well as the essence of the church: unity, friendship, love, and sacrifice. In Philippians 2:19-24, Paul mentions another person in his life journey—Timothy. “But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel” (v. 22). This is a father-son relationship. It is more intimate than a co-worker relationship. This is a life-long partnership in the gospel. Paul has Timothy to serve with him in the gospel; Timothy has Paul to guide him into the complexity of ministry as a father. We see that there is no hierarchy in the relationship. Rather, this relationship is sustained by friendship, mutuality, and intimacy.

In the discussion of The Church of Jesus Christ in The Church in the Power of the Spirit: A Contribution to Messianic Ecclesiology (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993), Jurgen Moltmann writes about the concept of friendship:

Friendship unites affection with respect. There is no need to bow before a friend. We can look him in the eye. We neither look up to him nor look down on him. In friendship we experience ourselves for what we are, respected and accepted in our own freedom. Through friendship we respect and accept in our own freedom. Through friendship we respect and accept other people as people and as individual personalities. Friendship combines affection with loyalty…A friend remains a friend even in disaster, even in guilt. Between friends the determining factor is not an ideal, a purpose or a law, but simply promise, loyalty to one another and openness. Finally, friendship is a human relationship which springs from freedom, exists in mutual freedom and preserves that freedom. Friendship is ‘the concrete concept of freedom…’ Friendship is the reasonable passion for truly human fellowship; it is a mutual affection cemented by loyalty. The more people begin to live with one another as friends, the more privileges and claims to domination become superfluous. The more people trust one another the less they need to control one another (pp. 115-116).

Even though Paul is in chain, Timothy and Epaphroditus set Paul free. Jesus as a friend (Jn. 15:15) sets these gospel workers free. Their fellowship is not dominated by manipulation, domination, insecurity, and blindness. Rather, it is sustained by loyalty, mutual affection, freedom, and trust. Such a horizontal relationship glorifies God, honors Jesus, and magnifies the Spirit.

In conversing with others recently, an ecclesiastical topic always comes up. I admit that this is a topic we cannot ignore and get around it as if it weren’t matter. In systematic theology, we usually discuss the doctrine of the church at the end. It gives us a wrong impression that the doctrines of revelation, God, Christ, and the Spirit are much more important than the doctrine of the church. For the sake of understanding and discussion, we have to put all sorts of doctrines in order. But there is no intention to say that certain doctrines are more significant than others. The church is always the center of Christian spiritual formation, which is always communal.

In the church, the sad thing is that we do not always experience friendship which is characterized by freedom, trust, and mutual affection. Rather, the relationship is distorted by the ecclesiastical hierarchy, domination, and dishonesty. Paul said, “They all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 2:21). Their own interests twist their concept of the church. The interests of Christ and of others come after their own interests. Didn’t Paul say to the Philippians, “Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh” (Phil. 3:2)?

Fellow Worker and Soldier

In the Epistle to the Philippians, Epaphroditus is sent by the church in Philippi to give aids to Paul while he is in prison. During this short-term mission trip, Epaphroditus gets sick, “near to death” (2:27). In this case, he may become a burden to Paul. And the sending church in Philippi may consider Epaphroditus as weak. However, Paul does not consider him as weak. Rather, he views Epaphroditus as “my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier.” (to.n avdelfo.n kai. sunergo.n kai. sustratiw,thn mou) The su,n prefix means “being with” or “together with” (see Phil. 1:1, 23; 2:22; 4:21). Here it is translated as “fellow.” In front of “worker” and “soldier,” su,n is added to it. For Paul, Epaphroditus is more than a worker or soldier in the mission field.

This is a partnership/fellowship (koinwni,a|) in the gospel (Phil. 1:5). The work of the gospel is the work of fellowship. Vertically, we have fellowship with God. Horizontally, we have fellowship with others. Paul looks at this guy being sent by the church in Philippi as one of his gospel partners in his life. Being with someone denotes the essence of fellowship.

Before sending Epaphroditus back to the Philippians, Paul confirms Epaphroditus’ faithfulness in the gospel “He nearly died for the work of Christ, risking for his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me” (2:30). The sending church of Epaphroditus, which is the church in Philippi, should welcome him with gladness and joy (2:28-29). Paul says that not only is Epaphroditus my brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier, but also “your messenger and minister to my need” (2:25). This is a triangle-missional relationship.

Paul does not look at the defect of Epaphroditus and treat him as if he were useless. Rather, Paul measures Epaphroditus with his intrinsic value, which is his faithfulness. This is Paul’s pastoral and missiological sensitivity toward the sending church and the sent one.