Philippians 1:1
Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:
New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Php 1:1). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
There are two words that jump out at me in the first two verses of this chapter. Bond-servants and saints. The first time it says, “bond-servants OF Christ Jesus,” the second word says, “saints IN Christ Jesus” Perhaps “bond-servants” doesn’t speak to our identity as much as our job description. This would be something we do as a result of being a saint IN Christ Jesus. The next word is “saints.” This puts “saints” IN Christ Jesus. This speaks to our identity. Our position in Christ. We are IN Christ Jesus. We are not merely a result of Jesus Christ, we are of the very fabric, flesh and blood of Jesus. Galatians 3:26: For you are all children of God through faith IN Christ Jesus. There is great comfort and security in this thought. Paul want to include the overseers and deacons. I’ve often wondered why he thought it was necessary to add that phrase, after all they were surely saints already. But as I thought about it, I realized that Paul must have wanted to make sure that the leaders of the church were encouraged. After all, they were the ones who carried most of the load of the church, and in a sense I wonder if it gives another demension to the scripture. There are different schools of thought on this…but this is what came to my mind. Scripture can be applied in so many ways. For example, if I was a leader of the church, like an overseeer or deacon, I would read the scripture differently than the peasant or brand new Christian. So it was almost like Paul was saying, “Yes this letter is to all saints, but overseers and deacons there is something especially true for you here in this letter.” Overseers had a sense of gaurding the flock of God.
In Acts 20 it uses the same word “overseer.”
“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. 32 “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
There is a sense in which, yes they are to shepherd the Church, to supervise it, to superindend over it. But within this context there seems to be a heavy duty that overseers must also protect the flock. Over seers and deacons seem to be clumped together in the bible often. They are given instructions to be above reproach, repectable, able to teach, different things like this. Though it seemed that overseers had a greater responsibility. Not only did they need to be above reproach, they needed to well versed in the things of God, they needed to be able to teach, etc. They were your Prophets, the ones who proclaimed the Gospel. Deacons on the other hand, were most likely ministers or servants. They didn’t have to hold an office in all cases, but they were trusted Christians and established in the church. They were your men or women who served the church. Probably held positions of administration, positions that kept the church going on a practical level. They were servants in the church, probably the ones you didn’t see at the front. Here are some instructions listed in the Bible.
Overseer: An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. (I Tim. 3:2-3)
Deacon: Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (I Tim 3:8)
So Paul first gives his role. He is a bond-servant of Christ. He establishes his authority, though not too forceful. He then addresses the saints. He affirms everyone’s identity in Christ. He then addresses special attention to the inner body, or the pillars of the Church.
What can we learn from this? Well first we need to know who we are in Christ. We are saints. First and foremost. I think that if you are an overseer or deacon, or have the quality or gifts of one, then this letter might be especially for you. Especially if your in a church and you’re discouraged. Because through out this letter Paul encourages you, not only by telling of his struggles, but telling the struggles of Christ himself. And in light of that, perhaps that’s why he felt it important to add that phrase.
