God’s Word for You

Philippians 1:15 The giving instrument

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Thursday, February 19, 2026

15 Some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, and others out of good will.

Verses 15-17 are important for several reasons. The verses raise some interesting questions, but they also proclaim a vitally important truth. It is that truth we are most concerned about, but the merely “interesting questions” need to be addressed so that we will understand the true impact of the one vitally important truth. There is no reason to delay what that is: The Gospel has the power to change hearts all by itself, no matter how it is proclaimed or who proclaims it. Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). We will come back to this point and see just how important it is. It is the power of God!

But let’s find out for ourselves. Are the “some… and others” of this verse a division of the “most of the brothers” (τοὺς πλείονας τῶν ἀδελϕῶν) from verse 14, or are the “most” of verse 14 the same as the “others” of this verse (the ones who preach out of good will) as opposed to a different “some” who preach from false motives?

1, If verse 14’s “most” are the “good will” preachers, then Paul means to say that other members of the brothers do not preach from good motives, but false.

2, Since there is nothing in what Paul says in either verse 13 or 14 to disparage whatever brothers were not “more confident and daring” about preaching the Gospel on account of Paul’s chains, it doesn’t seem possible that that minority would preach from false motives.

3, The “some” of verse 15 are an entirely new group that has not before appeared in the letter. However, they must have been known in some way to the Philippians. Otherwise, this would be a confusing introduction.

4, Therefore, we maintain that the two groups in verses 15-17 are not a division of the “brothers” of verse 14, but the “brothers” are in fact those who preach Christ from good will, and an entirely different group is meant here in verse 15, those who preach out of envy and rivalry.

Another question to answer is: Who were these “envy and rivalry” preachers?

1, They could have been the same or similar “early Gnostics” that troubled the Colossian Christians, who stressed a secret knowledge (Colossians 2:18; 1 Timothy 6:20), the worship of angels (Colossians 2:18; 1 Corinthians 6:3), an emphasis of human wisdom over Christ (Colossians 3:15-17), and other things.

2, They could have been Judaizers, who insisted on circumcision for salvation and membership in the church (Philippians 3:2, 3:3; Galatians 2:12, 5:6, 5:11).

3, They could simply have been men jealous of Paul’s success, vaguely aware of his preaching about Christ, and trying to cash in on this interesting religion while they had time, as long as Paul was locked up.

Any of these would stir up some trouble for Paul (Philippians 1:17), but for the present, he has another attitude toward them: They preach Christ! This means that the second possibility above, that of Judaizers, is less likely. It’s hard to imagine that a group Paul condemned with an anathema, “let them be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-8) would now bring out praise from the same Apostle. And yet, he does emphasize their insincerity and their selfish ambition, and being unable to confront them head-on, he points out their great weakness: Christ is preached!

Remember the men who fumbled with their words at Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin? They couldn’t string two accusations together that agreed. Even when they hauled out his words, “Destroy this temple, and I will build it again in three days” (John 2:19) they mangled his words. His quote was supposed by those eyewitnesses to have been either, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it again in three days” (Matthew 26:61) or “I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days build another, not made by man” (Mark 14:58). In the accusation, the second-person “If you destroy” that is present in the Greek lysate (λύσατε) is twisted into a first-person katalyso (καταλύσω) “I will destroy.” And yet, the theology is not lost on the Christian who hears the words. They understand, despite the misquote and mangled grammar, that Christ was talking about his own body and not the Second Temple.

This brings us back to the main point: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful all by itself; it is the power of God. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). It is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus Christ has chosen to sustain everything by his powerful word (Hebrews 1:3). It is the instrument through which God tells sinners that he died for them. When we consider God’s word in this way, call it the “giving instrument” organon dotikon (ὄργανoν δoτικόν) that creates the “receiving instrument” organon leptikon (ὄργανoν ληπτικόν), which is faith. Faith is the channel through which God’s grace flows. We might think of it like the tube the nurse inserts into the vein so that medicine can enter into the body. Faith is how God’s grace, love, and forgiveness become ours. He gives it all, and he even gives the faith that receives it. “It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing” (Acts 3:16). “God has given you faith” (Romans 12:3). “What was promised is given to those who believe through faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 3:22). And James also says: “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth” (James 1:18).

There is more to say, and Paul will say it in the next verse.

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

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