The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-04
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON.
Dec. 5, 1s07-PhiIippians ii, Lib.

The word Joyous is the keynote to the epistle.
II rejoice My joy Rejoice ye" Strange
thai letter fairly brinming with felicity should
have been written by d prisoner whose chance Of
justice diminished Nero drifted from Seneca
to poppea- Generous Burrus dead The
hired house exchanged for the pretoran bar
racks. Martyrdom became increasingly probable.
But the apostles joy. instead of diminishing.
actually augmented. The secret of this
JOY is in the completeness of Paul's devotion to
the cause and person of Jesus He had substan-
tial evidence of the thorough going character of
the church he had established at Philippi in three
donations and the visit Of its pastor, Epaphro-
ditis. He found, also, that the things that
happening to him in Rome were falling out to the
furtheIance rather than the hindering of the Cos
pei So to to whom Christ and life were
synonyms. there We're of JOY entirely out
weighing those of grief and fear. The churches
planted, thrived. and converts making even
in Caesars palace. : Again. the example
of Christ inspired the apostle. The superlative
instance of self abnegation was in him who was
not tenacious of his divine honors but let loose
Of them to such an extent as to appear in human
FORM, as serving man. and to die even the
slave-lilie death of the The Via Dolorosa
had no teTor sic for Paul since JeSgs l. had @
honor OF his Maffr and the good Of his fellows
the more forcefully call the Philippians to the
ideal Christian life which is ever humble. con-
Paul also has in view the browning
day Christ s humiliation was followed by an eXc
they suffer with him. they shall reign with him.
Prison wall cannot hide from the APOSTLE the
crown which the righteous Judge will give him in
that day.
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES
Bowels and mercies: r. v, tender mercies
Fulfill my joy: In view of their con-
ISOLATION in Christ fellowship of the Spirit and
the related graces the reality of all of which is
assumed. Pauls further entreaty is that they
will make full his joy in them by being like
minded. united in sentiment and in thoughts, in
views and in estmates-Curry.
Esteem others better Instead of fixing your
eyes those points in which you excel, fix them
on these in which your neighbor excels you.
Brown.
Mind which was in Christ: 1t is the pre-existent
Christ whose action in self-huma ton is here
described and we have before in succession
and his subsequent exaltation.- Whedon
Who being: Less cannot be ir'rlied in this word
than eternal e-existerce.-Alford.
Form of God The form of a thing is the mode
in which it reveals itself: and that is determined
view of others; in the form of God. chat is.
manifesting all divine perfections) who is not
Found in fashion as a man. The same Being
who had been invested with so much glory in
heaven appeared on earth in the form OF a man.
Wherefore: He proves by Christ's example that
they are blessed. who voluntarily humiliate them
estate to The most exaIted height 0S whesoever
hunbles himself shall be in like manner eX-
alted.-Calvin.
THE TEACHERS CULVER.
First-Some thousand students of history know
that the plain of Philippi Octavius and An
thony defeated Brutus and Cassius, but twenty
million have their Bibles open to the epistle
written to the church by the apostle who founded
it, Paul has given a wider and more lasting ce-
lebrity to the city than Philip of Macedon
himself.
Second-The epistle is prompted by gratitude for
the kindly attentions of the church at Philipn
Written from Rome toward the close of the first
Imprisonment a. ID. so, eleven years after the
founding of the church, VeritaDle love letter: a
recognition of sympathy
Third-This particular passage has been called
the key and summary of St. Paurs Christoogv
1t is the whole, course of Jesus in epitome His
pre-exstence. the amazing spectacle of His hui
miliation''--Iis superative exaltation as Lord Of
Earth and heaven
Fourth-The medatoria and microscopy Of
flee of Jesus is indicated in the phrase, lin the
Of Jesus every knee should bow The
purpose of His exatat!on is that in His name
all prayer may be made.
Fifth-As walked through the chambers in the
b.en occupied, by the Pretorian guard and the
walls of " hich Were Scrawled by the soldiers in
hours of idleness. l was reminded of the saluta-
ton with which this epistle closes; namely from
1.-The sainJS that of Caesars household
Some mephitic vapors may have crept up from
these vaults into the gilded corridors above but
the sweet odor of Pauls life and message came
UP also-and not in vain.