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Why Would Paul Rejoice in Selfish Preachers: Understanding Philippians 1:15-17

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

Philippians 1:15-17

It’s confusing that Paul would take an attitude of, “It’s all good. People are talking about Jesus! That’s good news. Don’t worry about it!” This is what I’d always understood this passage to mean. Afterall, Paul was writing in a time when Christianity was brand new and people legitimately may not have ever heard of Jesus. So, even an incomplete or twisted gospel might be better than no gospel. Right?

In this post, I hope to address some of the options for what Paul meant. I’m honestly not sure yet which view I believe, but I know which one I don’t.

View 1: “At least Jesus is being proclaimed!”

This is how I’d understood this passage for years. Afterall, one of my good friends in college became a Christian after hearing a Mormon try to evangelize her… and she understood the true gospel through the distorted gospel that was presented to her. So, if God can do that through a Mormon evangelist, then God can still use an evangelist whose theology is heretical.

But this viewpoint simply doesn’t jibe with Paul’s other writings. He frequently calls out churches and evangelists whose gospels are twisted or incomplete. I have a hard time believing that Paul would say, “It’s all good… so long as Jesus is mentioned!” That simply doesn’t seem like an attitude Paul display anywhere else.

Think about this for a second. Paul spend entire letters warning churches about division and false teachers. I suspect we all know people who talk about Jesus and quote from the Bible, but their understanding of the gospel doesn’t quite line up with what Paul seems to teach. Paul has strong words for them elsewhere… it doesn’t make sense for him to say in Philippians 1:15-17 that their disagreements don’t matter.

View 2: Gospel Plagiarists

In the ancient world, rhetoric (the study and practice of public speaking) was a really big deal. Back then, good rhetoricians were like today’s Hollywood celebrities. They would make a living by traveling from city to city giving their speeches in the town square, like musicians who collect donations in their guitar cases. Except, this was a legitimate vocation that people would aspire to hold.

For these people, Christian evangelists provided a fresh subject to memorize and copy. Plagiarizing someone else’s sermon would essentially guarantee an itinerant speaker would have original material to share at the next city where he was visiting… and that would probably lead to better donations.

While I really like this option, it seems to crumble with v.17. The gospel plagiarists would be seeking selfish gain, but not trying to do Paul harm.

View 3: Rival Christian Groups

Consider the rival groups of Christians that seemed to be spreading throughout Macedonia and Greece, referenced in 1 Corinthians 1:10-17. Paul undermines those allegiances by saying, “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” This option claims the “Apollos vs Paul” debate was raging in Philippi and the surrounding region, not only in Corinth – a very reasonable and likely scenario.

So, according to this view, those who are preaching the gospel for selfish purposes in order to grow their group’s prominence while causing problems for Paul, who is in prison. This is the most popular interpretation.

View 4: Paul’s Opponents

It only makes sense that the people who are advocating for Pauls ongoing imprisonment to lead to death would be repeating his horrific blasphemies. This means they would be talking a lot about Jesus as the Son of God who has risen from the grave and as the returning king of creation. By telling everyone about Paul’s “heretical” teaching, they would actually be proclaiming the gospel to those who hear. And if that’s the case… then Paul is thankful for their help spreading the good news.

This view seems to reflect v.17’s statement, “The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” Their intent is not to make money, but to profit by eliminating Paul’s ongoing ministry. By doing him harm, they benefit because he’s out of the picture.

Conclusions & Application

It seems unlikely to me that view 1 is the way to go. This simply doesn’t align with what we know of Paul. Elsewhere he eviscerates the Judaizers for preaching a false gospel and says he wishes they’d castrate themselves (Galatians 1:6-7, 5:12)! I have a hard time believing this man who spent so much time training pastors and correcting their theology would embrace an attitude that says, “Meh… it’s close enough….”

This leaves views 2, 3, and 4. Honestly, I really like view 2, but the above section already highlights why it’s improbable. View 3 is the most well-attested viewpoint and seems to present the fewest problems, though view 4 is also a possibility. Given the relative proximity between Corinth and Philippi, and that Paul directly addresses the “Paul vs. Apollos” division in 1 Cor. 1:12, view 3 seems like it’s the most common interpretation for a good reason.

Pastoral application: If people are repeating your words and using them for selfish purposes, make sure they’re hearing and repeating the gospel. Don’t let yourself get so bogged-down by correcting their motives that you miss out on the reality that they’re unintentionally helping you… because your greatest desire spread the gospel (not your own fame).

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What Makes a Good Sermon?

Ask any church goer and you’ll hear a wide range of characteristics for a good sermon. Some people are looking for compelling stories, others want to laugh, and still others are turned off by humor and desire pure teaching. Here are the characteristics that I keep in mind while preparing to preach.

1. Be biblical

This seems like a no-brainer, but there are plenty of sermons which reference the Bible but they are not built on a foundation of Scripture. Sometimes the preacher seems to have an idea what he wants to say and then uses a Bible verse here or there to prove his point. This is not a biblical sermon. If the Word of God is living and active, a double edged sword that is God-breathed, then we should keep Scripture front-and-center.

2. Be Gospel-Centered

I know “gospel centered” has become something of a cliche over the last five years, but it’s a helpful (and biblical) grid through which to operate. If a sermon doesn’t clearly lead to gospel proclamation, and if it doesn’t clearly flow from the fruit of the gospel… then it isn’t a Christian sermon in any meaningful way. Many preachers have fallen off the cliff of works-righteousness in the attempt to be relevant (“Four keys to building a great marriage,” or “How to be the best you”). Sermons should be robustly biblical and gospel-centered.

3. Be clear

What good is brilliance if it’s so blinding you can’t behold it? Instead, I have always agreed with those who claim you don’t really understand something until you can explain it to a child. Preachers spend an average of 12-20 hours each week on their sermon but the people who listen only hear the final result. Gone are the days when preachers can reasonably assume any measure of biblical literacy, so using phrases like “Most of you know this verse already” only makes to those who don’t “already know” feel stupid and small and unwelcome. If something is worth saying, it’s worth saying clearly enough for everyone to understand. I generally keep seven specific people in mind while preparing the message: a child (kids over age 7 sit through our entire worship service), a teenager, a young parent, a businessman, a tradesman, a nonbeliever (who may be skeptical but is interested enough to attend a worship service), and a senior saint who has faithfully served Christ for decades. If these people can each understand what I have down on paper, then I’m ready to preach.

4. Be helpful

This is where the rubber meets the road and the sermon connects or falls flat. Rather than trying to be relevant, I find it more fruitful to pursue helpfulness. Here are some questions I consider: “What is confusing about this passage that needs to be explained?” “Where does our culture today agree and disagree with this message?” “What challenges will people face in the call to embrace this teaching?” “What is going on in our church where this message applies to either encourage or correct us?”

If a sermon hits in these four marks, I think it will demonstrate pastoral love for the listeners, reverence to the Lord in how Scripture is handles carefully, and great joy because it is anchored in God’s provision through Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

One final thing to note is this – every preacher needs to first listen to the sermon the Holy Spirit is preaching to him through his sermon preparation. If the preacher hasn’t first been moved by God’s Word through the preparation process then his sermon will be flat, one-dimensional, and either dryly-academic or hypocritical.

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How Jesus Built the Church

Wooden Doors

When most of us think of Jesus, he is a meek and mild Savior who brings comfort and peace. That’s certainly true of him, but the Gospel of Mark highlight’s Jesus’ authority and power. This is a side of Jesus we easily overlook after years of familiarity with the Bible.

The opening verses (Mark 1:1-13) set the stage for Jesus to walk into the spotlight. Jesus is identified by John the Baptist as the Messiah, the long awaited “chosen one” who was foretold by prophets of centuries past. When Jesus is baptized, God himself speaks and identifies Jesus as “my beloved son.” Immediately after being baptized, Jesus endures temptation in the desert for forty days and nights. These present Jesus as the Messiah who is both God and human. These opening verses highlight that Jesus was always God’s “Plan A.”

Mark 1:15-19 is significant because Jesus’ first words are preserved for us (since Mark was the earliest-written Gospel in the Bible) are these: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” He identifies himself as the Messiah who has come to bring the kingdom of God, and he welcomes sinners to enter into it through repentance and faith in the gospel. This is Jesus’ mission… and immediately after his mission is announced, he starts to build his Church by recruiting the first disciples.

Mark 1:21-45 highlight Jesus’ authority over demons and sickness. When Jesus is teaching in the temple a demon-possessed man literally cried out for mercy. The crowds begin to flock to Jesus, seeking deliverance and healing. In v.38 the disciples say, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus responds, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” He could have stayed and built a huge ministry-platform, but he rejected the ministry opportunity in order to fulfill his mission. His time had not yet come to be recognized as the Messiah. While the Gospel of Mark was written in the generation after Jesus’ ascension, the gospel was spreading and Christians were being persecuted and Jesus’ authority was the foundation of their perseverance. These verses demonstrate the power and authority of Jesus, and encourage believers to live in faith rather than fear.

When we look in Mark 1 we see Jesus built his Church through two ministry priorities:

  1. Preaching the good news and inviting sinners to repent
  2. Training disciples

The Great Commission was not something Jesus thought of near the end of his ministry. It was the driving force behind everything he did… that all peoples of the earth would repent and believe in the gospel and become disciples who are “fishers of men.” He would not allow miracles and social ministry to distract him from these two priorities. Obviously, he healed many and performed miracles, but the miracles always led to preaching or proved his authority to say what he said.

Jesus is the savior of those who are desperate and weary from their labors. He also causes demons to shudder and beg for mercy. Jesus brought the kingdom of God, and sinners are invited to enter through repentance and faith in the gospel. Speak the gospel to people with confidence, not embarrasment. Remember the authority of Jesus Christ and confidently proclaim the kingdom of God and invite others to enter in as new disciples, because Jesus continues to build his church through the gospel.

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Failure to Communicate

We’ve all been in that conversation. The one where you’ve been totally misunderstood and you’re standing there thinking,

I didn’t say that! Were you even listening?!

What it comes down to is this: communication is about what they hear, not what you said. So if you were spouting off brilliant solutions to great mysteries, but no one had any idea what you were talking about – then communication didn’t happen. Miscommunication and confusion happened instead.

As legendary coach, John Wooden has said, “You haven’t taught until they’ve learned.”

To the best of my knowledge, here are some of the main culprits to lead to miscommunication:

Old Phones

Continue reading “Failure to Communicate” →

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Milk, Meat, or Soda?

Which best describes your teaching… Milk, Meat, or Soda?

As youth pastors. We are often tasked with feeding our “sheep” milk. We often minister to nonChristian teens, to students who are new believers, and to those who are doubting their faith (whether they admit it to us or not). These are not people who need spiritual meat, they need milk.

Continue reading “Milk, Meat, or Soda?” →

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