Timothy
I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.
For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me Phil 2:19-23
Timothy may be described as a type of Christ here. He was sent as Jesus was sent by the Father. The basis of his sending is that he was of the same mind as Paul Phil 2:20 and was genuinely concerned for the welfare of the people the same way Jesus had the same mind as the Father and loved humanity that he gave himself to us. Furthermore, Timothy unlike others did not seek his own interest vs 21. He could have pursued other causes that were convenient to him. He was selfless. He accepted to serve with Paul again in this particular cause. He was a servant, a proven and faithful one vs 22. Timothy was a servant like his Master, Jesus Christ, who came not to be served but to serve. He did not go to on his Mission with a scepter of authority as a royal apostle designate. He went as a youthful servant in obedience to the one who sent him. This is the spirit of Christ in Timothy.
Epaphroditus
I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. Phil 2:25-30
We will not endeavor to repeat the same things that had been said of Christ and Timothy about Epaphroditus because he was of the same stock. But the aspect I wish to emphasize is that although such men as this ought to be held in high esteem yet they appeared not with pomp and power. They came in all humility to serve. And how did they serve? They served, risking their lives to the point of death vs 30. In the service of others, they were selfless resulting in his sickness that was close to death. “For the work of Christ he came close to death” was the testimony of their service. But all these in humility, in the mind of Christ.
How many today serve holding back, sparing themselves and not going beyond what is convenient? The love of self is the bane of today’s church. Good causes and relationships have broken down and did not go far because of selflove, selfish ambition, self-promotion and everything of self. May the Lord heal his people of this evil disease that we may be conformed to his likeness and experience the same glory which came to Christ as a result of self-abasement. Amen