Philippians 2:23-24 23Therefore, I hope to send this one immediately as I see how things might go for me, 24and I have become persuaded in the Lord that I myself will come shortly also.
These verses give further glimpse into Paul’s strategy and faith. He was planning ahead even though he was locked in prison. There should have been few if any obstacles in sending Timothy to Philippi since it appears that Timothy was not imprisoned. He could make the journey from wherever Paul was at the time. The known long-term imprisonments of Paul were all a long distance from Philippi, so this was a major undertaking for Timothy. This showed the great concern Paul had for this church. It is possible that Timothy could deliver other letters or check up on other churches during a trip like this.
Paul also hoped that he would be released so that he could also make the trip to check on the Philippians. There is no evidence that he was ever released and was able to make such a trip, but that is not beyond a possibility. What is clearer here is the basis for his hope. He had become persuaded in the Lord. The verb persuaded (pepoitha) is in the perfect tense, implying that there was a story to this persuasion. Paul had come to the point of being convinced that the Lord Jesus would open the door for him to be released. This may have possibly happened through his time in prayer. This statement would be one of the strongest reasons why this may not have been Paul’s Roman imprisonment. Paul had strong faith, and his being convinced in the Lord is a strong claim to make. However, being convinced within ourselves about the Lord’s will is no guarantee that things will work out as we hope in real life. People have choices, and sometimes their choices can hurt us and keep us from God’s will. Prison may have been such a road block for Paul. This verse echoes his hopes expressed in 1:21: no matter what happens, it is all about Jesus.
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