Philippians 2:19 19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20For I have no one of the same soul, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know Timothy’s proven character, how as a child with a father he has served with me in the gospel.
Paul writes about two people who were examples to the Philippians of what he has written about in this letter. Many of the points Paul has mentioned thus far are illustrated in the lives of Timothy and Epaphroditus, including living worthily of the gospel, being involve din the service of Christ, living unselfishly like Christ, and working out one’s salvation in cooperation with God’s grace through the Holy Spirit. This part of the letter is very personal. We get a glimpse of how early Christians interacted together.
Paul wanted to send Timothy back to Philippi as soon as he could to find out how the church was doing. The early churches stayed connected by sending letters and emissaries like Timothy. Paul and Timothy had a deep relationship and one of the most significant recorded in the New Testament. Paul first met Timothy in the city of Lystra in Acts 16. Timothy was a young man at that time, possibly even a teenager. Paul chose him to be his companion on his missionary journeys. Timothy learned many things from Paul. Paul became his spiritual father and mentor. Paul trusted him and sent him on difficult assignments such as to the divided church in Corinth (1 Corinthians) and the church in Ephesus (1 Timothy), which had false teachers. Timothy had traveled all the way to Rome to be with Paul while he was imprisoned. Timothy was the co-author of this letter, though the contents are Paul’s ideas. This adds support to the theory that this was Paul’s Roman imprisonment.
Paul’s close relationship with Timothy is emphasized further in verse 20 in the statement, I have no one of the same soul. The word behind same soul (isopsychon) would be like “bosom body,” “soul mate,” “someone who thinks like me,” or someone who knows me so well that what he does is what I would do. Timothy represented Paul is places he could not go. For example, in 1 Corinthians 4:16-17, Paul writes, “Therefore, I urge you, be imitators of me. For this reason, I sent Timothy to you, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere and in every church.” The Corinthians could look at Timothy and see Paul. Later in 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul told the church to imitate him and he imitates Christ. This sequence is significant: Christ => Paul => Timothy => the Corinthians.
When Paul was writing this letter, he tells the Philippians several things about Timothy. First, Timothy genuinely cared for the Philippians’ welfare (verse 20). This was not just lip service or an occasional Sunday morning handshake but love in action. It was genuine and authentic.
Second, Timothy looked out for the interest of Jesus Christ (verse 21). The way of the world looks out for the interests of self. Timothy had followed Paul’s example and had given himself to the will of Christ. The way of Christ is the way of the cross: self-giving and putting the interest of others ahead of our own. As co-writer of this letter, Timothy was also a servant of Christ Jesus (1:1). His life was under the control of the one true Master. He had totally committed himself to the lordship of Christ.
Third, Timothy had proven his character over the years (verse 22). He kept his word and followed through with his commitments. His word and actions showed his character. We can tell a lot about people if what they say matches what they do. Timothy could be counted on because he had integrity. By looking at Timothy, the Philippians could see Jesus at work. The thought these verses leave us with this question: can people look at us and see Jesus?
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