The epistle to the
Philippians opens with Paul and Timothy both described as “slaves
[douloi] of Christ Jesus.”1
While all Christians are to be Christ’s slaves (1 Cor. 7:22; Eph. 6:6; 2 Tim.
2:24), other than the apostle himself and Timothy (Rom. 1:1; Gal. 1:10; Phil.
1:1; Tit. 1:1), Epaphras is the only individual specifically identified as such
in the Pauline writings (Col. 4:12). In
the opening of the letter to Philemon, Paul is designated “a prisoner of
Christ” with Timothy “the brother.” Due to the sensitive nature of the
correspondence, it is understandable why the word “slave” is not used as a descriptive term.
J. Murphy-O’Connor
considers the title “slave of Christ Jesus” to be honorific, calling to
mind the great servants of God in the OT (Letter-Writer
48). L. A. Jervis considers that the unique positioning of Timothy’s name along
with this designation draws attention to his equality with Paul and to their
shared commitment to the service of Christ (Purpose
of Romans 71). Yet Timothy’s subordinate status in relation to Paul is
evident in the letter body (Phil. 2:22) and elsewhere (1 Tim. 1:2; 2 Tim. 1:2).
Moreover, in the first-century Greco-Roman world, in the context of a Roman
colony like Philippi (cf. Acts 16:12, 21), the word “slave” would be more humbling than honorific.
Adopting such a title
challenged societal norms where prestige and advancement were highly valued
(cf. Phil. 3:7-8). Paul “introduces the countercultural mind-set that he will
establish in the letter. Over against the Philippians’ quest for honor, Paul
and Timothy are models of an alternative set of values.”2 The
apostle makes sure his readers know that the Lord Jesus Christ took on the
“form of a slave [doulos]” (Phil. 2:7). When he says concerning Timothy, “he has served with
me in the gospel” (Phil. 2:22), the verb is douleúō, connoting service as slaves. The difference is that a slave of
Christ is one who gives himself up willingly and fully to the will of another
(cf. Rom. 6:17-20).
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1
Scripture quotations are the author’s own translation.
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