Philippians 2:1-4 Unity In Humility.
The ‘therefore’ at the start of verse one obviously hearkens back to chapter one, so that all he has written to this point was for the consolation and encouragement of his readers. Not only this, but the motivation and design of Paul with this letter was to provide encouragement for the comfort that true love brings, along with affection and mercy, aided essentially as these are with the fellowship they shared in the Spirit (v. 2). Knowing that his purpose here was being fulfilled is what would bring Paul the greatest joy (Cf. Jn. 3:29), namely that they would be “like-minded” with one another, being of “one accord,” and “having the same love” (v. 2 Cf. 4:2; Col. 3:12ff.; ). If this would be their positive attitude, it would mean the reverse of putting off those things contrary to this, namely “selfish ambition or conceit” (v. 3a Cf. Gal. 5:26). This one mind they were to have wasn’t just the one faith which he wrote about in chapter one, but a singularity of attitude toward each other that would lead each of them to esteem others as better than oneself, which means looking out not only for one’s own interests, “but also the interests of others” (vv. 3b-4 Cf. Rom. 12:10, 16; 15:1-2; I cor. 13:5).
