Suicide comes in several forms. Besides the more obvious types, there is passive suicide – simply not taking care of your health through overindulgence in liquor, food, or drugs or choosing to ignore obvious danger signs that should cause you to consult a doctor immediately. Then there are those who live for the adrenaline rushes caused by engaging in dangerous physical activities such as rock climbing or motorcycle racing. They may not be actively seeking death, but on the other hand they appear to be laughing at death and daring it to take them. And then there is the rarer example of “death by cop,” in which a person cannot bring himself to commit active suicide and so he purposely provokes police to the point where they are forced to kill him. It is that last example that perhaps comes the closest to the type of suicide of which Paul might be accused – “death by centurion” in his case.
That brings us to the time when Paul was in jail awaiting sentencing and he penned his famous “To be or not to be” speech: "For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith." (Philippians 1:21-25)
It has rightly been asked why, unlike Hamlet, Paul at this point could have even considered that he had any choice in the matter one way or another since his fate was no longer in his hands. But it seems obvious that is not the question in his mind. Instead he was simply contemplating the potential consequences of the two possibilities he was facing and openly sharing their pros and cons with his fellow Christians at Philippi.
However, critics of that view could point to the passage in Acts 21:10-13 in which a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea, took Paul's belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is the way the Jews in Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.'” Then Paul answered,”...I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 21:10-11,13
Thus, Paul could be characterized as someone who had a death wish in that he proceeded to Jerusalem even when warned by the Holy Spirit, but he felt that there were more important things than preserving his own life.
And although it has also been suggested that Paul was considering suicide because he was depressed, it seems rather to be part of Paul's overall attitude toward life, and was related to his statement that he had learned the secret of being content whether in riches or in poverty (Philippians 4:11). In either case, he was convinced that his fate was securely in God's hands.
Below are what some scholarly commentators have to say regarding this passage:
Verse 19
Craddock: “In the structure of 1:12-26, 'rejoice' in verse 18 is a reflection upon what has already occurred (vv. 12-18); 'rejoice' in verse 19 is stated as a future, looking ahead to events not yet certain, now to be discussed in verses 19-26. In other words, Paul not only rejoices over what has happened but, because of his confident faith, also over what will happen.”
Reumann discusses whether Paul in this verse is quoting from Job 13:16. It turns out that the Greek translation of this Old Testament text contains no less that five words which are identical to those in this New Testament verse. He concludes that “words from Job 13:16 are present at Phil. 1:19, but not obviously” and states that “It is speculative to assume familiarity among the Philippians with the words of [OT] Scripture.”
Verse 20
“Paul had massive confidence. But there was not a hint of self-confidence or self-sufficiency...Paul's confidence in his deliverance was matched by his confidence that Christ would be honored...The apostle's confidence pulsates. To understand it, we must set aside our normal English usage of hope with its note of uncertainty...In contrast to this, Biblical hope brims with certainty because it is based upon the fact that 'God is God and has underwritten the future' (Bockmuehl).” (Hughes)
Reumann: “The pass[ive] voice in 1:20 suggests God as agent...'not be put to shame by God,' the one invoked to avoid such disgrace, who puts the wicked to shame and delivers those calling upon the Lord...”
Verse 21
“Phil 1:21 has been called the central assertion of the passage, nine Gk. words in a difficult sequence, striking to its original hearers/readers in Philippi...” (Reumann)
“To determine even more exactly just what the apostle has in mind when he says, 'to live (is) Christ,' parallel Pauline passages must be consulted. It means: to derive one's strength from Christ (Phil. 4:13), to have the mind, the humble disposition of Christ (Phil. 2:5-11), to know Christ with the knowledge of Christian experience (Phil. 3:8), to be covered by Christ's righteousness (Phil. 3:9), to rejoice in Christ (Phil. 3:1; 4:4), to live for Christ, that is for his glory (II Cor. 5:15), to rest one's faith on Christ and to love him in return for his love (Gal. 2:20).” (Hendricksen)
Verse 22
“The agitation of Paul's mind is clearly to be seen in the broken syntax of his writing. Verse 22 reads literally, as follows: 'But if to live in the flesh this to me fruit of work, and what I shall choose I do not make known.'” (Martin) And Muller renders it, “What I shall choose I do not say, I cannot tell, I cannot declare.”
Verse 23
Hendricksen asks, “Just why is this [i.e. dying] far more appealing, subjectively considered? Consult such passages as Rom. 8:18; II Cor. 5:8; II Tim. 4:7,8; and Phil. 3:14 for the answer.”
Verse 24
Muller notes that here Paul employs a double comparative in the Greek, which can be translated as “For it is much more the better, i.e. much, much better; by far better.”
Verse 25
“Paul had no divine word about his staying alive, but given his apostolic calling and the need for his ministry to the Philippians, he felt sure that he had more life ahead of him – and that they would glory not in him but in Christ Jesus.” (Hughes)
“At 1:25, your progress is that of the Philippians [unlike progress for the gospel in 1:12]. Philosophy spoke of the individual's progress in morality and self-development; here your is pl[ural], communal, you all in Philippi. The word order makes it emphatic: lit., 'the of-you progress and joy'...” (Reumann)
Verse 26
According to Hendricksen, Paul's expectations came true so that he actually was released and allowed to see the Philippians again.
The form of this passage
Finally, when possible, I always like to consider the literary flow of the whole passage since it sometimes helps to clarify certain points in the text. Below is a rough analysis of verses19-26:
Figure 1: Structure of Philippians 1:19-26
A. I know that I will be delivered (19)
B. reason (20)
C. living is Christ (21a)
D. dying is gain (21b)
C'. living means fruitful labor (22a)
E. I don't know which I prefer (22b)
E'. I am hard pressed between the two (23a)
D'. To be with Christ is better (23b)
C''. to remain in the flesh is better for you (24)
A'. I know that I will remain (25)
B'. reason (26)
Reumann reviews several similar chiastic structures proposed for this passage. Melick has also noted the symmetry in these verses, specifically pointing to the same wording in A and A' as well as the same basic meaning in C' and C''. We could also point to the reversal in order between “Jesus Christ” in unit A and “Christ Jesus” in B', marking out the boundaries of this overall section. The center units E and E' highlight Paul's confusion regarding the two possible outcomes in his future. That is also seen in Figure 1 with its alternation between the C and D sections.
In addition, some commentators have shown how that state of mind is echoed in the the awkward way the original Greek text reads. For example, Martin says, “E.F. Scott rightly observes that 'his language at this point is broken and obscure, reflecting the perturbation of his mind as he turns from one alternative to another and cannot arrive at a decision.' But we must add that the perturbation is caused only by the claims of the alternatives, and not by the uncertainty of his future which he knows to be entirely and securely in God's hands.”
Craddock echoes Scott's words: “That Paul is experiencing intense mental conflict is amply evident...He quotes Job, the very personification of struggle, in verse 19; and the awkward grammar, the disjointed sentences, testify to the apostle's frame of mind.”
Examples
I alluded earlier to the sometimes-cited parallel between the respective soliloquies of Paul and Hamlet. But there are actually more differences than similarities. Hamlet is so fed up with life that he actually is contemplating suicide whereas that idea wouldn't even have entered Paul's mind. Paul is content to leave his fate in God's hands while Hamlet wants to take control of what happens to him. And Hamlet has just enough Christian education to make him uneasy regarding what the afterlife might have in mind for him. Also, Hamlet is totally absorbed with getting personal revenge on his step-father. By contrast, Paul's only concern is that, whatever happens to him, God will be glorified. Hamlet is torn between two unpleasant choices while Paul sees positive consequences in both cases.
I would like to close with three real-life examples from own personal observations. The first two were women with whom my wife was related, both of whom were raised in what might be called salvation-by-works churches. One of them confided that she was meticulous about confessing at bedtime every sin she had committed during the day (and knowing her, there can't have been many) because she knew that if she accidentally left any out, she would not be let into heaven if she died during the night. And the other woman, who certainly had committed several serious lapses during her life, held on to that life with all her might and pleaded with the doctors to cure her even though she had been told her that her medical condition was terminal and could not be treated. I am convinced that she felt that her sins had been so great that God could not possibly forgive her, and she was doomed to hell as soon as she died.
And on the contrasting side, there was another woman who was a loyal member of our church and whose husband worked with my father. I don't think I ever saw her smile during the many years I knew her. Her constant moan was, “I just don't understand why God doesn't take me now. How many more years do I have to put up with life?” It wasn't that she was living a horrible life in the least, but she was spending most of it just sitting around waiting for her reward in heaven.
One just has to compare those three attitudes with that of Paul, who had certainly committed huge offenses against the Church earlier in his life and yet was facing the prospect of death with perfect equanimity since his eternal hope rested on Jesus Christ rather than on his own abilities. And, as he expresses it, he really doesn't ultimately care whether he lives a little longer or dies soon since in either case he will be given opportunities to glorify God.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments