Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. (Philippians 2:2)

“Make my joy,” not “make Paul happy,” reminded them that their steadfastness completed God’s call on his life. The Greek word (πληρόω plēroō), is translated as “make…complete.” Paul was telling them that he could rejoice in prison and that if they held forth the four things that he had spoken of, his rejoicing would be full to the brim or complete. Because they had sought the strength to fulfill Paul’s desire as it comes from Christ — the encouragement to do this is by love, their joint participation in the Holy Spirit, and finally, the response of tender mercies and compassion to one another from the seat of their affections.

Paul was rejoicing not to make himself happy but to see the unity of the church. They would be of the same mind – having the same basic purpose in what they sought to do. This is not to be carbon copies of one another. It is that they seek to fulfill the commission of Christ as a church body. They were to hold the same love – in other words, to love and be loved by one another. This would help them be in full accord (σύμψυχος sumpsuchos) or knit together in their souls. The one mind, Paul will discuss more in verses 5 through 11 following. The one mind is the “mind of Christ.”

More in-depth Insights

Make my joy complete. The Greek (πληρόω plēroō) has the sense to fill up (with a sufficient quantity), and in this case, Paul’s joy so that he would not be lacking. Paul says that this would be accomplished by their unity, love, and being in full accord. Even Jesus spoke of his joy being complete. – John 3:29.

By being of the same mind. The Greek here (ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ φρονῆτε hina to auto phronēte) literally means that they think the same things when it comes to God. The verb φρονέω [phroneo] to be minded, is found eleven times in this epistle, and only seventeen times in the rest of the New Testament. Paul told the Corinthians in the first letter, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (1 Cor. 1:10) In his second letter to them, he says, “Finally, brothers, rejoice, be made complete,[1] be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Cor. 13:11) What Paul meant here and with the Corinthians, and all Christians, being united as to pure worship and the proclaiming of God’s Word. He was not referring to individual personal preferences or in minor issues that will be fixed the Christian matures spiritually (Rom. 14:2-6, 17) They are “to be of the same mind in the Lord” (Php 4:2), not to be squabbling, but to “to be of the same mind.” – 2Co 13:11.

Having the same love. Again, Paul is not asking them to love the same individual personal preferences, but rather the love of God, the love of pure worship, and the love of one another. Of course, their live of things and people will differ outside of the Christian congregation.

Being in full accord. The Greek here (σύμψυχος sumpsuchos) means of one soul [being one person]; having their souls [persons] harmonious, united. This is the only occurrence of this Greek word in the New Testament. It has the sense of being united in the same character, affections, and especially mindset. It means a union of the soul or acting together as one soul [person].

And of one mind. The Greek (ἓν φρονοῦντες hen phronountes) means in this context to think the same things when it comes to God, pure worship, and proclaiming the Word of God. Paul has chosen various ways to express the same thing in this short space, being one in thinking, unity of heart harmoniously joined together as one. He desires that they set aside divisions and strife and to be joined together for the crucial common cause, God. The sad irony is that we now have some 41,000 different denominations that call themselves Christian, and they all believe differently. And even on one denomination, each pastor of each church believes differently. And even in one church, each member believes differently than the others. And one of the most critical teachings in the New Testament is the importance of harmony among Christians.

[1] That is, to restore or readjust one’s thinking, to make them adequate or fully qualified for something.