The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
Summary: Paul’s description of those who shared the Gospel out of love touches the heart as we explore the relationship Paul had with his followers.
The word Paul uses for “love” is that well-known Greek word, “agapē.” This form of love is most often associated with God’s love for us.
Human love is often transactional. We “love” in a way that demands “love” in return. If we are not loved as we think we should be, human love can turn to hate in an instant.
There is a tragic illustration of this principle in the Old Testament. David has become king of Israel, and along the way has acquired several wives. One of his wives was the mother of a young man named Amnon, and another was the mother of a beautiful young woman named Tamar.
This story is part of a much larger story having to do with David’s own sinful behavior towards Bathsheba. In this story, David’s lust for his neighbor’s wife is mirrored by his son, who “loved” his sister, Tamar.
The word “love” is in quotation marks because it is not the kind of love that God approves of outside of marriage. Amnon’s love for his sister was a sexual love. As the story progresses, Amnon develops a plot to entice Tamar into his bedroom, where he rapes her. Having acted on the desires of his flesh, his feelings suddenly change.
“Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her.” (2 Samuel 13:15)
God’s love (agapē) is never like that. God’s love is not driven by the passions of the flesh. Instead, it represents pure affection for a person. Agapē desires only the best for that person and is not put off by errors or mistakes. Agapē is unconditional love.
The people Paul is referring to preach Christ out of “goodwill” (Philippians 1:15). Their love for Christ is intermingled with their love for Paul and for the Gospel. They desire only to serve others.
We can only imagine what it must have been like to love Paul for bringing the Gospel of Christ and to see him kept in chains. All he wanted was to help people know Jesus, and here he was, like an eagle chained to a post.
Those who preached Christ out of love were likely motivated not only by their love for Jesus but their love for Paul. Desiring to carry on his work for him, they did just that.
Application: Paul is no longer in chains, but neither is he able to continue preaching the Gospel. It is up to us to do so out of love.
Food for Thought: How is the “defense of the Gospel” different than preaching the Gospel?
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