Does Paul call the Philippians to “hold fast to” or “hold forth” the word of life?

Explanation:

Paul calls the Philippians to do all things without grumbling, as pure and blameless children of God, holding fast to the word of life. The verb Paul uses for to hold fast is ἐπέχω, and we can deduce how to translate the phrase by considering the most common meaning of the verb. For the most common meaning of the verb is to hold fast.³ 4 Thus, we should translate the phrase hold fast to the word of life.

Counterargument:

While the verb could be translated to hold fast, it could also be translated as to hold forth as in, extending or offering something to someone.⁵ Now, when we combine this option with the phrase word of life, we get a different picture of what Paul is saying. That is, Paul is calling the Philippians to hold forth the word of life. Of course, to hold forth the word of life is an evangelistic posture, while holding fast is more defensive.⁶

Response to counterargument:

There is no option in the Greek lexicon for the translating the verb as to hold forth. Rather, there are three alternatives, namely, maintain a grasp, to be mindful or especially observant, and to remain at a place. Thus, Paul’s meaning is likely to maintain a grasp on the word of life, or to be especially observant of the word of life. Holding forth the word of life does not seem to be a viable option.

Explanation:

When Paul calls for the Philippians to hold fast to the word of life, this aligns with Philippians 1:27–28.⁷ For there Paul calls the Philippians to let their manner of life be worthy of the gospel, that they may stand firm in one Spirit, not frightened by their opponents. Such a sentiment matches closely with his comments in Philippians 2:15–16 where he calls them to be pure and blameless, holding fast the word of life. Thus, Paul likely has in mind the same basic theme in both passages. The Philippians conduct ought to align with the gospel as they stand firm in one Spirit, which is to say that they are to hold fast to the word of life.

Counterargument:

The problem here is that if we are going to use Philippians 1:27–28 to understand Philippians 2:16, we should point out that in Philippians 1:27, Paul says more than to stand firm in one Spirit. That is, he also calls the Philippians to strive side by side for the faith of the gospel. To strive side by side suggests positively presenting the gospel to one’s neighbours. Likewise, when Paul calls the Philippians to hold fast to the word of life, he likely has in mind holding forth, as in presenting, the gospel of life.

Response to counterargument:

Unfortunately, it is not clear that striving side by side for the faith of the gospel amounts to positively evangelizing to one’s neighbour. Rather, to strive side by side has to do with standing together as a cohesive unity as the Philippian church guards against the forces of wickedness. In fact, the language of striving side by side has a military connotation, having to do with standing together against a common enemy.⁸ This understanding of Philippians 1:27 is reinforced when Paul says they are not to be frightened by their opponents.

Given that there is no clear lexical meaning of ἐπέχω that could mean anything other than to hold fast, it is hard to see what else Paul could mean. If we stretch the meaning of the verb, then the context does support other translations, but we should only stretch the meaning of a verb when we have good reason. In this case, we do not, because the context supports the most common lexical meaning.

Explanation:

We can understand what Paul means when he says holding fast to the word of life by considering the immediate context. For just before this phrase Paul calls the Philippians to do all things without grumbling, that they may be blameless in a crooked generation, shining as lights in the world. And then the phrase follows. Given that Paul has just said that the Philippians shine as lights in the world, we should likely translate the phrase as holding forth the word of life.¹³ For one shines as a light in the world by holding forth, that is, explaining and proclaiming, the gospel.

Counterargument:

The phrase holding fast to the word of life is a participial phrase, and is best construed as modifying the entire purpose clause that begins at Philippians 2:15.¹⁴ Paul calls the Philippians to do all things without grumbling, before introducing the purpose clause that explains why they should do all things without grumbling. They should do all things without grumbling so that they may be blameless and shine as lights in the world. The participial phrase of Philippians 2:16 then explains how the Philippians can be blameless and shine as lights in the world, that is, by holding fast to the word of life. So the phrase holding fast to the word of life does not explain how the Philippians shine as lights, but how they behave as God’s children, which results in their shining as lights.¹⁵

Response to counterargument:

There is another way to construe to Philippians 2:15 so that the participial phrase holding fast to the word of life does not modify the purpose clause. For the purpose clause may modify Philippians 2:14, where Paul calls the Philippians not to grumble or complain. Paul is saying, Do not grumble and complain so that you may be blameless and innocent. In other words, being blameless and innocent is not explained by holding fast to the word of life, as the counterargument has it, but is explained by not grumbling or complaining. This leaves open how the participial phrase holding fast to the word of life functions in the sentence, allowing for it to explain not how the Philippians are blameless (which is taken care of by Philippians 2:14) but how they shine as lights in the world. They shine as lights by holding forth the word of life.

Explanation:

We know from Philippians 1:3–5 that Paul had a special relationship with the Philippians. There he thanks God for the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. That the Philippians were partnered in the gospel implies that they were involved in missionary activity, actively promoting the gospel as Paul did. Thus, when we reach Philippians 2:16, we are not surprised to find Paul reminding the Philippians to hold forth the word of life to those around them. That is, Paul gives them a sort of commission to preach the gospel, and engage in missionary activity, as they have been doing.¹⁶

Counterargument:

Of course, this interpretation depends on the notion that when Paul says he is thankful for the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel, he means that he is thankful for their missionary activity of actively spreading the gospel. While it could be that Paul has something like active missionary work in mind, he may also have in mind financial and material support. That is, he may have in mind that the Philippians supplied Paul’s needs in various ways and thus acted as partners in the gospel.

Of course, not only might Paul mean something else by partnership in Philippians 1:3–5, but it is hard to see why he would commission the Philippians to actively evangelize in Philippians 2:16 when, according to this argument, he already thanked them in Philippians 1:3–5 for doing so. That is, Philippians 2:16 does not sound like a reminder to continue promoting the gospel but is part of Paul’s instruction for holy living (Philippians 2:14–16).

The weakness of this view is that there is no lexical evidence for taking the verb ἐπέχω to mean to hold forth. Thus, while this interpretation is consistent with the context, it stretches the meaning of the verb unnecessarily.