The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians is written in the second person plural, except for the following verse.
Philippians 4:3 (NASB)
3 Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
This verse appears to be parenthetical, because here we find the Greek word, σύ, which is the second person singular; that is, in the following verse he reverts to the second person plural of address for the remainder of the epistle.
To whom then was Paul referring as the “True Companion” in this verse, if we understand that the epistle was supposed to be addressed to “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi” in general (Phil 1:1)?
Was this perhaps some literary device to address each individual in the Philippian Church to take responsibility in helping Euodia and Syntyche to live in harmony?
In other words, was Paul aware of the “Bystander Effect“ (or Genovese Syndrome) in the First Century? The thesis avers that larger numbers of people decrease the likelihood that any one person in particular will step forward to help those in distress; responsibility to help thus remains diffused among the large number of people. That is, the individual must be addressed in order to prompt the response to assist those needing help.
In this context was the “True Companion” therefore each and every believer in Philippi (thus Paul’s attempt to mitigate the “Bystander Effect”), or was perhaps the “True Companion” actually some particular individual person in Philippi? Thoughts?
Stephen FY Teng
>>>No human has ever seen the face of God except the first created couple of Adam & Eve, when they communed daily with Him until they disobeyed & sinned against Him.
In the case of Exo 24 :9-11, they just saw His Body but not His face, ok ?
Alex Smith
Jacob seen GOD face to face in genesis 32:30 KJV 30. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen GOD face to face, and my life is preserved .
Michael N. Wambua
In exodus the only saw His holiness.Moses saw the back of His appearance.Nobody beheld God face to face except the Son.
Michael N. Wambua
I think John meant seeing God face to face like a friend and not just seeing His form or just dweling in His Presence.Only Christ, that came from The Father has done that.
Gamas Heet
Simple. Can’t see the Spirit of the Lord.
Gigi Halcon
so then, what can we say then to Johns statement？If they, （pasts Old Testament people had actually God and now John contradicts it？）
Glenda Smith
Now of course, Roman Catholics and Orthodox simply cannot accept that all of Ignatius writings are forgeries. He is their “organizational and hierarchical savior”!
They desperately need Ignatius. The Bible doesn’t help them.
No other post-apostolic writer before 200 AD helps them.
Remember, even Roman Catholic and Orthodox scholars agree with us: “In the New Testament, the terms bishop and presbyter are used interchangeably. This is evident from the following passage from Titus 1:5-7.” (
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, TEACHING THINGS THEY OUGH NOT, FOR FILTHY MONEY.
12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are ALWAYS lIARS, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, THAT THEY MAY BE SOUND IN THE FAITH:
14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, AND COMMANDMENTS OF MEN THAT TURN FROM THE TRUTH.
John 4
Djspasha Malkia Njoki
Moses wanted to see God face to face bt God himself told him if you see my face you’ll die
David Odom
So what is your point? That you aren’t able to properly exegete scripture? Or are you trying to put two different text at odds with one another?
Serena Monroe
Adam and Eve saw God…I do believe
Wisdom Wesley
The Bible meant whatever is written…they only saw a form, a temporary form which He chooses to show Himself. Ezekiel saw him as a weel in the middle of a weel, Moses saw him as a burning fire, and later saw His back like that of a man. This is to say he took up different forms to manifest Himself to the fathers or leaders. But Jesus Christ is the image of God which the God the
James Ray
god showed part of himself not all of himself
ךתה נףכ
Absolutely!!!!
ךתה נףכ
God is even bigger than his throne room… Yahshua has always spoke for the father because he is the spiting image of his invisible father…Col 1: 14 and 15
Bob Hibbard
If He had shown His true actual form to anyone, the Shekinah “wattage” would vaporize them on the spot. He just chose to reveal Himself in different manifestations at different times(e.g. pillar of fire, pillar of cloud, burning bush,etc. so as not to frighten people to death, as man’s mortal body probably could not withstand God’s full glory or true appearance whatever it may be.
Edgardo Sambo
What they saw were angels (acts 7:30-38).
Lori McCool
I, personally, believe that every who saw God in the OT saw God – The Son, Joshua, Jesus.
One of His names is the Everlasting Father.
Even when He walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, and after they sinned.
He was in the personage of His Son when He appeared to Abraham and Sarah to tell them that they would have a son, when He cut covenant with Abraham.
He was in the personage of His Son when the sons of God (the human descendants of Seth) when they came before the LORD.
He was in the personage of His Son when He stood with Meshach, Shadrach, and Abnego in fiery furnace.
At Sodom and Gomorah.
And every other place in which God is described as being in the presence of man. It was Him in the personage of His Son.