Philippians 1:20 My Earnest Expectation

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Philippians 1:20 (KJV)  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 

The phrase “earnest expectation” is a word picture consisting of a preposition, a noun and a verb put together. The preposition “away from”, the noun “head” and the verb “to watch”, describe one who is watching something with the head turned away from watching all other objects. It describes the concentrated intense desire in his heart which ignores any other interest.

And the “hope” he has based on the knowledge of who Jesus is, the living and true God, in Him is infinite, eternal and unchanging wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. Jesus is God. He is able to give the writer, the Apostle Paul, perfect wisdom to live this life, his power must bring comfort to his heart whenever he is in any danger he can pray as ask God for help. 

He speaks about magnifying Christ while in this body in two ways, by life in his body while he lives, that Christ will be exalted and magnified. He wants us not to look at his sufferings or to look at himself but he wants us to look at the One for whom he is suffering. Why is it in Jesus that is so precious that he would willingly suffer all things to win Christ?

Remember when Jesus fed the five thousand and after He stopped feeding them the disciples started to leave one by one, the Bible says in John 6:66 “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him.” And Jesus said to the twelve, “Will ye also go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” The disciples weighed their options and realised that there was nowhere else to go but remaining with Jesus and walking with Him was the only safe option! Jesus is the only light of the world. Jesus said to his disciples, “ye are the light of the world”. Amen.