After illuminating the supreme example of Jesus Christ for the Christian life, Paul moves on to the example of Christian leaders. Just as Christ is an example of a leader who is willing to sacrifice self for the sake of unity, true Christian leaders model this same self-sacrificing dedication to the cause of Christian unity. In this section, Paul discusses Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples and resolves to send them to the Philippians as living examples of the Christian life of self-sacrificing unity. Both Timothy and Epaphroditus put the needs of the church and the gospel ahead of their own interests and have a genuine concern for the welfare of the Philippian church.

Paul begins with Timothy, Paul’s close companion mentioned in the opening of the letter. Paul is sending Timothy to th…