The original has no verb in front of 'nothing' in verse 3, and it seems
better to supply the one which has been so frequently used in the
preceding exhortation than 'doing,' which carries us too abruptly into
the outer region of action. Paul indicates two main hindrances to being
of the same mind, namely, faction and vainglory on the one hand, and
self-absorption on the other, and opposed to each the tone of mind which
is its best conqueror. Faction and vainglory are best defeated by
humility and unselfishness. As to the former, the love of making or
heading little cliques in religion or politics or society, has oftenest
its roots in nothing loftier than vanity or pride. Many a man who poses
as guided by staunch adherence to conviction is really impelled only by
a wish to make himself notorious as a leader, and loves to talk of
'those with whom I act.' There is a strong admixture of a too lofty
estimate of self in most of the disagreements of Christian people. They
expect more deference than they get, or their judgment is not taken as
law, or their place is not so high as they think is their due, or in a
hundred different ways self-love is wounded, and self-esteem is
inflamed. All this is true in reference to the smaller communities of
congregations, and with the necessary modifications it is quite as true
in reference to the larger aggregations which we call churches or
denominations. If all in their work that is directly due to faction and
vainglory were struck out there would be great gaps in their activities,
and many a flourishing scheme would fall dead.
The cure for all these evils is lowliness of mind. That is a Christian
word. Used by Greek thinkers, it meant abjectness; and it is one
conspicuous instance of the change effected in morals by Christian
teaching that it has become the name of a virtue. We are to dwell not on
our gifts but on our imperfections, and if we judge ourselves with
constant reference to the standard in Christ's life, we shall need
little more to bring us to our knees in true lowliness of mind. The man
who has been forgiven so many talents will not be in a hurry to take his
brother by the throat and leave the marks of his fingers for tenpence.
Christian unity is further broken by selfishness. To be absorbed in self
is of course to have the heart shut to others. Our own interests,
inclinations, possessions, when they assert themselves in our lives,
build up impassable barriers between us and our fellows. To live to self
is the real root of every sin as it is of all loveless life. The Apostle
uses careful language: he admits the necessity for attention to our 'own
things,' and only requires that we should look 'also' on the things of
others. His cure for the hindrances to Christian unity is very complete,
very practical, and very simple. Each counting other better than
himself, and each 'looking also to the things of others' seem very
homely and pedestrian virtues, but homely as they are we shall find that
they grip us tight, if we honestly try to practise them in our daily
lives, and we shall find also that the ladder which has its foot on
earth has its top in the heavens, and that the practice of humility and
unselfishness leads straight to having 'the mind which was also in
Christ Jesus.'