Such a joyful reception of Epaphroditus in honor would reveal a proper valuation of the gospel by the Philippian Church. Valuing the gospel rightly not only produces a particular righteous behavior, as Paul noted throughout the letter, but a public honoring of those who serve the gospel in submissive humility.
Ultimately, in this passage, we see three men with a proper valuation of the gospel, and a church learning to value. In the Gospel we see infinite value, in that the LORD Jesus Christ died on the cross, humbled from heavenly glory, to redeem the wicked from sin, futility, and death, by reconciling us to God, the source of every good thing, through the forgiveness of sins, and join the redeemed to the promise of eternal glory in imperishable resurrection from the grave. As such, the gospel is worthy of our response, our service, and the honoring of those who serve.
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