so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News, so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ, and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.
What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice. For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv10–22 10 That ye may approve the things that are…
10 That ye may approve the things that are Here we have a definition of Christian wisdom — to know what is advantageous or expedient — not to torture the mind with empty subtleties and speculations. For the Lord does not wish that his believing people should employ themselves fruitlessly in learning what is of no profit: From this you may gather in what estimation the Sorbonnic theology ought to be held, in which you may spend your whole life, and yet not derive more of edification from it in connection with the hope of a heavenly life, or more of spiritual advantage, than from the demonstrations of Euclid. Unquestionably, although it taught nothing false, it well deserves to be execrable, on the ground that it is a pernicious profanation of spiritual doctrine. For Scripture is useful, as Paul says, in 2 Timothy 3:16, but there you will find nothing but cold subtleties of words.
That ye may be sincere. This is the advantage which we derive from knowledge — not that every one may artfully consult his own interests, but that we may live in pure conscience in the sight of God.
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It is added — and without offense The Greek word ἀπροσκοποι is ambiguous. Chrysostom explains it in an active sense — that as he had desired that they should be pure and upright in the sight of God, so he now desires that they should lead an honorable life in the sight of men, that they may not injure their neighbors by any evil examples. This exposition I do not reject: the passive signification, however, is better suited to the context, in my opinion. For he desires wisdom for them, with this view — that they may with unwavering step go forward in their calling until the day of Christ, as on the other hand it happens through ignorance, that we frequently slip our foot, stumble, and turn aside. And how many stumbling blocks Satan from time to time throws in our way, with the view of either stopping our course altogether, or impeding it, every one of us knows from his own experience.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 If righteousness be the tree, and good works the…
If righteousness be the tree, and good works the fruits, then must the papists needs be deceived, when they say that works are the cause of righteousness.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv10–22 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent;…
10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Ver. 10. Approve the things] Or, try the things that differ, that ye be not cheated, and so undone, as many a man is by purchasing a counterfeit commodity at an unreasonable rate. A Bristol stone looks like a diamond, and many things glister besides gold.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 i.e. To the ends he subjoins, namely, that ye…
i.e. To the ends he subjoins, namely, that ye may approve things that are excellent; that upon a due expense of circumstances in a judicious trial, upon rightly discerning the differences of things not obvious to every eye, so as to choose and approve those things that are really to be preferred, being the best, Rom 2:18; 1Th 5:21 surpassing all desirable things besides, Eph 3:19, as being most acceptable unto God, Rom 12:2.
That ye may be sincere; and be upright, Pro 11:20. It is all emphatical word in the original here, being borrowed either from such things as are tried by being held up at the beams of the sun to see What faults or flaws are in them, whether without fraud, or else from such as are clarified by the heat of the sun; and notes here, that Paul would have them to be uncorrupt and impartial in heart and life, in faith and manners; free from prevailing corruptions, of pure minds, 2Pe 3:1; purged from the old leaven, 1Co 5:6-8; not suffering the knowledge of Christ to be mixed with traditions and human inventions, but endowed with evangelical simplicity in the sight of God, 2Co 1:12; 1Ti 1:5; 5:22.
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And without offence; not erring from the main scope and design of Christianity, or stumbling, so as either actively or passively to trouble and offend either themselves or others in the heavenly course, but working so prudently, as to give no just occasion of scandal, or laying a snare for one or other, Mat 18:7; Act 24:16; 1Co 10:32; abiding blameless to the coming of Christ, 1Th 5:23.
Till the day of Christ: see on Phi 1:6; repeated here to engage them unto serious thoughtfulness of that day.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On vv12, 15, 19, 21, 22 Our apostle’s design in these words is, to prevent…
Our apostle’s design in these words is, to prevent the Philippians’ stumbling, and being scandalized at his present sufferings, assuring them that the things which happened to him, through the malice of his persecutors, have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel, than any ways to the hinderance of it, as they feared.
Learn hence, That the sufferings and persecutions which the messengers and ministers of Christ do undergo for the sake of the gospel, are oft-times so overruled by the wisdom of God, that they rather increase than diminish the church, and rather promote than prejudice the interest of the gospel.
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Next, he declares the special and particular advantages which had redounded to the gospel, by those sufferings which he had patiently endured for the gospel’s sake.
1. His bonds in Christ, that is, his imprisonment for the gospel of Christ, were manifest in the palace; that is, were manifestly taken notice of in Nero’s court, and elsewhere in the city; so that people enquiring into the cause of his sufferings, found that it was not any misdemeanor, but that his preaching and practising the doctrine of Christianity was the only reason of his sufferings.
2. Another advantage which accrued to the church by his bonds, was this, namely, that many ministers of Christ, who preached the word of God far and near, hearing of his constancy under suffering, were both encouraged and emboldened thereby; encouraged to shake off fear, and emboldened to preach Christ with greater resolution. Many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
Note here, The title given by this great apostle to the inferior ministers of the gospel: he calls them brethren, and brethren in the Lord, putting himself and them in mind of their mutual and respective duties, which was to live and love as brethren: to admonish, exhort, and encourage one another, to stand up in defence of the just credit and reputation of one another, and jointly to set their shoulder to the work of Christ together.
Note, 2. That the ministers of Christ, observing how God upholds some of their brethren under sufferings and persecutions, should encourage themselves to go on with resolution in the work of the Lord, not fearing their own personal sufferings, knowing that the same assistance which supported one, stands ready to succour others: The brethern in the Lord waxed confident by my bonds.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv12, 21 We see here the care the apostle takes to…
We see here the care the apostle takes to prevent their being offended at his sufferings. He was now a prisoner at Rome; this might be a stumbling-block to those who had received the gospel by his ministry. They might be tempted to think, If this doctrine were indeed of God, God would not suffer one who was so active and instrumental in preaching and propagating it to be thrown by as a despised broken vessel. They might be shy of owning this doctrine, lest they should be involved in the same trouble themselves. Now to take off the offence of the cross, he expounds this dark and hard chapter of his sufferings, and makes it very easy and intelligible, and reconcilable to the wisdom and goodness of God who employed him.
I. He suffered by the sworn enemies of the gospel, who laid him in prison, and aimed at taking away his life; but they should not be stumbled at this, for good was brought out of it, and it tended to the furtherance of the gospel (Phi 1:12): The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel. A strange chemistry of Providence this, to extract so great a good as the enlargement of the gospel out of so great an evil as the confinement of the apostle. "I suffer trouble as an evil-doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound, Ti2 2:9. They cannot imprison the word of God; that has its free course, though I am confined." But how was this?
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1. It alarmed those who were without (Phi 1:13): "My bonds in Christ, or for Christ, are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. The emperor, the courtiers, the magistrates, are convinced that I do not suffer as an evil-doer, but as an honest man, with a good conscience. They know that I suffer for Christ, and not for any wickedness." Observe, (1.) Paul's sufferings made him known at court, where perhaps he would never have otherwise been known; and this might lead some of them to enquire after the gospel for which he suffered, which they might otherwise have never heard of. (2.) When his bonds were manifest in the palace, they were manifest in all other places. The sentiments of the court have a great influence on the sentiments of all people - Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis.
2. It emboldened those who were within. As his enemies were startled at his sufferings, so his friends were encouraged by them. Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he who has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger, Job 17:8, Job 17:9. So it was here: Many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds, Phi 1:14. The expectation of trouble for their religion, in general, perhaps disheartened and discouraged them; but, when they saw Paul imprisoned for Christ, they were so far from being deterred from preaching Christ and praising his name, that it made them the more bold; for they could gladly suffer in Paul's company. If they should be hurried from the pulpit to the prison, they could be reconciled to it, because they would be there in such good company. Besides, the comfort which Paul had in his sufferings, his extraordinary consolations received from Christ in a suffering state, greatly encouraged them. They saw that those who served Christ served a good Master, who could both bear them up and bear them out, in their sufferings for him. Waxing confident by my bonds. Pepoithotas. They were more fully satisfied and persuaded by what they saw. Observe the power of divine grace; that which was intended by the enemy to discourage the preachers of the gospel was overruled for their encouragement. And are much more bold to speak the word without fear; they see the worst of it, and therefore are not afraid to venture. Their confidence gave them courage, and their courage preserved them from the power of fear.
II. He suffered from false friends as well as from enemies (Phi 1:15, Phi 1:16): Some preach Christ even of envy and strife. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely. Now this would be a stumbling-block and discouragement to some, that there were those who envied Paul's reputation in the churches, and the interest he had among the Christians, and endeavoured to supplant and undermine him. They were secretly pleased when he was laid up in prison, that they might have the better opportunity to steal away the people's affections; and they laid themselves out the more in preaching, that they might gain to themselves the reputation they envied him: Supposing to add affliction to my bonds. They thought hereby to grieve his spirit, and make him afraid of losing his interest, uneasy under his confinement, and impatient for release. It is sad that there should be men who profess the gospel, especially who preach it, who are governed by such principles as these, who should preach Christ in spite to Paul, and to increase the affliction of his bonds. Let us not think it strange if in these later and more degenerate ages of the church there should be any such. However, there were others who were animated by Paul's sufferings to preach Christ the more vigorously: Some also of good will, and love: from sincere affection to the gospel, that the work might not stand while the workman was laid up. - Knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. They knew that he was appointed to support and propagate the gospel in the world, against all the violence and opposition of its enemies, and were afraid lest the gospel should suffer by his confinement. This made them the more bold to preach the word and supply his lack of service to the church.
III. It is very affecting to see how easy he was in the midst of all: Notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and I will rejoice, Phi 1:18. Note, The preaching of Christ is the joy of all who wish well to his kingdom among men. Since it may tend to the good of many, we ought to rejoice in it, though it be done in pretence, and not in reality. It is God's prerogative to judge of the principles men act upon; this is out of our line. Paul was so far from envying those who had liberty to preach the gospel while he was under confinement that he rejoiced in the preaching of it even by those who do it in pretence, and not in truth. How much more then should we rejoice in the preaching of the gospel by those who do it in truth, yea, though it should be with much weakness and some mistake! Two things made the apostle rejoice in the preaching of the gospel: -
1. Because it tended to the salvation of the souls of men: I know that this shall turn to my salvation, Phi 1:19. Observe, God can bring good out of evil; and what does not turn to the salvation of the ministers may yet, by the grace of God, be made to turn to the salvation of the people. What reward can those expect who preach Christ out of strife, and envy, and contention, and to add affliction to a faithful minister's bonds? who preach in pretence, and not in truth? And yet even this may turn to the salvation of others; and Paul's rejoicing in it turned to his salvation too. This is one of the things which accompany salvation - to be able to rejoice that Christ is preached, though it be to the diminution of us and our reputation. This noble spirit appeared in John the Baptist, at the first public preaching of Christ: "This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease, Joh 3:29, Joh 3:30. Let him shine, though I be obscured; and his glory be exalted, though upon my ruins." Others understand this expression of the malice of his enemies being defeated, and contributing towards his deliverance from his confinement. Through your prayers, and the supply of the Spirit of Christ. Note, Whatever turns to our salvation is by the supply or the aids and assistance of the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of fetching in that supply. The prayers of the people may bring a supply of the Spirit to their ministers, to support them in suffering, as well as in preaching the gospel.
2. Because it would turn to the glory of Christ, Phi 1:20, where he takes occasion to mention his own entire devotedness to the service and honour of Christ: According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, etc. Here observe, (1.) The great desire of every true Christian is that Christ may be magnified and glorified, that his name may be great, and his kingdom come. (2.) Those who truly desire that Christ may be magnified desire that he may be magnified in their body. They present their bodies a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1), and yield their members as instruments of righteousness unto God, Rom 6:13. They are willing to serve his designs, and be instrumental to his glory, with every member of their body, as well as faculty of their soul. (3.) It is much for the glory of Christ that we should serve him boldly and not be ashamed of him, with freedom and liberty of mind, and without discouragement: That in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness Christ may be magnified. The boldness of Christians is the honour of Christ. (4.) Those who make Christ's glory their desire and design may make it their expectation and hope. If it be truly aimed at, it shall certainly be attained. If in sincerity we pray, Father, glorify thy name, we may be sure of the same answer to that prayer which Christ had: I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again, Joh 12:28. (5.) Those who desire that Christ may be magnified in their bodies have a holy indifference whether it be by life or by death. They refer it to him which way he will make them serviceable to his glory, whether by their labours or sufferings, by their diligence or patience, by their living to his honour in working for him or dying to his honour in suffering for him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv10–22 That ye may approve things that are excellent,.... Or…
That ye may approve things that are excellent,.... Or "try things that differ". There are some things that differ one from other; as morality and grace, earthly things, and heavenly things, carnal and spiritual, temporal and eternal things, law and Gospel, the doctrines of men, and the doctrines of Christ; all which differ as much as chaff and wheat, as gold, silver, precious stones, and wood, hay, stubble. These are to be tried and proved; they are not to be received without distinction, but should be examined, which is right and best to be chosen and preferred; and to such trial and examination it is necessary that a man should be transformed, by the renewing of his mind, that he should have spiritual light, knowledge, and experience, have his spiritual senses exercised to discern the difference of things, and also the guidance, direction, and influence of the Spirit of God: and this trial must be made, not according to carnal reason, and the judgment and dictates of it; for the most excellent things are above it, and out of its sphere, and therefore judged foolish, and rejected by it; but according to the word of God, the Scriptures of truth, in the light of the divine Spirit, and with spiritual judgment and sense; when some things will be found excellent, as Christ, and the knowledge of him in his person, offices, grace, righteousness, blood, sacrifice, and satisfaction, and the several truths of the Gospel relating to peace, pardon, justification, adoption, sanctification, and eternal life; and of the several doctrines of the Gospel, some will appear in their nature and use more excellent than others, more grand and sublime; such as concern the sovereign and distinguishing grace of God, the glory of Christ, and the salvation of the elect; some being milk for babes, others meat for strong men. And these being tried and proved, first by the word of God, and then by the experience of the saints, are to be approved above thousands of gold and silver, and esteemed more than our necessary food; even the sincere milk of the word, as it is by newborn babes, as well as the strong meat of it by the adult, and all to be highly valued and abode by, and held fast,
That ye may be sincere; or "pure", as the Syriac version renders it; pure as the sun, discerned and judged by the light of it, as the word signifies, which discovers motes, faults, and flaws; in which, some think, is a metaphor taken either from the eagle, which holds up its young against the sun, and such as can bear the light of it she retains as her own, but such that cannot she rejects as a spurious brood; or from persons in business, who hold up the goods they are buying to the sun, to see if they can observe any fault in them: so such may be said to be sincere, or pure, who are pure in heart, life, and conversation, whose principles and practices will bear the test of light; such are sincere, who are like honey without wax, and fine flour without leaven, that have no mixture of corruption in doctrine, life, or manners; whose grace is genuine and right; whose faith is unfeigned; whose love to God, and Christ, and one another, is without dissimulation; whose hope is lively, and of a soul purifying nature, and is built on a good foundation; and whose repentance is attended with genuine effects, and proper fruits; whose principles are unmixed; who do not corrupt or adulterate the word of God, but desire and retain the sincere milk of it, and hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience; whose worship is also pure and spiritual, who worship God in spirit and truth, under the influence, and by the assistance of the Spirit of God, and with their whole hearts and spirits, and according to the truth of the Gospel; who keep the ordinances as they were delivered, without any human inventions, corruptions, and mixtures; who are sincere in their hearts, pure and sound in heart, simple, plain hearted, and single eyed; choose to be good, rather than seem to be so; whose desires after God, and divine things, and whose affections for them, are true and real, and proceed from the bottom of their hearts; and who have their conversation in the world by the grace of God, in simplicity and godly sincerity; and such the apostle wishes these saints to be, and adds,
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and without offence until the day of Christ; to God, as considered in the righteousness of Christ, in which they are perfectly without offence, and will always continue so; or in their walk and conversation before God, in which, though they may in many things offend, yet not be guilty of any notorious iniquity, and much less of living in it: and to themselves, to their own consciences, exercising a conscience void of offence towards God and men; acting according to that light they have received, and those principles they have embraced and professed; desiring to be kept from all evil, that it might not grieve and wound them; and doing nothing in things of an indifferent nature, with offence, or against the dictates of conscience, and to the violation of it: and also to others, to Jew or Gentile, to the world, or to the church of God, by avoiding every thing that is offensive to either; not good things, but evil ones, and those that are indifferent; that peace may be preserved, and their own good may not be evil spoken of; that the children of God may not be grieved, staggered, and stumbled, nor sinners hardened, or have any occasion to blaspheme. The phrase denotes an harmless life and conversation, and a continuance in it to the end, to the day of death, or coming of our Lord, which is to be loved, longed, wished, and looked for, and to be always had in view; and that to engage to a becoming life and conversation, with sincerity, and without offence, since in that day all hearts and actions will be exposed and laid open.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 That ye may try - By that spiritual sense.…
That ye may try - By that spiritual sense. The things that are excellent - Not only good, but the very best; the superior excellence of which is hardly discerned, but by the adult Christian. That ye may be inwardly sincere - Having a single eye to the very best things, and a pure heart. And outwardly without offense - Holy, unblamable in all things.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv10–22 Verse 10. That ye may approve things that are…
Verse 10. That ye may approve things that are excellent] Εις το δοκιμαζειν ὑμας τα διαφεροντα· To the end that ye may put to proof the things that differ, or the things that are in are more profitable. By the pure and abundant love which they received from God they would be able to try whatever differed from the teaching they had received, and from the experience they had in spiritual things.
That ye may be sincere] Ἱνα ητε ειλικρινεις. The word ειλικρινεια, which we translate sincerity, is compounded of ειλη, the splendour of the sun, and κρινω, I judge; a thing which may be examined in the clearest and strongest light, without the possibility of detecting a single flaw or imperfection. "A metaphor," says Mr. Leigh, "taken from the usual practice of chapmen, in the view and choice of their wares, that bring them forth into the light and hold up the cloth against the sun, to see if they can espy any default in them. Pure as the sun." Be so purified and refined in your souls, by the indwelling Spirit, that even the light of God shining into your hearts, shall not be able to discover a fault that the love of God has not purged away.
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Our word sincerity is from the Latin sinceritas, which is compounded of sine, without, and cera, wax, and is a metaphor taken from clarified honey; for the mel sincerum, pure or clarified honey, is that which is sine cera, without wax, no part of the comb being left in it. Sincerity, taken in its full meaning, is a word of the most extensive import; and, when applied in reference to the state of the soul, is as strong as the word perfection itself. The soul that is sincere is the soul that is without sin.
Without offence] απροσκοποι. Neither offending God nor your neighbour; neither being stumbled yourselves, nor the cause of stumbling to others.
Till the day of Christ] Till he comes to judge the world, or, till the day in which you are called into the eternal world. According to this prayer, a man, under the power and influence of the grace of God, may so love as never to offend his Maker, to the latest period of his life. Those who deny this, must believe that the Spirit of God either cannot or will not do it; or, that the blood of Christ cannot cleanse from all unrighteousness. And this would be not only antiscriptural, but also blasphemous.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv12, 15, 18, 21 Php 1:12-14. But I would ye should understand, &c.…
Php 1:12-14. But I would ye should understand, &c. — As if he had said, Be not discouraged at my sufferings, but observe and consider this for your encouragement; that the things which happened unto me — Greek, τα
κατ’ εμε, the things relating unto me: the apostle means his being sent a prisoner to Rome, and his being kept in bonds there, together with all the sufferings which had befallen him during his confinement; have fallen out rather unto the furtherance — Than, as you feared, the hinderance; of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ — Endured for his sake and the gospel’s; are manifest — Are much taken notice of, in all the palace — Of the Roman emperor. The word πραιτωριον, here rendered palace, was, properly speaking, the place in Rome where the pretor determined causes. Or, according to the more common signification of the word, it was a place without the city, where the pretorian cohorts, or regiments of guards, were lodged. But in the provinces, the governor’s palace was called the pretorium, (Mar 15:16,) both because the governors administered justice in their own palaces, and because they had their guards stationed there. See Act 23:35. “Wherefore, though the apostle was himself at Rome when he wrote this, and though the matters of which he wrote were done at Rome, he uses the word pretorium in the provincial sense, to denote the emperor’s palace, because he wrote to persons in the provinces. The knowledge of the true cause of the apostle’s confinement may have been spread through the palace by some Jewish slaves in the emperor’s family, who, happening to hear Paul in his own hired house, were converted by him. At this time, Rome was full of Jewish slaves; and that some such belonged to the palace, or had access to it, we learn from Josephus, De vita sua, who tells us he was introduced to the Empress Poppæa by means of a Jewish comedian. Such of the slaves in the palace as had embraced the gospel, whether heathen or Jews, would not fail to show the officers of the court whom they served, the true nature of the Christian faith, and the real cause of the apostle’s imprisonment; that it was for no crime, but only for preaching a new scheme of doctrine. And, as it was now fashionable among the Romans to indulge a passion for philosophy, and many of them had a strong curiosity to be informed of every new doctrine which was broached, and of every strange occurrence which had happened in the provinces, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the brethren in the palace would explain the Christian religion to the emperor’s domestics, and relate to them the resurrection of its author from the dead; and that some of them who were of high rank, strongly impressed with their relation, embraced the gospel.” And in all other places — In and about the city. “The Christians at Rome were numerous before the apostle’s arrival, but their number was greatly increased by his preaching, and by the preaching of his assistants. It is no wonder then, that in all places of the city,” and its environs, “the real cause of the apostle’s imprisonment, and the true nature of the gospel, were so well known.” — Macknight. And many of the brethren, who were before afraid, waxing confident by my bonds — Or, trusting in the Lord through my bonds, as εν Κυριω πεποιθοτας τοις δεσμοις μου may be properly rendered; are much more bold to speak the word — Than they were before, in consequence of having observed my constancy in testifying the gospel, and my safety notwithstanding; without fear — Of any sufferings to which they might before have thought themselves exposed for so doing.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv10–22 That ye may approve things - Margin, “Or, try.”…
That ye may approve things - Margin, “Or, try.” The word used here denotes the kind of trial to which metals are exposed in order to test their nature; and the sense here is, that the apostle wished them so to try the things that were of real value, as to discern that which was true and genuine.
That are excellent - Margin: Or, “differ.” The margin here more correctly expresses the sense of the Greek word. The idea is, that he wished them to be able to distinguish between things that differed from each other; to have an intelligent apprehension of what was right and wrong - of what was good and evil. He would not have them love and approve all things indiscriminately. They should be esteemed according to their real value. It is remarkable here how anxious the apostle was not only that they should be Christians, but that they should be intelligent Christians, and should understand the real worth and value of objects.
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That ye may be sincere - See the notes at Eph 6:24. The word used here - εἰλικρινής eilikrinēs - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in 2Pe 3:1, where it is rendered “pure.” The noun εἰλικρίνεια eilikrineia, however, occurs in 1Co 5:8; 2Co 1:12; 2Co 2:17; in all which places it is rendered “sincerity.” The word properly means, “that which is judged in sunshine” εἵλῃ κρίνω heilē krinō; and then “that which is clear and manifest.” It is that over which there are no clouds; which is not doubtful and dark; which is pure and bright. The word “sincere” means literally without wax (sine cera); that is, honey which is pure and transparent. Applied to Christian character, it means that which is not deceitful, ambiguous, hypocritical; that which is not mingled with error, worldliness, and sin; that which does not proceed from selfish and interested motives, and where there is nothing disguised. There is no more desirable appellation that can be given to a man than to say that he is sincere - a sincere friend, benefactor, Christian; and there is nothing more lovely in the character of a Christian than sincerity. It implies:
(1)That he is truly converted - that he has not assumed Christianity as a mask;
(2)That his motives are disinterested and pure;
(3)That his conduct is free from double-dealing, trick, and cunning;
(4)That his words express the real sentiments of his heart;
(5)That he is true to his word, and faithful to his promises; and,
(6)That he is always what he professes to be. A sincere Christian would bear to have the light let in upon him always; to have the emotions of his heart seen; to be scanned everywhere, and at all times, by people, by angels, and by God.
And without offence - Inoffensive to others. Not injuring them in property, feelings, or reputation. This is a negative virtue, and is often despised by the world. But it is much to say of a man that he injures no one; that neither by example, nor opinions, nor conversation, he leads them astray; that he never does injustice to their motives, and never impedes their influence; that he never wounds their feelings, or gives occasion for hard thoughts; and that he so lives that all may see that his is a blameless life.
Till the day of Christ - See the notes at Phi 1:6.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22 Now I desire, &c. From hence it appears, that…
Now I desire, &c. From hence it appears, that what was indeed as the greatest hindrance to the propagation of the Christian religion, eventually proved the most direct method of extending it. St. Paul was not less zealous in prison, and in chains, than when he laboured under no obstacles to his designs: how much the reverse is the conduct of our late reformers!
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v12 (2) The gospel, in spite of insincere or false…
(2) The gospel, in spite of insincere or false brethren and threatening danger of death, makes progress during the Apostle’s captivity at Rome (Php_1:12-26)
After referring to the happy effects of his ministry in bonds (Php_1:12-14) among sincere and insincere witnesses for Christ (Php_1:15-17) he expresses his views respecting this varied experience (Php_1:18-20) and calmly revolves the question whether life or death may be better for him (Php_1:21-26).
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12But I would that ye should understand [know], brethren, that the things which happened unto me [my affairs] have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel; 13so that my bonds in Christ are [have become] manifest in all the palace16 14[Prœtorium, or Prætorian camp] and in all other places [to all the rest]; and many [the greater part] of the brethren [in the Lord], waxing confident [in the Lord] 15by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed 16preach Christ even of envy and strife; and [but] some also of good will. The one17 of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel; 17but the other [others]18 preach Christ of contention [contentiousness or party spirit] not sincerely, supposing 18[thinking] to add19 [raise up] affliction to my bonds. What then? notwithstanding20 every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will [shall] rejoice. 19For I know, that this shall [will] turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20according 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. 21For to me to live is Christ, and to die (is) gain. 22But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor; 23yet what I shall choose I wot [know] not. for21 I am in a strait betwixt two, having 24a [the] desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ, for [in] me by my coming to you again.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Php_1:12. But I would that ye should know, brethren.—The position of γινώσκειν renders it emphatic: contrariis rumoribus prœoccupari potuissent ecclesiæ (Bengel). Δέ marks the transition from the condition of the church at Philippi to that of the Apostle at Rome. Ὑμᾶς βούλομαι, together with the friendly address ἀδελφοί, shows that this desire springs from Paul’s heart. Comp. 1Co_11:3; 2Ti_3:1.—That my affairs (ὅτι τὰ καὶ ἐμέ, as in Eph_6:21; Col_4:7,) have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the gospel. The comparative μᾶλλον refers to the anxiety of the Apostle and the Philippians. (Winer’s Gram., p. 243). [The result was favorable rather (μᾶλλον) than adverse, as Paul and the Philippians had feared.—H]. The perf. (ὲλήλυθεν) indicates an effect which still continues. Comp. Php_1:25. Hölemann’s explanation quam antea contigerat, is wrong, for there is no comparison here of past and present.
Php_1:13. So that my bonds in Christ have become manifest.—Ὥστε explains how it was that his imprisonment at Rome had contributed to the progress of the gospel (εἰς προκοπὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐληυθεν). Τοὺς δεσμούς μου φανεροὺς ἐν Χριστῷ γενέσθαι mentions the first result of his imprisonment in regard to hearers who were not Christians. As in 1Co_3:13; 1Co_11:19; 1Co_14:25, φανεροὺς γενέσθαι means to become manifest. It is incorrect to explain φανερός as illustris, conspicuus (Calvin). It is the opposite of κρυπτός, ἀπόκρυφος. The order of the words demands the connection of ἐν Χριστῷ with φανερούς. Paulus cum aliis captivis traditus par eis visus est; deinde innotuit, aliam esse Pauli causam et sic invaluit evangelium, (Bengel). The nature of the information thus diffused, is shown by ἐν Χριστοῷ. Paul’s bonds are those of a Christian. He is δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν Κυρίῳ (Eph_3:1; Eph_4:1; Phm_1:9; 2Ti_1:8). His bonds had indeed been manifest before this time, but had not been manifest ἐν Χριστῷ. The emphasis lies on the fact that in this relation they had become manifest or known, and on that account φανερούς precedes.—In all the Prætorium or Prætorian camp, (ε̇ν ὅλῳ τῶ πραιτερίῳ) designates the place where this knowledge had spread. On the subject, see Act_28:10-31.22 The castrum prætorianorum (Sueton. Tib. 37, Tac. Ann. 42) is meant, (which was built by Sejanus in the reign of Tiberius, near the porta Viminalis), not the aula Cæsaris (Bengel); for πραιτώπιον is not the same as Καίσαπος οἰκία (Php_4:22), as many hold. “Repressaque in præsens exitiabilis superstitio rursus erumpebat, non modo per Judæam, originem ejus mali, sed per urben etiam.” (Tacitus Ann. 15, 40). [Prof. Lightfoot at present understands πραιτωρίῳ in the sense of “prætorians,” and not “prætorian camp,” as formerly. (See his Commentary in loc). But with that direct personal sense we might have expected the dative without ἐν, as in the other clause (comp. Act_4:16; Act_7:13; 1Ti_5:15); whereas with the local sense as the direct one, and the personal as indirect, the change of construction becomes perfectly natural. Ewald’s periphrastic rendering “in all the Prætorium among the soldiers” (Sendeschreiben des Apostel Paulus, p. 441), gives the correct sense.—H.]—And to all the rest, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς πᾶσιν, points to others besides the Pretorians, for many besides these could hear, and did hear Paul preach. But we are not to think of heathen merely (Van Hengel), regarding the expression as analogous to 1Th_4:13. The prep. ἐν should not be repeated, and τόποις supplied (Chrysostom, et al.); for that would be making the circuit too extensive. It is plain from ὅλῳ and πᾶισιν (which shows how widely the gospel had become known) that the letter could not have been written very soon after Paul’s arrival, but at a later period.
[Paul (if we make a distinction between ξενίαν, Act_28:23, and μισθώματι, Php_1:30) may have spent a few days after his arrival at Rome at some place of public or of private hospitality; but after that he “dwelt in his own hired house,” yet under the surveillance of soldiers, who, according to the Roman custom, were detailed from the Prætorian camp to attend him as a guard. But the Prætorian camp occupied an extensive circuit, and “might have contained within its precincts lodgings rented by prisoners under military custody” (Lightfoot). Hence as different Prætorians relieved each other in the performance of this office, Paul would in the course of time become favorably known to many of them, and through these to other comrades. Thus it was soon understood far and wide that Paul had been imprisoned not for any immorality or crime alleged against him, but for preaching the gospel of Christ.—H.]
Php_1:14. Here we learn another fact which was a consequence of the Apostle’s captivity, and favorable to the gospel: And the greater part of the brethren (καὶ τοὺς πλείονας τῶν ἀδελφῶν). [Luther renders πλείονας many, as does also the A. V. They constituted the majority, but Paul intimates at the same time that all the Roman Christians did not derive the same benefit from his example.—H.] The reference is to Christians, members of the church, who stood at the Apostle’s side as assistants, co-laborers; not to teachers (Schenkel).—Waxing confident in the Lord by my bonds (ἐν κυρίῳ πεποιθότας τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου) explains why they acted thus. The perf. part. marks this confidence as already attained, and still in operation; ἐν κυριῳ is the nearest object of the verb (Philem. Php_1:21). Oecumenius well remarks: εἰ γὰρ μὴ θεῖον ῆν, φησί, τὸ κήρυγμα, οὐκ ἂν ὁ Παῦλος ἠνείχετο ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δεδέσθαι. Paul’s bonds are to those qui antea timuerant (Bengel) an actual pledge of the entire truthfulness, power, and glory of the gospel (Meyer), and, indeed, as the emphatic position of ἐν κυρίῳ shows, their confidence rests entirely on Christ, and not on any human calculation or reflection. See Winer’s Gram. 137 sq.; Gal_5:10; 2Th_3:4. Luther incorrectly connects ἐν κυρίῳ with ἀδελφῶν, while Bengel joins it with τολμᾷν.—Are much more bold, (περισσοτέρως τολμᾷυ), states in what degree they were animated by the Apostle’s zeal. The comparative supposes the case of Paul’s being free from bonds, (i.e., more boldly than if he were not imprisoned) and does not refer to the time of his arrival at Rome (Schneckenburger), or to that of his former freedom (Schenkel).—To speak the word without fear, (ἀφόβως τὸν λόγον λαλεῖν) shows what they are now much more bold to do, though even before this time they had attempted it. Hence περισσοτέρως is not to be joined with ἀφόβως, (Baumgarten-Crusius). Τὸν λόγον is absolute, as Gal_6:6, i.e., God’s word, which every Christian in his sphere is to speak and to bear witness to. The article denotes, according to the context, that it is the word which the Apostle preaches. The verb is used not merely of teachers (Eph_6:20; Col_4:3-4), but also of members of the church (Eph_5:19).
Php_1:15. Some indeed preach Christ, also of envy and strife (τινὲς μὲν καὶ διὰ φθόνον καὶ ἔριν); in contrast with τοὺς πλείονας τῶν αδελφῶν we have τινὲς μὲν—τινὲς δέ, in contrast with τὸν λόγον λαλεῖν we have Χριστὸν κηρύσσουσιν—καταγγέλλουσιν (Php_1:17), and in contrast with ἐν κυρίῳ πεποιθότας we have διὰ φθόνον καὶ ἔριν. The καί, also, introduces something additional (Meyer) i.e., others besides those mentioned in Php_1:14, who are also teachers. Their motive (διά) is a base one, namely, envy, excited by the Apostle’s activity, and prompting them to strife for the purpose of disturbing or checking this activity, or of injuring his person.—And some also of good will (τινὲς δὲ καὶ διὰ εὐδοκίαν) forms the antithesis to what precedes. We are to take εὐδοκία therefore in the sense of having pleasure or satisfaction, i.e., in Paul’s work and person, which includes indeed, complaisance, or a desire to please, but not exactly benevolence. Those here meant are not identical with those designated in Php_1:14. It is not therefore that they act from conviction: ideo quod ipsi id probarent (Grotius) nor alios salvare volentes (Pelagius). Τὸν Χριστὸν κηπρύσσουσιν belongs to the two contrasted groups. In their teaching concerning Christ they do not essentially differ, but they differ entirely in their motives, their moral classification, their character. This is more clearly explained in Php_1:16-17.—The one of love (οἱ μὲν ἐξ ἀγάπης) points to the latter group, οἱ δέ (Php_1:16) to the former. See Winer’s Gram. p. 561. The latter are characterized as ἐξ ἀγάπης as in Gal_3:7 : οἱ έκ πιστεως sc. ὄντες. They are viewed as children of love; ἀγάπη is their nature. Comp. on εἶναι ἐκ τινός in 1Jn_2:16, (Lange’s Series, XV.) By ἀγάπη (Bengel: erga Christum et me), the generic or essential characteristic is meant; by εὐδοκία the specific as a manifestation or result of the other.—Knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel, εἰδότες presents the motive (as Eph_6:8-9) ὅτι εἰς ἀπολογίαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου κεῖμαι. The verb κεῖμαι (as in Luk_2:34; 1Th_3:3; 1Ti_1:19) represents his bondage as a divine appointment or destiny. Incorrect and opposed to the context (Php_1:12) is the idea of his being prostrate in conditione misera (Van Hengel), or in bonds (Luther), because by their preaching they make up for his impeded activity, supplent hoc meum impedimentum sua prædicatione (Estius). The task which devolves upon him in his situation has for its object the defence of the gospel, ἀπολογίαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου (Php_1:7), in which these Christians support the Apostle by their co-operation. It is incorrect to refer this to his account before God (Chrysostom), or his defence before the court, coram judice (Van Hengel).
Php_1:16. But the others of contentiousness or party spirit.—οἱ δὲ ἐξ ἐρίθείας, as in Php_1:17. Comp. Rom_2:18. Out of this spirit of rivalry or ambition (Php_2:3; Jam_3:14; Jam_3:16), which is their characteristic, spring envy and strife, φθόνος καὶ ἔρι (Php_1:15). Ἐριθεία from ἔριθος, day laborer, ἐριθύω to be an ἐριθος, and then in the middle, to use unscrupulous means for one’s advantage, is the ambitus of the Romans. See Passow. Lex. s. v. The context requires us to retain the idea of intrigue or party-spirit. Schenkel incorrectly assumes the meaning to be “work for pay.”—These do the same as the other class: they preach Christ (τὸν Χριστὸν καταγγέλλουσιν, Php_1:15, κηρυσσουσιν). Both verbs designate preaching, but have this shade of difference, that the latter signifies to proclaim Christ to those who have a very slight, or absolutely no knowledge of Him, while the former means to announce Him as present, near. Col_1:28; Act_17:3; Act_17:23. We are to join the finite verb with ἐξ ἀγάπης (Php_1:16) and ἐξ ἐριθείας (Neander), since otherwise we have a needless accumulation of epithets, and we miss a characteristic designation of the two different classes. The preaching of the opponents is the same in substance as that of the others, but in a different spirit: not purely, οὐχ ἁγνῶς, i.e., properly, not untainted, not free from coarser, or more refined accessory motives (Php_4:8; 2Co_6:6; 2Co_7:11; 2Co_11:2). It is saying negatively that these do not preach from pure, unalloyed love for Christ.—This is further explained, positively:—Thinking to add affliction to my bonds (οἰόμενοι θλῖψιν ἐγείρειν τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου). The participle as present states an attendant motive or belief which the import of the word itself characterizes as unfounded, and the result also shows to be false (Php_1:18-20), in contrast with the actual knowledge of the true witnesses respecting the Apostle’s work and destiny (Php_1:16, εἰδότες). Ἐγείρειν refers to the stirring up of further, additional, θλίψις, affliction, connected with the imprisonment (τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου), not merely the prisoner, its effect being to aggravate his sufferings. [Prof. Lightfoot finds a metaphor in θλιψιν ἐγεῖρειν=to make my chains gall me. “This word (θλῖψις), though extremely common in the LXX, occurs very rarely in classical writers even of a late date, and in those few passages has its literal meaning. The same want in the religious vocabulary which gave currency to θλίψις also created ‘tribulatio’ as its Latin equivalent. The reading ἐγείρειν, besides being supported, carries out the metaphor better than ἐπιφέρειν of the received text.”—H.].—How this aggravation of his trials was to take place, φθόνος, ἔρις (Php_1:15) and ἐριθεία (Php_1:17) indicate. Though the Apostle’s enemies preach Christ as do the others, they do not, like them, seek to edify the church, and to assist the Apostle, but stir up strife and hatred against him. They preach Jesus as the promised one, that those who hear may say: ‘This is indeed also Christian preaching; we need not run after Paul.’ They thus draw the church to themselves, and withdraw it from Paul. They preach concerning Christ essentially as he does, only either more strictly to please those who are zealous for the law, or more loosely for the sake of those who are still weak, or in a more rhetorical way, not to offend the cultivated, as does the Apostle. Thus they not merely weaken the attachment of others to him, and draw away his followers, but excite enmity against him, and thereby make his imprisonment still more oppressive. In their preaching of Christ they go beyond their convictions from dislike to Paul; they make them more Christian in form to do him injury. To understand θλῖψις of an increased severity in his imprisonment by command of the emperor Nero (the Greek commentators, and Pelagius, Erasmus, Grotius), accords as little with the contex, as it does to limit the term to his personal mortifications.
Php_1:18. What then? τί γάρ;—The question implies a denial of the belief (οἰόμενοι) Quid refert? utrinque juvor (Php_1:12). Bengel.—Notwithstanding every way whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached. Πλήν presupposes a difference (that is, of motives), while, at the same time, it brings forward what is common to the parties. Under παντὶ τρόπῳ are included what is outward, the manner of representation, the compass, articulation, the systematic arrangement and tendency of this teaching, not its contents as being Ebionitic, or other Jewish views, or Gnostic conceptions (Gal_1:8). The more exact definition of πᾶς τρόπος follows in εἴτε προφάσει εἴτε ἀληθεία̣. Both mark the relation of the word preached to the character of the preacher; εἴτε προφάσει points to the difference, εἴτε ἀληθεία̣ to the harmony between the two, as regards the word, doctrine and motives of the respective preachers: on the one side, insincerity, self-seeking, party spirit; on the other, conscientiousness, faithfulness. The first description embraces those mentioned in Php_1:15 a and Php_1:17, and the second those mentioned in Php_1:15 b and Php_1:16, and also Php_1:14. It is incorrect to regard προφάσει=per occasionem (Vulg., Grotius). It is also incorrect to include under προφάσει those mentioned in Php_1:15 b, as if these also merely showed themselves pleased with the apostolic type of doctrine (Schenkel). Χριστὸς καταγγέλλεται in Php_1:17, sets forth what is common to the different witnesses.—And I therein do rejoice, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ χαίρω. For the construction see Php_3:1; Php_4:4; Php_4:10; Col_1:24. The cause of his joy is that in every way Christ is proclaimed. The difference in the mode of proclamation cannot disturb his joy, though he must condemn the unworthy motives of his opponents. This joy is not merely a present, but an abiding one.—Yea, and I shall rejoice (ἀλλὰ καὶ χαιρήσομαι)—let the result of it as to himself be what it may. In like manner ἀλλά (Php_3:8) opposes the pres. ἡγοῦμαι to the perfect ἤγημαι. We supply mentally a negative clause—‘I do not merely at present rejoice.’ Hence we are not to insert a period after χαίρω, as in Lachmann’s N. T., see Winer’s Gram., p. 442. We are not to think here of its being less difficult for Paul to show a spirit of resignation or acquiescence because the danger at Rome did not concern his apostolic authority as in some other instances (Meyer); for joy and an elevated tone of mind pervade the entire letter, and the Roman church was an object of the Apostle’s special regard and solicitude, as the Epistle to the Romans testifies. Manifestly the teachers are not like those spoken of in Php_3:2 sq., nor are they Judaizers, or Jewish Christians, disinclined to the Pauline view of Christianity (Schenkel). They must have been inclined to Paul’s system of doctrine, and have approximated to it, but they were unfavorable to his mode of treatment, and unfriendly to his person. Their motives were corrupt (Php_2:21), and they were not sincere friends of the Apostle. [For Neander’s views on this question see note below.23]
Php_1:19.—For I know (οἶδα γάρ) emphasizes the declaration as to his joy.—That this shall result to me (ὅτι τοῦτο μοι ἀποβήσεται). The demonstrative (τοῦτο) refers to Php_1:18 (παντὶ τρόπῳ Χριστὸς καταγγέλεται), and explains why he rejoices, and not to θλῖψιν ἐγείρειν (Php_1:17), as Calvin, van Hengel and others think. The use of the verb is similar to that of ἐλήλυθεν in Php_1:12. [It explains why nothing hereafter can occur to rob him of this assurance and joy of which he speaks. He feels assured that the opposition of his enemies will be the means not only of advancing the cause of Christ (Php_1:18), but, as stated here, of exciting him to greater zeal and activity, and thus also indirectly of promoting his own spiritual welfare and ultimate salvation. The reference of τοῦτο to the opposition of Paul’s enemies (so also Lightfoot) is the most natural, both on account of the sequel, and because the statement that the preaching of Christ must advance the cause of Christ is too obvious to need a formal confirmation (γάρ).—H.]—Unto salvation (εἰς σωτηρίαν), like εἰς προκοπὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου in Php_1:12, with the meaning (comp. also Php_1:20), that in himself Christ and His gospel will be glorified and advanced. Hence it does not refer to his release from imprisonment (Chrysostom, et al.), to the preservation of his life (Oecumenius), to his victory over his enemies (Michaelis), ad salutem mulltorum hominum (Grotius), to salus vera et perennis (Van Hengel), or to his own salvation in a spiritual sense (Rheinwald). [Among others, Ellicott and Lightfoot adopt this last explanation. The pronoun (μοι) indicates a personal result, and the future of the verb shows it to be one not yet secured. This meaning, too, of σωτηρία is the prevailing one in Paul’s Epistles; comp. Php_1:28; Php_2:12; Rom_1:16; 2Th_2:13. See further on Php_1:20.—H.]—Through your prayer and assistance of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.—The way to this result (ἀποβήσεται) is, first, through (διά) the supplication of the Philippians (τῆς ὑμῶν δεήσεως), to which the Apostle attaches great value (Phm_1:22; Rom_15:30-31; 2Co_1:11); secondly, through the assistance of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (καὶ ἐπιχορηγἰας τοῦ πνεύματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ), which therefore the Holy Spirit affords, who is indeed the Spirit of Jesus Christ, directs His cause, and hence is designated as His Spirit. The genitive makes it unnecessary to repeat the article (τῆς), as also the close connection of the two substantives makes it unnecessary to repeat διά. On ἐπιχορηγία see Eph_4:16; comp. Rom_8:9-10; Gal_4:6-7. Precationem in cœlum ascendentem, exhibitionem, de cœlo venientem (Bengel). Hence it is wrong to regard καί as epexegetical, and ἐπιχορηγία as the contents of δέησις (Meyer); nor can τοῦπνεύματος be shown to be gen. obj. from Gal_3:5. [Yet the close connection of the nouns indicates that the gifts and guidance of the Spirit were among the favors for which they prayed in his behalf.—H.]
Php_1:20.—According to my earnest expectation and hope (κατὰ τὴν ἀποκαραδοκίαν καὶ ἐλπίδα μου). Having stated the end or result (εἰς σωτηρίαν), and the means (διὰ τῆς ὑμῶν δεήσεως), he now presents the measure (κατά) of the ἀποβήσεται. The first substantive (ἀποκαραδοκία, see Rom_8:19) denotes the soul’s subjective, intenser longing (ἀποκαραδοκέω, erecto capite specto); the second (ἐλπίς) the more objective, outward, ground or object of expectation.—The object of this longing and expectation is: That in nothing I shall be ashamed (ὅτι ἐν οὐδενἰ αἰσχυνθήσομαι). Ὄτι is declarative, not argumentative (Estius); for οἶδα γάρ brings forward the reason of his rejoicing. Αἰσχύνεσθαι=בּוֹשׁ (Ps. 34:4, 29; Rom_9:33; 2Co_10:8) is to become ashamed, to fail of one’s purpose, be disappointed. The meaning is not pudore confusus ab officio deflectam (Van Hengel), since, as Meyer well observes, it relates not so much to the conduct as to the fate of Paul. Still less does it refer to an ignominious issue of his trial. Ἐν οὐδενί excludes the being put to shame in any particular, as ἐν μηδενι in Php_1:28. It is incorrect to regard it as masculine, and to apply it to his opponents (Hölemann, Lightfoot), especially as the case is one not of individuals, but of parties.—But (ἀλλ’) joins the positive side to the negative.—That with all boldness as constantly, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body (ἐν πάσῃ παῤῥησίᾳ ὡς πάντοτε καὶ νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν τῷ σώματί μου). Ignominiam a sese removet; sibi parrhesiam, Christo ipsi gloriam tribuit (Bengel). In the person of the Apostle who is in bonds Christ is to be thus glorified. This positive statement shows fully what is meant by the preceding negative statement. Παῤῥησία is not=joyfulness, for see 1Jn_2:28, where σχῶμεν παῤῥησίαν is opposed to καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν, as here. Ἐν πάσῃ corresponds to ἐν οὐδενί, and the μεγαλύνεσθαι of Christ in Paul’s person, to Paul’s αἰσχύνεσθαι designed and sought by his enemies. As formerly this had been done in many a difficult position, amid great obstacles, so also now in this severest crisis (καὶ νῦν) will Christ be glorified in him. He desires for himself what he entreats for the church (see Php_1:11). On μεγαλυνθήσεται comp. Luk_1:46; Act_10:46. This exaltation of Christ is effected as much indeed through Paul’s activity and boldness (ἐν πάσῃ παρρησίᾳ), in word and deed, before individuals and crowds, friends and foes, as through his sufferings (hence ἐν τῷ σώματί μου instead of ἐν ἐμοί.) It is not, therefore, the παρρησία of the teachers (Php_1:15-18) (Hölemann), nor does the verb (contrary to usage) refer to the growth of Christ in Paul (Rilliet), which surely does not take place in Paul’s body. [He says ἐν τῷ σώματί μου, not ἐν ἐμοί, because he is thinking of the possibility of a violent death.—H.]—Both clauses: Whether by life or by death (εἴτε διὰ ζωῆς εἴτε διὰ θανάτου) are conditioned by ἐν τῷ σώματί μου. The meaning is, that whether he is to live or suffer death, the result will be for the glory of Christ. In the first case, by the Apostle’s activity; in the second, by his joyful death. In either case, his παῤῥησία or ‘boldness’ would be made manifest. [The manner, therefore, in which the Apostle’s trials, his perplexities and annoyances (τοῦτο, Php_1:19) might be made to conduce to his salvation (εἱς σωτηρίαν) is evident. If, on the one hand, they should discourage him and lead him to relax his efforts, and render him unfaithful, they would endanger his hopes and safety, or at all events dim the lustre of his crown of glory in the heavenly world. So, on the other hand, if, through the prayers of his friends and the assistance of the Holy Spirit, these same trials should be overruled (as he was confident they would be) so as to strengthen in him the graces of the Christian and excite him to greater fortitude and zeal as a preacher of the gospel, they would then render the fact of his salvation more certain, and in the measure of its fullness more complete and glorious. And it was not a vain confidence which the Apostle has expressed here. At a later period, on the eve of his actual martyrdom, he was enabled to exclaim: “I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2Ti_4:6-7).—H.]
Php_1:21. [The Apostle is uncertain whether in a personal point of view he should choose to live or to die (Php_1:21-24).—H.]—For to me to live (is) Christ, and to die (is) gain.—Ἐμοὶ γάρ introduces a confirmation of the thought that it is entirely the same to him whether Christ be glorified through his life and activity, or by his death; with others (hence ἐμοί at the beginning) it may indeed be different. Τὸ ζῆν, which is made more specific by ἐν σαρκί, Php_1:22, defines the nature of the preceding ζωή: this is Χριστός (predicate). Quidquid vivo (vita naturali), Christum vivo, Christi causam, dam vitam in mundo ago, meam esse censeo (Bengel). [Living consists only in union with and devotion to Christ: my whole being and activities are His. The context shows that Χριστός, besides the idea of union with Him, must also involve that of devotion to His service (Ellicott).—H.] Καὶ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος imports: If the imprisonment end with my being condemned to death, even this as regards my person is also gain, as more fully explained in Php_1:23. Hence the inf. aorist is used to mark the simple fact, while ζῆν is a continuative present. It is incorrect to understand ζῆν of the spiritual life (Rilliett), or to make Χριστός the subject in the sense of preaching Christ, κέρδος the predicate, and τὸ ζῆν καὶ τὸ αποθανειν as accusative relations, tamen vita, quam in morte (Calvin, et al.). It is also wrong to make it parenthetic: His assurance that death will be gain will give him strength to die joyfully, and so he will glorify Christ (Meyer, et al.). [Since κέρδος is defined as σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι in Php_1:23, ‘the gain’ cannot be a result viewed simply as advantageous to the cause of Christ or the salvation of others.—H.]
Php_1:22. But if the living in the flesh, this (is) the fruit of my labor.—Εἰ δέ begins the comparison of two cases. Εἰ pre-supposes an undoubted fact, in opposition (δέ) to the last thought (τὸ ἀποθανεῖν κέρδος). Τὸ ζῆν is more fully defined by ἐν σαρκί, because there is a life out of the flesh which ἀποθανεὶν calls to mind. Τοῦτο rhetorically brings the two antecedent words together, and μοί, for me, is placed emphatically before the predicate without the copula (ἐστί): καρπδος ἔργου. In καρπός we have a parallel to κέρδος (Php_1:21), and τὸ ζῆν ἐν σαρκί is thus also a gain, a living, ever ripening fruit, the nature of which the genit. of apposition more closely defines, like flumen Rheni, virtus liberalitatis (Bengel), and comp. Eph_1:14; Eph_6:14; Eph_6:16 f.; Col_2:21. See Winer’s Gram. p. 531. So that Paul ipsum opus pro fructu habet, alius ex opere fructum quærit (Bengel). Ἔργου is the Apostolic activity. It is wrong to regard εἰ=an (Beza) [whether (Lightfoot)]; τοῦτο ἔργου as the apodosis=this is fruit, etc. (Pelagius, Bengel, A. V.); καρπὸς ἔργου=operæ pretium (Grotius); or to suppose an aposiopesis: non repvgno, non ægre fero (Conr. Mueller, Rilliet). Hölemann translates against the contest and the language: If to live is a fruit, in the flesh, death is a fruit indeed. [Instead of ἔργου as genit. of apposition, we prefer that of origin or source: If the living in the flesh (εἰ, not hypothetical, but syllogistic=since it is, etc.) this (which simply repeats and emphasizes τὸ ζῆν) is (brings forth, secures) fruit, i.e., the salvation of men, from work (his continued Apostolic activity; comp. Php_2:30; 1Th_5:13; 2Ti_4:5), also then, etc. (as in the next clause). With this modification the explanation of Dr. Braune as above agrees essentially with that of De Wette, Meyer, Ellicott, Alford, and many other interpreters.—H.]—Then also what (i.e., which of the two) I should choose I know not (καὶ τὸ αἱρήσομαι, οὐ γνωρίζω). To the supposition τὸ ζῆν—καρπός Paul now adds also or then (καί) the uncertainty of the choice to be made (οὐ γνωρίζω). For this use of καί comp. 2Co_2:2. It is not a Hebraistic form of the apodosis. [Tischendorf has correctly only a comma after ἔργου. In this concomitant use of καί, as we may term it, its proper force is not wholly lost. It implies that if one theory be true, then another will be true also: if the life be thus useful, the choice must also (καί) be difficult. See Ellicott in loc.—H.] On τί αἰρήσομαι, see Winer’s Gram. p. 229. It is a future with the force of the conjunctive, the two being closely related; and τί is for πότερον, as in Mat_21:31. See Winer’s Gram. p. 169. The middle denotes the choosing for himself, with γνωρίζω=non definio mihi (Bengel). [In the first edition of his Commentary, Meyer renders ‘I am uncertain,’ but in the second and third editions he renders ‘I do not make known,’ ‘give no decision.’ The latter is the prevalent sense in the N. T.—H.]
Php_1:23. For I am in a strait betwixt the two (συνέχομαι δὲ ἐκ τῶν δύο).—The negative statement in οὐ γνωρίζω passes here to a positive statement in συνέχομαι, and the latter is made emphatic by its position and strengthened by δέ=rather. The verb means to be held together, to be pressed hard (2Co_5:14; Luk_8:45 (συνέχουσί σε καὶ ἀποθλίβουσι), Phil 12:50), and is followed by the instrumental dative (Mat_4:24; Luk_4:38; Luk_8:37; Act_18:5; Act_28:8). Here the preposition with the genitive (ἔκ τῶν δύο) marks the origin or source of his perplexity about the two conditions, i.e., ζῆν and ἀποθανεῖν already mentioned. The sense of the verb (see above) is manifest from Php_1:24. It cannot refer to outward affliction or anxiety.—Having the desire to depart (τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχων εἰς τὸ ἀναλῦσαι).—Paul is in a strait or perplexity, since for himself he prefers death to life. The article marks the desire as the one which Paul feels, not one already mentioned (Hölemann), which is not the case. The prep, εἰς points out the direction; whereas the genit. τοῦ would represent death as the object of his desire. Paul is not wearied of life, but his thoughts pass beyond death as a transition, and fix upon that which is to follow. Death is conceived of under a similar figure, viz., that of a journey (Mat_26:24, ὑπάγειν), that of a voyage (2Ti_4:6, solvere ancoram), and also without a figure, as decedere (Luk_12:36, Bengel).—And to be with Christ—καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἰναι,—Comp. 2Co_5:8 (ἐνδημῆσαι πρὸς κύριον); Heb_12:22-23; Act_7:59. The departure (ἀναλῦσαι) brings him into this higher life of fellowship with Christ. There is no thought here of an intermediate state.—Which is far better—πολλῷ γὰρ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον.—The accumulation of comparatives (2Co_7:13; Mar_7:36) indicates the strength of his desire. Winer’s Gram. p. 240.
Php_1:24. Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you—Τὸ ἐπιμένειν δέ stands opposed to ἀναλῦσαι. Ἐν τῇ σαρκί has the article here in the correct text (not ἐν σαρκι, as in Php_1:22); hence in his flesh as it now is. This remaining is more necessary (ἀναγκαιότερον) as distinguished from his departing (ἀναλῦσαι), which is better (κρεῖσσον), as far as relates to his own preference. But here a calm survey and consideration of the circumstances, a regard for the welfare of others, beloved ones, among whom are to be named especially those to whom he writes (διʼ ὑμᾶς), decide the question. His Apostolic calling and his service to the church, which are of far greater importance to him than his own heart’s desire, control his decision. It is incorrect to explain ἀναγκαιότερον=præstat (Heinrichs), as “too necessary” (Van Hengel), or to consider the glory of Christ as the ground of his wish to live longer (Calvin).
Php_1:25. And having this confidence I know (καὶ τοῦτο πεποιθὼς οἶδα). Τοῦτο points back to ἀναγκαιότερον, and indicates the ground of his confidence, and the perf. part. marks this confidence as one which he has had, and still entertains. We are not to join τοῦτο with οἶδα (Erasmus, et al.) or to explain this last as probabiliter sperare (Beza, Van Henghel, Rilliet). Comp. Philem. Php_1:22. Though uncertain as to what he ought to choose for himself, yet he is quite sure that he will remain.—That I shall abide and continue with you all.—Ὅτι μενῶ is the opposite of ἀναλῦσαι. On μένειν comp. 1Co_15:6; John 21:22, 26. It is more fully explained by καὶ συμπαραμενῶ πᾶσιν ὑμῖν. Παραμένειν is to remain here, while σύν adds the idea of association with others (πᾶσιν ὑμῖν). This fellowship helps him to give up the more desired ἀναλῦσαι, especially as his remaining has its consequence and fruit, as well as the being with Christ (σὺν Χριστῷ).—For your furtherance and joy of faith.—This is explanatory of διʼ ὑμᾶς (Php_1:24). Εἰς states the purpose of Paul’s remaining; it is twofold: their furtherance in the faith, and their joy in the faith, τὴν ὑμῶν προκοπὴν καὶ Χαρὰν τῆς πίστεως. This is Paul’s life—to preach Christ and to strengthen the faith of others. On προκοπή see Php_1:12; 1Ti_4:15. Nothing is here said of a favorable termination of his imprisonment (Beza). It is also incorrect to assume a hendiadys: in incrementum gaudii vestri, quod ob agnitum evangelium accepistis (Heinrichs); or to understand it of Paul’s joy on account of the faith of the Philippians (Erasmus), or to connect τῆς πίστεως only with χαράν (Van Hengel); for in this case the pronoun would need to be repeated with πίστεως.
Php_1:26. That your rejoicing may be more abundant.—Ἵνα states the final purpose of the subordinate one, expressed by εἰς; comp. Php_1:9-11. Τὸ καύχημα ὑμῶν is significatio gaudii, affectus gaudii pleni (Bengel), glorying, as 1Co_5:6. It is the natural result of the increase and joy of their faith (τὴν ὑμῶν προκοπὴν καὶ χαρὰν τῆς πίστεως), but it is not the object of them. Hence καύχημα is not materies gloriandi (Meyer), nor is it boasting against Judaizing teachers (Flatt), or Paul’s glorying (Chrysostom). But this glorying, as well as faith, is to increase (περισσεύῃ) in Christ Jesus (ἐν Χριστῶ Ἰησοῦ) as its sphere.—In me (ἐν ἐμοί) points to the Apostle’s person and activity as the outward sphere of this glorying which admits of increase in Christ. Neither ἐν Χριστῶ (Calvin), nor ἐν ἐμοί (Flatt), belongs to καύημα. The idea expressed by iv ἐν ἐμοί is rendered still more definite by the statement of the means.—Through my return to you (διὰ τῆς ἐμῆς παρουσίας πάλιν πρὸς ὑμᾶς)—by which the faith of the Philippians shall be confirmed and their joy be increased. On πάλιν, which has here the force of an adjective, see 2Co_11:23. Paul is thinking of his release from imprisonment; but no safe conclusion can be drawn from this as to the fulfilment of this expectation.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. The evil and sorrow of the world, as imprisonment, and death, become a trial, a cross, on which hang victory and a glorious issue, only then, when he who experiences them can say: “For me to live is Christ” (ἐμοὶ τὸ ζῆν Χριστός). Not the sorrow which men experience makes a bearer of the cross, with its power of attraction, the sign in which we conquer; but the Christian’s disposition and behaviour in sorrow make the sorrow a cross. In this consists the true value of martyrdom, and not in the fact alone of suffering and dying. Like the cross of Christ, it must also be a necessity, imposed by the Father, from which we can withdraw only by a violation of conscience, and a refusal to deny self, and to seek our own and our neighbor’s edification. See Harless, Ethik, § 39.
2. The Christian shows himself, in calamity, to be one who is not overpowered, vexed, swept away by sorrow, or engulfed by it, like one who toilsomely wades through deep water, but he compels it to yield him strength and joy, like the stars of heaven in the night, after he has conquered it and made it his attendant. He is not the object of weak compassion and pity, but of admiration and love, like a conquering hero. He is like a praying one who speaks to God; and as one to whom God speaks, is an object almost of religious veneration.
3. The blessing of the cross is seen in three respects—a) The suffering soul becomes free, more joyful, riper, stronger (Php_1:19, εἰς σωτηρίαν, comp. 12, 18, 20, 21 sq.), since it becomes more closely united to the Lord, purified from what is earthly and mortal, more intimate with the Eternal Will, and more joyful in it. b) Men on every side, Christians (Php_1:14), as well as heathen, even Prætorians (Php_1:13; Mat_27:54; Mar_15:39; Luk_23:47), are improved and benefited; for the glory of the peaceful fruit of righteousness becomes better and better known, and the deep need of its possession is felt in the hearts of men. c) The gospel secures for itself a recognition of its true character by preaching, which brings to view the person and his history (Php_1:12; Php_1:20), for thus the adaptation of the gospel to the hearts and lives of men is seen and confessed.
4. Death, which, like imprisonment and the world’s enmity, is an evil, becomes in the Apostle’s view an insignificant event, which closes indeed the life upon earth, but changes not the essence, the life of the soul, only the place and form of its existence (Php_1:21, ἀποθανεῖν; Php_1:23, ἀναλῦσαι). To experience it is no merit, but to conquer it by faith and patience is a grace. Death leads the faithful from the misery of imprisonment to be more completely with Christ. In what way we pass through death into fellowship with Christ, is not said; and still less is there any indication here of an intermediate state. This agrees with the word of the Lord to the thief on the cross (Luk_23:43), and with the teaching of the parable of the rich man (Luk_16:23), and still more significantly with the efficacy of Christ’s death and resurrection in regard to the relations of life and death, in heaven and on earth (1Co_5:1; Eph_4:8; comp. 2Co_5:8; Act_7:58).
5. [Unless Paul believed that the death which released him from the trials of this life was to introduce him at once to the presence of Christ and a state of blessedness, we see no adequate reason for the struggle between his desire to depart and be with Christ, and his anxiety to labor still for the advancement of the Redeemer’s kingdom on earth. If he believed that he was to remain for an indefinite time without consciousness in the grave, his zeal for men’s salvation and his contempt of personal dangers and trials in the pursuit of that object, would lead him to desire to live as long as possible, on account of the importance of his ministry to mankind. On the other hand, if we suppose him to have regarded his attainment of the joys and rewards of heaven as simultaneous with his departure from this world, we have then an adequate explanation of his perplexity (Php_1:21-24). For other passages which seem to involve the same doctrine, see Luk_23:43; 2Co_5:6-7; and Rev_6:9.—H.]
6. The substance of Christian preaching is the person of Christ (Php_1:15; Php_1:17-18), as the exaltation of His person is the end of Christian life (Php_1:20). This should be the preacher’s testimony, his proclamation.
7. The difference in the teaching here consists not so much in the difference of the doctrine of Christ, as in the difference of disposition of the teachers towards Paul (Php_1:15-18). The agreement in their teaching, which could scarcely fail to admit of certain variations, is of more account to him than their hostility to him. So much the more magnanimous is his joy in the doctrine which they hold in common.
8. That church fellowship (τὸ καύχημα ὑμῶν περισσεύῃ ἐν Χριστῷ Ιησοῦ) should promote Christian fellowship is exemplified in the intercourse of Paul and the Philippians (ἐν εμοὶ διὰ τῆς ἐμῆς παρουσίας πάλιν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, Php_1:26). It is important to observe and maintain this connection.
9. The minister of Christ is helped and served in two ways—(a) by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ; and (b) by the supplications of the church: thus from above and from below. He needs the supplications of the church of Christ not less than the church needs his testimony. The protection of praying hands is no insignificant one.
10. Observe the moral greatness of the Apostle! In the constraint of a prison, in the face of death, amid the enmities of some of his associates, he exults for joy in his fellowship with Christ, and allows it to suffer no abatement on account of an error. He hopes to be able to return again to the Philippians, free from his bonds (Php_1:26), as shortly before he had expressed a similar hope to Philemon (Philem. Php_1:22). This hope indeed he afterwards gave up (2Ti_4:6), and four years before this had declared that he should not see again the Ephesians (Act_20:22-25). In this uncertainty his official gift remains intact, which, as a prophetical endowment, has to do with God’s word, not with times and seasons (Act_1:7). He does not, however, declare definitely (Php_1:27) that he will come, but leaves it to God’s disposal.24
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
For ministers, three teachings: 1) See that thou overcomest sorrow, and that thou art not overcome by it; 2) that Christ is praised thereby: 3) that the church by this very thing is advanced and built up in the faith.—Rejoice without envy in the preaching of thy worthy official brother. The word of God and the preaching of Christ should be to thee of too much value and importance to allow an unfriendly disposition to mortify or vex thee.—For the church, three teachings: 1) Take not offence at the greatness of the evil in the world, especially of the violent enmity which befalls thy pastor, but follow his deportment in the case; 2) persist in hearty supplication for him; 3) aid him full of confidence with thy testimony.—Only one thing must be regarded: that Christ alone, the Saviour of the world, be preached. Thou art not to judge the disposition of the preacher, but only the correctness of his preaching.—In general: Persecution or, at the utmost, death, is the greatest evil which the world can inflict upon the Christian, but this effects for him what launching does for a ship:—it brings him into his proper element. As the ship is thus sent forth upon the ocean for which it is designed, so is the Christian by this means brought to heaven, which is his home. To die, is but to come to our inheritance, if Christ is our life. From Him comes the unselfish love of life for others sake, which is at once a joy in life and a joy in death, so that from our joy in death there comes no death to our joy. It is unchristian for one to wish for death because he is weary of life, or cowardly to fear death; and worse still are they who desire death while they fear it. Evil does not make us holy, death does not make us happy. Man does not become happy by dying, but the Christian dies, being happy.
Ignatius:—Let me become the prey of wild beasts, that God may become my possession. I am God’s wheat; the teeth of the wild beasts will grind me so that I may become the purified bread of God. I shall become a true disciple of Jesus Christ when the world no longer sees my body. The iron and the cross, the breaking of the legs, the raging of the wild beasts, the mangling of the limbs, and the bruising of the body—all these diabolical torments may be exercised upon me if I but win Jesus Christ.
Starke:—If God will make His children known, even His greatest enemies must lend their aid. Let God rule, and follow His leading.—Short but beautiful confession: Christ is our life in creation, in redemption, in regeneration, in the resurrection.
Rieger:—For those in communion with God, in enjoyment of the life of Christ, dying is not the end; the soul’s life from that point is before it, not behind (see Php_1:21).
Schleiermacher:—The distressed and suffering man, be the cause of his suffering and distress what it may, attracts the earnest and anxious attention of men to himself more than all the royalty in the world. The way in which he bears his cross, the way in which he accepts his need and distress in his heavenly calling, excite the sympathy of men. If now we are all cross-bearers of our Lord, and if no one here below escapes from sorrows, then there is opened to us here at once a way in which we all, each according to his ability, may contribute to the advancement of the gospel, by bearing the troubles and adversities which the Lord sends, with patience and resignation to His will, with hope and trust in His imperishable work, with confidence and joyfulness of heart in His all-sufficient wisdom, in order that men may be thereby impelled to acknowledge and praise our heavenly Father.—Boldness on the one hand and faint-heartedness on the other, have, as it were, a diffusive and contagious power among men.—The troubles of this life will result in our highest good if we love God.—Above all things this is meet: 1) that we recognize the rough ways in which the Lord leads us as His ways, and acquiesce with our whole heart in His guidance; 2) that at the same time we look more to the internal than to the external; 3) the apostle adds, that it will turn to his salvation through the prayer of the church and through the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ, which comes to him from the church.—This is the true happiness of the Christian, to which we should all aspire, that the longing for the greater glory which is reserved for us, shall never become so strong as to check or weaken our usefulness in the calling to which God has appointed us here on the earth.—If now we see the vineyard of the Lord so divided that to each one a task therein has been assigned, what else can we say in view of its present condition but that the vineyard is far from being wholly cultivated?—We must say then that all Christians, in whom the fear of death has been destroyed by a living and blessed fellowship with the Redeemer who has taken away the power of death, are able to withstand more firmly the assaults of earthly evil, and that their love for the perishable things of the world and enjoyment in them constantly diminish. The more this actually takes place, the more does there arise in them, even here upon earth, a higher love, a love for the Redeemer and His heavenly kingdom, in the strength of which they can regard themselves as servants of the Lord, as laborers in His vineyard, whose constantly renewed wish is, to bring forth fruit for Him unto whom all fruit belongs, as a reward for His sorrows and as a glorification of His victory.
Heubner:—Man often comes for the first time to know his strength when he is in misfortune.—When a friend of the truth is bound, ten others arise in his place.—The very best deeds may be done from impure motives; even Christ may be preached from ambition.—Spiritual envy and pride creep in even among preachers of the gospel, and incite them to a false and envious emulation.—When the friends of the truth are imprisoned, we ought to undertake their task, and to make good their places, that the good work may suffer no hindrance. The kindest service which can be rendered to noble martyrs in bonds, is to interest one’s self in their cause, not in their person. The work is of more importance than the instrument.—The Christian commits himself wholly to God, and ought with reference to life and death to be absolutely resigned to His will. If he hopes in any respect to be useful to others, then he remains here even gladly.—Whitefield once asked Tennant, a preacher who was his friend, whether the thought that he might soon be called home, gave him joy. Tennant replied: “I have no desire about it; my death does not concern me, my duty is to live as long as I can, as well as I can, and to serve my Master as faithfully as I can, until He calls me away. If I had sent my servant to plough, and should afterwards find him asleep, and he should say to me: ‘Alas, the sun is so hot, let me go to the house!’ might I not say to him, ‘thou sluggard!’ ?”
Passavant:—In steadfastness of faith the man of God holds fast joy in the faith. How little inclined we are by nature to leave this world for another better world in order to be with God, every candid mind willingly confesses to itself, and this fact holds up before us the clear mirror of our natural life, and shows us how far estranged we are from God, from His love, and the blessed life which is in Him.
Nitzsch:—How gloriously do desire for death and love of life unite in the Christian’s mind! 1) The Christian shows by his faith that in death he loses nothing of that in and for which he here lives, but gains it. 2) Though it is better for him to be with Christ, yet it seems more necessary to remain in the flesh and bring forth fruit. 3) Whatever contradiction remains in his desires, he leaves God to settle, and will not choose or decide for himself.
[Rev. J. Trapp:—Two things make a good Christian, good actions and good aims. Though a good aim doth not make a bad action good, as we see in Uzzah, yet a bad aim makes a good action bad, as in these preachers (see Php_1:15).—St. Paul stood, as it were, on tiptoes (ἀποκαραδοκία), to see which way he might best glorify God, by life or death (ver, 20).—Far, far the better (πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεὶσσον, Php_1:23), a transcendent expression, like Paul’s καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολήν, 2Co_4:17.—H.]
[Robert Hall:—Paul was so intent upon the advancement of truth, that he overlooked the malignity of the intention in the success of the cause. It is thus, my brethren, that religion lifts us above self-love and party-strife, and leads us to rejoice in every opening prospect of prosperity, and of good to others, in all public events and in every denomination (see Php_1:15).—We see that with all his attainments the apostle was not lifted above them when he says, “by your prayers” (Php_1:19). How much have we need to say, “Brethren, pray for us.” The prayer of the obscurest Christian may procure and infuse among us the Spirit of God beyond what we could wish ourselves; for with Him all distinctions are lost but piety and necessity.—“To be with Christ,” was the apostle’s view of the heavenly world (Php_1:23). Ho knew that Jesus Christ had promised that where He was there also His servants should be (Joh_17:24). He values the friendship of Christ above all the world,—to be found in His image and to be with Him, he can conceive of nothing higher.—If your attachment to this world be great, it must be cured by giving yourselves up more entirely to your Lord and Master.—H.]
Footnotes:
[16]Php_1:13.—[Our English version assumes that ἐν ὅλῳ πραιτωρίῳ refers to the palace of the emperor at Rome. But there is no adequate proof that this Greek term ever designated the imperial palace in that city. The majority of the best interpreters discard that view. See notes below.—H.]
[17]Php_1:16-17 are so arranged in א A B, et al. A few copies have them inverted, as in Luther’s version, evidently to conform with Php_1:15. [The A. V. transposes the verses in accordance with the received Greek text. The object of the transposition was to introduce the subjects of the verbs in Php_1:16-17 in the order in which they occur in Php_1:15; whereas in the text the subject last mentioned is taken up first.—H.]
[18]Php_1:17.—[“Other” occurs here in the A. V. (as in Jos_8:22; 2Ch_32:22; Job_24:24) in the plural by an old usage for “others.” The form has been silently changed in some later editions.—H.]
[19]Ibid.—Ἐγείρειν is found in א A B, et al; ἐπιφέρειν is a gloss, with very slight support.
[20]Php_1:18.—Πλήν, D E K L, πλὴν ὅτι א, ὅτι B. These last have arisen from the first. [Lightfoot regards πλὴν ὅτι as more probably correct. Some texts have πλήν alone, others ὅτι alone; both which readings appear like attempts to smooth the construction.—R]
[21]Php_1:23.—Δέ is found in א and the majority of MSS.; γάρ has but slight support. [It is found in some of the best MSS., and “yet a reading, which comes to the relief of a disjointed syntax, must be regarded with suspicion” (Lightfoot). Meyer regards δέ as the true reading.—H.]
[22][In regard to the passage referred to, it should be said that the words “the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: hut—” in the A. V. (Act_28:16) are probably the translation of a later addition to the Greek text. See Mr. Abbot’s note in Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Vol. I., p. 384 (Amer. ed.). At the same time the words state correctly what was unquestionably true in regard to the Roman usage of committing prisoners like Paul to the care of the Prætorian prefect or commander of the Prætorian camp. (See Pliny’s Epist. X. 65). The reference therefore to Act_27:26 is still pertinent, though not so decisive as if the words were genuine. The false rendering of ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ πραιτωρίῳ by “in all the palace” (A. V.) destroys the interesting connection between the Epistle here and that passage. See above on the text.—H.]
[23][Neander’s views respecting the character and object of those at Rome to whom Paul refers as seeking by their preaching to add affliction to his bonds, deserve to be considered here.—“Are we to suppose that these men, without personal love to the gospel, without personal conviction of its truth, preached Christ for no other reason than to add to the hardship of Paul’s situation, and to bring him into greater danger by the wider extension of the gospel at Rome—thus rendering him, as the origin of it all, more obnoxious to the Roman civil power? It appears at once how unnatural and intrinsically improbable is such a supposition. If they would thus bring Paul into greater peril, they would by so doing plunge themselves into equal danger. Can it he imagined that one would play so hazardous a game, simply from hatred to another? He who at that time did not himself believe in the gospel, must be enlisted against it; and would certainly not have given himself up to the business of preaching it merely as the means to another end. We must seek, then, another explanation of this difficulty. When it is said of an individual that he preaches the gospel only in appearance, this need not be understood as necessarily meaning that he has no concern whatever in regard to the subject of his preaching; that he has no personal interest in it, no conviction of its truth, that he makes use of it only as a means to another end. It may mean that he preaches it, not in its purity and completeness, but as an adulterated, mutilated gospel. And when, moreover, he says of such that they were actuated by party zeal and hatred against him, desiring to add new affliction to his sufferings, it is not necessary to understand by this that their witness for the gospel was mere pretence, a form of hypocrisy to which the circumstances of the time afforded no occasion and no ground; but that their ruling motive in preaching was not from love of the Lord; that it was their aim, consciously or unconsciously to themselves, by their manner of preaching, to give offence to Paul, and to raise up for themselves a party against him. … We know that Paul had to contend with opposers, to whom all that has been here said is applicable. There were those who did acknowledge and preach Jesus as the Messiah, but a Messiah in the Jewish sense; who acknowledged Him, not as that which He has revealed Himself to be, the only ground of salvation for man; who, in connection with the one article of faith, that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament, still adhered to the Jewish legal position; who understood nothing of the new creation of which Christ was the author, and to whom faith in Jesus as the Messiah was only a new patch upon the old garment of Judaism. These were the opposers, with whom we so often find Paul contending in his Epistles. Of such he might justly say, that they preached the gospel not purely and sincerely, but only in appearance; for indeed they were far more concerned for Judaism than for Christianity, and their converts became Jews rather than Christians. Of such he might also say that they sought to form a party against him, and to add affliction to his bonds; for those persons every where seem chiefly animated by jealousy of Paul, through whom the gospel was preached to the heathen world as freed from all dependence upon Judaism, and standing upon its own foundation. They oppose themselves to him on all occasions, contest his apostolic dignity, seek to encroach on his sphere of labor, to draw over the people from him to themselves, from that pure and complete gospel to their own mutilated one. And it need not surprise us to meet such even in Rome; for Paul’s Epistle to the church at Rome, written some years previous to his imprisonment there, shows us in this church, consisting chiefly of Gentile converts, a small party of such Judaizing Christians who were in conflict with the rest. It was a matter of course then, that when the pure gospel in the sense of Paul was preached by the one party, the other, provoked to rivalry, should rise up in opposition and seek to give currency to their own corrupted form of the gospel.” (Epistle of Paul to the Philippians, translated by Mrs. H. C. Conant, N. Y., 1851.)—H.]
[24][If Paul was imprisoned twice at Rome (as is almost certain), he could easily have fulfilled this hope of seeing again both the Philippians and Philemon, in the interval between his first and his second captivity. See Commentary on Philemon (Lange’s Series), pp. 6, 23.—H.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Literally, "With a view to your proving (and so…
Literally, "With a view to your proving (and so approving and embracing) the things that excel" (Rom 2:18); not merely things not bad, but the things best among those that are good; the things of more advanced excellence. Ask as to things, not merely, Is there no harm, but is there any good, and which is the best?
sincere--from a Greek root. Examined in the sunlight and found pure.
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without offence--not stumbling; running the Christian race without falling through any stumbling-block, that is, temptation, in your way.
till--rather, "unto," "against"; so that when the day of Christ comes, ye may be found pure and without offense.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 10. That ye may approve—Love thus balanced by intelligence…
10. That ye may approve—Love thus balanced by intelligence and quick moral perception, and so increasing more and more, would render them prompt to distinguish between things that differ as to right and wrong, and so to approve the excellent, whether in opinions, measures of Christian work, men to do the work, or personal life. The application is very broad. The end sought by this increase goes deep and reaches far.
Sincere—Pure. The original means judged of in sunlight. In clear sunlight defects and flaws are easily detected. The soul that in the bright light of God’s presence shows no spot, is sincere in the sense of this passage.
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Without offence—Blameless in external life, the previous term referring to the internal. This is a blessed state in which to live; a necessary state for the day of Christ. This, however, is only negative.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–22 10. That] Better, as better marking a close sequence…
10. That] Better, as better marking a close sequence on the last clause, so that.
approve] Better, in modern English, test. The spiritual “judgment” was to be thus applied.
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things that are excellent] “the things, &c.” R.V. An alternative rendering is, that ye may prove (test) the things that differ; so margin R.V.; “that you may use your spiritual judgment in separating truth from its counterfeit, or distortion.” The two renderings come to much the same; for the “approval of the excellent thing” would be the immediate result of the “detection of its difference.” We prefer the margin R.V., however; first, as giving to the verb its rather more natural meaning, and then, as most congruous to the last previous thought, the growth of “judgment.”
that ye may be] It is implied that the process of “discernment” would never be merely speculative. It would be always carried into motive and conduct.
sincere] The idea of the Greek word is that of clearness, disengagement from complications. One derivation (favoured by Bp Lightfoot here) is military; from the orderly separateness of marshalled ranks. Another and commoner one is solar; from the detection of pollution by sunlight, with the thought of the clearness of what has passed such a test well.—The word “sincere” (from Lat. sincerus) has a possible connexion with “sin-gle,” and so with the idea of separation, disengagement, straightness of purpose. In Latin, it is the equivalent to our “unadulterated.”
without offence] I.e., “without stumbling-block” (Lat., offendiculum). Our common meaning of “offence,” with its special reference to grievances and pique, must be banished from thought in reading the English Bible. There these words are always used to represent original words referring to obstacles, stumbling, and the like. So e.g. 2Co_6:3, “giving no offence” means, presenting no obstacle such as to upset the Christian principle or practice of others.—“Without offence” here (one word in the Greek) may mean, grammatically, either “experiencing no such obstacle” or “presenting none.” The word occurs elsewhere only Act_24:16; 1Co_10:32; and the evidence of these passages is exactly divided. On the whole the context here decides for the former alternative. The Apostle is more concerned at present with the inner motives than the outer example of the Philippians: he prays that the simplicity (sincerity) of their spiritual relations with God may be such as never to “upset” the inner workings of will and purpose.—Tyndale and Cranmer render here, “that ye may be pure, and such as (should) hurt no man’s conscience;” Geneva, “that ye may be pure, and go forward without any let.” So Beza’s Latin version.
till the day of Christ] Lit. unto, &c.; “against, in view of, the great crisis of eternal award.” Son_2:16, where see note. On the phrase “the day of Christ” see note on Php_1:6, above.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 (10) That ye may be sincere and without offence.—This…
(10) That ye may be sincere and without offence.—This St. Paul contemplates as the result of thoughtful and discriminating judgment. The word “sincere” (used only here and in 2Pe_1:3), and the corresponding substantive, “sincerity” (1Co_5:8; 2Co_1:12; 2Co_2:17), although there is some uncertainty as to their derivation, undoubtedly signify purity tested and found clear of all base admixtures. The word “without offence” is used in Act_24:16 (“a conscience void of offence”) for that which is free from the stumbling of error; and in 1Co_10:32 (“giving none offence”) for that at which none will stumble. The latter sense (nearly equivalent to the “unreprovable” of Col_1:22) better suits this passage. For “sincere” describes the positive aspect of purity; “without offence” the more negative aspect, in which it is found to present no excuse for fault-finding or scandal. It is, therefore, the “sincerity,” not of unconscious innocence, but of well-tried and thoughtful purity, proof even against suspicion, which St. Paul describes as the perfect fruit of love “overflowing in knowledge.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 That ye may approve things that are excellent. Love,…
That ye may approve things that are excellent. Love, issuing in spiritual discernment, would enable them to recognize, to test, to prove things that are excellent; so Bengel," Non modo prae malts bona, seal in bonds optima." This seems better than the alternative rendering, "to prove the things that differ". (comp. Rom_2:18) That ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Eilikrinhv according to the common derivation (from eilh , sunlight, and krinw), means "judged in the full light of the sun," that is, pure, true; comp. Joh_2:21, "He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." According to another possible derivation, the word would mean "unmixed," that is, genuine, sincere. "Without offense" may be taken actively or passively; without giving offense (causing stumbling) to others, or without stumbling themselves. Perhaps the latter sense is more suitable here. He prays that the Philippians may be true and pure inwardly, and blameless in their outward lives. "Till," rather, "against the day of Christ." The preposition eiv does not denote time only, as acriv in Ver. 6; it implies preparation.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv10, 11, 12, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22 That ye may approve the things that are excellent
Php_1:10
That ye may approve the things that are excellent
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True religion is
I.
The highest intelligence.
II. The fairest accomplishment.
III. The most enduring possession. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Life work
I. Respects judgment--motive--action.
II. Requires energy--till the day of Christ. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Spiritual discrimination
I. Demands the exercise of the most intelligent and sensitive charity.
II. Commands a wide field of effort, viz., the bad, the good, the better, the best--in character, life, doctrine, practice, enjoyment, attainment.
III. Implies the admission and use of a noble liberty of thought, judgment, and action.
IV. Involves a weighty and far-reaching responsibility.
V. Is essential to a pure and blameless life. (G. G. Ballard.)
Discerning with a purpose
I. A suggestion that a spirit of discernment is required from believers in Christ Jesus. The reference is founded on the common action of comparing one thing with another, so as to find the best. A capability to prove which is best for us bodily in food, e.g., would save us from many physical ailments. How many spiritual troubles might be avoided if, in prayer and preaching, we always fixed upon what best presented the glory and grace of Christ. Possessing this faculty we should--
1. Know what course it would be right to take in spiritual difficulties. The banker draws his finger across a bank note and says, That is forged, or That is genuine. His senses are exercised to prove them. So we ought to be able to perceive the signs of evil, however covered up, and the marks of Gods will, however faint.
2. Understand the relation between duty and comfort.
II. A purpose placed in view of this spirit of discernment.
1. It has respect to the day of Christ, when every mans work will be tried.
(1) So we are not to purpose our own satisfaction. Many endeavour to attain certain excellencies so that they may stand well with themselves.
(2) We are not to purpose to be satisfied with the opinions of the world. There are men who think that if they secure the approbation of their neighbours, they are as good as they need be.
2. It has set before it sincerity and blamelessness.
(1) The Christian is seen standing in the light, and gives no occasion for others to stumble against him. Seeing him in family, business, party, or Church, they have no cause to say, He acts so as to stand between me and Christ.
(2) To be counted sincere and without offence is the proof of a high attainment. The Christian must not be behind, but before men of the world in good points of character and conduct. (D. G. Watt, M. A.)
The things that are excellent
Two things are necessary for all noble life.
1. That we have some ideal of duty.
2. That we are honest in trying to realize this ideal. The words before us suggest these necessities.
I. As Christians we ought to approve things that are excellent.
1. Not merely things which are opposed, or differ, as good and bad. It requires no gift of grace to do this. Natural conscience tells us what is right and wrong. All know that truth is better than falsehood. When men call good evil, they are condemned as much by the world as the Church. It is melancholy to think, however, that some have fallen as low as this in Christian communities, and make a gain of godliness.
2. Paul had a higher level of thought in view--a certain spiritual sensitiveness which recoils from evil, and is drawn to good.
3. We all fail more or less in the cultivation of this higher mindedness. The world is too much with us, weighing down our desires, and whispering a religion of convenience, rather than of aspiration. Our frequent failures, too, tend to keep us contented at a low level.
4. The fineness of spiritual perception is of value in the world. It is a key which unlocks secrets of character. It is not easily deceived. It knows what is true and excellent in art, literature, society, and politics, more readily than others who let their moral ideals grow dim.
II. The further necessity of our being sincere and without offence. Our life and thought must be knit together, our ideal translated into fact.
1. Sincerity is the basis of all good character. A man whose inner and outer life is a contradiction loses even the respect of the world. It would be better if all Christian Churches were more intent on the realities of Christian character; their reward would be greater, and their contentions less.
2. We are also to be without offence. (Principal Tulloch.)
Sincere and without offence
I. A few words against insincerity.
1. Against all forms of it. We are all in danger of it, and its sources are numberless, insidious, and within our own breast. It arises from the prevalent excitement; men pleasing, fiction, ritualism.
2. Against religious insincerity. Here the danger is greatest. Men dont counterfeit copper, but gold, He that takes a bad sovereign loses twenty times as much as he who takes a bad shilling. Hence the Word of God is singularly full, and strong against this evil, and religion is described as wisdom that cometh from above; without hypocrisy; faith unfeigned; unfeigned love of the brethren; love without dissimulation.
3. Remember our Lords conduct against it. Every other form of evil is condemned, but with pity and hope. Hypocrisy is branded as beyond the reach of mercy.
II. A few words to promote sincerity. A life sincere and without reproach is sure to be--
1. Harmless and useful. No stumbling block is more fatal than insincerity. We naturally trust the appearance of goodness; but if it proves rottennesss, and gives way, we stumble and hurt ourselves. Few things stagger young Christians more than the inconsistencies of older Christians. Sincerity, however, silences reproach, inspires confidence, commands respect, kindles affection, draws to fellowship.
2. Strong. St. James speaks of a double-minded man, i.e., a man with two souls--one his real self, the other what he pretends to be. These are sure to play at see-saw. Such a life resembles ploughing with an ox and an ass, always ungainly and inefficient. Such a life is sure to stifle prayer. Reuben was unstable as water, and he did not excel. In opposition to this, the Bible commends the single heart and the single eye. What a man sees clearly he can grip tightly: when he sees his course plainly he goes on confidently.
3. Happy. When conscience smiles all is sunshine; when it frowns it will be to a man what Mordecai was to Haman. Our rejoicing is this: the testimony of our conscience, etc.
4. Pre-eminently a life with God.
5. Will find its consummation in the coming of the Lord. (J. Aldis.)
Christian rectitude
The word sincere means a life which has the brightest light flung upon it, which is tried in that light, and approved as genuine. Christian rectitude consists in--
I. Internal sincerity. This involves--
1. A concentratedness of heart upon one object.
2. A thoroughness of lifes uniformity to that one object.
3. An unostentatious but manifest integrity.
4. The completeness of that manifestation shall be proportionate to the brightness of the testing light.
II. External blamelessness,
1. Without being found guilty of an offence.
2. Without giving one.
3. Without taking one.
III. A present state of life, with a glorious future destination. Then--
1. Life shall be judged.
2. Life shall be made manifest.
3. Rectitude of life shall be approved.
4. Rectitude of life shall be rewarded.
5. The good work begun in grace shall be crowned in glory. (G. G. Ballard.)
The discernment of things excellent
A housekeeper very rarely buys a supply of food without going through the process of noting different kinds so as to get that which is good. The man who works effectively on the Stock Exchange is the man who discerns the little differences which make one stock preferable to another, and who first observes the indications that a stock is about to take a more excellent place in the mart. I believe it is a habit of religions people, when they come into a new neighbourhood, to go from one place of worship to another, making comparisons amongst them, so as to prove that one which will best suit their temperaments--perhaps they would say, so as to approve that which is excellent. (J. Aldis.)
Discernment the result of experience
When offered food, a child takes palatableness only into account, and will as readily eat, if it be pleasant to the taste, what is unwholesome or even poisonous, as what is most nourishing. The power of discriminating, so as to refuse the evil and choose the good, comes by experience. Now the skill which experience, to a great extent unsought, thus gives in the physical sphere, must, in the spiritual, be sought by definite pursuit. Observation and reading, the reading particularly of the biographies of eminent Christians--and especially the Bible biographies, which have an absolute truthfulness seldom even approached in others--these will supply materials, the thoughtful and prayerful consideration of which will produce acuteness of moral perception. There are Christians in whom natural delicacy of feeling and accuracy of judgment, fostered by various helpful surroundings, give, from the very beginning of their religious life, a faculty of spiritual discrimination which acts almost with the readiness and certainty of an instinct. (R. Johnstone, LL. B.)
Sincere and without offence
Are words closely connected. Sincere seems to be an allusion to a practice common then and now. In the bazaars in the East goods are stored away in very obscure places, and persons go in to make their purchases, and purchase them in that dull light. Those who wish to know the matter thoroughly take the goods to the open space where the sunbeam plays, and then, under the full blaze of the light, if no flaw, and if no stain shall be revealed, the article is pronounced sincere in the sense of the text, and consequently without offence. He that walks in darkness knows not where he is going. He strikes against this, and he strikes against that, and he cannot understand it. He gets bewildered and ultimately overthrown. (J. Aldis.)
Sincerity
Some of us have seen the glorious blue of the Rhone, as it leaves the Lake of Geneva. A little way down, we have seen the Arve, loaded with mud, rush into the same channel. We have watched the two streams flow side by side, each in its own division of the channel, as if the pure could not permit the impure Co mingle with it. But the earthly insinuates itself fully at last, and the river flows on, its colour still blue, but sadly changed from the heaven-like blue of its beginnings. Have we not often mourned, brethren, to see something like this in a Christian life--the hue of earth spreading itself lamentably over the hue of heaven? Faith in Christ brings the water from the upper springs, to make the stream pure and sweet; but the muddy and bitter water from the world ever presses in, to mar and pollute. But love, abounding in knowledge and in all judgment, can keep the stream clear, so that it reveals itself truly as a branch of the pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, which proceedeth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (R. Johnstone, LL. B.)
Sincerity
In the palmy days of Roman prosperity, when her merchants lived in their marble palaces on the banks of the Tiber, there was a sort of emulation in the grandeur and artistic adornment of their dwellings. Good sculptors were eagerly sought after and employed. But tricks were sometimes practised, then as now; thus, if the sculptor came upon a flaw in the marble, or chipped a piece out by accident, he had a carefully prepared wax, with which he filled in the chink, and so carefully fixed it as to be imperceptible. In process of time, however, heat or damp would affect the wax, and reveal its presence. The consequence was, that when new contracts were made for commissioned works of art, a clause was added to the effect that they were to be sine cera, or without cement. Hence we have a word picture of great significance. (J. Tesseyman.)
Sincere Christians
A flying fish sometimes attempts to fly, but it is no bird for all that. It only takes a little flight and then it is in the water again; but a true bird keeps on the wing, especially if it is such a bird as the eagle, whose untiring wing bears it above the clouds. Let us beware of prayers which leap up like a grasshopper and are soon down again. Let our prayers have the wings of a dove, let them fly away from earth and rest in God. Hypocrites pray by fits and starts; the genuine Christian prays without ceasing.
One fault may spoil a life
Did you ever write a letter, and just as you were finishing it let your pen fall on it, or a drop of ink blot the fair page? It was the work of a moment, but the evil could not be effectually effaced. Did you never cut, yourself unexpectedly and quickly? It took days or weeks to heal the wound, and even then a scar remained. It is related of Lord Brougham that one day he occupied a conspicuous place in a group to have his daguerreotype taken. But at an unfortunate moment he moved. The picture was taken, but his face was blurred. Do you ask what application we would make of these facts? Just this: It takes a lifetime to build a character; only takes one moment to destroy it.
Without offence
The word as used in the New Testament does not mean what we mean when we use the word now. You say you gave So-and-so offence. You mean you made him angry. Well, if you put anything in a mans way in the dark and he strikes against it and he falls over it and hurts himself, most likely he will be angry. But the Bible does not concern itself about feeling. That is of no consequence. The Bible concerns itself with a mans being hurt--the mischief done. Hence always in the New Testament it means, concerning a man himself, that in his conduct and temper and speech he should not put anything in his practical course of life that may cause him to stumble and fall, not because he would be irritated but because he would be hurt. And so, with regard to others, we are to do nothing which might prove as a stumbling block in a mans way as he is going on in his life, lest he also should strike against it and fall over it and be hurt. (J. Aldis.)
The day of Christ
It is striking to observe how diversified are the appellations given to that day: The day of judgment, the day of wrath, the day, that day, the great day, the last day, the day of God, the day of Christ. Here it is, the day of Christ--the day that is coming, when He will give the crown of righteousness to all them that love His appearing. The day of His finished work, when grace brightens into glory. The day of Christ, when His doctrines will be made clear, no longer veiled in mystery, or troubled by debate; when the merit of His righteousness and sacrifice will be shown forth in the safety and honour of His redeemed and justified; when the splendour of His example will shine out full-orbed in the millions of imitations of that example, each one peculiar, but each one by grace made perfect at last, and all its perfection being the harmony betwixt itself and the example that had been set. The day of Christ. The day of His triumph, every obstacle surmounted, every foe vanquished; the day of His recompense when He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall receive the joy set before Him, and present to Himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle, etc. (J. Aldis.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Expositor's Bible 1887 · Public Domain On vv12, 21 Chapter 3
Chapter 3
HOW THE PHILIPPIANS SHOULD THINK OF PAUL AT ROME.
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Php_1:12-20 (R.V.)
HAVING poured out his feelings about those dear friends and children in the Lord at Philippi, the Apostle recognises corresponding feelings on their part towards him. These. must naturally be feelings of anxiety to know how it was with him in body and spirit and how far he had been protected and sustained amid the dangers and sorrows of a prisoners lot. On this then he is glad to be able to give them good tidings. He can do so, because he is in the hands of a wonder-working Lord, who turns the shadow of death into the morning. Hence his history as well as theirs (Php_1:11) is moving towards the glory and praise of God.
The Apostles affairs had seemed to be full of trial to himself, all the more that they bore so discouraging an aspect towards the cause to which he was devoted. He had been for years a prisoner. The work of preaching to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ had been stopped, except as the narrow opportunities of a prisoners life offered scant outlets for it. He had, no doubt, his own share of experiences tending to depress and embitter: for in his day philanthropy had not yet done much to secure good treatment for men situated as he was. Still more depressing to an eager soul was the discipline of delay, the slow, monotonous months passing on, consuming the remainder of his life, while the great harvest he longed to reap lay outside, uncared for, with few to bring it in. Meanwhile even the work done in Christs name was largely taking a wrong direction; those who under the Christian name preached another gospel, and perverted the gospel of Christ, had a freer hand to do their work. Paul, at least, had no longer the power to cross their path. Ground on which he might have worked, minds which he might have approached, seemed to be falling under their perverting influence. All this seemed adverse-adverse to Paul, and adverse to the cause for which he lived-fitted therefore to awaken legitimate concern; fitted to raise the question why Gods providence should thus depress the heart and waste the life of an agent so carefully prepared and so incomparably efficient.
Most likely these things had tried the faith of Paul himself, and they might distress and perplex his loving friends at Philippi. It was right to feel that these providences were trying; but one might be tempted also to conclude that they were in every sense to be lamented. So much the better it was, therefore, that the Apostle could testify how here also all things were working for good, and in particular were turning out to be for the furtherance of the gospel. This was taking place in two ways at least.
First, Pauls imprisonment had become the means of bringing to the knowledge of the gospel many who were not likely ever to hear of it in any other way; for his bonds had become manifest in Christ in the Praetorium, and in all other places. The precise meaning of the several words here used has become matter of discussion; but the general result is much the same whatever view is taken of the matters debated. The word translated "palace" in the Authorised Version (Marg. Caesars Court) may perhaps refer to the quarters of the guard, in the immediate neighbourhood of the palace. Prisoners whose cases were in a special manner reserved to the Emperor were sometimes confined there. And Paul, whether actually confined there or not, must have come into contact with the troops stationed there, for we know he had been delivered to the captain of the Act_28:16. Then the "all others" (Marg. of A.V) may probably mean the rest of the Emperors household, {comp. Php_4:22} and would naturally be connected with it in the minds of men, so that a mere indication like this was enough. For, in a military system such as that of the Empire was, the soldiers and officers of the guard formed an important part of the household. That household, however, was an immense affair, including hundreds or even thousands of persons-mostly freedmen or slaves, performing all sorts of functions.
Paul, then, in charge of the guard, coming in contact with individuals belonging to the various reliefs which successively had him in custody, spoken of as one reserved to the judgment of the Emperor himself, became known throughout the quarters of the guard, and to persons of the household of every rank and class. In point of fact we know and can prove from evidence external to the Bible that a few years later than this (perhaps even earlier than this) there were members of the household who were Christians. Before the end of the century a branch of the family which then occupied the imperial throne seems to have joined the Church, perhaps through the influence of a Christian nurse, who is commemorated in an inscription still preserved.
But how did his bonds "become manifest in Christ"? The words no doubt mean that he became known extensively as a man whose bonds, whose imprisonment, was for his adherence to the name and doctrine of Jesus Christ. Let us consider how this would come about.
There might, at first, be universal indifference with reference to the cause of this prisoners confinement. When his character and statements led to some curiosity about him, men might find it difficult to understand what the real nature of this mysterious case could be. For while the charge, whatever form it took, was not yet a common one, we may be very sure that the man struck people as profoundly different from ordinary prisoners. For ordinary prisoners the one thing desirable was release; and they employed every artifice, and exhausted every form of influence and intrigue, and were prepared to sacrifice every scruple, if only they could get free. Here was a man who pleaded for truth; his own freedom seemed to be quite secondary and subordinate. So at last men came to an understanding, more or less, of the real cause of his bonds. They were bonds for Christ. They were the result of his adherence to the faith of Christs resurrection, and to the truths which that great event sealed. They were connected with a testifying for Christ which had brought him into collision with the authorities of his own nation, which had set on Jews "everywhere" to "speak against" him. {Act_28:22} And in his imprisonment he did not lay down his testimony, but preached with all his heart to every man who would hear him. This state of things dawned upon mens minds, so far as they thought about him at all; it became clear; it was "manifest in the Praetorium, and to all the others."
One influence was at work which would at least direct attention to the case. There were certain Jews in the household; there were also Jews in Rome who made it their business, for their worldly interest, to establish connections in the household; and about this time Jewish influence rose to the person, nearest to Nero himself. There was therefore a class of persons in the household likely to feel an interest in the case. And on these most likely the influence of Jewish religious authorities would be exerted to produce an unfavourable opinion of Paul. It would be felt desirable that the Jews of the household should think of Paul as no loyal Jew, as a seditious person, and of his opinions as not legitimately pertaining to Jewish religion-as a religious belief and practice which Judaism repudiated and denounced. Thus, while Pauls case might begin to influence the guard, because members of it were personally in contact with him, in the rest of the household there was a class of persons who would feel an interest in discussing his case. One way or another, some impression as to the peculiar character of it was acquired.
Now think how much was done when some view of the real nature of Pauls bonds had been lodged in the minds of these men. Think what an event that was in the mental history of some of these heathens of the old world. Paul was, in the first place, a man very unlike the ordinary type of movers of sedition. It seemed that his offence stood only in religious opinions or persuasions; and that itself, precisely in Neros days, was a little singular to figure as the ground of political imprisonment. He was persecuted and endangered for his faith, and he neither denied nor disguised that faith, but spent all possible pains in proclaiming it. This was new. He had a faith, resting professedly on recent facts, which he proclaimed as indispensably necessary to be received by all men. This was new. He seriously told men, any man and every man, that their welfare must be attained through their being individually transformed to a type of character of the unworldliest type; he could press that alike on sordid Jews and gay young officers. This was new. He was a man who, in place of the ordinary anxieties and importunities of at prisoner, was ever ready to speak and plead in behalf of Christ that singular young Jew who had died thirty years before, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And in all this, however it might strike one as foolish or odd, there were tokens of an honesty, a sanity, and a purity that could not be explained away. All this struck men who stood near the centre of a world falling many ways into moral ruin, as something strange and new. Pauls own explanation of it was in the one word "Christ." So his bonds were manifest in Christ.
A few of them might have heard previously of Christianity as a new and a malignant superstition. But another conception of it reached them through the bonds of Paul. This imprisoned man was a fact to be accounted for, and a problem to be solved. In him was an influence not wholly to be escaped, an instance that needed a new interpretation. Many of them did not obey the truth, some did; but at least something had become manifest that could not easily be got rid. of again, -the beginning, in their case, of that leaven which was eventually to revolutionise the thinking and feeling of the world. Remember also that most of these were men to whom Paul at liberty, speaking in synagogues and the like, would have found no access, nor would he have come near the circles to which their influence extended. But now, being imprisoned, his bonds became manifest in Christ.
Thus does it often come to pass that what seems adverse proves to be on our side. Fruit is not always borne most freely when the visible opportunities of labouring are most plentiful. Rather the question is, how the opportunities given are employed, and how far the life of the labourer bears witness of the presence and power of Christ.
But besides the direct impression on those who were outside, arising from the fact of Pauls imprisonment, it became the means of stimulating and reinforcing the labours of other Christians (Php_1:14). It is not hard to see how this might be. From Pauls bonds, and from the manner and spirit in which they were borne, these brethren received a new impression as to what should be done and what should be borne in the service of Christ. They were infected with the contagion of Pauls heroism. The sources of Pauls consecration and of his comfort became more real to them; and no discouragement arising from pain or danger could hold its ground against these forces. So they waxed confident. While dangers that threaten Christians are still only impending, are still only looming out of the unknown future, men are apt to tremble at them, to look with a shrinking eye, to approach with a reluctant step. Now here in the midst of those Roman Christians was Paul, in whom were embodied the trouble accepted and the danger defied. At once Christian hearts became inspired with a more magnanimous and generous spirit. Wherever dangers and hardships are endured, even apart from Christianity, we know how prompt the impulse is to rush in, to give help, and to share burdens. How much more might it be so here.
Not that the impulse to evangelistic earnestness, arising from Pauls presence in Rome, was all of this kind. It was not so. Some preached out of good will, in full sympathy with the spirit that animated Pauls own labours and sustained him in his trials. But some preached Christ out of envy and spite, and supposed to add affliction to his bonds. How are we to fit this into our notions of the Primitive Church?
The truth is that, ever since the gospel began to be preached, unworthy motives have combined with worthier in the administration and professed service of it. Mixture of motive has haunted the work even of those who strove to keep their motives pure. And men in whom lower motive and worse motive had a strong influence have struck into the work alongside of the nobler and purer labourers. So if has pleased God to permit; that even in this sacred field men might be tried and manifested before the judgment of the great day; and that it might be the more plain that the effectual blessing and the true increase come from Himself.
More especially have these influences become apparent in connection with the divisions of judgment about Christian doctrine and practice, and with the formation of parties. The personal and the party feelings have readily allied themselves, in too many men, with a self-regarding zeal and with envy or spite. And where these feelings exist they come out in other forms besides their own proper colours and their direct manifestation. More often they find vent in the way of becoming the motive power of work that claims to be Christian-of work that. ought to be inspired by a purer aim.
There were, as we all know, in the Church of those days powerful sections of professed believers, who contested Pauls apostleship, questioned his teaching, and wholly disliked the effects of his work. Perhaps by this time the strain of that conflict had become a little less severe, but it had not wholly passed away. We call these persons the Judaisers. They were men who looked to Jesus Christ as the Messiah, who owned the authority of His teaching, and claimed interest in His promises. But they insisted on linking Christianity to Jewish forms, and rules, and conditions of law-keeping, which were on various grounds dear and sacred to them. They apprehended feebly the spirituality and Divineness of Christs religion; and what they did apprehend they wished to enslave, for themselves and others, in a carnal system of rules and ritual that tended to stifle and to bury the truth. With this there went a feeling towards Paul of wrath, fear, and antipathy. Such men there were in Rome. Possibly there might even be a Christian congregation in the city in which this type prevailed. At any rate, they were found there. Before Pauls coming no very remarkable nor very successful efforts to spread abroad the gospel in that great community had been going on. But Pauls arrival made men solicitous and watchful. And when it was seen that his presence and the enthusiasm that gathered round him were beginning to give impulse and effect to the speaking of the word, then this party too bestirred itself. It would not-could not-op-pose the carrying of the message of Christ to men. But it could try to be first in the field; it could become active, energetic, dexterous, in laying hold of inquiring and susceptible persons, before the other side could do so; it could subject Paul to the mortification, the deserved mortification, of failure or defeat, so far as these would be implied in his seeing the converts going to the side which was not his side. Evangelistic zeal awoke on these terms, and bestirred itself. And sheaves that in other circumstances might have lain untended long enough, were gathered now.
This very same spirit, this poor and questionable zeal for Christ, still works, and does so plentifully. The activities of Churches, the alertness of mission societies and agencies, still partake, in far too many instances, of this sinister inspiration. We ought to watch against it in ourselves, that we may overcome the evil and grow into a nobler temper. As regards others, we may, in special cases, see the working of such motives clearly enough, as Paul saw them at Rome. But usually we shall do well, when we can, to impute the work of others to the better side of their character; and we may do so reasonably; for as Christian work is far from being all of it so pure and high as we might desire, on the other hand, the lowly and loving temper of Christs true followers is very often present and operative when it is not easy for us to see it. Let us believe it, because we believe in Him who worketh all in all.
Now the Apostle, looking at this, is glad of it. He is not glad that any men, professing Christ, give way to evil and unchristian tempers. But he is glad that Christ is preached. There were cases m which he vehemently contended with such persons-when they strove to poison and pervert Christians who had learned the better way. But now he is thinking of the outside world; and it was good that the making known of Christ should gather strength, and volume and extension. And the Apostle knew that the Lord could bless His own message, imperfectly delivered perhaps, to bring thirsty souls to Himself, and would not fail in His unsearchable wisdom to care for those who came, and to lead them in the ways He thought best. Let Christ be preached. The converts do not belong to the denominations, but first of all to Christ. Neither is it appointed that the denominations shall permanently hold those whom they bring in; but Christ can hold them, and can order their future in ways we cannot foretell.
It is not true that the preaching of Christ serves no purpose and yields no fruits, in cases where it is not carried on in the right or the best spirit. Indeed, God honours the pure, loving, lowly hearts, which He has Himself cleansed; they are appropriate agents for His work, and often receive a special blessing in connection with it. But God is not tied up to give no success to men acting under wrong motives: at least, if we are not to say He gives the success to them, yet in connection with them He is well able to take success to Himself. Through strange channels He can send blessings to souls, whatever He gives or denies to the unworthy workmen. But perhaps the success which attends such preachers is not remarkable nor very long continued. Souls truly gathered in will soon get beyond their teaching. At any rate, it is a poor business to be serving Christ upon the devils principles. It cannot be good for us-whatever good may sometimes come thereby to others. Let us purge ourselves from such filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit.
"Christ is preached." How glad the Apostle was to think of it! How he longed to see more of it, and rejoiced in all of it that he saw! One wonders how far the thoughts and feelings associated with these words in Pauls mind find any echo in ours. Christ is preached. The meaning for men of that message, as Paul conceived it, grew out of the anguish and the wonder of those early days at Damascus, and had been growing ever since. What might Christ be for men?-Christ their righteousness, Christ their life, Christ their hope; God in Christ, peace in Christ, inheritance in Christ; a new creature, a new world; joy, victory-above all, the love of Christ, the love which passes knowledge and fills us with the fulness of God. Therefore also this was the burning conviction in Pauls soul-that Christ must be preached; by all means, on all accounts, Christ must be preached. The unsearchable riches of Christ must be proclaimed. Certainly, whoever might do or not do, he must do it. He was to live for nothing else. "I Paul am made a minister of it." "Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel."
Lastly, as to this, not only does he rejoice that Christ is announced to men, but he has an assurance that this shall have a happy issue and influence towards himself also. What is so good for others shall also be found to contribute an added element of good to his own salvation; so good and rich is God, who, in working wide results of Divine beneficence, does not overlook the special case and interest of His own servant. This work, from which the workmen would shut Paul out, shall prove to pertain to him in spite of them; and he, as reaper, shall receive here also his wages, gathering fruit unto life eternal.
For it is characteristic of this Epistle {Php_2:17; Php_4:10; Php_4:18} that the Apostle reveals to his Philippian friends not only his thoughts concerning the great objects of the gospel, but also the desires and hopes he had about his own experience of deliverance and well-being in connection with the turns and changes of progressive providences. Here, it is as if he said: "I confess I am covetous, not a little covetous, to have many children in Christ; I would fain be a link in many a chain of influences, by which all sorts of persons are reached and blessed in Christ. And here where I sit confined, and am also the object of envy and strife that are solicitous to baffle me, I can descry ties forming between my influence in my prison and results elsewhere with which I seem to have little to do. I can claim a something of mine, granted me by my Lord, in the Christianity of those who are kept far from me, and taught perhaps to doubt and dislike me. If I in my prison experience can but live Christ, then all sorts of effects and reactions, upon all sorts of minds, will have something in them that accrues as fruit to Christ-and something also that accrues as my Lords loving recognition of me. Only do you pray-for this is a great and high calling-pray, you who love me, and let the Lord in answer plentifully give His Spirit; and then, while I lie here in the imprisonment which my Lord has assigned to me, and in which He vitalises me, oh how fruitful and successful shall my life be; what gain and wealth of salvation shall be mine! There shall be fruit for an Apostle still, coming in ways I cannot follow; and in it, and with it, the confirmation and deepening of my own eternal life. It shall turn to my salvation."
So the eager Apostle, caged and cabined, triumphed still in Christ, assured that there was a way of dealing with his Lords will, discouraging as that might seem, in which it would reveal both enlargement for the Kingdom and the most loving enrichment also for himself.
This is a commonplace of Christianity. Christians trust in Christ to cause all to work for good. They know He can impart His most precious gifts through what seem adverse providences. But it is a memorable embodiment of this conviction that meets us in the Apostles confidence, that when Christs providence outwardly stops his work, it not the less pertains to Christs wisdom to continue and extend his usefulness. The applications of the same principle to various cases in which Christians are trained through disappointment are inumerable. But mostly, even when, in a way, we are open to the lesson, we take it too easily. We forget that here also it is Christlike life and life in Christ that proves so fruitful and so happy. We do not apprehend how great a thing it is-what prayer it asks-what supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. For the Apostle, as we learn from what presently follows, this blessing came in the line of "earnest expectation and hope." It was not an exceptional effort of faith which awoke in him so firm a confidence about his circumstances at Rome, and was rewarded so manifestly. His whole life was set on the same key. He applied to that Roman experience the same mode of view which he strove to apply to every experience. This was his expectation-he was on the outlook for it-and this his hope, that not only in one great crisis, but all along his pilgrimage, his life should eventuate one way-should shape into glory to Christ. His whole life must turn out to be a loving, believing, effectual manifestation of the greatness and goodness of Christ. This was what rose before his mind as Success in Life. His thoughts, his prayers turned this way. As some mens minds turn spontaneously to money, and some to family prosperity, and some to fame, and some to various lines of recreation or of accomplishment, so Pauls turned to this. And in this world of failure and disappointment, success welcomed him and gladdened him. His would have been the nobler life even if its expectation had been disappointed. But this is the life which cannot fail, because God is in it.
There is a great admonition here for all of us who profess to be followers of Christ. Our line of service may not be so emphatically marked out for distinction, for special and exceptional eminence of doing and suffering, as Pauls was. But for every believer the path of service opens, however commonplace and undistinguished its scenery may be. And in some of its stages it takes, for all of us, the peculiar character, it assumes the distinguishing features which mark it out as Christian. Here, in Paul, we see the spirit that should inspire service, should make thee strength, the peculiarity, the success of it, should be the quickening and gladdening influence of its efforts and its prayers. This ought to be for us also the longing outlook and the hope.
Let us note also, before we pass on, that the Lords personal kindness to ourselves is matter of legitimate rejoicing and legitimate desire. That may be gathered from almost every verse. There have been persons who conceived that a true Christian is to be so occupied with the thought of Gods glory and wills or so occupied with the weal of others, as to have no personal desires or interests at all. This is a mistake. One of the most intimate and special channels in which the glory of God and the revelation of it are secured, is in the expression of His good will to His childs own heart. This is the privilege of faith, to cherish the expectation that His glory and our good are to agree well together. Only, as to the latter, let us leave it to Him how it is to come to pass; and then it will come divinely and wonderfully. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."
William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv10–22 10. That ye may approve. This increase in knowledge…
10. That ye may approve. This increase in knowledge and judgment would lead them to approve what is really excellent. How often men approve what does not bless them! How often the judgment errs! Without offense. Without leadings others to stumble.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On vv12, 19 Php_1:12. The things which happened unto me.—Precisely the same…
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
Php_1:12. The things which happened unto me.—Precisely the same phrase as in Eph_6:21; is translated “my affairs” (so Col_4:7). These circumstances were such as naturally would fill the friends of the apostle with concern for him personally. As to the effect on the spread of the gospel—ever St. Paul’s chief solicitude—they had been apprehensive. Rather unto the furtherance.—Not to the hindrance, as to your fears seemed likely. It is the same triumphant note which rises, in a later imprisonment, above personal indignity and suffering. “I may be bound, the message I bear is at liberty” (2Ti_2:9).
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Php_1:13. Bonds in Christ are manifest.—R.V. “bonds became manifest in Christ.” It is not simply as a private prisoner that he is bound; it is matter of public note that he is bound for Christ’s sake. In all the palace.—R.V. text, “throughout the whole prætorian guard.” R.V. margin, “in the whole prætorium.” “The best supported meaning of ‘prætorium’ is—the soldiers composing the imperial regiments” (Lightfoot). “The barracks of the imperial body-guard” to whose “colonel” Paul was given in charge on his arrival in Rome (Act_28:16)” (Meyer). “As the soldiers would relieve guard in constant succession, the prætorians one by one were brought into communication with ‘the prisoner of Jesus Christ’ ” (Lightfoot). In all other places.—The italicised places of the A.V. text must be dropped; the margin is better. A loose way of saying “to others besides the military.”
Php_1:14. Confident by my bonds.—The bonds might have been thought to be sufficient to intimidate the brethren; but the policy of stamping out has oftener resulted in spreading the gospel.
Php_1:15. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife.—Not some of the brethren emboldened by the apostle’s chain, perhaps, although one sees no reason why the Judaisers would not, with redoubled energy, spread their views when he whom they so violently opposed was for the time being silenced, as they imagined. “Of envy.” Lightfoot refers to the saying of the comic poet Philemon with its play on the word, “Thou teachest me many things ungrudgingly because of a grudge” (on account of envy). The glaring in consistency of preaching a gospel of goodwill from such a motive as envy, the Worst form of ill-will, must be closely observed here.
Php_1:16-17.—These verses are transposed in R.V.; the order of the A.V. is against decisive testimony (Meyer).
Php_1:16. To add affliction to my bonds.—“To make my chains gall me,” Lightfoot strikingly translates. One can almost imagine St. Paul starting up, and straining at the wrist of the soldier to whom he was chained, as he hears of the intrigues of a party whose one object it was to impose an effete ritual on men called to liberty in Christ.
Php_1:17. For the defence of the gospel.—Many a man in the apostle’s place would have found himself absorbed by the question how best to make a good defence of himself.
Php_1:18. Whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached.—St. Paul evidently thinks the imperfect knowledge of Christ preferable to heathen ignorance of Him. The truth is mighty enough to take care of itself, without any hand that shakes with nervous apprehension to steady its ark. St. Paul is beforehand with our method of keeping a subject before the notice of the public. The policy of “never mentioning” was what St. Paul regarded as fatal.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Php_1:12-18
The Gospel Irrepressible—
I. Notwithstanding the circumscribed opportunities of its agents.—
1. Their sufferings for the gospel call attention to its claims. ‘The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather into the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places” (Php_1:12-13). It might seem to the Philippians that the imprisonment of Paul would be unfavourable to the gospel and prevent its spread. He shows there was no ground for that fear; but that the gospel was becoming known in quarters which, but for his imprisonment, it was not likely to gain access. The palace referred to was the prætorium, or barrack of the prætorian guards attached to the palace of Nero on the Palatine Hill in Rome. The regular changes of guards was constantly furnishing new auditors for the irrepressible preacher, and he did not fail to zealously improve his opportunities. Thus the gospel, which the malice and bigotry of the Jews sought to suppress, found its way into Cæsar’s household, and ultimately captured the Roman empire for Christ. The persecutions of the gospel have been the best helpers of its success.
2. Their sufferings for the gospel stimulate the zeal of its propagators.—“Many of the brethren, … waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Php_1:14). The fortitude of the apostle in suffering, and his unwearied efforts to preach the gospel, increased the courage of his fellow-helpers in the same good work. The sufferings of the gospel pioneers contributed to the spread and triumph of the truth. The blood of Scotland’s proto-martyr, the noble Patrick Hamilton, and the memory of his dying prayer, “How long, O Lord, shall darkness cover this realm?” fomented the young Reformation life over a comparatively silent germinating period of more than twenty years. Knox, and with him Scotland, kindled at the pile of George Wishart. Andrew Melville caught the falling mantle of Knox. When Richard Cameron fell at Aird’s Moss—as if in answer to his own prayers as the action began, “Lord, spare the green and take the ripe!”—all the more strenuously strove Cargill, till he too, in the following year, sealed the truth with his blood. And more followed, and yet more, through that last and worst decade of the pitiless storm known as, by emphasis, the killing time. Through those terrible years Peden dragged out a living death, and as he thought of Cameron, now at rest, often exclaimed, “Oh to be with Ritchie!” Young Renwick too caught up the torn flag, nobly saying, “They are but standard-bearers who have fallen; the Master lives.” Thus one after another on blood-stained scaffold, or on blood-soaked field, fell the precious seed-grain, to rise in harvests manifold, till just at the darkest hour before the dawn of Renwick’s martyrdom closed the red roll in 1688—the year of the revolution—and the seed so long sown in tears was reaped in joy.
II. It is preached from a variety of motives.—
1. Some preach the gospel from the love of controversy. “Some indeed preach Christ of envy and strife … of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds” (Php_1:15-16). The Judaising teachers, taking advantage of the absence of the apostle, sought to propagate their erroneous theories of the gospel, and to annoy the apostle by depreciating his authority and his preaching. They aimed not so much at winning souls for Christ, as at exalting themselves and gaining credence to their corrupt opinions. They argued that Jesus of Nazareth was the King of Israel, hoping thereby to exasperate the Roman government against Paul, who preached the same truth, though in a different sense, and to cause increased pain to the apostle by insisting upon the obligation of obedience to the law in order to salvation. Yet in opposing the gospel they stated some of its leading truths, if only to refute them. Controversy is often a waste of strength. They are small, insignificant beings who quarrel oftenest. There’s a magnificent breed of cattle in the Vale of Clwyd, the most beautiful vale in Wales. They have scarcely any horns, but abundance of meat; yet if you ascend the hills on every side, there on the heights you find a breed which grows scarcely anything but horns, and from morning to night all you hear is the constant din of clashing weapons. So there are many Christians who live on the heights, the cold and barren heights of controversy. Everything they eat grows into horns, the strength of which they are constantly testing.
2. Some preach the gospel from the highest regard for its lofty message.—“Some also of goodwill … of love, knowing that I am set [appointed of God] for the defence of the gospel” (Php_1:15; Php_1:17). An intense love of the gospel and of the Christ of the gospel is the best preparation for preaching it. Preaching to be effectual must be as various as nature. The sun warms at the same moment that it enlightens; and unless religious truth be addressed at once to the reason and to the affections, unless it kindles while it guides, it is a useless splendour, it leaves the heart barren, it produces no fruits of godliness. Preaching should help us to a higher life. A man once heard an affecting sermon, and while highly commending it was asked what he remembered of it. “Truly,” he replied, “I remember nothing at all; but it made me resolve to live better, and by God’s grace I will.”
III. The propagation of the gospel by any means is matter of fervent joy.—“What then? notwithstanding, … Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” (Php_1:18). The false teachers gloated over Paul’s misfortune, and thought to trouble him by their way of presenting the gospel. But the proclamation of Christ, however done, roused attention, and could not but be of service. The apostle rejoiced in the good result of their bad intentions. The success of the gospel in any place and by any means, when that success is real, is always a cause of rejoicing to the good.
Lessons.—
1. The gospel has a message for all classes.
2. Its faithful proclamation involves difficulty and suffering.
3. Its interests are often promoted from mixed motives.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES
Php_1:12-14. Christian Boldness.
I. Distinguish Christian boldness from its counterfeits, and set forth some of its leading attributes.—There is a false and hurtful boldness arising from—
1. Ignorance.
2. A bad judgment.
3. Native rashness.
4. The pride of courage which scorns to fear the face of man.
5. Mere natural resolution.
6. A wilful obstinacy.
7. A domineering spirit. The boldness which God approves must be chiefly drawn from other sources and possess higher and more ethereal attributes.
1. It must be bottomed on holy love—love to God and love to man.
2. It must be humble.
3. Must be delicate and regardful of all the rules of decorum.
4. Must be wise, discreet, and prudent.
5. Must be faithful.
6. Must be grounded not merely on self-denial and submission to the will of God, but on humble confidence in Him.
II. Some motives to rouse us to this holy and elevated frame and to a corresponding course of conduct.—
1. This Christian heroism is absolutely necessary to clear up the evidences of our own piety.
2. Without rising up to this heroic and active zeal we cannot be faithful to God and our generation.
3. Estimate the importance of this duty by considering what would be the effect if all professing Christians were thus intrepid and faithful.
4. In many instances fear is altogether groundless, and is the mere suggestion of indolence.
5. For want of faithful admonition and entreaty many may have perished.—E. D. Griffin.
Php_1:12. The Development of Events in a Consecrated Life—
I. Is the work of an over-ruling Providence.
II. Produces startling results, disappointing alike to the hopes of the enemy and the fears of friends.
III. Whatever may be its starting-point attains its end in the furtherance of the gospel.
IV. Illustrates how moral principles when tried in suffering become mightier forces in the world’s evangelisation.
V. A pledge that fellowship of suffering with Christ shall be followed by a fellowship of glory.—Lay Preacher.
Php_1:13. Moral Influence.
I. Paul’s moral influence exerted a mighty power under the most disadvantageous circumstances—in bonds.
II. With a very limited opportunity—one soldier daily.
III. Upon a class of mind and heart not easily impressed—the guard which had charge of him.
IV. Throughout the city—notwithstanding the restraints of his own hired house.
V. Reaching the further field by first fully cultivating the one at hand.—Ibid.
Php_1:14. The Ministry of Paul’s Bonds.
I. It was loyal to his Roman citizenship (Act_26:31-32).
II. Christ-like, it was silent amid provocation, self-sacrificing, persuasive.
III. It was fruitful in the furtherance of the gospel.—
1. By preaching it under the shadow of Nero’s palace.
2. By intensifying the love of it and zeal for it in the hearts of the brethren.
IV. It illustrates how Christ can erect a pulpit for Himself in the very camp of the enemy, and put a voice for His glory even into chains.—Lay Preacher.
Php_1:15. A Spurious Ministry.
I. The elements formative of it.—
1. An imperfect apprehension of Christ’s mission.
2. A total absence of Christ’s spirit.
3. Thought and sympathy narrowed by early prejudice and preconceived ideas.
4. Christ made subservient to the doctrines, ritual, and history of a system.
II. The results inseparable from it.—
1. The cross degraded into a rallying point for party strife.
2. The basest spirit indulged under the pretence of fulfilling a sacred office.
(1) Envy—displeasure at another’s good.
(2) Strife—selfish rivalry which seeks to gain the good belonging to another.
3. Christ preached merely to advance a party.
4. Zeal for propagating a creed greater than to save a lost world.—Ibid.
Php_1:16. The Germ of a Spurious Ministry—
I. May exist in those who zealously preach Christ.
II. Consists in a moral contradiction between the heart of the preacher and the theme of his discourse—contentiousness and Christ.
III. Produces impurity of motive in Christian work—“not sincerely.”
IV. Biases the judgment to expect results which are never realised—“supposing.”
V. Inspires aims which are un-Christian—“to add afflictions to my bonds.”
Php_1:17. The Real and the Counterfeit in the Christian Ministry.
I. They correspond.—
1. Both adopt the Christian name.
2. Both utter the same shibboleth.
3. Both active in preaching Christ.
II. They differ.—
1. In heart. Contention rules the one; love reigns in the other.
2. In spirit.—Envy and strife moves the one; goodwill actuates the other.
3. In source of strength.—Love of party animates the one; waxing confident in the Lord emboldens the other.
4. In aim.—That of the one is to advance, it may be, a lifeless Church; that of the other to propel the gospel of Christ.
5. In the depth and accuracy of conviction.—The one “supposing to add affliction to my bonds”; the other “knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.”—Lay Preacher.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain On v12 On the death of Burrus, the Praetorian prefect, Paul’s…
ARGUMENT 2
VICTORY IN THE BARRACKS
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On the death of Burrus, the Praetorian prefect, Paul’s only influential friend at Nero’s court, the military authorities dragged him out of his city mission into the Imperial barracks. Over this Paul shouts for joy. Instead of the little mission audience, he now preaches to twenty thousand soldiers. Two years in the mission have rested and recuperated his voice.
O how he enjoys preaching to the vast multitude! Though every gesture of his right hand waves the ponderous chain, he stands erect, leaps and shouts and praises God for the change, out of the little mission into the great army.
12-14. His comrades witnessing his triumph despite chains and soldiers, survive their despondency, and join Paul in a general jubilee.
15-18. The great Roman Empire worshipped Jupiter, Apollo, Venus, Minerva, Diana, and other Greek and Roman gods, who, they believed, gave them the conquest of all nations and universal dominion. Hence, the preaching of Jesus Christ, a crucified man, not only provoked universal contempt, but aroused the bitterest antipathy. Many staunch votaries of these good old Roman gods sought to culminate a crisis against Paul, by their invidious and sacrilegious publicity of his religion, provoking the contempt of the rabble, and arousing popular animosity, and thus expediting the cruel fate of the bold advocate. Here we see Paul rejoicing in everything, their dark and malignant persecutions no exception. Why did he rejoice in their wicked, blasphemous, and invidious publication of Christ and his doctrine? Because he knew God would bring good out of it.
God’s truth will always profit by publicity. The mere notoriety of truth will result in good to somebody. Hence, when truth is preached by wicked men and devils, God will bring good out of it. “The gospel is the power of God unto salvation,” whether preached by saint, sinner, angel, or devil. When I was presiding elder twenty-four years ago, Rev. Solomon Pope venerable with years, told me that his preaching father was converted in the days of Bishop Asbury, under the ministry of Seth Meade. He gave me the notable experience of the latter, which here I relate by way of illustration. Seth and a young comrade, both unconverted, were traveling on horseback through the wilds of the Carolinas, to their home in old Virginia. Their money all expended, they are in a dilemma. “Shall we stop and hire out to work, or beg our way?” Seth, whose father was a Methodist circuit-rider under Bishop Asbury, said, “Let us play preachers,” to which his comrade acquiesced. Riding on, they meet a man, and ask him if there are “any Methodists in that country with whom we can lodge tonight.” He informs them that a celebrated old class-leader lives just about the right distance. Rejoicing in their good luck, they proceed on their way, reaching the designated place as the sun is hastening through the gates of Hesperus.
Halting at the gate, a robust, elderly man walks out. “Are you the man of the house, a Methodist class leader?” “Glory to God, I am.” “Then your house is the home of Methodist preachers.” At this the stalwart woodsman hastens to lift them out of the saddle. Escorting them into his capacious log cabin, he shouts aloud: “Tom, run that way, Ben that way, and Sam over the hill, and tell everybody to come to meeting, for two Methodist preachers are at my house.” The poor fellows, scared almost to death, do their best to keep their equilibrium, and receive the introductions to the family.
So soon as practicable, they retire and speak either to other: “Now we are in it for certain. What shall we do if we leave? We must lay out, and the Indians will get us.” Seth then proposes to stay, and abide their destiny, observing that he believed he could preach quite a considerable from one of his father’s old sermons, his companion consenting to do the praying. When they return to the house, the people are pouring in from all directions. Soon they begin to sing uproariously and pray vociferously, as all the Methodists at that time were Jehus. Seth’s companion, who had promised to do the praying, dodges the issue altogether, amid so many volunteers. But he is forced, erelong, to face the music.
In his subsequent testimony, he said that starting off on one of his father’s old sermons, he found it the hardest work he ever did. At the expiration of ten minutes he lost his whereabouts, recognizing himself and environments about midnight, when the house was roaring with the shouts of new-born souls, commingled with the groans and cries of penitents stretched out on the floor. Among those who had passed triumphantly from death to life were he and his companion, both of whom from that notable hour became powerful Methodist preachers, and so lived and died. Seth said that the people told him that when he had preached about ten minutes, an awful conviction fell on them, pervading the entire congregation, many falling on the floor; meanwhile he spoke about two hours, literally preaching himself into the kingdom. The gospel gun is a dangerous thing for an unskillful shooter to handle, as he is very apt to shoot himself. When the Australian boomerang is thrown by an unskillful party, instead of going on and slaying the intended victim, it returns, and, fastening itself on the thrower—kills him. A town among the border ruffians was so wicked that all Christian immigrants backslid. It becomes a consummate hell den. In their impudent blasphemy they appoint a mock prayer-meeting, selecting as their leader a notorious backslider, now the devil’s right-hand man. With the impudence of devils, they proceed to mock God with their diabolical pretensions. Going through the sanctimonious modus operandi, they kneel in mock adoration of the great God, led by this notorious reprobate. While engaged in the solemn farce, behold, their leader breaks down in his prayer, falls on the floor, and cries piteously for God to have mercy on him. An awful conviction seizes others, like a nightmare from the bottomless pit. Many are unable to get out of the house. A preacher is sent for. A great revival breaks out, and sweeps like a cyclone.
20. Here Paul exults in the assurance that Christ will be magnified in his body, whether by life or death.
21. “For Christ is my life, and death is my gain.” What a triumphant proclamation of his literal and personal identity with Christ!
22-25. Heaven is the climax of human aspiration, infinitely preferable to health, life, prosperity, and everything else. Frequently the Lord has wonderfully healed my body. But the time draweth nigh when I will have no faith to be healed, but plenty of faith to sweep into glory. Then I will get to go to heaven. Paul is flooded with impulses to sweep into glory, simultaneously subordinated to the Divine will in the interest of the toiling, persecuted Church, buoyant with the assurance that the glory of God will be magnified and the Church edified through his instrumentality, whether living or dying.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Alexander MacLaren 1905 · Public Domain On vv12, 21 Php 1:12-20 {R.V.}
PHILIPPIANS
A PRISONER’S TRIUMPH
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Php 1:12-20 {R.V.}
Paul’s writings are full of autobiography, that is partly owing to temperament, partly to the profound interpenetration of his whole nature with his religion. His theology was but the generalisation of his experience. He has felt and verified all that he has to say. But the personal experiences of this sunny letter to his favourite church have a character all their own. In that atmosphere of untroubled love and sympathy a shyer heart than Paul’s would have opened: his does so in tenderness, gladness, and trust. We have here the unveiling of his inmost self in response to what he knew would be an eager desire for news of his welfare. This whole section appears to me to be a wonderful revelation of his prison thoughts, an example of what we may call the ennobling power of a passionate enthusiasm for Christ. Remember that he is a prisoner, shut out from his life’s work, waiting to be tried before Nero, whose reign had probably, by this time, passed from its delusive morning of dewy promise to its lurid noon. The present and the future were dark for him, and yet in spite of them all comes forth this burst of undaunted courage and noble gladness. We simply follow the course of the words as they lie, and we find in them,
I. An absorbing purpose which bends all circumstances to its service and values them only as instruments.
The things which happened unto me; that is Paul’s minimising euphemism for the grim realities of imprisonment, or perhaps for some recent ominous turns in his circumstances. To him they are not worth dwelling on further, nor is their personal incidence worth taking into account; the only thing which is important is to say how these things have affected his life’s work. It is enough for him, and he believes that it will be enough even for his loving friends at Philippi to know that, instead of their being as they might have feared, and as he sometimes when he was faithless expected, hindrances to his work, they have turned out rather to ‘the furtherance of the gospel.’ Whether he has been comfortable or not is a matter of very small importance, the main thing is that Christ’s work has been helped, and then he goes on to tell two ways in which his imprisonment had conduced to this end.
‘My bonds became manifest in Christ.’ It has been clearly shown why I was a prisoner; all the Prætorian guard had learned what Paul was there for. We know from Acts that he was ‘suffered to abide by himself with the soldier that kept him.’ He has no word to say of the torture of compulsory association, night and day, with the rude legionaries, or of the horrors of such a presence in his sweetest, sacredest moments of communion with his Lord. These are all swallowed up in the thought as they were in the fact, that each new guard as he came to sit there beside Paul was a new hearer, and that by this time he must have told the story of Christ and His love to nearly the whole corps. That is a grand and wonderful picture of passionate earnestness and absorbed concentration in one pursuit. Something of the same sort is in all pursuits, the condition of success and the sure result of real interest. We have all to be specialists if we would succeed in any calling. The river that spreads wide flows slow, and if it is to have a scour in its current it must be kept between high banks. We have to bring ourselves to a point and to see that the point is red-hot if we mean to bore with it. If our limitations are simply enforced by circumstances, they may be maiming, but if they come of clear insight and free choice of worthy ends, they are noble. The artist, the scholar, the craftsman, all need to take for their motto ‘This one thing I do.’ I suppose that a man would not be able to make a good button unless he confined himself to button-making. We see round us abundant examples of men who, for material aims and almost instinctively, use all circumstances for one end and appraise them according to their relations to that, and they are quoted as successful, and held up to young souls as patterns to be imitated. Yes! But what about the man who does the same in regard to Christ and His work? Is he thought of as an example to be imitated or as a warning to be avoided? Is not the very same concentration when applied to Christian work and living thought to be fanatical, which is welcomed with universal applause when it is directed to lower pursuits? The contrast of our eager absorption in worldly things and of the ease with which any fluttering butterfly can draw us away from the path which leads us to God, ought to bring a blush to all cheeks and penitence to all hearts. There was no more obligation on Paul to look at the circumstances of his life thus than there is on every Christian to do so. We do not desire that all should be apostles, but the Apostle’s temper and way of looking at ‘the things which happened unto’ him should be our way of looking at the things which happen unto us. We shall estimate them rightly, and as God estimates them, only when we estimate them according to their power to serve our souls and to further Christ’s kingdom.
II. The magnetism or contagion of enthusiasm.
The second way by which Paul’s circumstances furthered the gospel was ‘that most of the brethren, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God.’ His constancy and courage stirred them up. Moved by good-will and love, they were heartened to preach because they saw in him one ‘appointed by God for the defence of the gospel.’ A soul all on flame has power to kindle others. There is an old story of a Scottish martyr whose constancy at the stake touched so many hearts that ‘a merry gentleman’ said to Cardinal Beaton, ‘If ye burn any more you should burn them in low cellars, for the reek {smoke} of Mr. Patrick Hamilton has infected as many as it blew upon.’
It is not only in the case of martyrs that enthusiasm is contagious. However highly we may estimate the impersonal forces that operate for ‘the furtherance of the gospel’ we cannot but see that in all ages, from the time of Paul down to to-day, the main agents for the spread of the gospel have been individual souls all aflame with the love of God in Christ Jesus and filled with the life of His Spirit. The history of the Church has largely consisted in the biographies of its saints, and every great revival of religion has been the flame kindled round a flaming heart. Paul was impelled by his own love; the brethren in Rome were in a lower state as only reflecting his, and it ought to be the prerogative of every Christian to be a centre and source of kindling influence rather than a mere recipient of it. It is a question which may well be asked by each of us about ourselves--would anybody find quickening impulses to divine life and Christian service coming from us, or do we simply serve to keep others’ coldness in countenance? It was said of old of Jesus Christ, ‘He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire,’ and that promise remains effective to-day, however little one looking on the characters of the mass of so-called Christians would believe it. They seem rather to have been plunged into ice-cold water than into fire, and their coldness is as contagious as Paul’s radiant enthusiasm was. Let us try, for our parts, to radiate out the warmth of the love of God, that it may kindle in others the flame which it has lighted in ourselves, and not be like icebergs floating southwards and bringing down the temperature of even the very temperate seas in which we find ourselves.
III. The wide tolerance of such enthusiasm.
It is stigmatized as ‘narrow,’ which to-day is the sin of sins, but it is broad with the true breadth. Such enthusiasm lifts a man high enough to see over many hedges and to be tolerant even of intolerance, and of the indifference which tolerates everything but earnestness. Paul here deals with a class amongst the Roman Christians who were ‘preaching of envy and strife,’ with the malicious calculation that so they would annoy him and ‘add affliction’ to his bonds. It is generally supposed that these were Judaising Christians against whom Paul fulminates in all his letters, but I confess that, notwithstanding the arguments of authoritative commentators, I cannot believe that they are the same set of men preaching the same doctrines which in other places he treats as destructive of the whole gospel. The change of tone is so great as to require the supposition of a change of subjects, and the Judaisers with whom the Apostle waged a never ending warfare, never did evangelistic work amongst the heathen as these men seem to have done, but confined themselves to trying to pervert converts already made. It was not their message but their spirit that was faulty. With whatever purpose of annoyance they were animated, they did ‘preach Christ,’ and Paul superbly brushes aside all that was antagonistic to him personally, in his triumphant recognition that the one thing needful was spoken, even from unworthy motives and with a malicious purpose. The situation here revealed, strange though it appears with our ignorance of the facts, is but too like much of what meets us still. Do we not know denominational rivalries which infuse a bitter taint of envy and strife into much evangelistic earnestness, and is the spectacle of a man preaching Christ with a taint of sidelong personal motives quite unknown to this day? We may press the question still more closely home and ask ourselves if we are entirely free from the influence of such a spirit. No man who knows himself and has learned how subtly lower motives blend themselves with the highest will be in haste to answer these questions with an unconditional ‘No,’ and no man who looks on the sad spectacle of competing Christian communities and knows anything of the methods of competition that are in force, will venture to deny that there are still those who preach Christ of envy and strife.
It comes, then, to be a testing question for each of us, have we learned from Paul this lesson of tolerance, which is not the result of cold indifference, but the outcome of fiery enthusiasm and of a clear recognition of the one thing needful? Granted that there is preaching from unworthy motives and modes of work which offend our tastes and prejudices, and that there are types of evangelistic earnestness which have errors mixed up with them, are we inclined to say ‘Nevertheless Christ is proclaimed, and therein I rejoice, Yea, and will rejoice’? Much chaff may be blended with the seeds sown; the chaff will lie inert and the seed will grow. Such tolerance is the very opposite of the carelessness which comes from languid indifference. The one does not mind what a man preaches because it has no belief in any of the things preached, and to it one thing is as good as another, and none are of any real consequence. The other proceeds from a passionate belief that the one thing which sinful men need to hear is the great message that Christ has lived and died for them, and therefore, it puts all else on one side and cares nothing for jangling notes that may come in, if only above them the music of His name sounds out clear and full.
IV. The calm fronting of life and death as equally magnifying Christ.
The Apostle is sure that all the experiences of his prison will turn to his ultimate salvation, because he is sure that his dear friends in Philippi will pray for him, and that through their prayers he will receive a ‘supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,’ which shall be enough to secure his steadfastness. His expectation is not that he will escape from prison or from martyrdom, both of which stand only too clearly before him, but that whatever may be waiting for him in the future, ‘all boldness’ will be granted him, so that whether he lives he will live to the Lord, or whether he dies, he will die to the Lord. He had so completely accepted it as his life’s purpose to magnify Jesus, that the extremest possible changes of condition came to be insignificant to him. He had what we may have, the true anæsthetic which will give us a ‘solemn scorn of ills’ and make even the last and greatest change from life to death of little account. If we magnify Christ in our lives with the same passionate earnestness and concentrated absorption as Paul had, our lives like some train on well-laid rails will enter upon the bridge across the valley with scarce a jolt. With whatever differences--and the differences are to us tremendous--the same purpose will be pursued in life and in death, and they who, living, live to the praise of Christ, dying will magnify Him as their last act in the body which they leave. What was it that made possible such a passion of enthusiasm for a man whom Paul had never seen in the flesh? What changed the gloomy fuliginous fanaticism of the Pharisee, at whose feet were laid the clothes of the men who stoned Stephen, into this radiant light, all aflame with a divine splendour? The only answer is in Paul’s own words, ‘He loved me and gave Himself for me.’ That answer is as true for each of us as it was for him. Does it produce in us anything like the effects which it produced in him?
Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv11, 13, 19 (See Scofield "1Jn 3:7").
righteousness
(See Scofield "1Jn 3:7").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv12, 18, 22 St. Paul’s Present Circumstances, Experiences, and Expectations.
St. Paul’s Present Circumstances, Experiences, and Expectations.
The result of Paul’s imprisonment:
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v. 12. But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel,
v. 13. so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places;
v. 14. and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the Word without fear.
v. 15. Some, indeed, preach Christ even of envy and strife, and some also of good will.
v. 16. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds;
v. 17. but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the Gospel.
Having expressed his gratitude and confidence on account of their excellent spiritual condition, the apostle now gives to the solicitous Philippians an assurance concerning himself: I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have rather gone forth for the furtherance of the Gospel. So far as his condition and present circumstances were concerned, there was no need for the natural worry which the Philippians felt for their beloved teacher. They had remembered him with their gifts of lave in his imprisonment. But now his report to them is intended to reassure them. His imprisonment in the capital, and the position in which he was thereby placed, had not always been of value to the Gospel, but matters had now so shaped themselves that they actually redounded to, and served for, the progress of the Gospel. It might have been expected, it was natural under the circumstances, in fact, that the free course of the Gospel should be hindered by Paul’s being imprisoned and thus being kept back from continuing his missionary activity. But under the guiding hand of God these very circumstances had served the progress of the Gospel.
How this has been effected the apostle now proceeds to show: So that my bonds became manifest in Christ in the entire praetorium and to all the rest, and the greater number of brethren in the Lord gained confidence by my bonds the more vehemently to dare without fear to preach the Word of God. It was a case where man proposes, God disposes, men thinking evil, but God meaning it unto good. It had become manifest in Rome that Paul was a prisoner only for the cause of Christ and for no other reason. He was not guilty of any crime, but had been made captive only because he preached Christ. The fact of his innocence had become generally known in the entire body-guard of Caesar. Although Paul was not held captive at their camp in Rome, but lived in his own lodgings nearby, chained to a soldier, yet the true state of his affairs had been noised abroad in the camp, probably through the soldiers whose work it was to guard Paul. There is also a probability that a hearing of Paul’s case had taken place before the tribunal of Caesar, in the presence of the Praetorian Guard. This hearing made it evident that Paul was no criminal, but had been brought before Caesar merely on account of the Gospel which he proclaimed. This fact had then been spread by the Praetorians and others, also in the city.
Thus it came about that the majority of the brethren, having in the Lord gained confidence in his bonds, came out for Christ with all the greater boldness. They carried into resolute action the confidence which they felt They preached the Word with all the greater fearlessness. And this confidence was in Paul’s bonds; they were convinced all the more that he was a martyr for the sake of the Gospel, and they thus put faith in him and his message, they were convinced of the power and beauty of the Gospel, all the more firmly, all the more vehemently. It became to them a cause whose sacredness and goodness made it worth suffering for. This confidence influenced their testimony; with great joy and assurance, with an entire absence of fear, they spoke the Word, proclaiming the gracious message of salvation through Christ.
But even in Rome the Judaizing sympathizers were not absent: Some, indeed, (preach the Word) also for envy and strife, but some also for good will preach Christ; these out of love, since they know that for the defense of the Gospel I am placed: those, however, out of contention preach Christ, not sincerely, believing that they will raise affliction for my bonds. This was the drop of bitterness in Paul’s cup of joy, since there were some people in Rome that were envious of the Gospel’s success and therefore stirred up strife in order to check this activity and to injure the apostle’s person. Their ambition, incidentally, did not go beyond a service for the sake of filthy lucre. Selfishness was their motive in preaching, they hoped to have personal gain in their work. They saw that the Christians loved Paul, that he had a great following, and they hoped to gain influence and also money by preaching, and perhaps counteract the influence of Paul. There was no sincerity in their hearts. They wanted to raise, add to, the tribulation of Paul, as though his sufferings were not yet great enough. To him, who felt the imprisonment as a harsh and almost unbearable measure in view of the great need of the world for Gospel-preaching, it caused additional pain when he saw that the methods of these insincere people caused strife among the brethren, that there were preachers who wanted to organize their own parties in opposition to the congregation which was established on the basis of Scriptures. But in the midst of this added suffering the apostle and his Gospel yet had true friends, men that proclaimed the Gospel from good will, out of love, men who knew the true reason for Paul’s incarceration and would have shrunk a thousand times from hurting him. The Gospel of Christ gained power in their estimation by the fact of Paul’s imprisonment. They felt the might of martyrdom. For that reason they, on their part, spread the Gospel with sincerity and singleness of heart. Their love for the apostle, their sympathy for his circumstances, intensified their zeal for the Gospel.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv12, 15, 18, 20, 22 General Information:
General Information:
Paul says that two things have happened because of "the progress of the gospel": many people inside and outside the palace have found out why he is in prison, and other Christians are no longer afraid to proclaim the good news.
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Now I want
Here the word "Now" is used to mark a new part of the letter.
brothers
Here this means fellow Christians, including both men and women, because all believers in Christ are members of one spiritual family, with God as their heavenly Father.
that what has happened to me
Paul is talking about his time in prison. AT: "that the things I suffered because I was put into prison for preaching about Jesus" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
has really served to advance the gospel
"has caused more people to hear the gospel"
my chains in Christ came to light
"Chains in Christ" here is a metonym for being in prison for the sake of Christ. "Came to light" is a metaphor for "became known." AT: "It became known that I am in prison for the sake of Christ" (See: Metaphor)
my chains in Christ came to light ... guard ... everyone else
This can be stated in active form. AT: "the palace guards and many other people in Rome know that I am in chains for the sake of Christ" (See: Active or Passive)
my chains in Christ
Here Paul uses the preposition "in" to mean "for the sake of." AT: "my chains for the sake of Christ" or "my chains because I teach people about Christ"
my chains
Here the word "chains" is a metonym for imprisonment. AT: "my imprisonment" (See: Metonymy)
palace guard
This is a group of soldiers that helped protect the Roman emperor.
fearlessly speak the word
"fearlessly speak God's message"
translationWords
brother
good news
in Christ
prison
fear
word of God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 21 1:11 Righteous character cannot be produced by human effort;…
1:11 Righteous character cannot be produced by human effort; it comes only through the Spirit of Christ working in people’s hearts. • Glory and praise to God is the ultimate purpose for which God’s people live (see Eph 1:6, 12, 14).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.