THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE то THE PHILIPPIANS. CHAPTER I. After the inscription and benediction, 1, 2, the apostle (1,) Offers thanksgivings to God for the work of grace begun, and to be perfected in them, 3-7. (2,) In testimony of his love to them, he prays for their establishment and growth in grace, 8–11. (3,) He encourages them against dejection on account of his sufferings, as they were made the means of promoting the glory of God, and the salvation of men, 12–20; and as he was ready to die or live, as God saw would be most for the good of his church, 21-26. (4,) He exhorts them to all holiness of conversation, zeal, and constancy in the profession of the gospel, notwithstanding the opposition of their adversaries, 27–30. A. M. 4068. PAUL and Timotheus, the servants A. D. 64. A. D. 64. 3 * I thank my God upon every A. M. 4068. of Jesus Christ, to all the saints' remembrance of you, in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons : 2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. a1 Cor. i. 2.- b Romans i. 7; 2 Cor. i. 2; 1 Peter i. 2. *Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity, epistle, verse 3 to verse 12. NOTES ON CHAPTER I. 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 d For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; e Rom. i. 8, 9; 1 Cor i. 4; Eph. i. 15, 16; Col. i. 3; 1 Thess. i. 2; 2 Thess. i. 3.- Or, mention.- d Rom. xii. 13; xv. 26; 2 Cor. viii. 1; Chap. iv. 14, 15. conversing with my fellow-Christians. The clause Verses 1, 2. Paul and Timotheus, servants of may also be rendered, I thank my God for all your Jesus Christ-St. Paul, writing familiarly to the kind remembrance of me, namely, (as he partly at Philippians, does not style himself an apostle. And least means,) with respect to the supplies they had under the common title of servants, he tenderly and sent him. Always in every prayer of mine-He modestly joins with himself his son Timothy, who || never failed, it seems, to pray for the churches when had attended him in his general travels in those parts, he prayed for himself; making request-That God had come with him to Philippi, not long after the would bestow on you an increase of every spiritual apostle had received him, (Acts xvi. 3, 12,) and had|| blessing; with joy-Joy peculiarly enlivens prayer. doubtless assisted him in preaching the gospel there. || As love reigns in the epistle to the Ephesians, so To all the saints-The apostolic epistles were sent more directly to the churches, than to the pastors of them; with the bishops and deacons-The former || properly took care of the internal, or spiritual state of the church, the latter of the externals, 1 Tim. iii. 2-8; although these were not wholly confined to the one, nor those to the other. The word εлIGкоTOL, bishops, or overseers, here includes all the presbyters at Philippi, as well as the ruling presbyters: the names bishop and presbyter, or elder, being promiscuously used in the first ages. See on Acts xx. 28. Grace be unto you, &c.-See on Rom. i. 7. Verses 3-8. I thank my God upon every remembrance-Or mention, as uvela equally signifies; of you-Whether before the throne of grace, or when VOL. II. ( 22 ) does joy reign in this; the sum of the whole epistle being, I rejoice; rejoice ye. For your fellowship in the gospel-That you have united with us in embracing the gospel, and are joint partakers with us of its blessings; and so have fellowship also with all true Christians; from the first day-Of my preaching it among you; though soon attended with violent persecution, even with the scourging and imprisonment of myself and my fellow-labourer; and that you have persevered in the profession thereof from the time that you first embraced it. Or, the meaning may be, I thank God for your having received the gospel, from the first day of your receiving it until now. Being confident (and the grounds of his confidence are mentioned in the following verse! Paul prays that the Philippians A. M. 4068. A. D. 64. m 6 Being confident of this very thing, || 8 For God is my record, how A. M. 4068. A. D. 64. that he which hath begun a good greatly I long after you all in the work in you, will perform it until the day bowels of Jesus Christ. of Jesus Christ: 9 And this I pray, "that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; that he who hath begun a good work in you--Who have already shown; may abound yet more and hath not only done a good work for you, in justify-more-The fire which burned in the apostle's breast ing you, and giving you peace with himself through never says, It is enough; in knowledge-Arising our Lord Jesus Christ, (Rom. v. 1,) but has wrought from, and attended with, a more perfect knowledge a good work in you; in your minds and hearts, of God, of Christ, and of spiritual things in general; by enlightening and quickening, regenerating and and in all judgment-Or rather, in all sense, or feelrenewing you after his image, Titus iii. 5: or, in ing, as naon ato@noel signifies: that is, That you may beginning to sanctify you; will perform it until the|| have a spiritual sense and taste, or an experimental day of Jesus Christ-Will carry it on till it come to knowledge and feeling of God's love in Christ to perfection, and, at the second coming of Christ, you. Our love must not only be rational, but it issue in glory. Even as it is meet—▲ikalov, just, rea- must be also experimental: we must not only unsonable; for me to think this of you all-To have derstand and approve the reasons why we should this good opinion and confidence. Why? He does love God and one another; but we must know and not say, because of an eternal decree, or because feel that we do so; that ye may approve-Greek, the saints must of necessity persevere; but, because eiç тo dokaže, that ye may try, or prove by expeI have you in my heart--I affectionately remember rience; things that are excellent-Not only that you; inasmuch as both in my bonds-In this my im- || are good, but the very best; the superior excellence prisonment; and in the defence and confirmation of of which is hardly discerned but by the adult Christhe gospel-In what I do and suffer for its defence tian. The original expression, ra diagɛpovra, is, literand confirmation; ye all are partakers of my grace ally, the things that differ: that you may discern the —That is, you have manifested that you possess the || real difference which there is in things, namely, in same grace that I myself have, in that you have done matters of doctrine, experience, and practice; how and suffered the same things which I have done and truth differs from, and how much it excels error; suffered. Or, as the clause may mean, because you how much fervency of spirit, a life of entire devotedare sharers in the afflictions which God hath vouch- ness to God, and continual, persevering diligence in safed me as a grace or favour. In other words, It the work of faith, patience of hope, and labour of is just or reasonable for me to think this concerning love, differs from and excels lukewarmness of heart, you all, (namely, that you will continue in the grace negligence of life, sloth, indolence, and the being of God,) because you have been and are joint par- weary of well-doing; that ye may be sincere-Uptakers with me, both of grace and of the sufferings right before God, truly desiring to know and to do his by which grace is tried and manifested: or, The suf- will in all things; and having always a pure intention, ferings you have endured, and the things you have or a single eye to his glory, in the choice and pursuit done, have manifested both the reality and the great- of the best things; and a pure affection, giving him an ness of your grace; and therefore I cannot doubt of undivided heart. The original word, εihikpiveis, from your perseverance. For God-To whom I appeal ein, the shining, or splendour, of the sun, and κρινω, for the truth of what I say; is my record-Bears me to judge, properly signifies such things as, being exwitness; how greatly I long after you all-How ve- || amined in a bright light, are found pure, and without hemently I love you, or long after your prosperity, fault. Applied, as here, to believers, it refers both in spiritual things; in the bowels of Jesus Christ- to their spirit and conduct, and is represented as the With such a sincere, fervent, and spiritual love as proper and natural fruit of that abounding love which has been wrought in me by Christ, and resembles the apostle had asked for them in the preceding that love which he bears to his members. In Paul, verse. And without offence-Chargeable with no not Paul lives, but Jesus Christ; therefore he longs disposition, word, or action, at which others can for them with the bowels, the tenderness, not of justly take offence; but holy and unblameable. The Paul, but of Jesus Christ. expression properly signifies, giving no occasion of stumbling, namely, to others; and may imply also not stumbling ourselves at the real or supposed fail( 22*) Verses 9-11. This I pray, that your love-To|| God and one another, and all mankind which you 338 || || b The sufferings of the apostle A. M. 4068. 9 A. D. 64. 11 Being filled with the fruits of in all the palace, and 10 in all other A. M. 4068. righteousness, which are by Jesus places; Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. S 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; 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and "strife; and some also of good 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest will. t John xv. 4, 5; Eph. ii. 10; Col. i. 6.- John xv. 8; Eph. | Chap. iv. 22. Or, Cesar's court.10 Or, to all others. i. 12, 14. 8 Or, for Christ. Chap. ii. 3. ings or faults of others; unto the day of Christ-true cause of the apostle's confinement may have The day of death, when the time of your trial will been spread through the palace by some Jewish be ended. Being filled with the fruits of righteous- slaves in the emperor's family, who, happening to ness-All holy dispositions, words, and actions to-hear Paul in his own hired house, were converted ward God, our fellow-creatures, and ourselves; by him. At this time, Rome was full of Jewish which are by Jesus Christ-Through union with him, and grace derived from him, to the glory and praise of God-To whom they are rendered acceptable through Christ's sacrifice and intercession. Observe, reader, here are three properties of that sincerity which is acceptable to God. 1st, It must bear fruits, all inward and outward holiness, all goodness, righteousness, and truth, Eph. v. 9; (see also Gal. v. 22;) and that so abundantly, that we may be filled with them, or all our powers of body and mind, our time and talents, occupied therein. 2d, The branch and the fruits must derive both their virtue and their very being from the all-supporting, allsupplying root, Jesus Christ. 3d, As all these flow from the grace of Christ, so they must issue in the glory and praise of God. Verses 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,7 a xar' eμɛ, 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 paiтwptov, 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, (Mark xv. 16,) both because the governors administered justice in their own palaces, and because they had their guards stationed there. See Acts xxiii. 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 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 Poppea 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. 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 ev Krpiw teñoibotas rois despois μs 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. The Verses 15-17. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy-Envying my success, or envying me that esteem and reputation which I have in the church, and seeking to gain it to themselves; and strife— Striving to draw people off from approving me to applaud themselves, and being desirous to maintain in the church a party that shall oppose me, and will ing to add as many abetters to it as they possibly principles? Shall they grieve us? No, in no wise. can. It is probable, as Whitby and many others For, every way, whether in pretence-Under colour have observed, that "these were the Judaizing Chris- of propagating the gospel; or in truth-With a real tians, who, with the gospel, taught the necessity of design so to do; Christ is preached—And the great circumcision, and of the observation of the ceremo- doctrine of salvation by him has a wider spread; and nial law; for from these arose ɛpideç kai dixoçaoiai,|| I therein do rejoice, yea, and I will rejoice―That is, strife and dissensions, 1 Cor. i. 11; and iii. 2; zeal, I shall have cause so to do in regard of the good isanimosities, and contentions, 2 Cor. xii. 20; and that sue it will have. The love which the apostle bore on the account of this apostle, whom they would to Christ, had extinguished in his mind resentment, scarce own as an apostle of Christ, 2 Cor. vii. 2, but pride, self-love, and all other evil passions; insorather looked upon as one that walked according to much that his greatest joy resulted from the advancethe flesh, chap. x. 2, and would have excluded him ment of the gospel, even though it was promoted by from the churches, Gal. iv. 16, 17. And yet, at their his enemies. We must observe, however, that though preaching Christ, though not sincerely, the apostle truth is here opposed to pretence, it doth not follow may be supposed to have rejoiced, because he knew that preaching Christ in pretence means preaching the time was near when the hay and stubble which false doctrine concerning him. For the apostle could they built on the foundation should be revealed, and not rejoice that Christ was preached in that manner. the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, || Truth and pretence here relate not so much to the would sufficiently confute their vain additions to the matters preached, as to the views of the preachers. faith." Some also out of good-will-Faithfully in- The Judaizers preached the truth concerning Christ, tending to promote the glory of God, the success at least in part, when they affirmed him to be the of the true gospel, and the salvation of mankind, and|| Jewish Messiah. But they did this not purely and thereby to give me comfort. The one preach Christ sincerely to bring the Jews to believe on him, but of contention-Or, they who are of contention, as oɩ also and especially to inculcate at the same time the epideias may be rendered, preach Christ not sin- Jewish ceremonies, and thereby to extend the aucerely-With a holy design of advancing his cause, thority of their ritual law; and by these means ultiand of glorifying God; but supposing (though they mately to grieve the apostle, and render his persewere disappointed) thereby to add affliction to my cutors more bitter against him. But others both bonds-To increase the calamity of my imprison- preached Christ as the Jewish Messiah, and also inment, by grieving my mind through their adultera- culcated all the great doctrines of his gospel, truly tions of, or additions to, the gospel, or their exciting and sincerely intending to bring both Jews and Genmy persecutors to greater virulence against me. But tiles to believe aright in him, and to embrace his gosthe other of love-To Christ, his gospel, and me; pel in its purity. But from whatever motive Christ knowing, not barely supposing, that I am set- was preached, according to his true character, it was Placed here at Rome, the metropolis of the empire, matter of joy to the apostle. For I know that this— a place of the greatest resort, and from whence in- Preaching of Christ, whether from a pure motive or telligence of whatever is transacted of importance otherwise, or this trouble which I meet with from is soon communicated to the most distant provinces: some of these teachers; shall turn to my salvation Oг, ketat, I lie, namely in bonds, for the defence of -Namely, to the promotion of it, or shall procure the gospel-For the confirmation of it by my suffer-me a higher degree of glory; through your prayer ings. They who preached Christ with a pure in--Continuing to be addressed to God for me; and tention, knew certainly that the apostle was sent to the supply of the Spirit of Christ-More largely Rome to defend the gospel by suffering for it. For by communicated to me in answer to it, and enabling voluntarily persisting to preach the gospel, although me to make a good use of these trials. According he was, and knew he still should be, exposed to va- to my earnest expectation-According to what I have rious and great sufferings for preaching it, he gave all along earnestly hoped for; that in nothing I shall full proof of his knowledge of its truth and great im- be ashamed-Whatever injurious reflections may be portance to the salvation of mankind. cast on my conduct; but that with all boldness— Verses 18-20. What then?-What shall we think Bearing testimony to every truth of the gospel; as of these attempts, proceeding from such different || always-Since my call to the apostleship; so now Christ was glorified both in CHAPTER I. the life and death of Paul. A. M. 4068. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and || a desire to depart, and to be with A. M. 4068. to die is gain. A. D. 64. Christ; which is far better: A. D. 64. 24 Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And having this confidence, I know that Chap. ii. 24. soul, which some maintain, cannot possibly be. Some indeed think the apostle might speak thus though the soul sinks into insenbility at death; because, say they, in that case, the time between death and judgment must be reckoned as nothing. But, as Dr. Whitby justly observes, "could St. Paul think a state of insensibility much better than a life tending so much as his did to the glory of God, to the propagation of the gospel, and the furtherance of the joy of Christians? Could he call such an insensate state a being with Christ, and a walking by sight, in opposition to the life of faith?" 2 Cor. v. 7, 8. Certainly it is at least evident from what the apostle here says, if there be any such middle state of insensibility between death and the resurrection, he had no knowledge or expectation of it; for if he had known of any such state, he undoubtedly would have thought it a thousand times better to live, and promote the cause of Christ and religion on earth, than by dying to fall into it. Besides, how could he say that he had a desire to be with Christ, if he knew he was not to be with him till after the resurrection? This, however, will not at all disprove the doctrine which maintains that pious men will receive a large accession of happiness after the resurrection: a truth declared in many other passages of Scripture. "The use of philosophy, it hath been said, is to teach men to die. But, as Fielding has observed, one page of the gospel is more effectual for that purpose than volumes of philosophy. The assurance which the gospel gives us of another life is, to a good mind, a support much stronger than the stoical consolation drawn from the necessity of nature, the order of things, the emptiness of our enjoyments, the satiety which they occasion, and many other such topics, which, though they may arm the mind with stubborn patience in bearing the thought of death, can never raise it to a fixed contempt thereof, much less can they make us consider it as a real good, and inspire us with the desire of dying, such as the apostle on this occasion strongly expressed."-Mac Verses 21-23. For to me to live is Christ-As my life, both natural and spiritual, is from Christ, so to serve and enjoy him is the supreme end of my life, || and I value it only as it is capable of being employed in glorifying him, to know, love, and follow whom, is my glory and my joy. But if I live in the flesh, &c.-Here he begins to treat of the former clause of the preceding verse: of the latter he treats chap. ii. 17. This is the fruit of my labour—This is the fruit of my living longer, that I can labour more. Glorious labour, desirable fruit! In this view long life is indeed a blessing. Yet what I shall choose I know not—That is, if it were left to my own choice. For I am in a strait betwixt twoThe two things mentioned immediately. The original expression, ovvexoμai ek twv dvo, is translated by Doddridge, I am borne two different ways, it being, he thinks, an allusion to a ship stationed at a particular place, and riding at anchor, and at the same time likely to be forced to sea by the violence of the winds; presenting us with a lively representation of the apostle's attachment to his situation in the Christian Church, and the vehemence of his desire to be unbound, as avaλvoaι may be rendered, that is, to weigh anchor, and set sail for the heavenly country. Having a desire-Evμiav, a coveting, or strong desire, as Macknight renders the word; see on 2 Cor. v. 4, 8: to depart-To have my soul separated from my body, and to escape from bonds, the flesh, and the world; and to be with Christ-In paradise, Luke xxiii. 43; admitted to the immediate, full, and constant enjoyment of him, in comparison whereof the nearest access to him, and fullest en-knight. joyment of him in this world, are but absence. Verses 24-26. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh— Which is far better-Greek, π022 μаhhov крerσσov, by much far better. Or, as Dr. Doddridge renders the clause, is better beyond all expression. Indeed, as the doctor observes, the apostle seems to labour for expression, using the highest superlative which it is perhaps possible to form in any language. It is justly observed by the last-mentioned writer, that this text plainly proves the separate spirits of good men are with Christ immediately after the death of their bodies, in such a manner that their state is far better than while they continue in this world; which certainly a state of insensibility, or the sleep of the In the body; is more needful for you--And the rest who have embraced the gospel. For, as he said tc the elders of the church at Ephesus, he foresaw that after his departure grievous wolves should enter into the churches, not sparing the flock, Acts xx. 29. This is the other particular between which, and departing to be with Christ, the apostle's mind was divided, as mentioned verse 22. For the sake of the churches, however, he here represents himself as being willing to forego, for a time, his own interest, and to continue in this mortal state. For he adds, having this confidence-That my abiding in the flesh |