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 anti ColUses, 
 
 THE EPISTLE TO THE 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
SontiOtt; C. J. CLAY and SONS, 
 
 CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE, 
 
 AVE MARIA LANE. 
 
 CambriUgt : DEIGHTON, BELL, AND CO. 
 ILeipjtg: F. A. BROCKHAUS. 
 
CJ)e Camirttrge MMt for ^ci)i30ls 
 anU Colleseg. 
 
 General Editor:— J. J. S. PEROWNE, D.D. 
 Dean of Peterborough. 
 
 Y J THE EPISTLE TO THE 
 
 PHILIPPIANS, 
 
 WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 
 
 BY 
 
 THE REV. H. C. G.'^MOULE, M.A. 
 
 PRINCIPAL OF RIDLEY HALL, AND LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, 
 
 CAMBRIDGE. 
 
 EDITED FOR THE SYNDICS OF THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE: 
 
 AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 
 
 1890 
 
 \^All Rights reserved.] 
 
4^^ 
 
 CambrtUgc : 
 
 PRINTED BY C. J. CLAY, M.A. AND SONS, 
 AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 
 
1. 
 
 PREFACE 
 BY THE GENERAL EDITOR. 
 
 The General Editor of The Cambridge Bible for 
 Schools thinks it right to say that he does not hold 
 himself responsible either for the interpretation of 
 particular passages which the Editors of the several 
 Books have adopted, or for any opinion on points of 
 doctrine that they may have expressed. In the New 
 Testament more especially questions arise of the 
 deepest theological import, on which the ablest and 
 most conscientious interpreters have differed and 
 always will differ. His aim has been in all such 
 cases to leave each Contributor to the unfettered 
 exercise of his own judgment, only taking care that 
 mere controversy should as far as possible be avoided. 
 He has contented himself chiefly with a careful 
 revision of the notes, with pointing out omissions, with 
 
6 PREFACE. 
 
 suggesting occasionally a reconsideration of some 
 question, or a fuller treatment of difficult passages, 
 and the like. 
 
 Beyond this he has not attempted to interfere, 
 feeling It better that each Commentary should have 
 its own individual character, and being convinced 
 that freshness and variety of treatment are more 
 than a compensation for any lack of uniformity in 
 the Series. 
 
 Deanery, Peterborough. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGES 
 
 I. Introduction, 
 
 Chapter I. Philippi : St Paul's connexion with it 9 — 14 
 
 Chapter II. Date and occasion of the Epistle 14 — 20 
 
 Chapter III. Authenticity of the Epistle 20 — 2 2 
 
 Chapter IV. Relation of the Epistle to the other 
 
 Epistles of the first Imprisonment 23—24 
 
 Chapter V. The Epistle of Polycarp to the Phi- 
 
 lippians 24 — 28 
 
 Chapter VI. Argument of St Paul's Epistle to the 
 
 Philippians 28 —35 
 
 II. Text and Notes 37 
 
 III. Appendices 125 
 
 IV. Index i35 
 
 ,* The Text adopted in this Edition is that of Dr Scrivener's 
 Cambridge Paragraph Bible. A few variations from the ordi- 
 nary Text, chiefly in the spelling of certain words, and in the 
 use of italics, will be noticed. For the principles adopted by 
 Dr Scrivener as regards the printing of the Text see his In- 
 troduction to the Paragraph Bible, published by the Cambridge 
 University Press. 
 
In thy Oicharde (the wals, buttes and trees, if they could speak, 
 would beare me witnesse) I learned without booke almost all Paules 
 Epistles, yea and I weene all the Canonicall Epistles, saue only the 
 Apocalipse. Of which study, although in time a great part did depart 
 from me, yet the sweete smell thereof I truste I shall cary with me into 
 heauen : for the profite thereof I thinke I haue felte in all my lyfe tyme 
 euer after. 
 
 Bishop Ridley, to Pembroke Hall, (Pembroke College), Cambridge. 
 
 From A letter which he wrote as his last farewel to al his true and faythefull 
 frendes in God, October, 1555, a few days before he suffered. Transcribed from 
 Coverdale's Letters of Martyrs, ed. 1564. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Philippi : St Paul's Connexion with it. 
 
 The site of Philippi is near the head of the Archipelago 
 {Mare ^gcBUin), eight miles north-westward of the port of 
 Kavala, or Kavalla, probably the ancient Neapolis. Just south 
 of it runs the 41st parallel of north latitude; a little to the west, 
 the 24th parallel of east (Greenwich) longitude. The place is at 
 present a scene of ruins. A village hard by, also in ruins, still 
 bears the name of Philibedjik'^. In the first century the town 
 occupied the southern end of a hill above a fertile plain, and 
 extended down into the plain, so as to comprise a higher and a 
 lower city. These were divided by the great Egnatian Road, 
 which crossed Roman Macedonia from sea to sea. The higher 
 town contained, among other buildings, the citadel, and a temple, 
 built by the Roman colonists, to the Latin god Silvanus. The 
 lower town contained the market-place, and the forum, a smaller 
 square on which opened the courts of justice. Four massive 
 columns are still standing at the foot of the hill, probably 
 marking the four corners of the forum. A little more than a 
 mile to the west of the town the small river Bounarbachi, 
 anciently Gangas, Gangites, or Angites, and still called, at least 
 at one part of its course, Angista, flows southward into a fen 
 which borders the plain of the city, and to the south of which 
 
 ^ Lewin, Life and Epistles of St Paul, vol. i. p. 20S. 
 
lo INTRODUCTION. 
 
 again rise the heights of Mount Pangaeus, now Pirnari, rich of 
 old in veins of gold and silver, and covered in summer with 
 wild roses. The whole region is one of singular beauty and 
 fertility. 
 
 The geographical position of Philippi was remarkable. It lay 
 on a great thoroughfare from West to East, just where the 
 mountain barrier of the Balkans sinks into a pass, inviting the 
 road builders of Greek, Macedonian, and Roman times. It was 
 this which led Philip of Macedon (B.C. 359—336) to fortify the 
 old Thracian town of Daton^, or Crenides {Foiintains). To the 
 place thus strengthened he gave his name, and, by pushing his 
 border eastward into Thrace, converted it from a Thracian into 
 a Macedonian town 2. 
 
 This position of Philippi accounts for the one great event 
 in its secular history, the double battle in which (B.C. 42) some 
 ninety-five years before St Paul first saw Philippi, the corri- 
 bined armies of Brutus and Cassius were defeated by Octavius 
 (afterwards Augustus) and Marcus Antonius. Cassius en- 
 camped on Pangseus, south of the town, plain, and fen, Brutus 
 on the slopes to the north, near the town ; thus guarding from 
 both sides the pass of the Egnatian road. First Cassius was 
 routed, and two days later Brutus. Each in succession was 
 slain, at his own command, by the hand of a comrade, and 
 with them died the cause of the great republican oligarchy of 
 Rome. 
 
 Augustus erected Philippi into a colony {coIo?tia, KoXcoviaf 
 Acts xvi. 12), with the full title Colonia Augusta Julia Victrix 
 Philipp07'um, or Philippensis. A colony, in the Roman sense, 
 was a miniature Rome, a reproduction and outpost of the city. 
 The colonists were sent out by authority, they marched in 
 military order to their new home, their names were still en- 
 rolled among the Roman tribes, they used the Latin language 
 
 1 Lewin, I. 207. 
 
 2 To Philip it was important not only for military strength but as a 
 place of mines. He is said to have worked the old and almost 
 abandoned mines so vigorously as to have drawn from them 10,000 
 talents yearly. Long before the Christian era, apparently, the supply 
 of precious ore was finally exhausted. 
 
INTRODUCTION. ii 
 
 and Latin coinage, their chief magistrates were appointed from 
 Rome, and were independent of the provincial governors ^ 
 These magistrates were two in each colony, Duumviri^ and 
 combined civil and military authority in their persons. At 
 Philippi we find them assuming the grandiose title of com- 
 mandants, praetors, o-Tparr^yoi (Acts xvi. 20), and giving their 
 constables the title of lictors, jja^doiixoL (ver. 35). They posed, 
 in effect, as the more than consuls of their petty Rome. Much 
 of the narrative of Acts xvii. comes out with double vividness 
 when the colonial character of Philippi is remembered. 
 
 In Acts xvi. 12 we find Philippi called, in the Authorized 
 Version, "the chief city of that part of Macedonia." The better 
 rendering of the best-attested reading is, however, " a city of 
 Macedonia, first of the district." This may mean, grammati- 
 cally, either that Philippi first met the traveller as he entered 
 the region of Macedonia where it lay, or that it was the political 
 capital of that region. Mr Lewin (i. 202, 206) advocates the 
 latter view, and holds that Philippi succeeded Amphipolis as 
 the capital of the " first," or easternmost, of the four Roman 
 " Macedonias." Bp Lightfoot {Philippians, p. 50) prefers de- 
 cidedly the former view, maintaining that the fourfold Roman 
 division was, by St Paul's time, long disused. We incline, how- 
 ever, to an explanation nearer to Mr Lewin's view ; that Philippi 
 is marked by St Luke as first, in the sense of most important, 
 of its district ; not officially perhaps, but by prestige. 
 
 We may remark in passing that the geographical position of 
 Philippi is incidentally illustrated by the presence there of 
 Lydia, the purple-merchant from Asiatic Thyatira, come to this 
 important place of thoroughfare between her continent and 
 Roman Europe. And the colonial, military, character of Philippi 
 explains in a measure the comparative feebleness of its Jewish 
 clement, with their \v\!i'sx^\^ proseucha^ or prayer-house (Acts xvi. 
 13), outside the walls. 
 
 On the story of St Paul's work at Philippi there is little need 
 to dwell in detail, so full and vivid is the narrative of Acts xvi., 
 
 ^ Britain, like other frontier provinces, had its colonics; e.g. Lindwn 
 Colo Ilia, Lin-col n. 
 
12 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 from the unobtrusive opening of the mission (a.d. 52) by the 
 Apostle, with his coadjutors Silas, Timothy, and probably Luke^, 
 to the moment when Paul and Silas quit the house of Lydia, 
 and, probably leaving Luke behind them, set out westward 
 along the Egnatian road for Amphipolis. It is enough to say 
 here that the whole circumstances there depicted harmonize 
 perfectly with the contents and tone of our Epistle; with its 
 peculiar affectionateness, as written to witnesses and partners 
 of tribulation, with its entreaties to the disciples to hold to- 
 gether in the midst of singularly alien surroundings, and, we 
 may add, with its allusions to the "citizen-life" of the saints 
 whose central civic home is (not Rome but) heaven. 
 
 Twice after A.D. 52, within the period covered by the Acts, we 
 find St Paul at Philippi. Late in the year 57 he left Ephesus 
 for Macedonia (Acts xx. i; cp. 2 Cor. ii. 12, 13, vii. 5, 6), and 
 undoubtedly gave to Philippi some of his " much exhortation;" 
 In the spring of 58, on his return eastward from Corinth by 
 Macedonia, he spent Passover at Philippi (Acts xx. 6), lingering 
 there, apparently, in the rear of the main company of his fellow- 
 travellers, "that he might keep the paschal feast with his 
 beloved converts "2. 
 
 Intercourse with Philippi was evidently maintained actively 
 during his absences. Our Epistle (iv. 16) mentions two mes- 
 sages from the converts to St Paul just after his first visit, and 
 the frequent allusions to Macedonia in the Corinthian Epistles 
 indicate that during the time spent at Ephesus (say 55 — 57) 
 Philippi, with the other " churches of Macedonia," must have 
 been continually in his heart and thoughts, and kept in contact 
 with him by messengers. 
 
 On the question of a visit to Philippi later than the date 
 of this Epistle, see notes on ch. i. 25, 26. 
 
 Before leaving the topic of St Paul's intercourse with 
 Philippi, we may notice two points in which distinctively 
 
 1 The narrative (Acts xvi. i— 17) is in the first person. On the ''wc 
 sections" of the Acts see Salmon, Introduction to the N. 7"., pp. 371 &c. 
 We may assume Timothy's presence from Acts xvi. i &c. and xvii. 
 14. 15- 
 
 ^ Lightfoot, p. 60. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 13 
 
 Macedonicni traits appear in the Christian life of the mission 
 church. The first is the ■positioti and infiuence of wofneii. 
 We have women prominent in the narrative of Acts xvi,, and in 
 Phil, iv, 2 we find two women who were evidently important 
 and influential persons in the Church. And similar indications 
 appear at Thessalonica (Acts xvii. 4) and Beroea {ib. 12). Bp 
 Lightfoot has collected some interesting evidence to shew that 
 Macedonian women generally held an exceptionally honoured 
 and influential position. Thus it is common, in Macedonian 
 inscriptions, to find the mother's name recorded instead of the 
 father's ; and Macedonian husbands, in epitaphs upon their 
 wives, use terms markedly reverent as well as affectionate. 
 The Gospel doctrine of woman's dignity would find good soil in 
 Macedonia. The other point is the pecuniary liberality of the 
 Philippians, which comes out so conspicuously in ch. iv. This 
 was a characteristic of the Macedonian missions, as 2 Cor. 
 viii., ix., amply and beautifully prove. It is remarkable that 
 the Macedonian converts were, as a class, very poor (2 Cor. 
 viii. i); and the parallel facts, their poverty and their open- 
 handed support of the great missionary and his work, are 
 deeply harmonious. At the present day the missionary liber- 
 ality of poor Christians is, in proportion, vastly greater than 
 that of the rich. 
 
 The post-apostolic history of Philippi is very meagre. We 
 know scarcely anything of it with the one exception that 
 St Ignatius passed it, on his way from Asia to his martyrdom 
 at Rome, about the year no. He was reverently welcomed 
 by the Philippians, and his pathetic visit occasioned communi- 
 cations between them and Ignatius' friend Polycarp, bishop of 
 Smyrna, who then wrote to the Philippian Christians his one 
 extant Epistle (see below, ch. v.). "Though the see is said 
 to exist even to the present day,'' writes Bp Lightfoot {Philip- 
 pians, p. 65), "the city itself has long been a wilderness.... Of 
 the church which stood foremost among all the apostolic com- 
 munities in faith and love, it may literally be said that not one 
 stone stands upon another. Its whole career is a signal monu- 
 ment of the inscrutable counsels of God. Born into the world 
 
14 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 with the brightest promise, the Church of Philippi has lived 
 without a history and perished without a memorial." (See 
 further, Appendix I.) 
 
 As we leave the ruins of Philippi, it is interesting to observe 
 that among them have been found, by a French archeological 
 mission (1864), inscriptions giving the names of the pro- 
 moters of the building of the temple of Silvanus, and of the 
 members of its " sacred college." Among them occur several 
 names familiar to us in the Acts and Epistles ; Crescens, Secun- 
 dus, Trophimus, Urbanus, Aristobulus, Pudens, and Clemens — 
 this last a name found in our Epistle. - 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Date and occasion of the Epistle. 
 
 I It may be taken as certain that the Epistle was written from 
 I Rome, during the two years' imprisonment recorded by St Luke 
 I (Acts xxviii. 30); that is to say, within the years 61 — 63. It is 
 true that some scholars, notably Meyer 1, have made Caesarea 
 Stratonis (Acts xxiv. 23 — 27) the place of writing of the Philip- 
 pians, Ephesiafis, and Colossiansj and some who hesitate to 
 assign the two latter epistles to the Caesarean captivity assign 
 the Philippians to it (see Lightfoot, p. 30, note). But the reasons 
 on the other side seem to us abundantly decisive. Bp Light- 
 foot gives them somewhat as follows (pp. 30, 31, note), (i) 
 The notice of "Caesar's household" (iv. 22) cannot naturally 
 apply to Caesarea. (2) The notice (i. 12 &c.) of the progress of 
 the Gospel loses point if the place of writing is not a place of 
 great importance and a comparatively new field for the Gospel. 
 (3) St Paul looks forward, in this Epistle, to an approaching 
 release, and to a visit to Macedonia. This does not agree with 
 his indicated hopes and plans at Caesarea, where certainly 
 his expectation (Acts xxiii. 11) was to visit Rome, under what- 
 ever circumstances, most probably as a prisoner on appeal. 
 
 ^ His reasons are fully stated and answered in Alford's Prolegomena 
 to the Ephesians. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 The chief plea, in the Philippians^ for Csesarea is that 
 the wQx^ prcetorium (i. 13) corresponds to t\\Q. prcBt07'iu7n, or 
 residency, of Herod at Caesarea (Acts xxiii. 35). But here 
 again we may remark that the allusion in the Epistle indicates 
 an area of influence remarkable and extensive, conditions 
 scarcely fulfilled at Caesarea. And Rome affords an obvious 
 and adequate solution of the problem, as we shall see at the 
 proper place in the text. 
 
 The subordinate question arises, when within the two years of 
 the Roman captivity was our Epistle written ? Was it early or 
 late, before or after the Ephesians and the Colossiansf which 
 are plainly to be grouped together, along with the private letter 
 to the Colossian Philemon. 
 
 A widely prevalent view is that the Philippians was written 
 late, not long before St Paul's release on the final hearing of his 
 appeal. The main reasons for this view are 
 
 (i) the indications in the Epistle that the Gospel had made 
 great progress at Rome ; 
 
 (2) the absence in the Epistle of the names Luke and 
 Aristarchus, who both sailed from Syria with St Paul (Acts 
 xxvii. 2) and who both appear in the Colossians and Phi- 
 lemoiLj 
 
 (3) the lapse of time after St Paul's arrival at Rome de- 
 manded by the details of Epaphroditus' case (Phil., ii. iv.), 
 which seem to indicate that the Philippians had heard of St 
 Paul's arrival; had then despatched their collection (perhaps 
 not without delay, iv. 10) to Rome by Epaphroditus ; had then 
 heard, from Rome, that Epaphroditus had been ill there (ii. 26), 
 and had then somehow let it be known at Rome {ibid) that the 
 news had reached them; 
 
 (4) the tone of the Epistle, in its allusions to St Paul's strict 
 imprisonment and to his entire uncertainty, humanly speaking, 
 about the issue of his appeal ; allusions said to be inconsistent 
 with the comparative freedom indicated by the Acts, but con- 
 sistent with a change for the worse in the counsels of Nero, 
 such a change as would have occurred when (a.d. 62) the 
 
/ 
 
 i6 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 wicked Tigellinus succeeded the upright Burrus in command of 
 the Guard. 
 
 Bp Lightfoot on the other hand takes the view that the 
 Philippiajis was the earliest of the Epistles of the Captivity. 
 And he meets the above arguments somewhat as follows. 
 
 (i) There is good evidence, both in the Acts and the Epistle, 
 and above all in the Roj?ians, for the belief that "a flourishing 
 though unorganized Church" existed at Rome before St Paul's 
 arrival. Already, three years earlier, he had addressed his 
 greatest Epistle "to all that were in Rome, beloved of God, 
 called saints;" and there is strong reason to think that many of 
 the Christians greeted in that Epistle (ch. xvi.) were identical 
 with "the saints of the Household" of our Epistle (see on Phil, 
 iv. 22), and so that those " saints " were pre-Pauline converts, at 
 least in many instances. And when he lands at Puteoli, in 61, 
 he finds there too Christians ready to greet him. And on the 
 other hand the allusions in our Epistle to the progress of the 
 work at Rome must not be pressed too far, as if the whole 
 population of the City was being stirred. What is meant is 
 that a distinct and vigorous " new departure " was being made 
 by the Roman Christians, as willing evangelists, and that the 
 warders of the Apostle were carrying out the strange and inter- 
 esting news of his doctrine and character among their fellow 
 Praetorians and "people in general" {ol Xoittoi irdvm). But all 
 these notes excellently suit a time not long after the Apostle's 
 arrival, when the stimulus of his presence among the Christians 
 would be powerful in its novelty, and when of course already 
 the "soldiers that kept him" would be among his hearers, and 
 not seldom, by the grace of God, his converts. Even the allu- 
 sion (i. 15) to internal opposition suits such a time better than 
 a later, "when. ..antagonism. ..and. ..devotion. ..had settled down 
 into a routine" (Lightfoot, p. 34). 
 
 (2) As regards the absence from the Philippians of the 
 names Luke and Aristarchus, this is in the first place an argu- 
 ment from silence only, which cannot be conclusive. The 
 two disciples may be included under the " brethren " and 
 "saints" of iv. 21, 22. But further, it is at least doubtful 
 
INTRODUCTION. 17 
 
 whether Aristarchus, though he sailed from Syria with St Paul, 
 landed in Italy with him. He was a Thessalonian, and the 
 vessel in which St Paul sailed was an Adramyttian, from the 
 iCgaean, in which Aristarchus may have been on his way not to 
 Rome but to Thessalonica^. From Macedonia he may easily 
 have joined St Paul in Italy later, associating himself so closely 
 there with the imprisoned Apostle as to earn the title of his 
 "fellow-prisoner of war" (Col. iv, 10). As for Luke, it is obvious 
 that at any time he might have left Rome on a temporary 
 errand, to Puteoli perhaps, or some other outlying mission. 
 And of course the same remark may be made of Aristarchus, 
 supposing him to have been after all in Italy. 
 
 (3) The argument from the case of Epaphroditus is not 
 strong. It is not necessary to suppose that a special message 
 went from Rome to Philippi to announce St Paul's arrival. 
 Very possibly through Aristarchus (see just above), if not by 
 some other means, the Philippians may have heard that he was 
 far on his way, and may have acted on probabilities. Epa- 
 phroditus may even have left Philippi, with the collection, before 
 St Paul reached Italy. And a month, under favourable cir- 
 cumstances, would suffice for a journey from Philippi to Rome, 
 by Brundisium (Brindisi), Dyrrachium (the Illyrian port\ and 
 the Egnatian road across Macedonia^. Thus if the Philippians 
 was written only four months after St Paul's arrival the time 
 would amply include all we need infer under this head. 
 
 (4) The tone of the Epistle, with its suspense, its allusions 
 to rigour of confinement, and on the other hand its expectations 
 of release, is not conclusive for a late date. The imprisonment 
 as depicted in it is after all no less and no more severe than 
 Acts xxviii. 16 implies. And the references to the trial and its 
 uncertain issue would probably be at least as appropriate in the 
 early stages of its progress, or under early experiences of its 
 delays, as later. Doubtless the Epistle depicts trials and 
 
 ^ Indeed, the first intention of the centurion Julius may have been 
 that his prisoners should be conveyed to Rome by way of the ^givan, 
 Macedonia, and the Adriatic (Lightfoot, p. 35, note). 
 
 ^ See Lightfoot's interesting proofs, p. 38, note. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS 2 
 
i8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 sorrows where the Acts speaks only of opportunity and success; 
 but Bp Lightfoot well remarks that this is perfectly truth- 
 like. The historian reviews the sum total of a very fruitful 
 period of influence ; the lettet'-writer speaks under the immediate 
 pressure of the day's, or the week's, chequered circumstances. 
 St Paul's expectation of release is discussed in the notes (ii. 24); 
 it certainly affords no decisive note of time. As for the pro- 
 motion of Tigellinus, Lightfoot justly says that such changes in 
 the Imperial court would make little difference, for better or 
 worse, in the case of an obscure provincial prisoner, the mis- 
 sionary of a ciiltus which had not yet come to be thought 
 politically dangerous. 
 
 If these arguments for a late date for the Epistle may be fairly 
 answered thus, we have meanwhile positive evidence for an 
 earlier date in the doctrinal affinities of the Philippians. These 
 point towards the great central group of Pauline Epistles 
 {Romans^ Cori7tthians, Galatians), and especially towards the 
 Romans, the latest written of that group. In Phil. iii. we have 
 in prominence the doctrine of Justifiication, in the precise form 
 of the doctrine of Imputed Righteousness, the believer's refuge 
 and peace in view of the absoluteness of the Divine Law. 
 Now this is the characteristic topic of the Roman and Galatian 
 Epistles, and in a minor degree of the Corinthian (i Cor. i. 
 30, iv. 4, vi. II ; 2 Cor. iii. 9, v. 19 — 21). But it is absent, 
 as regards just this for^n of presentation, from the Ephesian 
 and Colossian Epistles, in which St Paul was led by the Holy 
 Spirit to deal more expressly with the closely related, but dif- 
 ferent sides of truth conveyed in such words as Union, Life, 
 Indwelling, Universal Church. This is strong evidence for 
 an approximation of the Philippians to the Ro?nans, &c., in 
 point of time, as near as other considerations allow. Certainly 
 it makes it likely that the Ephesians and its group were not 
 interposed between the Romans and the Philippians. 
 
 And on closer examination we find many links of thought 
 and expression between the Romans and the Philippians, 
 besides this main link. Bp Lightfoot (pp. 43, 44) collects the 
 following parallelisms of this sort : 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 19 
 
 Compare 
 
 1 
 
 MIL. 
 
 ..3-8 
 
 
 with Rom. 
 
 i. 8—11: 
 
 — 
 
 
 — 1 
 
 . lO 
 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 ii. 18: 
 
 — 
 
 
 — 
 
 li. 2—4 
 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 xii. 10, 16 — 19: 
 
 — 
 
 
 — 
 
 i. 8— ri 
 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 xiv. 9 — J I : 
 
 — 
 
 
 — 
 
 '•• 3 
 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 ii. 28, i. 9, V. II : 
 
 — 
 
 
 — 
 
 ii- 4. 5 
 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 xi. I : 
 
 — 
 
 
 — 
 
 ii. lo, II, 
 
 21 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 vi. 5: 
 
 — 
 
 
 — ] 
 
 ii. 19 
 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 vi. 21, xvi. 18 : 
 
 — 
 
 
 — 
 
 IV. 18 
 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 xii. I. 
 
 And he notes the following words and phrases as occurring 
 in the two Epistles, and not elsewhere : diToiiapaboKia, o-v/x/iop^oy, 
 (^ epideias, axpt tov vvv, TTpoo'dex^o'dai iv Kvpta. See too our note 
 on i. 26. 
 
 On the whole, we may date the Epistle, with great pro- 
 bability, late in the year 61 or early in 62. See further T/ie 
 Epistle to the Ephesiajis, in this Series, httroductioji, pp. 
 19 — 22. 
 
 Of the occasion of writing, little needs to be said; the 
 Epistle itself speaks clearly on the subject. The arrival of 
 Epaphroditus bringing the Philippian gift, his illness at Rome, 
 and his anxiety to return to Philippi, appear to have given the 
 immediate suggestion and made the opportunity. We gather that 
 besides this Epaphroditus had reported, as the one serious defect 
 of Christian life at Philippi, a tendency to party-spirit, or at least 
 to personal antagonisms and differences, especially in the case 
 of two well-known female converts. See i. 2, 27, ii. 2, 3, 14, 26, 
 iv. 2, and notes. And meanwhile St Paul takes the occasion 
 to warn his beloved Philippians against errors of doctrine and 
 practice which, if not already rife at Philippi, were sure to find 
 their way there; the errors both of the Pharisaic legalist 
 (iii. 2 — 11), and of the antinomian would-be Paulinist (iii. 
 
 13—19)- 
 
 So, occasioned on the one hand by present circumstances, 
 and on the other guided by the secret working of the Holy 
 Spirit to form a sure oracle of God for the Church for ever, 
 the Letter was dictated, and the greetings of the Writer's 
 visitors were added, and the manuscript was given over to 
 
 2 — 2 
 
20 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Epaphroditus, to be conveyed across Italy, the Adriatic, and 
 Macedonia, to the plain and hill of Philippic 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Authenticity of the Epistle. 
 
 No trace of doubt on this subject appears in early Christian 
 literature. Amongst direct testimonies, and taking the later 
 first, we may cite Tertullia7i (cent. 2 — 3). He {de Resurrectione 
 Carnis, c. xxiii.) quotes Phil. iii. 11 — 13 2, as "written by Paul 
 to the Philippians." He mentions {de PrcBscriptione, c. xxxvi.) 
 Philippi among the Churches which possessed ''authentic 
 apostolic epistles," that is, apparently, letters received at first 
 hand from apostles. In his Reply to Marcion, bk. v., taking 
 up the Pauline Epistles one by one for evidence against the 
 Gnostic theory of Christianity taught by Marcion, he comes 
 (c. XX.) to "the Epistle to the Philippians," and quotes, or refers 
 to, i. 14 — 18, ii. 6 — 8, iii. 5 — 9, 20, 21. It will be observed that 
 this latter evidence is doubly valuable, as it assumes his op- 
 ponent's agreement with him about the authenticity. 
 
 It'enccus (late cent. 2) quotes {de Hceresibus^ iv., c. xviii. 4) 
 Phil. iv. 18 as the words of " Paul to the Philippians." 
 
 Clemc7it of Alexandria (late cent. 2) repeatedly quotes the 
 Epistle. He brings {Pcedogogus, i., c. vL, ed. Migne) Phil. 
 iii. 12 — 14 to refute those who "call themselves 'perfect' and 
 'gnostic'." In the Stromata, iv., c. iii., he refers to Phil. iii. 
 20, in the words "having obtained citizenship in heaven;" c. v., 
 he quotes i. 13, 14 as the "words of the Apostle;" c. xiii. he 
 quotes i. 7, 29, 30, ii. i, 2, 17, 20, 21, and refers to the Philippians 
 as addressed by "the Apostle" in these passages. 
 
 ^ For further particulars of St Paul's life and work at Rome see 
 Appendix A. 
 
 '^ With one curious variation of reading : perseqtior ad palmam 
 incriminationis; as if reading to ^pa^eiov t^s dpeyKX-qaeuis. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 21 
 
 In the contemporary Letter of the Churches of Lyons and 
 Vienne, describing the martyrdoms of a.d. 177', the sufferers 
 are said to have striven to " imitate Christ, who being in the 
 form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God" 
 (Phil. ii. 6). 
 
 Polycarp, in his Epistle to the Philippians (very early cent. 2), 
 both refers (c. iii.) to the Epistle which St Paul had addressed 
 to them, and manifestly echoes its phraseology. He speaks 
 indeed of "Epistles." But the plural is often used for the sin- 
 gular of this word ; see Lightfoot in his Edition of Polycarp 
 {Apostolic Fathers, Pt. ii. ; Vol. ii., sect, ii,, p. 911). Polycarp's 
 Epistle is given below, nearly in full ; Introduction, ch. V. 
 
 Ignatius, on his way to martyrdom (about A.D. no), wrote a 
 series of Epistles. In that to the Romans, c. ii., he speaks of 
 his desire to be "poured out as a libation to God"; to the 
 Philadelphians he writes (c. viii.), "do nothing in a spirit of 
 faction" (Phil. ii. 3); to the Smyrnasans (c. iv.) "I endure all 
 things, for He, the perfect Man, strengtheneth me"; and (c. xi.), 
 "being perfect, be ye also perfectly minded." These passages, 
 taken together, are good evidence for Ignatius' knowledge of 
 the Epistle. 
 
 All the ancient Versions, including the oldest Syriac (cent. 2), 
 and all the lists of N. T. books, of cent. 2, contain the Epistle. 
 
 Such evidence, combined on the one hand with the total 
 absence of ancient negative testimony, and on the other with 
 the perfect naturalness, and intense and tender individuality, 
 of the Epistle itself, is abundantly enough to satisfy all but the 
 ultra-scepticism which, however ingenious, really originates in 
 d, priori views. Such surely is the account to be given of the 
 theory of F. C. Bai^r {ijgS — 1860) — that the Epistle is a fabri- 
 cation of the second century, betraying a development of 
 doctrine^ and life later than the age of St Paul, and aiming 
 at a reconciliation between divergent Church parties (see on 
 iv. 2 below). His objections to the Epistle have, however, 
 
 ^ Preserved by Eusebius, //ist. EccL, v. cc. i. — iv. The quotation 
 is from c. ii. 
 
 ^ See further, Appendix F. 
 
22 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 been discarded as futile even by rationalizing critics, such as 
 Hilgenfeld, Pfleiderer, and Renan^. Alford {Greek Test, iii. p. 27) 
 says, " To those who would see an instance of the very insanity of 
 hypercriticism I would recommend the study of these pages of 
 Baur {Paulus, der Apostel Jes2i Christi, pp. 458 — 475]. They 
 are almost as good, by way of burlesque, as the ' Historic 
 Doubts respecting Napoleon Buonaparte' of Abp Whately. 
 According to [Baur] all ?/j?/(2/ expressions prove its spuriousness, 
 as being taken from other Epistles ; all U7itistial expressions 
 prove the same, as being from another than St Paul, &c." 
 Lightfoot says {Phil., p. 74), "I cannot think that the mere fact 
 of their having been brought forward by men of ability and 
 learning is sufficient to entitle objections of this stamp to a 
 serious refutation." Salmon says {Introd. to N. T., pp. 465, 6), 
 "Baur has pronounced this Epistle dull, uninteresting, mono^ 
 tonous, characterized by poverty of thought, and want of origin- 
 ality. But one only loses respect for the taste and skill of the 
 critic who can pass such a sentence on one of the most touch- 
 ing and interesting of Paul's letters. So far is it from shewing 
 signs of having been manufactured by imitation of the other 
 Epistles that it reveals aspects of Paul's character which the 
 other letters had not presented... Elsewhere we are told how the 
 Apostle laboured with his own hands for his support, and 
 declared that he would rather die than let the disinterestedness 
 of his preaching be suspected; here we find (iv. 10 — 19) that 
 there was no false pride in his independence, and that when there 
 was no likelihood of misrepresentation, he could gracefully accept 
 the ungrudged gifts of affectionate converts. Elsewhere we read 
 only of his reprobation of Christian teachers who corrupted the 
 simplicity of the Gospel; here we are told (i. 18) of his satis- 
 faction that, by the efforts even of those whose motives were 
 not pure, the Gospel of Christ should be more widely published." 
 
 ^ Wittichen, a decidedly negative recent critic, admits the PJiilip- 
 pians as genuine. {Leben Jesu, p. 14 ; quoted by Edersheim, Prophecy 
 and History^ 6^r., p. 68, note.) 
 
INTRODUCTION. 23 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Relation of the Epistle to the other Epistles of 
 THE First Imprisonment. 
 
 I We have pointed out the strong doctrinal link of connexion 
 I between the Philippian Epistle and the Romans with its at- 
 Jtendant Epistles. We find in the Philippians on the other 
 hand indications of similar connexion with the Ephesians and 
 the Colossiaiis^ and such indications as to harmonize with the 
 theory advocated above (p. 16) that these Epistles were dated 
 some time later in St Paul's captivity. 
 
 In two directions chiefly these connexions appear; {a) in the 
 view of the Church as a City or Commonwealth, and {b) in the 
 view of Christ's personal Glory. 
 
 Under the first head, cp. Phil. iii. 20, with Eph. ii. 12, 19, 
 remembering that nowhere in the Epistles written before 
 the Roman imprisonment is this view of the Church distinctly 
 presented. 
 
 Under the second head, cp. Phil. ii. 5 — 11 with Eph. i. 17 — 
 23, ii. 8, &c. ; Col. i. 15 — 19, &c. And cp. Phil. ii. 10 with 
 Eph. i. 20; Col, i. 20. In the earlier Epistles the Apostle was 
 guided to the fullest statements of the salvation wrought out by 
 Christ, especially in its judicial and propitiatory aspects. But 
 this exposition of the grace and wonder of His personal majesty, 
 personal self-abasement, and personal exaltation after it, is in 
 a great measure a new development in the revelations given 
 through St Paul. 
 
 Observe in connexion with this the insistence on the blessed- 
 ness of '"'■ktiowhtg Hirn^'' (iii. 10), compared with the glowing 
 language of Eph. iii. 19 ("to know the love of Christ, &c."). 
 Most certainly the idea is present everywhere in the Epistles of 
 St Paul; but it reaches its full prominence in this group of 
 Epistles, as other sides of truth do in the Romans and the 
 Galatians, 
 
24 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Among minor notes of kinship in these Epistles observe the 
 view of faith as the ''^gift of God" (Phil. i. 29; Eph. ii. 8); 
 the mention of the Divine '■^ good pleasure" ^ or gracious sovereign 
 purpose (Phil. ii. 13; Eph, i. 4) ; the phrase ''^preach Christ'''' 
 (Phil. i. 16, 18; Col. i. 28); the Apostle's "y^/" in his trials 
 (Phil. i. 18; Eph. iii. 13; Col. i. 24); the Divine ^' ifiworking" 
 in the saints (Phil. ii. 13; Col. i. 29; cp. Eph. ii. 10); and the 
 following words or phrases peculiar to these among the Pauline 
 Epistles — Taireivocfipoavvr] (Phil. ii. 3; Eph. iv. 2; Col. iii. 12), 
 (TTrXdyxva olKTipfxccu (or nearly so) (Phil. ii. i; Col. iii. 12; cp. 
 Philem. 7, 12, 20); Saixr} ^vabias (Phil. iv. 18; Eph. v. 2); eVt- 
 Xo pr]y La {Fh'iL i. 19; Eph. iv. 16; cp. Col, ii. 19). 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians. 
 
 This Epistle, the only other extant letter addressed to the 
 Church of Philippi, has been already mentioned (p. 21). For 
 the text, fully edited with notes, see Lightfoot's Apostolic 
 Fathers, Part II. vol, ii., sect. 2, pp, 898, &c. We give a trans- 
 lation of the Epistle slightly abridged. It is interesting to 
 observe the wealth of N. T. quotations, and the frequent tacit 
 allusions to the topics of St Paul's Epistle. All clear Scripture 
 quotations are italicized, as well as phrases apparently sug- 
 gested by Scripture. 
 
 Polycarp and his elders to the Church of God sojourning at 
 Philippi; grace and peace be multiplied from God Almighty 
 and Jesus Christ our Saviour, 
 
 i. / rejoiced greatly with you in the Lord, in your joy on 
 welcoming those Copies^ of the True Love, chained with those 
 holy fetters which are the diadems of the elect ; and that your 
 long-renowned faith persists, and bears fruit to Christ, who for 
 
 ^ Ignatius and his companion Confessors. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 25 
 
 our sins died and rose, ifi whojn^ not having seen Him^ you 
 rejoice with Joy -unspeakable and full of glory, a joy into which 
 many long to enter, knowing that by grace ye have bee?i saved, 
 not of works, but by the will of God in Christ. 
 
 ii. So gird np yonr loins, forsake the prevalent specious 
 errors, believe on Him who raised onr Lordf'oni the dead a?id 
 gave Hint glory, to who?n (Christ) all things in heaven and 
 earth are subjected, to whom every living thing does service, 
 who comes to jndge the quick and dead, whose blood God will 
 require of the unbelieving. He who raised Him will raise zis 
 also, if we walk in His ways, abstaining from all injustice, 
 avarice, and evil-speaking, not rendering evil for evil or railing 
 for railifig; remembering how the Lord said, fudge not, that 
 ye be not judged j blessed are the poor, and the persecuted for 
 righteousjiess^ sake, for theirs is the ki7igdoni of God. 
 
 iii. I write thus concerning righteousness, not of my own 
 motion but because you have invited me. Neither I nor any 
 like me can approach the wisdom of the blessed and glorious 
 Paul, who when among you, face to face with the men of that 
 day, taught accurately and with certainty the word concerning 
 the truth, who also when absent wrote to you letters^, which if 
 you study diligently you shall be able to be built up in the faith 
 given you; which faith is the mother of us all, followed by 
 hope, and by hope's forerunner, love to God, to Christ, and to 
 our neighbour. For if any one is given to these, he hath ful- 
 filled the precept of righteousness. He who hath love is far 
 from all sin. 
 
 iv. Now the beginning of all evils is the love of money. We 
 brought nothing into the world, atid ca?i carry 7iothing out. 
 Let us put on the armour of righteousness and teach one another 
 to walk in the precept. Teach your wives too to walk in the 
 faith, love, and purity given them, faithful to their husbands in 
 all truth, amiable to all around them in true modesty, training 
 their children in the fear of God. Let your widows be sober in 
 
 ^ See p. 21. 
 
26 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the faith, instant in intercession, holding aloof from evil-speak- 
 ing, from avarice, and from all wrong. They are God's altar, 
 and He inspects the victim to see if it has any blemish. 
 
 V. God is not ?nockedj let us walk worthy of His precept 
 and glory. Let the deacons {diaconi^ ministers) be blameless 
 before Him, as ministers of God and Christ, avoiding likewise 
 evil-speaking, and avarice, and unkindness, before Him who 
 was 7ninister of all. If we please Him in this world we shall 
 receive the world to come; if we walk (lit., live as citizens) 
 worthy of Hiui, we shall reign with Hi7n, if we believe. Let 
 the juniors too walk in holy strictness. Every l2(st warreth 
 against the spirit j fornicators and such like shall ?ioi ifiherit 
 the kingdom. So let them watch and abstain ; let them submit 
 to the elders and deacons. And let the virgins walk in 
 holiness. 
 
 vi. The presbyters should be compassionate, watchful over 
 the erring, the weak, the widows, orphans, and poor, providi7ig 
 always for that which is good before God atid 7nen^ renouncing 
 wrath, partiality, avarice, and rash judgment. If we ask remis- 
 sion, we must remit. We 7nust all stand before the jicdg77ie7it 
 seat of Christy a7id give account each of hi77iself. Let us do Him 
 bond-service, as He bade us, and His Apostles, and the Pro- 
 phets who shewed before of His C077ii7ig. Be zealous for good ; 
 avoid offences, and false brethren, who deceive the careless. 
 
 vii. For whosoever co7ifesseth not that fesus Christ is co77ie 
 in the flesh is a7itichrist. Whosoever confesses not the mystery 
 of the Cross is of the devil. Whosoever perverts the Lord's 
 oracles to his lusts, and says that there is neither resurrection 
 nor judgment, is Satan's firstborn. So let us forsake the 
 current vain doctrines, and turn to the once-delivered Gospel, 
 watching inito prayer^ persevering in fastings, praying the all- 
 seeing God 7iot to lead tis i7ito te77iptation ; as the Lord said. 
 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 
 
 viii. Let us hold fast to our hope and to the earnest of our 
 righteousness, which earnest is Christ Jesus, who bore our sins 
 in His 0W71 body to the tree; who did 7io sin^ 7ieither was guile 
 
INTRODUCTION. 27 
 
 found in His mouth; who bore all that we might live in Him. 
 Let us imitate His patience. If we suffer for Him, let us 
 glorify Him. — He left us this example. 
 
 ix. All of you obey the word of righteousness, and practise 
 true endurance, which you have seen exemplified before you 
 not only in blessed Ignatius, Zosimus, and Rufus, but in others 
 of your own body, and in Paul himself and the other Apostles. 
 You know that they all did 7iot run i7i vain. They have gone, 
 in the path of faith and righteousness, to their promised (lit., 
 owed) place, beside the Lord with whom they suffered. 
 
 X. Stand fast then, according to His example, steadfast and 
 itnnioveable in the faith, kijidly affectioiied o/ie to another with 
 brotherly love; sharing together in truth, in the Lord's gentle- 
 ness {?noderatiofi, Phil. iv. 5) prefe7'ring one another. When 
 able to do good, defer it not,yj?r almsgiving rescueth fro?n death 
 (Tobit iv. II, xii. 9). All being subject to one afiother, have 
 your conversation honest amotig the Gentiles, that by your good 
 works you may obtain praise, and the Lord be not blasphemed. 
 Teach all men true sobriety. 
 
 xi. I ani exceedingly grieved for Valens, once made an elder 
 among you, that he so ignores the position given him. Do you 
 avoid avarice ; be pure, be true. He who cannot steer himself 
 aright in such duties, how can he preach them? If he avoids 
 avarice he will be defiled by idolatry, and judged as one of the 
 Gentiles. Know we ?iot that the sai?its shall judge the world? 
 as Paul teaches. I never heard of such sins in you, among 
 whom the blessed Paul toiled, who were his ''''{living') epistles''^'^ 
 in the first (days of the Gospel). About you he glories i?i the 
 churches which knew the Lord before we knew Him. I am 
 deeply grieved for Valens, and for his wife; God grant them 
 repentance. Count thetn not as enemies^ but restore them as 
 diseased and wandering members, that your whole body may be 
 in safety. 
 
 xii. You know the holy Scriptures perfectly; a knowledge 
 ^ So Li^j^hlfoot explains the difficult sentence. 
 
28 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 not granted to me. Only, (I know that) it is there said, Be a?igry 
 and sin 7iotj let not the sun go down ti^on your wrath. Now 
 the God and Father of our Lord, and He, the eternal High- 
 Priest, (our) God^, Jesus Christ, build you up in all holiness, 
 and give you part and lot among His saints, and to us with you, 
 and to all everywhere who shall believe on our Lord and God 
 Jesus Christ, and on His Father who raised Him from the 
 dead. Pray for all the saints, and for kings a?id riders, afidfor 
 them that persecute you, and for the enemies of the Cross, that 
 yoMY fruit may be 7na?iifest in all things, that ye may be perfect 
 in Him. 
 
 xiii. Both you and Ignatius have asked me that, if a mes- 
 senger is leaving us for Syria, he may carry your letter with 
 ours. This I will do, in person or by delegate. The letter 
 of Ignatius to us, and all others in our hands, we have sent 
 you, as you desired, attached to this letter. They will greatly 
 benefit you spiritually. Report to us anything you hear of 
 Ignatius' companions. 
 
 xiv. My letter-bearer is Crescens, whom again I commend 
 to you, as a blameless Christian. His sister too I commend to 
 you, in prospect. Farewell in the Lord Jesus Christ, in grace, 
 with all who are yours. Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 ARGUMENT OF ST PAUL'S EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 Ch. I. 1 — 2. Paul and Timotheus, servants of Jesus Christ, greet 
 the Christians of Philippi and their Church-officers, invoking blessing 
 on them from the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 3 — 11. Paul assures them that his whole thought of them is full of 
 thanksgiving, his every prayer for them full of joy, in view of their 
 warm, steadfast cooperation from the first in his evangelical labours. 
 
 ^ So Lightfoot; in preference to the reading, '-the Son of God,^^ 
 which he thinks to be later. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 29 
 
 He is quite sure [on this bright evidence] that the work of grace in them 
 will reach its consummation in glory. His affectionate regard for them 
 is but just, so fully have they claimed his heart by their identification of 
 themselves with him in the trials of captivity and the toils of Christian 
 witnessing and teaching. God knows with what yearning tenderness, 
 drawn from the heart of Christ, he misses them and longs for them. 
 [And his affection expresses itself above all things in prayer], the 
 prayer that their love [of which he for one has had such proofs] may 
 increasingly be guided and fortified by a quick spiritual perception, 
 sifting truth from error, holiness from sin, and forming a character 
 which at the Great Day should prove pure in principle, and rich in the 
 fruit [of the Spirit], fruit generated by communion with Christ, and 
 bringing glory to God. 
 
 12 — 20. As regards his own present circumstances, he rejoices to 
 inform them that they are conducing to the advance of the Gospel at 
 Rome. [His imprisonment is in itself a mission]; its connexion [not 
 with political or social offences but] with Christ is now well known 
 throughout the Imperial Guard [which supplied his warders] and among 
 the Romans in general. And the Roman Christians, for the most part, have 
 felt a spiritual impetus [after a time of depression]. His captivity has 
 nerved them to bear a bolder witness among their heathen neighbours. 
 [True, there is a shadow across this light] ; some thus proclaim Christ 
 [with new energy] from motives of opposition to Paul, while others do 
 so in loyal sincerity. On the one side is love, which sees in the 
 imprisoned Apostle a centre of action, set there by Christ, for the 
 propagation of the Gospel; on the other side is the spirit of the 
 partizan and of self, defiling the motive of the work, actually wishing 
 to make his imprisonment doubly trying [by intercepting enquirers 
 and converts]. Does it matter to him? [No — and] yes. [No, so far 
 as his peace in God is concerned], yes, \Jiappily yes, so far as the spread 
 of the primary Gospel truth is concerned]. For thus in every way 
 Christ is being proclaimed. Here is cause of joy for Paul ; and here 
 shall be cause of joy [even in the eternal future]; for the situation shall 
 only animate the Philippians to earnest prayer for him, and this shall 
 bring him a new fulness of the Holy Spirit, and so shall promote his 
 grace and glory. Yes, it shall forward the realization of his longing 
 anticipation, that at this crisis, as at all others, Christ shall be glorified, 
 whether through his body's living energies, or through his submission 
 to his body's death. 
 
30 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 21—26. For indeed life is for him identified with, summed up in, 
 Christ; and death, [as the introduction to Christ's fuller presence] is 
 gain [even over such a life]. If [it is his Lord's will that] he should 
 live on, [the prolonged life] will mean only larger work with richer 
 fruit. And indeed the case is one of blessed dilemma. Personal 
 preference is for dying, dying into the presence of Christ ; a far, far 
 better state [than the best here]; while duty, manifested in the needs 
 of his converts, is for living patiently on. And thus he feels sure that 
 he will live on, for the spiritual benefit of his converts, and particularly 
 in order that his restoration to them in bodily presence may give them 
 fresh occasion for triumph in Christ. 
 
 27 — 30. Meanwhile, let them live a life of holy practical consistency. 
 Above all, let him see, or let him hear, as the case may be, that they 
 are standing firm, and standing together, cordially at one in Christian 
 witness and work, and calm amidst opposing terrors. Such calmness 
 [under such circumstances] will be an omen of their opponents' ruin 
 and their own coming heaven. God has thus adjusted things, God who 
 has granted them not only faith in Christ but also the privilege of 
 suffering for Him; a conflict one with that which they had seen in 
 Paul's case [at Philippi] and now hear of in his case [at Rome]. 
 
 Ch. II. 1 — 4. [Yes, let them above all things hold together, watching 
 against a tendency towards internal dissension ; a tendency which he 
 fears has shewn itself, however faintly, amongst them]. By the 
 common blessings of believers, by the pity of their human hearts, 
 he begs them to crown his joy in them with the joy of an assurance 
 that they are living in holy harmony ; shunning the spirit of self, 
 taking each the lowest room, entering with unselfish love into each 
 other's needs. 
 
 5 — 11. Let them remember, and reflect, the supreme Self-forgetfulness 
 of their Saviour. He, [in His preexistent glory,] being and seeming 
 God, [looked indeed on the things of others]. He dealt with His true 
 and eternally right Equality with His Father [in nature and majesty] 
 not as a thing held, like a prize of strength or guile, anxiously and for 
 Himself, [but as a thing which admitted of an act of most gracious 
 sacrifice for others' good]. In a marvellous "Exinanition" [He laid 
 by the manifested glories of Deity], and willed to be, and to seem, 
 [as Man], the Bondservant [of God], putting on the visible garb of 
 embodied manhood, [while always also more than man]. Aye, and 
 
INTRODUCTION. 31 
 
 having thus presented himself to men as man, He bowed yet lower, 
 [in His supreme outlook "upon the things of others,"] in His supreme 
 obedience to His God; He extended that obedience to the length of 
 dying, dying on a Cross, [that last degradation in the eyes of Gentile and 
 Jew]. [So He "pleased not Himself," and now, what was the result?] 
 The Father raised Him to the eternal throne [in His now double glory, 
 God and Man], giving to Him [as the once-abased One] the rights of 
 supreme Majesty, that all creation in all spheres should worship Him, 
 and the Father through Him, all beings confessing that Jesus Christ is 
 "I AM," to the Father's glory. 
 
 12 — 18. [With such an Example in view] let the beloved Philip- 
 pians, now as always obedient to Paul's appeals, so watch, so live, 
 in tender, solemn earnestness (and more than ever now, in the absence 
 of their Apostle, [whose presence might have seemed to excuse in them a 
 lack of such care] as to realize and carry out the plan of their salvation. 
 [And to promote at once their solemn care and their restful hope let 
 them remember that] it is God who is personally effecting in them 
 [in the regenerate life] both their holy desires and their just works, 
 in order to accomplish His own blessed purposes. Let them renounce 
 all mutual murmurings and dissensions ; seeking to prove their spiritual 
 sonship by a perfectly consistent walk, in the midst of a rebellious 
 world, in whose darkness they are seen as spiritual stars; offering the 
 news of Christ to their neighbours' notice. So Paul would rejoice at 
 the Great Day, looking back on his course of toil, that he had not lived 
 in vain. [Aye, and that he had not died in vain] ; for what if he should 
 after all shed his blood as a libation on the altar at which the Phi- 
 lippians offered themselves a living sacrifice? He would rejoice, and 
 would congratulate his converts. Let them rejoice, and congratulate 
 him. 
 
 19 — 30. [But to turn to another subject ;] he hopes to send Timothy 
 ere long, to report to him (it will be a cheering report) on their state. 
 None of the Christians round him is so entirely in sympathy with 
 him and with Philippi. Others of his friends might otherwise go, but 
 alas their devotedness to the Lord's will proves too partial. As for 
 Timothy, the Philippians know by old experience how he had done 
 bondservice to the Lord, with Paul, [in their very midst,] in a perfectly 
 filial spirit. Immediately on Paul's learning the issue of the trial, 
 Timothy shall thus be sent. And he trusts ere long to follow person- 
 ally to PhiUppi. Epaphroditus meanwhile, Paul's fellow-labourer, and 
 
32 INTRODUCTION 
 
 the bearer of the Philippians' bounty to him, is to be spared and sent 
 immediately, as a matter of duty. That duty is made plain by 
 Epaphroditus' state of feeling — his yearning to revisit Philippi, his sore 
 trouble at the thought of the grief which must have been caused at 
 Philippi by news there of his serious illness. He has indeed been 
 ill, almost fatally. But God has spared him the grief [of premature 
 removal from his work, and of being the cause of mourning at 
 Philippi], and has spared Paul too the grief of bereavement added 
 to his other trials. So he has taken paips to send him [in charge of the 
 present Epistle], to the joy of the Philippians and the alleviation of Paul's 
 own sadness. Let them give their messenger a glad Christian welcome 
 back again. Let them shew their value for him and such as him. 
 For Christ's work's sake he has all but lost his life; he has run great 
 hazards with it, in order to do for them, in their loving assistance to 
 Paul, what in person they could not do. 
 
 Ch. III. 1 — 3. Now to draw to a close. Let them rejoice in the 
 Lord [as their all in all, cherishing a joyful insight into His fulness as 
 their Righteousness and Life]. In effect, he has been saying this all 
 along. But to emphasize it again is welcome to him and wholesome 
 for them. Let them beware of the Pharisee-Christian, [cruelly exclusive, 
 while] really excluding himself from the true Israel ; of the advocate of 
 salvation by works, himself a bungling work-man; of the assertors 
 of a circumcision that is only now a physical maltreatment* We 
 Christians are the true circumcised Israel, worshipping by the rites 
 of the Spirit, making Christ Jesus our boast, renouncing all trust in 
 self. 
 
 4 — 11. If indeed such self-trust ever has just grounds, Paul claims 
 it. He can surpass the claims of any such theorists [on their own 
 principles,] in point of sacrament, pedigree, education, school of 
 ascetic piety, tremendous earnestness, punctilious observance. These 
 things were once his hoarded gains; but he has now decisively judged 
 them to be one great loss, in the light of that Christ [to whose glory 
 they blinded him]. Yes, and he holds that judgment now, con- 
 cerning not these things only, but all things whatever [that can obscure 
 his view of] the surpassing bliss of knowing Him as Saviour and as 
 Lord. For Him he has been deprived of his all, and treats it now 
 as refuse, that he may [in exchange] gain Christ for his, and be found 
 [by the Judge] in living union with Him, presenting to the Eternal 
 Holiness not a satisfying claim of his own, based on fulfilment of the 
 
INTRODUCTION. 33 
 
 Law as covenant of life, but the satisfying claim which consists of 
 Christ for him, appropriated by humble trust; God's way of accept- 
 ance, thus made good for Paul. [And is this to terminate in itself, 
 in acceptance of his guilty person, and no more? No;] its true, 
 its necessary issue is that he gets to know his Redeemer spiritually 
 [in His personal glory and beauty], and to experience the power of His 
 resurrection [as conveying assurance of peace and hope of glory, and 
 also in the inflow of His blessed Risen Life], and the joy of entrance, 
 [in measure,] into His experience as the Sufferer, [bearing the cross daily 
 after Him], growing thus into ever truer conformity to His willingness 
 to die. And all this, with the longing to attain [in the path of 
 holiness], at any cost [of self-surrender], to the resurrection of glory [in 
 Him who died to rise again]. 
 
 12 — 16. [Meantime — there is reason why he should say it — ] he 
 is not yet at the goal, not yet perfected. He is pressing on, aiming 
 to grasp that crown which Christ who grasped him [in conversion] 
 converted him that he might grasp. [Others may say of themselves 
 and their perfection what they will] ; Paul does not think of himself 
 as having grasped that crown. His concentrated purpose is to re- 
 nounce all complacency in attainment, and to seek for ever higher 
 things, and to take for his aim nothing short of that eternal glory which 
 is the Divine Arbiter's award at the close of that life of heavenly 
 conversion which is ours in Christ. Are any of us perfect Christians, 
 then? [Christians mature and ideal?] Let us shew it [among other 
 things] by such humbling views [of our personal imperfection, and 
 of the greatness of our goal]. Should their views in this matter still 
 differ from his own, he leaves them with calmness to the sure processes 
 of God's enlightening grace [in experience]. Only, up to present 
 light and knowledge, let harmony of conviction, and so of behaviour 
 and action, be cherished by Apostle and converts alike. 
 
 17 — 21. [Nay, let him solemnly appeal to them to] become imi- 
 tators, one and all, of his principles and practice, and to take for their 
 visible models those among them who manifestly lived those prin- 
 ciples out. For there were many [so-called Christians abroad whose 
 life was a terrible and ensnaring travesty of the Gospel of free grace, 
 antinomian claimants of a position in Christ lifted above the holy 
 moral law, men] of whom he often warned them at Philippi, and warns 
 them now, even with tears [over their own ruin and over the deadly 
 mischief they do]. These men are the real enemies of the Cross [which 
 
 FlIILIPPIANS 3 
 
34 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 won our pardon, but only that we might be holy]. Their end [in such 
 a path] is eternal perdition. Their God is [not He with whom they 
 claim special intimacy but] their own sensual appetites. They boast 
 [of their insight and experience], but their lofty claims are their deepest 
 disgrace. Their interests and ideas, [pretending to soar above the 
 skies], are really " of the earth, earthy." [Such teachings, and lives, 
 are utterly alien to those of Paul and his true followers]. The seat 
 and centre of their life is in heaven, whose citizens they are [free of 
 its privileges, "obliged by its nobility"]. And from heaven they are 
 looking, [in a life governed by that look], for the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 as Saviour [of body as well as of soul]. He shall transfigure the body 
 which now abases and encumbers us into true and eternal likeness to 
 the Body He now wears upon the throne. [Do they ask, how can 
 this be?] It is a possibility measured by His ability to subdue to 
 His will, and to His purposes, nothing less than all things. 
 
 Ch. IV. 1 — 7. [With such a present, and such a future], let the dear 
 and sorely missed Philippians [cleanse themselves from all pollution, 
 and to that end] let them keep close to Christ, or rather dwell in Christ. 
 [Let them in particular renounce the spirit of self; and here] he entreats 
 two Christian women, Euodia and Syntyche, to renounce their differ- 
 ences. And let his truehearted yoke-fellow [Epaphroditus?] help these 
 two persons to a loving reconciliation, remembering how they toiled and 
 strove for the cause of Christ, by Paul's side, [in the old days] ; and let 
 Clement, and Paul's other fellow-labourers, whose names the Lord has 
 marked for heaven, do the like kind service [for Euodia and Syntyche]. 
 Let all rejoice always in the Lord; yes, let them indeed rejoice in Him ! 
 Let all around them find them self- forgetful, void of self; the Lord's 
 [remembered] presence is the way to this. Let them be anxious in 
 no circumstance ; everything must be taken at once to God in prayer, 
 with thanksgiving. Then the peace of God, [the glad tranquillity caused 
 by His presence and rule in the heart], shall encircle as with walls their 
 inner world and its actings, as they dwell in Christ. 
 
 8 — 9. In conclusion, let their minds, [thus shielded, not lie idle, 
 but] be occupied with all that is true, honourable, right, pure, amiable; 
 with all that man trilly calls virtue, all that has the praise of his 
 conscience. 
 
 And once more^ let them practise the principles they have learned of 
 Paul, and seen exemplified in him. So the God of peace, [peace in 
 the soul and in the community], shall be with them. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 35 
 
 10 — 20. [He must not close without loving thanks for a gift of 
 money, for himself and his work, received lately from them.] It has 
 given him holy joy to find that their thought about him has burst into 
 life and fruit again after an interval. Not that they had ever forgotten 
 him; but for some time (he knows) no means of communication had 
 been found. Not, again, that he has been feeling any painful deficiency; 
 for himself, he has learned the lesson of independence of circumstances. 
 He understands the art of meeting poverty and plenty [in equal peace]. 
 He has been let into the secret how to live so. [And the secret is — 
 Jesus Christ]. In living union with Him and His spiritual power, 
 Paul can meet every incident of the will of God, [to bear it, or to do it]. 
 Not that he does not warmly feel their loving participation [by this 
 gift] in his trials. But [there was no need of this particular gift to 
 assure him of their affection]: they will remember that when he first 
 evangelized Macedonia, and was now leaving it, they were the only 
 Church which aided him with money; more such gifts than one reached 
 him even when he was no further off than Thessalonica. Do not let 
 them think that he is hunting for their money [by such reminiscences] ; 
 no, [so far as he welcomes their money at all] it is because such gifts 
 are deposits bearing rich interest of blessing for the givers. But he has 
 indeed been supplied, and over-supplied, in this contribution now sent 
 by Epaphroditus' hands; this sweet incense from the altar [of self- 
 sacrificing love to Christ in His servant]. For himself, [he can send 
 back no material present, but] his God shall supply their every need, 
 out of the wealth of eternal love and power, lodged for the saints 
 in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be the glory for ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 21 — 23. Let them greet individually from him every Christian of 
 their number. The Christians associated with him greet them. So do 
 all the Roman believers, especially those connected with the Imperial 
 household. 
 
 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with their inmost being. 
 Amen. 
 
 3—2 
 
If we submit ourselves fairly and honestly to the influence which 
 the Gospel would bring to bear upon us, we may trust it to verify itself 
 by producing inwardly "righteousness, and peace, and joy, in the Holy 
 Ghost." There is no manner of question that it was thus with the 
 great Apostle, and if the faith he preached is a living reality, it is not 
 only capable of producing the like results now, but must and will do so, 
 where there is a corresponding hold of it. If in Christ Jesus there is 
 forgiveness of sins, and if by Him "all that belies-e are justified," then, 
 most assuredly, that which was offered by St Paul... to all, without 
 distinction, is the heritage of Gentile as well as Jew, and may be the 
 priceless possession of Englishmen in the nineteenth century after 
 Christ, no less than of Greeks and Asiatics in the first. There wants 
 but the same tenacious grasp of truth, the same uncompromising zeal, 
 the same unflinching boldness, and the ancient message will awaken 
 the old response. The same flower will bud and open, will form and' 
 set, in the mature and golden autumn of Christian experience, into the 
 same rich, fragrant... fruit, which will be "Christ in us, the hope of 
 glory." 
 
 Stanley Leathes, D.D. ; The JVi/ness of Si Paul to Christ, 
 pp. 87-8. 
 
THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 PAUL and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to 1 
 all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, 
 
 Title. 
 
 The oldest known fomi is the briefest, To the Philitpians, or, 
 exactly, To the Philippesians (see on iv. 15). So in the "Subscrip- 
 tion" to the Epistle, which see. The title as in the Authorized Version 
 agrees with that adopited in the Elzevir editions of 1624, 1633. 
 
 Ch. I. 1 — 2. Greeting. 
 
 1. Paul] See Acts xiii. 9. The Apostle probably bore, from in- 
 fancy, both the two names, Sa^d [Saoul, Saulus) and Paul. See on 
 Eph. i. I, and Romans, p. 8, in this Series. 
 
 Timotheus] Named 24 times in N. T. See Acts xvi. i for his 
 parentage and early home, and for indications of his character as man 
 and Christian cp. i Cor. iv. 17, xvi. 10, 11; i Tim. i. 2 ; 2 Tim. i. 
 4, 5; and especially below, ii. 19 — 22. His association with St Paul 
 was intimate and endeared, and his connexion with the Philippian 
 Church was close. See Acts xvi., where it is clearly implied that with 
 Silas he accompanied St Paul on his first visit to Philippi (cp. xvii. 14, 
 and below, ii. 22), though for unknown reasons he did not share the 
 maltreatment of his friends. Later, Acts xx. 4, he appears accom- 
 panying St Paul from Macedonia to Asia Minor, and the mention of 
 Philippi, ver. 6, makes it practically certain that by then Philippi had 
 been visited again. With Macedonia generally, including of course 
 Thessalonica, we find his name often connected; see mentions of him 
 in Acts xvii. and xix. 22; 2 Cor. (written in Macedonia) i. i ; i Thess. 
 iii. 2, 6. — His name is associated as here with St Paul's 2 Cor. i. i ; 
 Col. i. I ; I Thess. i. i ; 2 Thess. i. i. — In this Epistle the association 
 
38 PHILIPPIANS, I. [v. 2. 
 
 2 with the bishops and deacons : grace be unto you, and 
 
 begins and ends with this verse, and the Apostle writes at once in the 
 singular number. It is otherwise in 2 Cor., Col., and Thess. 
 
 the sei-vants] Bondservants, slaves. The word is used by St Paul 
 of himself (with or without his missionary brethren), Rom. i. i; Gal. 
 i. 10; Tit. i. I. Cp. Acts xx. 19, xxvii. 23; Gal. vi. 17. He was a 
 bondservant, in the absolute possession of his redeeming Lord, not 
 only as an apostle but as a Christian ; but he loves to emphasize the 
 fact in connexion with his special mode of service. On the principles 
 and conditions of the believer's sacred and happy bondservice see 
 e.g. Matt. vi. 24; Luke xvii. 7 — 10; Rom. vi. 19, vii. 6; i Cor. vi. 
 20, vii. 22; Eph. vi. 7; 2 Tim. ii. 24. The word with its imagery 
 conveys the truth that the spiritual bondservant is altogether and always 
 not only the helper, or agent, but the property and implement of his 
 Master ; having no rights whatever as against Him. Only, the Master 
 being what He is, this real bondage is transfigured always into the 
 "perfect freedom" of the regenerate and loving heart. 
 
 of "Jesus Christ] Better, on documentary evidence, of Christ Jesus. 
 This order of our blessed Lord's Name and Title is almost peculiar 
 to St Paul, and is the most frequent of the two orders in his writings. 
 It is calculated that he uses it (assuming the latest researches in the 
 Greek text to shew right results) 87 times, and ^'■jfesus Ch?-ist" 78 (see 
 The Expositor, May, 1888). The slight emphasis on ^^ Christ" is 
 suggestive of a special reference of thought to the Lord in glory. 
 
 the saints] Holy ones ; men separated from sin to God. The word 
 takes the man, or the community, on profession; as being what they 
 ought to be. This is not to lower the native meaning of the word, 
 but to use a well-understood hypothesis in the application of it. A 
 saint is not merely a professing follower of Christ, but a professing fol- 
 lower assumed to be what he professes. He who is not this is in name 
 only and not in deed a saint, faithful, a child of God, and the like. 
 See Appendix B. 
 
 in Christ Jesus] Holy ones, because united in Life and Covenant, 
 by grace, to the Holy One of God. See further on Eph. i. i, and below, 
 on ver. 8. 
 
 Philippi] See Introduction, p. 10, &c. 
 
 with the bishops and deacons] In this address the laity come before 
 the clergy. — " With" because these persons, though merely some of 
 "the saints" as men, were differenced from the others by office. Apart 
 from all questions in detail on the Christian Ministry, observe this 
 primeval testimony to so77ie already established and recognized order 
 and regimen in a young Church; to a special "oversight" and "service" 
 committed to not all but some. — The "bishop" {episcopus) of this 
 passage is identical with the "presbyter" of e.g. Acts xx. 17, called 
 episcopus there, ver. 28. For further remarks on the offices here 
 mentioned, see Appendix C. 
 
 2. Grace be unto you, &c.] See, on the whole verse, the notes in 
 this Series on Eph. i. 2, where the wording is identical. — " Grace," as a 
 
vv. 3, 4-] PHILIPPIANS, I. 39 
 
 peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always J 
 in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 
 
 Scriptural term, demands careful study. In its true idea, kindness is 
 always present, with the special thought of entire and tnarked absence 
 of obligation in the exercise of it. It is essentially unmerited and free. 
 See e. g. Rom. xi. 6. In its normal application, the word denotes the 
 action of Divine kindness either in the judicial acceptance of the believer 
 "not according to his works," for Christ's sake (e.g. Rom. iii. 24), 
 or in the gift and continuance of new life and power to the believer 
 (e.g. I Cor. XV. 10). And, as the action is never apart from the Agent, 
 we may say that grace in the first reference is "God for us" (Rom. 
 viii. 31), in the second, "God in us" (below, ii. 13). — In the first 
 reference grace is the antithesis to ??ient, in the second to nature. 
 
 our Fatherl in the new birth and life, which is coextensive with 
 union with Christ the Son. See below, on ii. 15. 
 
 3—11. Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Philippian 
 
 Saints. 
 
 3. I thank"] So Rom. i. 8; i Cor. i. 4; Eph. i. 16; Col. i. 3; 
 
 1 Thess. i. 2, ii. 13; 2 Thess. i. 3, ii. 13; Philem. 4. St Paul's thanks- 
 givings for the two Macedonian Churches, Philippi and Thessalonica, 
 are peculiarly warm and full. See Bp Lightfoot here. Observe the 
 recognition in all these thanksgivings of God as the whole cause of 
 all goodness in the saints. 
 
 wj/ God] So Rom. i. 8; i Cor. i. 4; 2 Cor. xii. 21; below, iv. 19; 
 Philem. 4. Cp. also Acts xxvii. 23; Gal. ii. 20; and below, iii. 8. 
 See too Psal. Ixiii. i, and many other O. T. passages. — Profound per- 
 sonal appropriation and realization speaks in the phrase. And we are 
 reminded that the salvation of the Church takes place through the 
 salvation of individuals, and their personal coming to (Joh. vi. 37) and 
 incorporation into Christ. 
 
 zipon every remembrance] Lit. and better, in my whole remem- 
 brance ; as in a habit rather than as in single acts. For such remem- 
 brance, and its expressions, cp. Rom. i. 9; Eph. i. 16; i Thess. i. 2; 
 
 2 Tim. i. 3; Philem. 4. 
 
 4. every prayer] every request. The Greek word is narrower than 
 that, e.g. Eph. i. 16, which includes the whole action ol worship. See 
 below on iv. 6. 
 
 for you all] See, for the same phrase, or kindred words, vv. 7, 8, 
 25, ii. 17, 26. We seem to see, in this emphasis on the word "a//," 
 a gentle reference to the danger of partizanship and divisions at Philippi. 
 See Introduction, p. 19. 
 
 request] Lit. and better, the request just mentioned. 
 
 with joy] These words strike the key-note of a main strain of the 
 
40 PHILIPPIANS, I. [vv. 5, 6. 
 
 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until 
 
 6 now ; being confident of this very thijig, that he which hath 
 begun a good work in you will perform // until the day of 
 
 Epistle. — They are here the emphatic words of the sentence. He 
 illustrates the assurance of his thankfulness for them by saying that 
 every request for them is lighted up with happiness. For St Paul's 
 joy over his converts' consistency cp. i Cor. ii. 3, vii. 4, 13; below, 
 ii. 2, iv. I ; I Thess. ii. 19, 20, iii. 9; Philem. 7. 
 
 5. For your fellowship in the gospel] Lit. ^^on account of your 
 participation tuito the GospeV ; i.e. because of your eftbrts, in union 
 with mine, for the furtherance of the Gospel. See R. V.; and cp. 
 2 Cor. ii. 12, and ii. 22 below. The immediate reference doubtless is 
 to the pecuniary help sent again and again to the Apostle as a mis- 
 sionary. (See iv. 10 — 19.) But the fact and thought would far transcend 
 this speciality. 
 
 from the first day until notv} See the passage below, just referred 
 to, for comment and explanation, 
 
 6. Being confident] This verse is a parenthesis in the thought, 
 suggested by the cojitinuity ^^ tin til now" of the Philippians' love and 
 labour. The past of grace leads him to speak of its future. The 
 English word '"confident" happily represents the Greek, which like it 
 sometimes denotes reliance, on definite grounds (so Matt, xxvii. 43; 
 Mark X. 24; 2 Cor. i. 9; below, ii. 24, iii. 3, 4; Heb. ii. 13, &c.), 
 sometimes a more or less arbitrary assurance (so Rom. ii. 19). In 
 every case in the N. T. the word indicates a feeling of personal 
 certainty, for whatever cause. 
 
 this veiy thing] A favourite phrase with St Paul; Rom. ix. 17 
 (where he varies the phrase of the LXX.), xiii. 6; 2 Cor. ii. 3, v. 5, 
 vii. 11; Gal. ii. 10; Eph. vi. 18, 22; Col. iv. 8. Elsewhere it occurs 
 only 2 Pet. i. 5, and there the reading is disputed. The words are 
 a characteristic touch of keen and earnest thought. 
 
 he which hath begun] Lit. lie that began; at the crisis of their 
 evangelization and conversion. '^ He" is God the Father (as habitually, 
 where nothing in the context defines Either of the Other Persons), the 
 supreme Author of the work of grace. 
 
 The Greek verb here occurs also Gal. iii. 3, where the crisis of con- 
 version is viewed from the converfs point of view; '"ye began by the 
 Spirit." The reference to the Holy Spirit, however, reminds us there 
 also that a Divine enabling is absolutely needed in order to man's 
 "beginning" the new life. 
 
 a good wo7-k] We may perhaps render the good work. The article 
 is absent in the Greek, but the reference is obviously to the work of 
 works. Cp. below, ii. 13, and note. 
 
 will perform it] Better, as R.V., will perfect it. Cp. again Gal. 
 iii. 3; "ye began by the Spirit; are ye now being perfected by the 
 flesh?" 
 
 For the thought of this sentence cp. Ps. cxxxviii. 8; "the Lord 
 will complete (all) for me; O Lord, Thy mercy is for ever; forsake 
 
v.;.] PHILIPPIANS, I. 41 
 
 Jesus Christ : even as it is meet for me to think this of you 7 
 all, because I have you in 7ny heart ; inasmuch as both in 
 my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the 
 
 not the works of Thy hands." There the individual believing soul 
 expresses the confidence of faith which is here expressed with regard 
 to the community ("j)/£'«") of such souls. 
 
 tmtil the day, &c.] The glorious goal of the redeeming process, 
 because then, and not before, the whole being of the saint, body (Rom. 
 viii. ^s) as well as spirit, shall be actually delivered from all the results 
 of sin. The mention of this Day here is thus equally in point whether 
 or not the Apostle were contemplating a speedy or distant return of 
 the Lord. If He returns before the believer's death. His coming is 
 of course the final crisis; if otherwise, "the redemption of the body,''^ 
 and so far the redemption of the being, is deferred. Cp. Eph. iv. 30; 
 2 Tim. i. 12. 
 
 The "Day" of Christ is mentioned below, i. 10, ii. 16; and alto- 
 gether, in St Paul, about twenty times. For the Lord's own use of 
 the word " Day" for the Crisis of His Return as Judge and Redeemer, 
 cp. Matt. vii. 22, x. 15, xi. 22, 24, xii. 36, xxiv. 36; Luke xvii. 24, 26 
 ("days"), 30, 31, xxi. 34; Joh. vi. 39, 40, 44, 54. 
 
 7. meef\ Lit., and better, just, right. 
 
 fo}' me] The pronoun is emphatic in the Greek ; " for jue, whatever 
 may be right for others." 
 
 /o think this] Better, to be of this mind, to feel the thankfulness 
 and joy described above (ver. 3, 4). The Greek verb (a favourite with 
 St Paul) almost always denotes not an articulate act of thought but a 
 "state of mind." See, for some passages where this remark is im- 
 portant, Rom. viii. 5, 6, 7, 27 ; xii. 3, 16; below, iii. 15, 19; Col. iii. 2. 
 For another shade of meaning see iv. 10, and note. 
 
 of you] R.V., "■on behalf of you^ His joyful thanks were given 
 not only "about" them but "on behalf" of them, as being an element 
 in intercessory worship. But the usage of the Greek preposition allows 
 either rendering. 
 
 because, &c.] Such feelings are specially right for him, because of 
 the intimacy of affectionate intercourse which has brought him into 
 living contact with the glow of their spiritual life. 
 
 / have you in my heart] The Greek admits the rendering (A.V. 
 and R.V,, margins) '■^ you have me in your heart .'^ But the following 
 context favours the text. — For the warm thought, cp. 2 Cor. v. 12, 
 vi. II, vii. 3; I Thess. ii. 17. 
 
 in my bonds] The first allusion in the Epistle to imprisonment. 
 Here again the grammar leaves two explanations open. Grammati- 
 cally, the Apostle may say either that he has them in his heart both in 
 his bonds and in his advocacy of the Gospel; or that in both these ex- 
 periences they are partners of his grace. But the latter is the far more 
 probable. There is something artificial in the statement that he carried 
 them in his heart both in his imprisonment and in his work ; for to him 
 
42 PHILIPPIANS, I. [v. 8. 
 
 8 gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my 
 record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of 
 
 the two experiences would run up into one. But it would be natural 
 for the Philippians (see next note but one) to isolate the two experiences 
 of the Apostle in thought and sympathy. 
 
 the defence and cot^rmationl The two words are linked, in the 
 Greek, into one idea. '■'■Defence'''' : — Greek, apologia. For the word, 
 see Acts xx. i, xxv. i6; below, i6; and esp. i Pet. iii. 15. Unlike our 
 word "apology," in its every-day use, it means the statement of a good 
 case against an accuser. Acts xxviii. 17 — 23 shews us St Paul "apolo- 
 gizing" in his Roman prison. — The early "Apologies" for Christianity, 
 e.g. by Justin and Tertullian (cent. 2), are apologies in this sense. 
 
 ye all are paj'take^'s of my grace] This has been explained to mean 
 that they too knew by experience the power of grace under imprison- 
 ment and in evangelistic work. But we have no reason to think that 
 "all" (if indeed any) of the Philippian converts had been imprisoned 
 at this date. The natural meaning is that their sympathy, and active 
 assistance (iv. 10 — 19), had so united them with both the bearing and 
 doing of the Apostle that in this sense they were bound with him, ahd 
 worked with him, and felt the power of God with him. — The word 
 "grace" here (as in Rom. i. 5; Eph. iii. 2, 8) may refer to the. gracious 
 gift to him of apostolic work and trial, rather than to the internal 
 Divine power for service. In this case, still more plainly, the Philip- 
 pians were partners in "his grace." — A closer rendering of the Greek 
 is, copartners of my grace as you all are. 
 
 8. God is my record] Better, witness; for which word '' record" 
 is a synonym in older English, e.g. in Chaucer. — For this solemn 
 and tender appeal cp. Rom. i. 9; i Thess. ii. =;, 10; and see 2 Cor. 
 i. 18. 
 
 long after] The Greek verb is full of a yearning, homesick tenderness. 
 It occurs in similar connexions, Rom. i. 11 ; i Thess. iii. 6; 2 Tim. i. 
 4; below, ii. 26; and its cognates, Rom. xv. 23; 2 Cor. vii. 7, n (?), 
 ix. 14; below, iv. i. St Paul employs the verb also, with beautiful 
 significance, to denote the believer's yearning for heavenly rest and 
 glory, 2 Cor. v. 2 ; St James, for the Spirit's yearning jealousy for our 
 spirits' loyalty, Jas. iv. 5 ; St Peter, for the regenerate man's longing 
 for the "milk" of Divine truth, i Pet. ii. 2. 
 
 in the bowels of Jesus Christ] MS. evidence favours the order Christ 
 Jesus, see note on ver. r. — "/« the bowels" : — better perhaps in tlie 
 heart. The Greek word in the classics means, strictly, the "nobler 
 vitals," including the heart, as distinguished from the intestines 
 (^schylus, Agam., 1221). On the other hand the Septuagint in their 
 (rare) use of the word do not observe such a distinction, and render by 
 it the Heb. rachdmim, the bowels, regarded as the seat of tender 
 feeling. But in any case, the question is not of anatomy, but of cur- 
 rent usage and reference; and our word ^^ heart" is thus the best 
 rendering. — The phrase here carries with it no assertion of a physico- 
 spiritual theory ; it only uses, as a modem naturalist might equally well 
 
VV.9, lo.] PHILIPPIANS, I. 43 
 
 Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound 9 
 yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment ; that ic 
 
 do, a physical term as a symbol for non-physical emotion. — R.V. para- 
 phrases '■'■tender mercies^ 
 
 The phraseology ('*m the heart of Christ Jesus ") is deeply signifi- 
 cant. The Christian's personality is never lost, but he is so united to 
 his Lord, "one Spirit" (i Cor. vi. 17), that the emotions of the re- 
 generate member are, as it were, in continuity with those of the ever- 
 blessed Head. Tyndale (1534), Cranmer (1539), and Geneva (1557) 
 render "from the very heart root in Jesus Christ." — The ministration 
 of His life to the member is such that there is more than sympathy in 
 the matter; there is communication. 
 
 9. / pray'\ He takes up the words, ver. 4, " in every request for 
 you all." 
 
 that'\ Lit., by classical rules, '■'■in order that.^'' But in later Greek 
 the phrase has lost its more precise necessary reference to purpose, and 
 may convey (as here) the idea o{ purport, significance. So we say, " a 
 message to this effect," meaning, "in these terms." — In Joh. xvii. 3 
 (where lit., "m order to knoxv, &c."), the phrase conveys the kindred 
 idea of equivalence, synonymous description; "life eternal" is, in 
 effect, "to know God." 
 
 yotir love'] Perhaps in its largest reference ; Christian love, however 
 directed, whether to God or man, to brethren or aliens. But the pre- 
 vious context surely favours a certain speciality of reference to St Paul ; 
 as if to say, "your Christian love, of which / have such warm evi- 
 dence." Still, this leaves a larger reference also quite free. 
 
 abound] A favourite word with St Paul. In this Ep. it occurs 
 again, ver. 26, iv. 12, 18. Cp. i Thess. iv. i for a near parallel here. 
 — Nothing short of spiritual growth ever satisfies St Paul. "The fire 
 in the Apostle never says, Efiough" (Bengel). 
 
 in] As a man "abounds in" e.g. "hope" (Rom. xv. 13). He 
 prays that their love may richly possess knowledge and perception as 
 its attendants and aids. 
 
 knowledge] Greek, epigndsis, more than gndsis. The structure of 
 the word suggests developed, full knowledge; the N.T. usage limits the 
 thought to spiritual knowledge. It is a frequent word with St Paul. 
 
 all judgment] "Air': — with reference to the manifold needs and 
 occasions for its exercise ; judgment developed, amplified to the full 
 for full use. — '■'■Judgment'''': — lit. '■'■ sensation, perception."" The word 
 occurs here only in N.T., and cognates to it only Luke ix. 45 ; Heb. v. 
 14. — R.V., " discertwient." But the word "judgment" (in the sense 
 e.g. of criticism of works of art, or of insight into character) is so fair an 
 equivalent to the Greek that the A.V. may well stand. — In application, 
 the "judgment" would often appear as delicate perception, fine tact ; a 
 gift whose highest forms are nowhere so well seen as in some Christians, 
 even poor Christians. 
 
 10. That] Better, as better marking a close sequence on the last 
 clause, so that. 
 
44 PHILIPPIANS, I. [v. lo. 
 
 ye may approve thmgs that are excellent; that ye may 
 be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 
 
 approve] Better, in modern English, test. The spiritual "judgment" 
 was to be thus applied. 
 
 things that are excellent] '•''the things, &c." R.V. An alternative 
 rendering is, that ye may prove (test) the tMngs that differ; so 
 margin R.V. ; "that you may use your spiritual judgment in sepa- 
 rating 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 maybe] 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, disengage- 
 ment 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 "j-m-gle," and so Avith the idea of separation, disen- 
 gagement, straightness of purpose. In Latin, it is the equivalent to our 
 '■'■ unadulteratedy 
 
 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. 2 Cor. 
 vi. 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 '"'■ ex- 
 periencing x\o such obstacle" or '■'presenting none." The word occurs 
 elsewhere only Acts xxiv. 16; i Cor. x. 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." So ii. 16, where see note. On the 
 phrase '''the day of Christ" see note on i. 6, above. 
 
vv. II, 12. PHILIPPIANS, I. 45 
 
 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by n 
 Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God. 
 
 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the 12 
 thhigs which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto 
 
 11. Being filled\ Lit. and better, haying been filled. He antici- 
 pates the great Day, and sees the Phihppians as then, completed and 
 developed as to the results of grace. His prayer for them is that they 
 may be then found "filled" with such results; bearers of no seamy 
 or partial "fruit"; trees whose every branch has put forth the produce 
 described Gal. v. 22, 23. 
 
 friiits\ Rather, on documentary evidence, fruit; as in Gal. v. 22. 
 The results of grace are manifold, and yet a total, a unity; effects and 
 manifestations of one secret, ingredients in one character, which, if 
 it lacks one of them, is not fully "itself" 
 
 of righteousness^ The phrase *■'■ fruit of righteousness" occurs in the 
 LXX., Prov. xi. 30, xiii. 2 ; Amos vi. 12 ; and in St James, iii. 18. By 
 analogy with such phrases as e.g. "fruit of the Spirit," it means not 
 "fruit which is righteousness," but "fruit which springs from right- 
 eousness." — "Righteousness" is properly a condition satisfactory to 
 Divine law. Thus it often means the practical rectitude of the regene- 
 rate will; and so probably here. But often in St Paul we can trace an 
 underlying reference to that great truth which he was specially com- 
 missioned to explain, the Divine way of Justification; the acceptance 
 of the guilty, for Christ's sake, as in Him satisfactory to the Law, 
 broken by them, but kept and vindicated by Him. See further 
 below, on iii. 9. Such an inner reference may be present here; 
 the "fruit" may be the fruit not merely of a rectified will, but of a 
 person accepted in Christ. 
 
 which are] Read, which is. 
 
 dy yesus Christ} Through Him, as both the procuring cause, by 
 His merits, of the new life of the saints, and the true basis and secret 
 of it, in their union with His life. Cp. Rom. v. 17. 
 
 unto the glory and praise of God] The true goal and issue of the 
 whole work of grace, which never terminates in the individual, or in 
 the Church, but in the manifestation of Divine power, love, and holiness 
 in the saving process and its result. "To Him are all things; to whom 
 be glory for ever. Amen" (Rom. xi. 36). — "6^^t/" here is distinctively 
 the Eternal Father, glorified in the members of His Son. 
 
 12 — 20. Account of St Paul's present Circumstances 
 AND Experience. 
 
 12. But] Better, now, as R. V. 
 
 /would, &ic.] More lit. and simply, I wish you to know; I desire 
 to inform you. 
 
 the things which happened unto me] More lit. and simply, my 
 
46 PHILIPPIANS, I. [vv. 13, 14. 
 
 13 the furtherance of the gospel ; so that my bonds in Christ 
 
 14 are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places ; and 
 
 circumstances, with no special reference to the past. Wyclif renders, 
 with the Vulgate Latin, "the thingis that ben aboute me"; so the 
 (Romanist) Rhemish version 1582; "the things about me"; Tyndale, 
 "my business." He means his imprisonment, which had proved and 
 was proving a direct and indirect occasion for Gospel-work. 
 
 rather] than otherwise, as had seemed so likely h priori. 
 
 furtherance\ Better, as R. V., progress. The Greek gives the idea 
 of an advance made by the Gospel. 
 
 13. So that, &c.] Render, So that my bonds are become mani- 
 fest (as being) in Christ. In other words, his imprisonment has come 
 to be seen in its true significance, as no mere political or ecclesiastical 
 matter, but due to his union of life and action with a promised and 
 manifested Messiah. 
 
 in all the palace] Greek, "m the whole Pratorium {p7-ait6rioii) .^^ The 
 word occurs elsewhere in N. T., Matt, xxvii. 27; Mark xv. 16; Joh. 
 xviii. 28, 33, xix. 9; Acts xxiii. 35; in the sense of the residence, or 
 a part of it, of an official grandee, regarded as a pmtor, a military 
 commander. (Not that the word, in Latin usage, always keeps a military^ 
 reference ; it is sometimes the near equivalent of the word villa, the 
 country residence of a Roman gentleman.) The A. V. rendering here 
 is obviously an inference from these cases, and it assumes that St 
 Paul was imprisoned within the precincts of the residence of the 
 supreme Praetor, the Emperor ; within the Palatium, the man- 
 sion of the Caesars on the Mons Palatinus, the Hill of the goddess 
 Pales. In Nero's time this mansion (whose name is the original of 
 all "palaces") had come to occupy the whole hill, and was called the 
 Golden House. — The rendering of the A. V. is accepted by high 
 authorities, as Dean Merivale {Hist. Rom. VI. ch. liv.), and Mr 
 Lewin {Life and Epistles of St Paul, ii. p. 282). On the other hand 
 Bp Lightfoot (on this verse, Philippians, p. 99) prefers to render "in 
 all the Praetorian Guard," the Roman life-guard of the Caesar; and 
 gives full evidence for this use of the word PrcEtorium. And there 
 is no evidence for the application of the word by Romans to the 
 imperial Palace. To this last reason, however, it is fair to reply, 
 with Mr Lewin, that St Paul, as a Provincial, might very possibly 
 apply to the Palace a word meaning a residency in the provinces, 
 especially after his long imprisonment in the royal Pi-cstoriuvi at 
 Caesarea (Acts xxiii. 35, xxiv. 27). But again it is extremely likely, 
 as Bp Lightfoot remarks, that the word Prcetorium, in the sense of 
 the Guard, would be often on the lips of the "soldiers that kept" 
 St Paul (Acts xxviii. 16); and thus this would be now the more 
 familiar reference. On the whole, we incline to the rendering of 
 Lightfoot, (and of the R. V.) throughout the (whole) Praetorian 
 Guard. Warder after warder came on duty to the Apostle's chamber 
 (whose locality, on this theory, is nowhere certainly defined in N. T.), 
 and carried from it, when relieved, information and often, doubtless, 
 
V. 14.] PHILIPPIANS, I. 47 
 
 many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my 
 
 deep impressions, which gave his comrades knowledge of the Prisoner's 
 message and of the claims of the Saviour. 
 
 Otlier explanations of the word Prcetorium are {a) the Barrack 
 within the Palatium where a detachment of Praetorians was stationed, 
 and within which St Paul may have been lodged ; {b) the great Camp 
 of the Guard, just outside the eastern walls of Rome. But the barrack 
 was a space too limited to account for the strong phrase, **in all the 
 Prsetorium"; and there is no evidence that the great Camp was ever 
 called Prretorium. 
 
 Wyclif renders, curiously, "in eche moot (council) halle"; Tyndale, 
 Cranmer, and Geneva, "throughout all the judgment hall." 
 
 in all other places] Better, to all other (men) ; to the Roman 
 "public," as distinguished from this special class. The phrase points 
 to a large development of St Paul's personal influence. 
 
 14. many\ Better, most. It is noticeable that the Apostle should 
 imply that there were exceptions. Possibly, he refers here to what 
 comes out more clearly below, the diiference between friendly and 
 unfriendly sections among the Roman Christians. We can scarcely 
 doubt (in view of Rom. xvi, and Acts xxviii.) that the friendly were 
 the majority. If so, St Paul may here practically say that a majority 
 of the brethren were energized into fresh efforts, by his imprisonment, 
 while a minority, also stirred into new activity, were acting on less 
 worthy motives. In view of the context, this seems more likely than 
 that he should merely imply by this phrase that the revival of activity 
 was not universal. 
 
 In any case, this verse implies that a spirit of languor and timidity 
 had recently infected the believing community at Rome. 
 
 the brethren in the Lord] So also R.V. Bps Ellicott and Lightfoot 
 connect the words here otherwise; ^' the brethren, having in the Lord 
 confidence, &c." Grammatically, either is possible. But to us the 
 "rhythm of the sentence," a sort of evidence not easy to define and 
 explain, but a real item for decision, seems to plead for the connexion 
 in the text. It is true that the precise phrase "brethren in the Lord" 
 is not found elsewhere. But a near parallel is Rom. xvi. 13, " Rufus, 
 the chosen one in the Lord"; for there too the words "in the Lord" 
 are in a certain sense superfluous. See too Rom. xvi. 8, 10. 
 
 waxing confident] More strictly and simply (for the Greek participle 
 is practically, though not in form, a present), being confident, con- 
 fiding. — The idea is that of a sense of rest and reassurance after mis- 
 givings. 
 
 by my bonds] More closely, perhaps, in my bonds. The "confi- 
 dence" was, in a sense, reposed "in," or on, Paul's chains, his cap- 
 tivity, just so far as that captivity vividly reminded the Roman believers 
 of the sacredness and goodness of the cause, and of the Person, for 
 whose sake the Apostle unflinchingly incurred it and willingly bore it. 
 The heart is the best interpreter of such words. 
 
48 PHILIPPIANS, I. [v. 15. 
 
 bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 
 15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife ; and 
 
 For the construction in the Greek, cp. Philem. 21, the only exact 
 N.T. parallel. It is found, but rarely, in the LXX. 
 
 are much more bold'\ Lit., and better, more abundantly venture. 
 They "venture" more often, more habitually, than of late. — On the 
 bearing of such statements on the date of the Epistle see Introduction, 
 p. i6. 
 
 to speak the word'\ "The word of the cross" (i Cor. i. 18); "of 
 truth" (Eph. i. 13); "of life" (below, ii. 16); "of Christ" (Col. iii. 
 16); "of the Lord" (i Thess. i. 8, iv. 15); &c. It is the revealed and 
 delivered account of what Christ is, has wrought, &c. — It is observable 
 that St Paul regards such "speaking" as the work, not only of the 
 class of ordained Christians, but of Christians in general. See further 
 on ii. 16. 
 
 15. Some indeed] Here he refers to members of that Judaistic 
 party, or school, within the Church, which followed him with persistent 
 opposition, especially since the crisis (Acts xv.) when a decisive victory 
 over their main principle was obtained by St Paul in the Church-council 
 at Jerusalem. Their distinctive idea was that while the Gospel was 
 the goal of the Mosaic institutions, those institutions were to be per- 
 manently, and for each individual convert, the fence or hedge of the 
 Gospel. Only through personal entrance into the covenant of circum- 
 cision could the man attain the blessings of the covenant of baptism. 
 Such a tenet would not necessarily preclude, in its teacher, a true belief 
 in and proclamation of the Person and the central Work of the true 
 Christ, however much it might (as it did, in the course of history) tend 
 to a lowered and distorted view even of His Person (see further, Ap- 
 pendix D.). St Paul was thus able to rejoice in the work of these 
 preachers, so far as it was a true conveyance to Pagan hearers at Rome 
 of the primary Fact of the Gospel — Jesus Christ. The same Apostle 
 who warns the Galatian and Philippian (iii. 2) Christians against the 
 distinctive teaching of this school, as a teaching pregnant with spiritual 
 disaster, can here without inconsistency rejoice in the thought of their 
 undistinctive teaching among noti- Christians at Rome. 
 
 For allusions to the same class of opponents see Acts xv. i — 31, xx. 
 30 (perhaps), xxi. 20 — 25 ; and particularly the Ep. to the Galatians 
 at large. The passages in which St Paul asserts his authority with 
 special emphasis, as against an implied opposition, or again asserts his 
 truthfulness as against implied personal charges, very probably point in 
 the saine direction. 
 
 Not that the Judaizer of the Pharisaic type was his only adversary 
 within the Church. He had also, very probably, to face an opposition 
 of a "libertine" type, a distortion of his own doctrine of free grace 
 (Rom. vi. I, &c., and below, iii. 18, 19); and again an opposition of 
 the mystic, or gnostic, type, in which Jewish elements of observance 
 were blent with an alien theosophy and angelology (see the Ep. to the 
 
vv. i6, 17.] PHILIPPIANS, I. 49 
 
 some also of good will : the one preach Christ of contention, 16 
 not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds : but 17 
 
 Colossians). But ch. iii. i — 9 fixes the reference here to Christians of 
 the type of Acts xv. i. 
 
 even of envy'\ A mournful paradox, but abundantly verifiable. — 
 Render (or paraphrase) here, some actually for envy and strife, while 
 others as truly for goodwill. 
 
 good will\ The Greek word, ciidokia, in N.T. usually means "good 
 pleasure," in the sense of choice of what is "good" in the chooser's 
 eyes. See Matt. xi. 26; Luke x. 21; Eph. i. 5, 9; below, ii. 13. But 
 in the few remaining passages the idea of benevolence appears; Luke 
 ii. 14; Rom. x. i ; and perhaps 1 Thess. i. 11. Both meanings appear 
 in the use of the word in the LXX, and in Ecclesiasticus. There it 
 often denotes the favour of God ; Heb. rdtson. The idea here is 
 str?ctly cognate ; what in a lord is the goodwill of favour is in a servant 
 the goodwill of loyalty. 
 
 16. The one preach Christy &c.] There is good critical evidence for 
 reading vv. 16, 17 in the opposite order to that of the A.V. Render, 
 with R.V., The one do it of love, knowing- that I am set for the 
 defence of the Gospel ; hut the other proclaim Christ of faction, &c. 
 It is possible to render, with Bp EUicott, " Those who are {men) of lave, 
 do it, 8ic....but those who are {men) of faction, &c." But this puts a cer- 
 tain strain on the Greek, and is not required by the context. 
 
 preach'] Better, with R.V., proclaim ; not the same verb as that 
 rendered "preach" just above. It is a word of slightly greater 
 force. 
 
 contention] Better, faction, or rather factiousness, partizanshlp. 
 The Greek word means first, "work for hire"; passes tlience by usage 
 into special political references, denoting hired canvassing, or other 
 interested party-work; and lastly emerges into the present meaning. 
 It is used similarly Rom. ii. 8; 1 Cor. xii. 20; Gal. v. 20; below, ii. 3 
 (where see note); Jas. iii, 14, 16. 
 
 sittcerely] Lit. purely. 
 
 to add afliciion to my bonds] So the Received Text. But a better 
 reading gives to raise up. The R.V. gives a good paraphrase ; thinking 
 to raise up aflaiction for me in my honds. So Alford. — Lightfoot sug- 
 gests the paraphrase, "thinking to make tny chains gall me, ^^ the word 
 rendered " affliction " meaning literally " rubbing" or '•^pressure." (The 
 Vulgate here has pressura, a word which easily bears, however, a 
 non-physical meaning.) But the suggestion seems to us not altogether 
 probable. 
 
 How did the persons in question expect to "raise up trouble" for 
 the imprisoned Apostle? By preventing the access of enquirers or 
 converts to him, unable as he was to go after them. Loyal fellow- 
 workers would have made it a point to bring their hearers under the 
 personal influence of the great Messenger of Christ, and also into a con- 
 nexion of order with him. Every instance in which the opposite was 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 4 
 
50 PHILIPPIANS, I. [vv. i8, 19. 
 
 the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of 
 
 18 the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether 
 in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein 
 
 19 do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall 
 
 done was fitted to try severely the spirit of St Paul ; to afflict him in 
 and through his position of restraint. 
 
 17.. / am set\ Lit., ''I lie'' But the A.V. and R.V. are right. See 
 the same verb clearly in the same sense, Luke ii. 34; i Thess. iii. 3. 
 The thought is as of a soldier posted, a line of defence laid down. 
 Still, there may be also an allusion in the word, used in this context, 
 to the fact of his MiQXdX fixture in one spot. 
 
 defeiice\ Lit., ^''apology,'' apologia; vindication. See on ver. 7 
 above. — Perhaps the point of the word here is that the loyal Chris- 
 tians recognized in their freedom a call to move about as active 
 evangelists; in St Paul's captivity, a call to him rather to clear up 
 the difficulties and develope the intelligent faith of enquirers brought 
 in by them. The "men of faction" might affect to see in St Paul's 
 chain a sign of Divine prohibition and displeasure; the "men of love" 
 would recognize in it a sign of designation to a special and noble work. 
 
 18. What then?] "What matters it? Qic'importe?" The right 
 order of the two previous verses gives full force to such a question. 
 
 not%vithstandi7ig\ Better, only. With beautiful significance he modi- 
 fies the thought that it 7?iatters 7tot. There is one respect in which it 
 matters; it promotes the diffusion of the Gospel. 
 
 R.V. reads, only that; an elliptical phrase, for "only I must confess 
 that," or the like. The documentary evidence for the word "Ma;^" 
 is strong, but not decisive. 
 
 pretetice'] The Judaists would "pretend," perhaps even to them- 
 selves, that their energy came of pure zeal for God. 
 
 preachedl Better, proclaimed. See second note on ver. 16. — In 
 modern English the Greek (present) tense is best represented by is 
 being proclaimed. 
 
 / therein] Better, therein I, &c. There is no emphasis on "/" in 
 the Greek. 
 
 irnll rejoice] Better, perhaps, with Alford, Ellicott, and Lightfoot 
 (but not so R. v.), shall rejoice; an expectation, rather than a resolve. 
 He is assured that the future will only bring fresh reasons for re- 
 joicing. 
 
 No long comment is needed on the noble spiritual lesson of this 
 verse. The interests of his Lord are his own, and in that fact, realized 
 by the grace of God, he finds, amidst circumstances extremely vexatious 
 in themselves, more than equanimity — positive happiness. Self has 
 yielded the inner throne to Christ, and the result is a Divine harmony 
 between circumstances and self, as both are seen equally subject to Him 
 and contributing to His ends. 
 
 19. For I know] A development of the thought implied in "I 
 shall rejoice," just above. Subordinate to the supreme fact that 
 "Christ is being proclaimed," comes in here the delightful certainty 
 
V. 20.] PHILIPPIANS, I. 51 
 
 turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of 
 the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expecta- 
 
 that the attendant discipline will further his own spiritual and eternal 
 good, always in connexion with service rendered to his Lord. 
 
 that this shall turn to my salvation'\ Rather more closely, in view 
 of the Greek idiom, that I shall find this thing result in salvation. 
 
 '■'Salvation''' : — here, probably, final glory. The word sdteria in- 
 cludes, in its widest reference, the whole process of saving mercy, from 
 the gift of the Saviour to the ultimate bliss of the saved. More defi- 
 nitely, in the life of the Christian, it points sometimes to his first know- 
 ledge of and faith in the Saviour (2 Cor. vi. a), sometimes to the life- 
 long process of his Divine preservation in Christ (2 Tim. ii. 10; i Pet. 
 i. 9), more frequently to the heavenly issue of the whole in glory (Rom. 
 xiii. 11; I Thess. v. 8; Heb. ix. 28; i Pet. i. 5). The same maybe 
 said of the cognate verb, only that it more often than the noun refers 
 to the lifelong process. 
 
 In a few passages (e.g. Acts xxvii. 34) the noun refers to bodily 
 preservation. But this meaning is precluded here by the reference 
 just below to the "supply oi the Spirit.'^ 
 
 through your prayer'\ He is sure of the coming blessing, and equally 
 sure of the efficacy of the means to it — intercessory prayer. For St 
 Paul's high estimate of the worth of intercession for himself and his 
 work cp. e.g. Rom. xv. 30; 1 Cor. i. 1 1 ; Col. iv. 3 ; 2 Thess. iii. i. 
 
 the st{pply\ The Greek word slightly indicates a supply which is 
 large and free. — For the thought cp. Joh. x. 10. 
 
 of the Spirit of Jesics Chrisi\ Here first, what is ^'■-the Spirit of 
 Jesus Christ'^'i Certainly not merely "His principles and temper." 
 So vague a meaning of the word "Spirit" is foreign to the N. T. 
 The analog}' of e.g. Rom. viii. 9; Gal. iv. 6 ; i Pet. i. ir; taken along 
 with our Lord's own teaching about the personal Paraclete who was 
 to be His Divine Representative and Equivalent in the true Church 
 (Joh. xiv. — xvi.), assures us that this is the Holy Spirit, the Third 
 Person of the blessed Trinity. He is "the Spirit of Jesus Christ" 
 because in the eternal relations within Deity He "proceeds" from 
 the Eternal Son, and is sent by Him (Joh. xv. 26) as well as by the 
 Fatlier (xiv. 16, 26), and is so one with Christ that where the Spirit 
 comes Christ comes (xiv. 18). His whole work for and in the Church 
 and the soul is essentially and entirely connected with the glorified 
 Lord. He regenerates by effecting our vital union with Christ; He 
 sanctifies and strengthens by maintaining and developing it. We 
 possess the Spirit because of Christ ; we possess Christ, in the sense of 
 union, by the Spirit. 
 
 Secondly, what is ''■the supply of the Spirit"? Grammatically, the 
 phrase may mean either, "the supply which is the Spirit," or, "the 
 supply which the Spirit gives." Happily the two practically con- 
 verge. But we prefer the former, in view of Gal. iii. 5, where the verb 
 ''ministereth,'' R. V. ''supplieth" is cognate to the noun ''supply'^ 
 here. The Apostle thus anticipates, in answer to the Philippians' 
 
 4—2 
 
52 PHILIPPIANS, I. [vv. 21, 22. 
 
 tion 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 // be by life, or by death. 
 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if / 
 
 prayers, a new outpouring within him of the power of the blessed 
 Paraclete, developing there the presence of Jesus Christ. Cp. his own 
 prayer for other converts, Eph. iii. 14 — 19. 
 
 20. According to] He desci-ibes this "supply of the Spirit" by 
 its longed for and expected results, which would thus prove the test 
 "according to" which it would be known as present. 
 
 earnest expectatioii\ Lit., '■'■ ivaiting ivith outstretched head^^ ', one 
 forcible word in the Greek. It occurs here and Rom. viii. 19. 
 
 ashamed] I.e. practically, disappointed; as often in .Scripture lan- 
 guage. See Psal. xxv. 3; Zech. ix. 5; Rom. v. 5, ix. 33; 2 Tim. 
 i. 11. 
 
 boldness] More precisely, boldness of speecli. See Eph. iii. 12, 
 vi. 19, and notes in this Series. He looks to "the supply of the 
 Spirit" to maintain in him an unwavering testiinony to the Lord and 
 His truth. Cp. Joel ii. 28 with Acts ii. 17, 18; i Cor. xii. 3. — Such 
 testimony might or might not be literally verbal; but it would be 
 utterance^ whether in speech or act. 
 
 in my body] The body is the spirit's vehicle and implement in 
 action upon others. See Rom. xii. i, and note in this Series; and 
 cp. 2 Cor. iv. 10. The impression made on others, the "magnifi- 
 cation" of Christ in the view of others, " whether by means of life or 
 by means of death," would have to be effected through bodily doing 
 or suffering. 
 
 by life, or by death] We gather hence, and from ii. 23, that the 
 Epistle was written at a time of special suspense and uncertainty, 
 humanly speaking, regarding the issue of the Apostle's trial. See 
 further just below. 
 
 21 — 26. The same subject: the Alternative of Life or 
 Death: Expectation of Life. 
 
 21. For, &c.] He takes up and expands the thought of the alterna- 
 tive just uttered, and the holy "indifference" with which he was able 
 to meet it. 
 
 to me] Strongly emphatic in the Greek. It is not self-assertion, 
 however, but assertion of personal experience of the truth and power 
 of God. 
 
 to live is Christ] Luther renders this clause Christiis ist mein 
 Leben ; and so Tyndale, " Christ is to me lyfe"; so also Cranmer, and 
 the Genevan version. The Vulgate has vivere Christus ; and this, 
 the rendering of A.V. and R.V., is undoubtedly right. For the 
 Apostle, undoubtedly, Christ was life, in the sense of source and 
 secret; see Gal. ii. 20; Col. iii. 4. But what he is thinking of here is 
 
V. 23-] PHILIPPIANS, I. 53 
 
 live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour : yet what 
 I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, 23 
 
 not the source of life, but the experiences and interests of living. 
 Living is for him so full of Christ, so preoccupied with Him and for 
 Him, that "Christ" sums it up. Hence the "eager expectation " just 
 expressed; eager, because it has to do with the supreme interest of life. 
 
 What the Apostle experienced in his own case is intended to be the 
 experience of every believer, as to its essence. See Col. iii. 17; and 
 cp. Eph. iii. 14 — 21. 
 
 to die is gaiii] This wonderful saying, uttered without an effort, yet 
 a triumph over man's awful and seemingly always triumphant enemy, 
 is explained just below. 
 
 22. But if I live in the flesh, &c.] The Greek construction here is 
 difficult by its brevity and abruptness. R.V. renders ^^But if to live 
 in this flesh — if this is the fruit of my work, then &c. "; and, in the 
 margin, '■'■But if to live in the flesh be my lot, this is the fruit of my 
 work; atid Sic." ; a rendering practically the same as A.V. This latter 
 we much prefer, for grammatical reasons. It requires the mental inser- 
 tion of ^^ be my lot^' or the like; but this is quite easy, in a sentence 
 where the words "/<? live'''' are obviously echoed from the words 
 " to live is Christ''' just above. As if to say, " But if this ' living' is still 
 to be a ' living in theflesh,^ this is fruit &C." 
 
 - this is the fruit of my labour'] Rather better, in view of the Greek 
 idiom, this I shall find fruit of work. This " living in the flesh," as it 
 will be " Christ," so will be " fruit," result, of lifelong work. He means 
 that work for Christ, the being employed by Christ, is for him the pulse 
 of life on earth; is life for him, in a certain sense. And this he ex- 
 presses with additional force by saying not merely "work" but "fruit 
 of work." For the work is of course fruitful: he who abides in 
 Christ "beareth much/;7///," fruit that shall "remain" (Joh. xv. 5, 
 16), whether or no he sees it. It is only the "works of darkness " that 
 can be "unfruitful" (Eph. v. 11). 
 
 yet] Lit. and better, and. The simple word suits the great rapidity 
 of transition. 
 
 wot'] An old English present indicative, of which the infinitive is to 
 wit. It was probably a past tense originally. See Skeat's Etymological 
 Dictio7iary. — Wyclif has "knowe". — The Greek here is, precisely, "I 
 recognize not"; " I do not see clearly" (EUicott). 
 
 23. For] Read But, with conclusive evidence. The word here 
 marks addition rather than distinction. An English writer would have 
 dispensed with a transitional particle, probably. 
 
 in a strait betwixt two] More precisely, with R.V., the two; the 
 two alternatives just spoken of, life and death. — The imagery is of a 
 man hemmed in riglit and left, so as to be stationary. Quite literally 
 the words are, "I am confined /r^w the two (sides)"; the position is 
 one of dilemma, viewed from whichever side. 
 
 Wonderful is the phenomenon of this dilemma, peculiar to the 
 living Christian as such. "The Apostle asks which is most worth 
 
54 PHILIPPIANS, I. [v. 23. 
 
 having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ ; which is 
 
 his while, to live or to die. The same question is often presented 
 to ourselves, and perhaps our reply has been that of the Apostle. 
 
 But may we not have made it with a far different purport? Life 
 
 and death have seemed to us like two evils, and we knew not which 
 was the less. To the Apostle they seem like two immense blessings, 
 and he knows not which is the better." (Ad. Monod, Adieux^ No. ii.) 
 
 To the question, "Is life worth living?" this is the Christian answer. 
 
 having a desire] lit., the desire. That is, the whole element 
 of personal preference lies that way, not merely one desire among 
 many. — We may paraphrase, '' jny longing being towards depar- 
 ture &c." 
 
 to depart] The verb {analuein) occurs only here and Luke xii. 36, 
 where A. V. and R.V. render " when he shall return from the wedding," 
 but where we may equally well render, "when he shall depart, set out 
 homewards, from the wedding." The cognate noun analusis, whence 
 our word analysis is transliterated, occurs 2 Tim. iv. 6, in a connexion 
 exactly akin to this ; " the time of my departure is at hand." The root 
 meaning of the verb has to do with loosing, undoing ; and by usage it 
 can refer to either {a) the dissolution of a compound (so the Vulgate here, 
 aipio dissolvi), or {b) the unmooring of a ship, or striking of a tent 
 or camp. It does not occur in the LXX., but is not infrequent in the 
 Apocrypha, and there usually means to go away, or, as another side 
 of the same act, to return (cp. Tobit ii. 8; Judith xiii. i). Such a 
 meaning is doubtless to be traced to the imagery of {b) above, but 
 appears to have dropped all conscious reference to it. This apocryphal 
 usage, and the comments here of the Greek expositors (St Chrysostom 
 paraphrases our text by '^migration from hence to heaven"), are de- 
 cisively in favour of our Versions as against the Vulgate. St Paul 
 desires to leave for home ; to break up his camp, to weigh his anchor, 
 for that better country. See the same thought under other phraseology 
 1 Cor. V. I — 8; where we see a "tent taken down," and a wanderer 
 "going to be at home with the Lord." 
 
 Suicer [Thesaurus, under aVaXuw), says that Melanchthon on his 
 death-bed called the attention of his learned friend Camerarius to this 
 word, dwelling with delight on the passage, correcting the "dissolu- 
 tion" of the Vulgate, and rendering rather, " to prepare for departure," 
 "to migrate," or "to return hoine." — Luther renders here abzu- 
 scheiden, "to depart." 
 
 and to be with Christ] The other side of the fact of departure, and 
 that which makes its blessedness. From this passage and 2 Cor. v. 
 quoted above we gather that as it were not a space, but a mathematical 
 line, divides the state of faith this side death from the state of sight that 
 side; see esp. 2 Cor. v. 7, in its immediate context. — "Those who 
 blame as... presumptuous the fervours and speciality of devout affection, 
 such as eminent Christians have expressed in their dying moments, 
 know probably nothing of Christianity beyond the bare story they read 
 
vv. 24, 25.] PHILIPPIANS, I. 55 
 
 far better : nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more need- n 
 ful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I 25 
 
 in the Gospels, and nothing of human nature... as affected by religion, 
 beyond what belongs to the servile sentiments of a Pelagian faith, belter 
 called distrust... Christianity meets us where most of all we need its 
 aid, and it meets us with the veiy aid we need. It does not tell us of 
 the splendours of the invisible world ; but it does far better when, in 
 three words, it informs us that {avoKdaai) to loosen from the shore of 
 mortality is [(xi>v Xpiari^ elvat) to be with Christ." (Isaac Taylor, Satur- 
 day Evenings ch. xxvi.) 
 
 It is divinely true that the Christian, here below, is "with Christ," 
 and Christ with him. But such is the developed manifestation of that 
 Presence after death, and such its conditions, that it is there as if it had 
 not been before. — Cp. Acts vii. 59; words which St Paul had heard. 
 
 which is far better^ Probably read, for it is &c. And the Greek, 
 quite precisely, is ^^ rnuch rather better"; a bold accumulation, to 
 convey intense meaning. R.V., for it is very far better. 
 
 Observe that it is thus "better" in comparison not with the shadows 
 of this life, but with its most happy light. The man who views the 
 prospect thus has just said that to him "to live is Christ." Death 
 is "gain" for him, therefore, not as mere escape or release, but as 
 a glorious augmentation; it is "Christ" still, only very far more of 
 Christ. 
 
 24. to abide in the flesK\ Quite lit., as Bp Lightfoot, to abide by 
 the flesli, to hold fast to its conditions of trial, for the sake of the Lord 
 and His flock. 
 
 more needfid^ More necessary. Desire, and the sense of better- 
 ness, lie on the side of death ; obligation, in view of the claims of 
 others, lies on the side of life. 
 
 for you] Lit. and better, on account of you. 
 
 25. having this confdence'] The Greek is the same as in ver. 6 
 above, where see note. 
 
 / knozu] An unqualified assertion, made more explicit still by the 
 next verse. We have the strongest ground, from the merely historical 
 point of view, for saying that this expectation was verified by the event; 
 that the Apostle was released, and enabled to revisit his missions. 
 See I Tim. i. 3 for an intimation of a visit to Macedonia^ later in date 
 than the writing of this passage. 
 
 It has been asked how this '■^ I know'''' is to be reconciled with the 
 "I know that ye all shall see niy face no f?iore,'' of Acts xx. 25. Were 
 both verified by the event? We believe that they were, and that only 
 our necessary ignorance of the history in detail makes the difficulty. 
 We believe that the guidance of the Divine Spirit, however His action 
 worked through a perfect freedom of mental processes in St Paul, 
 secured the veracity of his deliberate forecasts in a way quite super- 
 natural. But apart from this ground of inference, we think that 
 Acts XX. -25 has natural evidences of its fulfilment. The narrative 
 
56 PHILIPPIANS, I. [v. 26. 
 
 shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance 
 26 and joy of faith ; that your rejoicing may be more abundant 
 in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. 
 
 there, vv. 37, 38, calls special and pathetic attention to the prediction; 
 and it seems hardly credible that if it had been contradicted by events 
 A^dthin a few years the passage should have remained intact; some 
 sort of intimation that St Paul had after all met them again would 
 have crept in. And we have seen that there is good evidence for 
 the fulfilment of the present anticipation also. It seems reasonable, 
 then, from the merely historical point of view, to assume that events 
 did prevent an after-visit of St Paul's to Ephesus, though he did revisit 
 Miletus (2 Tim. iv. 20) ; or at least that there was no such after- visit 
 as allowed him to meet that body of presbyters again. 
 
 and continue with you all] Better, with R.V., yea, and abide mth 
 you all. The word "abide" is repeated: it will be not only con- 
 tinuance, but continuance tvith you. — Quite lit., "abide by you all"; 
 as side by side in Christian life and labour. 
 
 furtherance] R.V., progress; more accurately. The A.V. suggests 
 St Paul's helping them on, which is not the point of the Greek word 
 here. See above on ver. 12. 
 
 joy of faith] Lit., ''joy of the faith.'' R.V. 'foy ^n the faith:' 
 But Rom. XV. 13 ("joy...z« belicvi^tg") seems to us to favour the A.V., 
 and Marg. R.V. The definite article quite naturally may mean ''your 
 faith," your act and experience of believing. For the deep connexion 
 between joy and faith see Rom. quoted above; Acts xvi. 34 ; i Pet. i. 8. 
 — Both "progress" and ^'joy'^ in this verse have relation to the word 
 "faith." 
 
 26. rejoicing] Better, with R.V., glorying ; not the same word 
 as that just previous, nor akin to it. The Greek word is a favourite 
 with St Paul, especially in the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, 
 and Galatians. This fact is an item in the evidence for the time of 
 writing of this Epistle. See Introduction, p. 14. 
 
 viay be more abundant] On the Greek word thus rendered we may 
 make the same remark precisely as on "glorying"; see last note. 
 
 in Jesus Christ] Read, with all the evidence, in Christ Jesus; and 
 see note on ver. 1 above. — Observe here, as so often (see above, on 
 ver. 8), how the whole action of the Christian's life is carried on "in 
 Christ." This glad exultant pleasure, this "glorying," was to be ex- 
 perienced as by men in vital union with their Lord by the Spirit. 
 
 for me] Lit. and better, in me. — Here, on the other hand, 
 "e«" bears its frequent meaning of "in the case of,'' "on occasion 
 of." Cp. e.g. Gal. i. 24 («<?/ Gal. i. 16) and 2 Thess. i. 4, a close 
 parallel. This change of interpretation of the same preposition in one 
 passage is not arbitrary. The phrase "in Christ" is, so to speak, 
 stereotyped ; not so this latter. — St Paul was to be their occasion for 
 "glorying," as a living example of the Lord's faithfulness and love, 
 restoring him to the needing disciples. 
 
V. 27.J PHILIPPIANS, I. 57 
 
 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel 27 
 of Christ : that whether I come and see you, or else be 
 absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one 
 
 bymy cotJiing to yoii\ R.V., "through jny presence with yoii." Better, 
 perhaps, tlirougli my coming to you. The word (paroicsia) rendered 
 "coming" is lit. "presence"; but by usage it very frequently means 
 "coming to be present," as especially in the case of the "Parousia" of 
 the Lord at the Great Day. 
 
 27 — 30. Entreaties to cherish Consistency, and especially 
 Unity, more than ever now in the Apostle's absence. 
 
 27. Only, &c.] The mention of his anticipated coming and its 
 joyful effects leads him to speak by way of caution and entreaty of 
 the unvaiying law of Christian duty, the same always whether he visited 
 them or not. We trace in this Epistle, along with the Apostle's desire 
 that they should in a general sense live consistently, a special anxiety 
 that the consistency of holy and unselfish mutual love should be more 
 prevalent among them. 
 
 let your conversation be Sec.) Lit., " live your citizeji-life in a way 
 worthy of &c." The verb represented by '■^ live your citizen-life^^ 
 occurs, in N.T., here and Acts xxiii. i ; where A.V. simply, "I 
 have liveciy A cognate noun occurs below, iii. 20, an important 
 illustrative passage ; see note there. The verb is used in 2 Maccabees 
 (vi. I, xi. 25) in the same sense of living a life, living according to 
 certain laws or principles, without emphasis on the "citizen" element 
 of the word. R.V., like A.V., here drops that element out of its 
 rendering; let your manner of life be worthy &c. It is interesting 
 to find the same verb in Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians, ch. v. 
 (Introduction, p. 27). — ^^ Conversatioii'" in A.V. is used in its old and 
 exact sense, still apparent in our word '•'■co^iversant" It is the whole 
 active intercourse and business of life, not merely the exchange of 
 words. See note in this Series on Eph. ii. 3. The Gospel is meant, 
 by its essential ])rinciple, to rule and leaven the whole of human life. 
 
 or else be absent] Words which are perfectly consistent with the two 
 previous verses. He bids them live the life of holy consistency at once 
 and always, not waiting for his presence in order to begin. See further, 
 in the same strain, ii. 12. 
 
 / ?nay hear] Strictly, of course, this refers only to the alternative 
 of his prolonged absence. If he "came and saw them" hearing would 
 be superseded. But this is obviously implied in the whole sentence. 
 
 your affairs'] Better, with R.V., your state. The literal rendering 
 is 'Uhe things concerning you." The phrase occurs also, in St Paul, 
 Eph. vi. 22, and below ii. 19, 20. 
 
 stand fast] The Greek is one word, a verb not found earlier than 
 the N.T., where it occurs eight times; here, and Mark xi. 25 ; Rom. xiv. 
 4; I Cor. xvi. 13; Gal. v. r; below, iv. i; i Thess. iii. 8; 2 Thess. ji. 
 
58 PHILIPPIANS, I. [v. 27. 
 
 spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the 
 
 15. In Mark it appears to mean simply *^ to stand''''', but in all the 
 other places the idea of good foothold is conspicuous. 
 
 in one spirit^ For the precise phrase see (in the Greek) i Cor. xii. 
 13; Eph. ii. 18. In both these passages the reference is clearly to 
 the Holy Spirit, **in" whom the saints have been baptized with new 
 life, and "in" whom they approach the Father through the Son. We 
 therefore explain this place also of Him, as the surrounding, pene- 
 trating, Giver of life and power to each saint and to the commu- 
 nity. On the word "Spirit" see notes in this Series on Rom. viii. 4; 
 Eph. i. 17. 
 
 Manifestly, in the two places quoted above, the point of the word 
 "one" is that the Unity of the Divine Agent must have its holy counter- 
 part in the unity of the saints' action " in Him." 
 
 with one ?nind'\ Lit. and better, with one soul. So Tyndale and 
 Cranmer. Latin Versions, tmanitnes. — Cp. in this Epistle the ad- 
 jectives ^^one-souled" (ii. 2, where A.V. and R.V. '^ oi one accord''), 
 ''^ equal-souled'" (ii. 20), and notes. The phrase "one soul" occurs also 
 Acts iv. 32 ; a close parallel to this passage, in which as in many 
 others (see e.g. Matt. xii. 18, xxvi. 38; Luke ii. 35; Joh. xii. 27; 
 Acts xiv. 22; Eph. vi. 6; Heb. vi. 19, xii. 3), the word soul [psychi) 
 is associated with ideas of sensibility, as manifested either in suffering 
 or action. It is possible that the word ^''Spirit'' suggested, humanly 
 speaking, the word *^soul" to the Apostle, by the law of association. 
 See Isai. Ivii. 16; i Thess. v. 23; Heb. iv. 12. If so, it may be 
 further possible that he uses the two words in a significant connexion. 
 "Soul" in Scripture appears often to connote life embodied, organized. 
 Now here in the first place is the Divine Life-giver, the One Spirit ; 
 then we have the result and manifestation of His presence, the organi- 
 zation of it, as it were, in the "one sozd'" of the believing company. 
 
 strivitig together'] The same word occurs below, iv. 3, and only 
 there in N.T. By derivation it refers to the athletic, or prize-seeking, 
 contests of the games ; the races, wrestlings, and boxings of the 
 Greeks; favourite similes and metaphors with St Paul. See e.g. iCor. 
 ix. 24, 27; 2 Tim. ii. 5, iv. 7, and cp. Conybeare and Howson, Life&'c. 
 of St Paul, ch. XX. at the beginning. But the reference is quite 
 subordinate to the general one of close and vigorous encounter with 
 complex obstacles. 
 
 for thefaithl It is possible to render ^'"with the faith'", and Lightfoot 
 adopts this version. But not only does it involve a personification 
 of "the faith" bolder than any parallel personification in St Paul 
 (Lightfoot adduces for parallels i Cor. xiii. 6; 2 Tim. i. 8, itself a 
 doubtful case; 3 Joh. 8), but the whole stress of the passage lies on 
 the cooperation of the Christians not with anything else but luith one 
 another. This is lost in the rendering in question. 
 
 ''''The faith of the Gospel": — i.e. the faith which embraces the 
 Gospel. Cp. "faith of (the) truth," 2 Thess. ii. 13. They were to 
 
vv. 28, 29.] PHILIPPIANS, I. 59 
 
 gospel; and in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which 28 
 is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of 
 salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in 29 
 
 strive, side by side, for the object of bringing men to believe the Gospel 
 of their Lord. — The objective meaning of the word "faith," the body 
 of truth, the Christian's creed, is a meaning very rare, to say the least, 
 in St Paul (see note on Eph. iv. 5 in this Series); and this other suits 
 both context and construction better. 
 
 28. terrified^ More precisely, scared. The verb (found here only 
 in N.T., and nowhere in LXX. and Apocrypha) is used in classical 
 Greek of the starting, or "shying," of frightened animals, and thence 
 of alarm in general. The word would specially suit the experience of 
 the "little flockf in violent Philippi. 
 
 which is to them &c.] He means that the whole phenomenon of this 
 union, stedfastness, energy, and calm of the saints in face of seemingly 
 hopeless odds, is in itself ar^ omen of the issue. Of course the statement 
 is made not in the abstract, but in the particular case of the Gospel. 
 Many a false and finally losing cause may conceivably be maintained for 
 a time courageously and calmly. But the Apostle assumes that the 
 Gospel is the eternal truth, sure of ultimate victory, and then says here 
 that the realization of this fact, in the convictions of both its foes and its 
 friends, will be all the more impressive the more the Church acts in the 
 spirit of calm, united, decisive resolution. 
 
 pcrdition\ in its deepest and most awful sense; the eternal loss and 
 ruin of all persistent opponents of God and His truth. So below, iii. 19 ; 
 and so always in N.T., excepting only Matt. xxvi. 8; Mark xiv. 4; 
 where the word means waste, spoiling, loss of a material thing. 
 
 salvation'] This word also bears its deepest sense here. The faithful 
 believer, witness, and worker, is on the way to eternal glory ; and the 
 prospect brightens in anticipation and realization as the company of 
 such disciples unites around, and in, the cause of Jesus Christ. On the 
 word ^^ salvation^' see note above, on ver. 19. 
 
 and that] " That,''^ in the Greek, refers not immediately to the word 
 "salvation" but to the whole previous idea, oi opposition met in away 
 to encourage faith. God Himself has ordained the circumstances, and 
 given the union and courage. See next note but one. 
 
 of God] Lit. ''from God''; so R. V. But the older English of the 
 A.V. (and all previous English versions) is scarcely mistakable. 
 
 29. For, (Sic] He carries out the statement just made (see last note 
 but one), by saying that not only the grounds of faith in Christ, and 
 the power to believe, but the occasion of suffering for Christ, and the 
 power to meet the suffering, are things of Divine grant and gift. 
 
 it is given] Lit. "// was given.'' But the A.V. is true to English 
 idiom. The verb rendered "give" denotes specially a grant of free 
 favour or kindness. It is thus often used of free forgiveness, e.g. Luke 
 vii. 42; 2 Cor. ii. 7, 10; Eph. iv. 32 ; sometimes of the work of free 
 grace and salvation, e.g. Rom. viii. 32; i Cor. ii. 12. (In Acts iii. 14, 
 
6o PHILIPPIANS, I. II. [vv. 30; i. 
 
 the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also 
 30 to suffer for his sake ; having the same conflict which ye 
 2 saw in me, and now hear to be in me. If there be therefore 
 
 XXV. II, 16, it is used of an arbitrary, extra-legal, giving up of a 
 prisoner to others, either for liberation or penalty.) Thus the word 
 here, with its associations of sovereignty, favour, boon, forms a noble 
 paradox. 
 
 on the behalf of Christ\ The structure of the Greek indicates that 
 the Apostle was about to write simply, "?'/ is granted yoii to suffer on 
 behalf of Christ'\ but that he suspended the thought and phrase to 
 insert, "wt?/ only to believe oti Him but to suffer on His behalf." Thus 
 "on the behalf of Christ" anticipates here the close of the verse, where 
 it is repeated. 
 
 to believe on him'\ Lit., '■'■into Him^ a phrase suggesting the direct- 
 ness and holdfast of saving faith. But this speciality of meaning must 
 not be pressed far, for the phrase occurs here and there in connexions 
 not naturally adapted to such thought ; e.g. Joh. ii. 23, xii. 42. — The 
 Greek verb is in the present tense, and points to the continuousness of 
 the action of faith. The Christian, having once believed, lives by still 
 believing. See Rom. xi. 20; Gal. ii. 20; Heb. x. 38. — Faith in 
 Christ is here incidentally spoken of as a grant of Divine grace. See 
 further on this, Eph. ii. 8, and note in this Series. 
 
 for his sake] Better with R.V., in His behalf, to mark the con- 
 nexion of thought with the "in the behalf of Christ " just above. 
 
 30. Having &c.] The Greek construction, if strictly taken,, points 
 back to the first clause of ver.' 28, and leaves the intermediate words 
 as a parenthesis. But it is much likelier that the construction here 
 is free, and that this verse accordingly carries out the last words of ver. 29 
 into detail. 
 
 conflict'] Greek agdn, a word suggestive of the athletic arena rather 
 than the battle-field. See above on ^^ striving together, ^^ ver. 27. It 
 recurs Col. ii. i (perhaps for the " wrestlings" of prayer) ; i Thess. ii. 2; 
 I Tim. vi. 12; 2 Tim. iv. 7; Heb. xii. i. Our blessed Lord's great 
 "Wrestling" in Gethsemane, His sacred "Agony," is called by the 
 kindred word agonia, Luke xxii. 44. 
 
 ye sa-dj\ in the streets and in the court-house at Philippi; Acts xvi. 
 One of the probable recipients of this letter, the Jailer, had not only 
 "seen " but inflicted other sufferings in the dungeon. 
 
 Ch. II. 1 — 4. The subject continued : appeal for self- 
 forgetful Unity. 
 
 1. therefore] The connexion of thought with the previous sentences 
 is close. He has pressed on them the duty and blessing of concord 
 and cooperation, and now enforces it further, with a special appeal 
 to them to minister happiness to himself, as to a Christian brother, 
 by obedience, 
 
V. 2.] PHILIPPIANS, II. 6i 
 
 any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any 
 fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil 2 
 ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, 
 
 consolatio)i] R.V. comfort, which is better. The Greek word, in 
 its prevailing meaning, denotes rather encouragement, strengthening, 
 than the tenderer "consolation"; and the word "comfort", by its 
 derivation {con{ox\.atio), may fairly represent it. The thought of the 
 mutual love and union of the Philippians would cheer and animate their 
 Apostle and friend. 
 
 in Christ\ Getting its motive and virtue from the union in Christ 
 of the Apostle and the Philippians. 
 
 comfort of love] Better, consolation, &c. See last note but one. — 
 The word occurs here only in N.T. A closely similar form occurs 
 in a kindred connexion, i Cor. xiv. 3. — " Of love^\ — love's result and 
 expression. 
 
 fellowship of the Spirit'] Cp. 2 Cor. xiii. \\ "the communion of the 
 Holy Spirit." In the Greek here the word pneuma (spirit) is without 
 the article, and many scholars hold that in all such cases not the 
 Divine Spirit as a Person, but His gift or gifts, is meant ; and that 
 thus here the meaning will be "if there is a participation, on your 
 part and mine alike, in the same spiritual love, joy, peace, &c." 
 But the presence or absence of the article in these cases is a very 
 precarious index of meaning, when the substantive is a great and 
 familiar word. Context and parallels are necessary to the decision 
 in each place. And in this place the parallel (2 Cor.) quoted, seems to 
 us to point clearly to the highest reference — to "the one and the self- 
 same Spirit" (i Cor. xii. 11), the promised Paraclete Himself, Whom 
 all the saints "share" as their common Life-Giver, Strengthener, and 
 Sanctifier. — ^^ Fellowship of' might grammatically mean "union of heart 
 and interests, prompted by." But usage is decisively for the meaning 
 ' ^ participatioft m . ' ' 
 
 bozuels and mercies] Better, with R.V., tender mercies and com- 
 passions. No English version before 1582 has the word "■bowels^ 
 On that word see note above on ver. 8. — He appeals with pathetic 
 directness and simplicity, last of all, to their human emotions as such. 
 
 2. Ftdfil ye my Joy] Lit. ''fill" it. He already rejoices in them 
 (i. 4) ; but the manifestation in them of the unity of holy love would 
 complete the reasons and the experience of that joy. — "He felt small 
 anxiety for himself, if but the Church of Christ might prosper" 
 (Calvin). 
 
 that ye be] The Greek construction (see on i. 9) denotes (in N.T.) 
 sometimes iheptirpose (as in the phrase "we ask, to test your kindness"), 
 sometimes fht prnport (as in the phrase "we ask, to be forgiven"). 
 A modification of the latter meaning appears here. In the words 
 " fulfil ye," &c. the Apostle is practically asking them to <^^ what he now 
 describes. 
 
 likeminded] R.V., of the same mind, for the sake of uniformity 
 
62 PHILIPPIANS, II. [vv. 3, 4. 
 
 3 being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done 
 through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let 
 
 4 each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every 
 
 with the last clause of this verse. — We have here the weak point of the 
 Philippian Church plainly indicated. 
 
 the same /ove] on both sides; i.e. practically, general love, holy charity 
 in all towards all. 
 
 of one accord'\ More literally, ^^one-soukd." See on ver. 27 
 above. 
 
 of one mind'\ A similar expression to that just above, "^ the same 
 mind" , but somewhat stronger. — The word [pkronein) represented by 
 "mind" in these clauses obviously denotes not so much intellectual as 
 moral action and attitude. — See on i. 7. 
 
 3. Let nothing be done] The briefer original, in which no verb 
 appears, is very forcible, but would be exaggerated in a literal rendering. 
 — Observe the totality of the prohibition. It is a rule for all Christian 
 lives at all times. 
 
 through'] Lit. ^^ according to ^" on the principles of. 
 
 st7-ife\ The same word as above, i. 16; see note. And see p. 16 
 for Ignatius' use of the word. — R.V. '■'' faction." Only, the word may 
 denote not merely the combined self-seeking of partizanship, but also a 
 solitary ambition, working by intrigue. 
 
 in lowliness of mind] The Greek (dative) may be more precisely re- 
 presented by in respect of lowliness, &c. Their lowliness was to be 
 embodied in, and proved by, what he now describes. 
 
 *^ Lowliness of mind": — essentially a Christian grace. The word itself 
 (one Greek word is represented by the three English words) is not found 
 in Greek before the N.T. And kindred words in the classics are always 
 used in a tone of blame, as of a defect of proper courjige and self- 
 assertion. This fact is deeply suggestive. In its essential principles 
 the mighty positive morality of the Gospel is based on the profound 
 negative of the surrender and dethronement of self before a Redeeming 
 Lord who has had compassion on perfectly unworthy objects. The 
 world's ^^poor spirited," and the Lord's '■''poor in spirit" are phrases 
 used in very different tones. 
 
 let each esteem other] Lit., '* mutually counting others superior to {yot/r-) 
 selves." — The precept is to be read in the light of the Holy Spirit's 
 illumination of the individual conscience. Even where one Christian 
 might see another to be manifestly less gifted than himself, spiritually 
 or otherwise, yet "if the endowments, and the obligations connected 
 with them, were properly estimated, they would rather conduce to 
 humble than to exalt" (Scott). And in any case, where the man ha- 
 bitually viewed himself in the contrasted light of the Divine holiness, 
 with that insight which belongs to self-knowledge alone, he would 
 respond instinctively to this precept. 
 
 4. Look] Better, with documentary evidence, looking. — ''^ Look... 
 on" becomes in R.V. '''■look... to" a change not greatly needed. — The 
 
vv. 5, 6.] PHILIPPIANS, II. 63 
 
 man on his own thifigs, but every man also on the things of 
 others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ 5 
 Jesus : who, being in the form of God, thought it not 6 
 
 look is the look of sympathy, kindly interest, self-forgctftil coopera- 
 tion. This short verse is a noble and far-reaching lesson in Christian 
 ethics. 
 
 every man.. .every mafi] The Greek here, in the first case probably, 
 in the second certainly, gives "each" m the plural ; a phrase which may 
 be paraphrased "each circle" "each set," or the like. If cliques or 
 petty factions were the bane of the Philippian Church this language 
 would have a special point. 
 
 5—11. The appeal enforced by the supreme Example of the 
 Saviour in His Incarnation, Obedience, and Exaltation. 
 
 5. Let this mind he\ R.V., Have this mind; adopting a reading 
 different in form but scarcely so in import from that taken for the A.V., 
 which fairly represents either reading. 
 
 In the great passage which follows we have a suggestive ex- 
 ample of Christian moral teaching. One of the simplest and most 
 primary elements of duty is being enforced, and it is enforced by 
 appealing to the inmost secrets of the truth of the Person and Work 
 of Christ. The spiritual and eternal, in deep continuity, descends into 
 the practical. At the present time a powerful drift of thought goes 
 in the direction of separating Christian theology from practical Chris- 
 tianity; the mysteries of our Lord's Person and Work from the great- 
 ness of His Example. It may at least check hasty speculations in this 
 direction to remember that such a theory rends asunder the teaching of 
 the New Testament as to its most characteristic and vital elements. 
 The anti-doctrinal view of Christianity is a theory of it started strictly 
 and properly de novo. See furt her Appendix E_.___ 
 
 which was] The verb is not in the Greek, but is necessarily implied. 
 Meanwhile the sacred character which came out in the mysterious past 
 ("z£/aj") of the Lord's pre-temporal glory, still and for ever is His 
 character, His "mind." 
 
 in Christ Jesiis'X It is observable that he calls the Lord not only 
 "Christ" but "Jesus," though referring to a time before Incarnation. 
 Historically, He had yet to be "anointed" [Christ), and to be marked 
 with His human Name [Jesus). But on the one hand the Person who 
 willed to descend and save us is identically the Person who actually 
 did so; and on the other hand what is already decreed in the Eternal 
 Mind is to It already fact. Cp. the language of Rev. xiii. 8. 
 
 6. Who"] in His pre-existent glory. We have in this passage a 
 N.T. counterpart to the O.T. revelation of Messiah's "coming to do the 
 will of His God" (Psal. xl. 6—8, interpreted Ileb. x. 5). 
 
 being] The Greek word slightly indicates that He not only "kvzj," 
 
64 PHILIPPIANS, II. [v. 7. 
 
 7 robbery to be equal with God : but made himself of no 
 
 but ^^ already was,^^ in a state antecedent to and independent of the 
 action to be described. R.V. margin has "Gr. o)'iginally being"; but 
 the American Revisers dissent. 
 
 in the form of God'\ The word rendered ^^ form''^ is morpM. This 
 word, unlilce our "form" in its popular meaning, connotes reality along 
 with appearance, or in other words denotes an appearance which 
 is mamfestatiofi. It thus differs from the word {schema) rendered 
 'fashion" in ver. 8 below; where see note. See notes on Rom. xii. 2 
 in this Series for further remarks on the difference between the two 
 words ; and cp. for full discussions, Abp Trench's Synonyins^ under 
 fi-opcpT), and Bp Lightfoot's Fhitippians, detached note to ch. ii. 
 
 Here then our Redeeming Lord is revealed as so subsisting " in the 
 form of God" that He vvas what He seemed, and seemed what He 
 was — God. (See further, the next note below, and on ver. 7.) "Though 
 [morphe'\ is not the same as [onsia, essence], yet the possession of the 
 [fnorphe] involves participation in the [oz^sia] also, for [morphe] implies 
 not the external accidents' [only ?] but the essential attributes" 
 (Lightfoot). 
 
 thought] The glorious Person is viewed as (speaking in the forms 
 of human conception) engaged in an act of reflection and resolve. 
 
 robbery] The Greek word occurs only here in the Greek Scriptures, 
 and only once (in Plutarch, cent, a) in secular Greek writers. Its 
 form suggests the meaning of a process or act of grasp or seizure. But 
 similar forms in actual usage are found to take readily the meaning of 
 the result, or material, of an act or process. "An invader's or plunderer's 
 prize'''' would thus fairly represent the word here. This interpretation 
 is adopted and justified by Bp Lightfoot here. R.V. reads "a prize," 
 and in the margin "Gr. a thing to be graspedP Liddell and Scott 
 render, "a matter of robbery,^'' which is substantially the same; Bp 
 Ellicott, "a thing to be seized on, or grasped at." — The context is the 
 best interpreter of the practical bearing of the word. In that context 
 it appears that the Lord's view of His Equality (see below) was 
 7iot such as to ivithstand His gracious and mysterious Humiliation 
 for our sakes, while yet the conditions of His Equality were such as to 
 enhance the wonder and merit of that Humiliation to the utmost. 
 Accordingly the phrase before us, to suit the context, {a) must not imply 
 that He deemed Equality an unlawful possession, a thing which it would 
 be robbery to claim, as some expositors, ancient and modern, have in 
 error explained the words (see Alford's note here, and St Chrysostom 
 on this passage at large) ; {b) must imply that His thought about the 
 Equality was one of supremely exemplary kindness towards us. 
 These conditions are satisfied by the paraphrase — "He dealt with His 
 true and rightful Equality not as a thing held anxiously, and only 
 for Himself, as the gains of force or fraud are held, but as a thing 
 in regard of which a most gracious sacrifice and surrender was possible, 
 for us and our salvation." 
 
 The A.V., along with many interpreters, appears to understand the 
 
V. 7.] PHILIPPIANS, II. " 65 
 
 reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and 
 
 Greek word as nearly equal to ^Uisiirpation^^ \ as if to say, "He knew 
 it was His just and rightful possession to be equal with God, and 
 yet" &c. But the context and the Greek phraseology are unfavourable 
 to this. 
 
 to be equal with God] R.V., to be on an equality with God, a phrase 
 which perhaps better conveys what the original words suggest, that 
 the reference is to equality of attributes rather than person (Lightfoot), \^- 
 The glorious Personage in view is not another and independent God, 
 of rival power and glory, but the Christ of God, as truly and fully 
 Divine as the Father. 
 
 Let us remember that these words occur not in a polytheistic reverie, 
 but in the Holy Scriptures, whicli everywhere are jealous for the 
 prerogative of the Lord God, and that they come from the pen of a 
 man whose Pharisaic monotheism sympathized with this jealousy to 
 the utmost. May it not then be asked, how — in any way other 
 than direct assertion, as in Joh. i. i — the true and proper Deity of 
 Christ could be more plainly stated? 
 
 The word "God" on the other hand is here used manifestly with a 
 certain distinctiveness of the Father. Christian orthodoxy, collecting 
 the whole Scripture evidence, sees in this a testimony not to the view 
 (e.g. of Arius, cent. 4) that the Son is God only in a secondary and 
 inferior sense, biit that the Father is the eternal, true, and necessary 
 Fountain of the eternal, true, and necessary Godhead of the Son. — 
 For this use of the word GoD, see e.g. Joh. i. i ; 2 Cor. xiii. 14; Heb. 
 i. 9; Rev. XX. 6, xxii. r. 
 
 7. But made himself of no reputation] "^/^/" here introduces the 
 infinitely gracious action of the Saviour as the contrary to what it 
 would have been had He "thought His Equality with God a prize." 
 We may paraphrase, "That He did not so think of it, He shewed 
 by making Himself," &c. See Bp Ellicott's careful note here, in 
 which this explanation is advocated against that which would para- 
 phrase, '''•Although He thought it no tisurpation to be equal with God, 
 yet He made, &c." 
 
 '^Himself ^ is slightly emphatic by position, laying a stress on the 
 sacred free will of the Lord in His Humiliation. 
 
 ''Made himself of 710 reputation'': — lit., as R.V., emptied Himself. 
 The (Romanist) Rhemish Version, 1582, verbally following the Vulgate 
 {semetipsum exinanivit), has, ''exinanited Himself From the Greek 
 the word kendsis {Khw<n%) has passed into theological language, ap- 
 pearing here and there in the Fathers, frequently in modern treatises. 
 Of recent years much has been said upon this great mystery in the 
 direction of proving or suggesting that during "the days of His Flesh" 
 (Heb. V. 7) the Lord {practically) parted with His Deity; becoming 
 the (Incarnate) Son of God only in His glorification after death. Such 
 a view seems to contravene many plain testimonies of the Gospels, 
 and most of all the pervading tone of the Gospels, as they present to 
 us in the Lord Jesus on earth a Figure "meek and lowly" indeed, 
 
 PHILIHPIANS. q 
 
/) 
 
 66 PHILIPPIANS, II. [v. 8. 
 
 8 was made in the likeness of men : and being found in 
 
 but always infinitely and mysteriously majestic; significantly depen- 
 dent indeed on the Father, and on the Spirit, but always speaking 
 to man in the manner of One able to deal sovereignly with all man's 
 needs. 
 
 It is enough for us to know that His Humiliation, or to use the word 
 here, Exinanition, JvetiSsis, was profoundly real ; that He was pleased, 
 as to His holy Manhood, to live in dependence on the Spirit; while 
 yet we are sure that the inalienable basis of His Personality was always, 
 eternally, presently. Divine. The ultimate and reasoned analysis of 
 the unique Phenomenon, God and Man, One Christ, is, as to its actual 
 consciousness, if we may use the word, a matter more for His knowledge 
 than our enquiry. Bp Lightfoot's brief note here says nearly all that 
 can be said with reverent certainty: " 'He divested Himself not of His 
 Divine nature, for this was impossible, but of the glories, the preroga- 
 tives, of Deity. This He did by taking upon Him the form of a 
 servant. " 
 
 a7id took upon him] Lit. and better, with R.V., taking. The 
 thought is that the Exinanition was the "taking"; not a process 
 previous to it. In the word '•'■taking'''' the Lord's free choice and 
 action is again in view. 
 
 theforyn of a servant'] Lit. and better, of a bondservant, a slave. 
 The word rendered '•^form'''' is the same as that in ver. 6, on which 
 see note. Here, as there, the thing implied is not semblance but mani- 
 festation. He became in reality, and in consequent appearance, a 
 bondservant. 
 
 With what special reference is the word "bondservant" here used ? 
 Does it point to His stooping to serve men in great humiliation? 
 Or to His undertaking, in the act of becoming Man, that essential 
 condition of man's true life — bondservice to God? The order of words 
 and thought is in favour of the latter. The Apostle goes on to say, in 
 effect, that His taking the slave's "form" was coincident with His 
 coming "in the likeness of men^^ generally, not of specially humiliated 
 or oppressed men. As Man He was "bondservant." And this points 
 to a bondservice related directly to God, as Lord of man. In this as in 
 other things He was the archetype of all His true followers. 
 
 True, our blessed Lord made Himself the servant of all, and on 
 one occasion (J oh. xiii.) took literally the place and work of a 
 menial attendant ; a fact to which much allusion is made by St 
 Chrysostom here. But all the while He was far more Lord than 
 servant, certainly than bondservant, in His relations with men, even 
 in His most tender and gracious relations. Literal "slavery" to man 
 He certainly did not enter upon; royally descended as He was, and 
 toiling as a free artificer, and commanding and teaching always with 
 authority. 
 
 and was 7/iade'] Lit., coming to be, becoming. The fact is stated 
 as coincident with the last statement. See previous note. 
 
 in the likeftess of tnen'\ A rlnnhlf^ t;nggf>Qiini-| ]ip<; in the words ; [a) that 
 
V. 9] PHILIPPIANS, II. O7 
 
 fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient 
 unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God 9 
 
 He was really like man, as He truly was man; accepting the conditions \ 
 involved in a truly human exterior, with its liabilities to trial and | 
 suffering; and (U) that He was also more than fiian, other than man, j 
 without which fact there would be not resemblance but mere identity. ' 
 Cp. a somewhat similar case, Rom. viii. 3, where lit. "in the likeness of 
 the flesh of sin." 
 
 " Of mm" not "^/ tnan''^ : — as if to make the statement as concrete • 
 as possible. He appeared not in the likeness of some transcendent 
 and glorified Manhood, but like men as they are. 
 
 8. fottml] as one who presented Himself for inspection and test. 
 See Appendix F. 
 
 fashion^ See third note on ver. 6 above. jrhe_QreekJKCj:d..j:^/i^id: 
 ^^^eaetes— appearajice^ w^//z_^?i luithout undexLying reality. It does not 
 negative such reality any more than it asserts it; it emphasizes ap- 
 ^pnrniir/' In the contcxt, we have the reality of the Lord's Manhood 
 abundantly given ; and in this word accordingly we read, as in the 
 word "likeness" just above, an emphatic statement that (a) He was 
 Man in guise, not in ^wguise; presenting Himself to all the conditions 
 of concrete life as Man with man ; and that {b) all the while the schema 
 had more beneath it than its own corresponding reality : it was the veil 
 of Deity. 
 
 as a man'\ Better, perhaps, as man, though R.V. retains ^'■as 
 a man.'^ As the Second Man, our Lord is rather Man, the Man of 
 men, than a Man, one among men. — Yet the assertion here is rather 
 as to what He was pleased to be in relation to those who "found" 
 Him, came into contact with Him, in His earthly walk; and to such 
 He certainly was "a man." And so, with wonderful condescension. 
 He speaks of Himself as "(2 man that hath told you the truth" (J oh. 
 viii. 40). ^ 
 
 he htimbled hitnself~\ in "the acts of condescension and humiliation 
 in that human nature which He emptied Himself to assume" (Ellicott). 
 More particularly the reference is to the specially submissive, bearing, 
 life, under the afflictive will of His Father, which He undertook to lead 
 for our sakes; see the next words. The Greek verb is in the aorist, 
 and Slims up the holy course of s-ubmission either into one idea, or into 
 one initial crisis of will. 
 
 and becavie] Lit. and better, becoming; an aorist participle coin- 
 cident in reference with the previous aorist verb. 
 
 obedient] to the Father's will that He should suffer. The utterance 
 of Gethsemane was but the amazing summary and crown of His whole 
 sacred course as the Man of Sorrows. His "Passion," standing in some 
 vital respects quite alone in His work, was in other respects only the 
 apex of His "Patience." 
 
 unto death] R.V. rightly supplies even before these words. "Unto" 
 means (by the Greek) '' to the length ofKHe did not "obey" but 
 "abolish" death {1 Tim. i. ro); He obeyed Ilis Father, "even to ihc 
 
68 PHILIPPIANS, II. [v. 9. 
 
 also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which 
 
 extent of" dying, as the sinner's Sacrifice, at the demand of the holy 
 Law, and "by the determinate foreknowledge" (Acts ii. 23) of the 
 Lawgiver, 
 
 of the cross] ' ' Far be the very name of a cross not only from the 
 bodies of Roman citizens, but from their imagination, eyes, and ears" 
 (Cicero, pro Rabirio, c. 5. Cp. Gibbon, Decline and Fall, ch. XX.). 
 Every thought of pain and shame was in the word, and was realized 
 in the terrific thing. Combining, as we should do in the case of our 
 Redeemer's Crucifixion, the significance to the Jew of any death by 
 suspension, with the significance to the Roman of execution on the 
 cross, we must think of this supreme "obedience" as expressing the 
 holy Sufferer's submission both to "become a curse for us" (Gal. iii. 
 13, with Deut. xxi. 23) as before God the Lawgiver, and meanwhile 
 to be "despised and rejected of men''^ (Isai. liii. 3) in the most extreme 
 degree. 
 
 On the history of thought and usage in connexion with the Cross, 
 and Crucifixion, see Zockler's Cross of Christ. 
 
 9. Wherefore] From the point of view of this passage, the glorifi- 
 cation of the Crucified Lord was the Father's recognition and reward 
 of His infinitely kind and gracious "looking upon the things of others." 
 The argument is, of course, that similarly the Christian who humbles 
 himself shall be exalted. 
 
 hath highly exalted] Better, with R.V., Mghly exalted; at Resur- 
 rection and Ascension. Cp. Joh. xvii. 4, 5 ; Acts ii. 23, 24, 32, 33, 36, 
 iii. 13, V. 30, 31; Rom. i. 4; Eph. i. 20 — 22; i Pet. i. 21, &c. 
 
 ''^Highly exalted''^: — one compound verb in the Greek. Compounds 
 expressive of greatness or excess are a characteristic of St Paul's 
 style. Of about seventeen of them in the N.T. quite twelve are found 
 in St Paul's writings only, or very rarely elsewhere. 
 
 given him] Better, as again R.V. (see last note), gave. The verb 
 indicates a gift of love and approval. 
 
 a name] Lit. and better, the name. What is this Name ? Is it the 
 sacred personal Name Jesus? (Alford, Ellicott).jf Or is it Name in 
 the sense of revealed majesty and glory? (Lightfoot). The difficulty of 
 the former explanation is that Jesus, the human Name of the Lord, 
 was distinctively His before His glorification, so that the "giving" of 
 it on His glorification is a paradox. The reply will be that its elevation 
 for ever into the highest associations, in the love and worship of the 
 saints, was as it were a new giving of it, a giving of it as new. Still 
 the usage is unlikely. And it is to be noticed that in the Epistles 
 and Revelation, compared with the narrative parts of the N.T., the holy 
 Name Jesus is but sparingly used alone. (See, as examples of such 
 use, Rom. x. 9 ; r Cor. xii. 3 ; Heb. ii. 9, iv. 14; i John v. 5 ; Rev. xxii. 
 16, 20; cp. Acts vii. 55, 59, viii. 16.) Very much more frequent is 
 Jesus Christ. And on the other hand there are clear cases for 
 the use of the word "Name" in the N.T. to denote recognized 
 dignity or glory; see especially Eph. i. 21. We believe that 
 
V. lo.] PHILIPPIANS, II. 69 
 
 is above every name : that at the name of Jesus every knee ^° 
 should bow, of ^/lin^s in heaven, and things in earth, and 
 
 the true explanation lies in this direction. The "Name given" is 
 the supreme Name, The Lord, Jehovah. In other words, the 
 lowly and suffering Jesus is, as the abased and slain One, now to 
 be found and worshipped on the eternal Throne ; recognized there 
 by all creation as He who for man's sake, in preexistent glory 
 and Godhead, willed to be humiliated even to the Cross. — As in 
 the study of the whole mystery of the Incarnation of the Eternal 
 Son, so here, we trace throughout the wonderful progression a perfect 
 Personal Identity, while the unique presence in the Incarnate One 
 of two Natures, with each its will, under one Personality, allows a 
 range of language which speaks of the eternally glorious Son of God as 
 being de novo glorified and exalted after the Humiliation which in His 
 Second Nature He underwent. 
 
 above every name] Cp. Eph. i. 21 just referred to. On J^t Paul's 
 view of the altogether unique exaltation of the Lord, in comparison 
 with every created existence, see Liddon's Bampton Lectures^ Lect. v. 
 § IV. 2. 
 
 10. at the name of Jesiis] Lit., with R.V., in the name of Jesus, 
 or as far as graiUHTatical form goes, "?'« the name yesus." " It is not * 
 'the name Jesus' but 'the name of Jesus'" (Lightfoot). This must 
 mean that the context decides it thus ; the grammar is ambiguous. 
 But the previous argument (see last note but one), if valid, is decisive 
 for the rendering of the R.V. 
 
 "/« the name... shotild bow, &c." Does this mean, "all should wor- 
 ship Him," or "all should worship through ffim"! Doubtless the 
 latter is Divine truth. But the context is wholly in favour of an imme- 
 diate reference to His enthronement; and particularly the very next 
 verse speaks distinctly of the recognition of Him as "Lord." So Light- 
 foot; and he gives proofs from the LXX. (e.g. Psal. Ixii. 5 (Heb. 
 Ixiii. 4); I Kings viii. 44) that the phrase " in the name of^ may imply, 
 in proper contexts, the adoration of Him who bears the Name. We 
 may thus paraphrase, "that before the revealed Majesty of the glorified 
 Jesus all creation should adore." — The ancient custom of bowing at 
 the mention of the Name Jesus (see Canon xviii. of the Church of 
 England) derives no direct sanction from this passage. 
 
 every knee should bow] An implicit citation of Isai. xlv. ■as; and as 
 such a powerful testimony to St Paul's view of the proper Deity of 
 Jesus Christ. — The context of the passage in the prophet contains the 
 phrases "a just God and a Saviour" (ver. ii ; cp. Rom. iii. 26) ; "in 
 the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory" (ver. 
 25 ; cp. Rom. viii. 30). May we not suppose that the Apostle of Justi- 
 fication was thus specially guided to the passage, and to its inner refer- 
 ence to the Son? — The same passage is directly quoted Rom. xiv. 11 
 (where in ver. 10 read, ^*^ of Christ''"'). 
 
 things in heaven. ..in earth. ..tinder the earth] Created existence, in 
 its heights and depths. Cp. Rev. v. 13 for close illustration; words 
 
70 PHILIPPIANS, II. [v. II. 
 
 11 things under the earth; and thatQwtxy tongue should confess 
 that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 
 
 whose whole context is a Divine commentary on this passage. In view 
 of the language there, in a scene where angels have been already men- 
 tioned, it is better not to divide the reference here, e.g. between angels, 
 living men, and buried men (Alford), or angels, men, and lost spirits 
 (Chrysostom). Not only animate and conscious but inanimate existence 
 is in view ; Creation in its total ; the impersonal and unconscious ele- 
 ments being said to " worship," as owning, after their manner, the Jiat 
 of the exalted Jesus. 
 
 11. every tongue should confess] Again an implicit quotation of 
 Isai. xlv. 23. 
 
 The verb rendered ^'■confess,'''' as Lightfoot points out, has in Scrip- 
 tural Greek almost resigned its literal meaning of open avowal, to take 
 that of praise and thanksgiving. Our Lord Himself uses it,^Matt. 
 xi. 25; Luke X. 21; ("I thank Thee, O Father, (S:c.") Every tongue 
 shall "give thanks to Him for His great glory." — It may be asked, 
 how shall this be fulfilled in the case of the lost? We reply, either 
 there is no explicit reference here to any but the subjects of final 
 redemption, as in Eph. i. 10, where see note in this Series ; or the 
 mysterious state of the lost may admit, for all we know, such a re- 
 cognition that even their hopeless woe is the ordinance of "supremest 
 Wisdom and primeval Love^," manifested in Jesus Christ, as shall be 
 tantamount to the adoration indicated here. 
 
 Jesus Christ is Lord'\ Cp. i Cor. xii. 3 ; a passage which teaches us 
 that the Lordship in question is such as to be known only by Divine 
 revelation. It is supreme Lordship, a session on the eternal throne. 
 (Cp. Rev. iii. 21, and see xxii. 3.) He "who being in the form of God 
 took the form of a bondservant" of God, and "obeyed even unto the 
 cross," is now owned and adored as " God, whose throne is for ever and 
 ever" (Heb. i. 8), and as exercising His dominion as the Soji of Alan. 
 The Person is eternally the same ; but a new and wonderful condition 
 of His action has come in, the result of His Exinanition and Passion. 
 
 It is observable that the Valentinian heretics (cent. 2), according 
 to Irenyeus (Bk. I. ch. i. § 3) ascribed to Jesus the title Saviour, but^ 
 refused Him that of Lord. 
 
 For proof that in apostolic doctrine the supreme Name, JEHOVA.H, 
 was recognized as appropriate to the Person of the Christ, cp. Joh. xii. 4 
 with Isai. vi. 5. In that passage, as here, we have presented to us the 
 personal identity of the Preexistent and the Humiliated Christ. 
 
 to the glory of God the Father"] the ultimate Object of all adoration, 
 inasmuch as He is the eternal Origin of the eternal Deity of the Son. 
 
 ^ "Justice the Founder of my fabric moved, 
 To rear me was the task of power divine, 
 Supremest wisdom and primeval love. 
 All hope abandon, ye who enter here." 
 
 Dante, Inferno, canto iii (Gary). 
 
V. 12.] PHILIPPIANS, II. 71 
 
 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as " 
 
 Cp. Joh. V. ■23, xiii. 31, 32, xvii. i ; i Pet. '\. 21 ; for this profound rela- 
 tion between the glory of the Son and the glory of the Father. But no 
 isolated references can properly represent a subject which is so deeply 
 woven into the texture of the Gospel. 
 
 In the light of the Scriptural truth of His Nature, a truth sum- 
 marized with luminous fulness in the "Nicene" Creed ^, we see the 
 Christ of God as at once properly, divinely, adorable, and the true 
 Medium for our adoration of the Father. 
 
 St Chrysostom here in a noble passage shews how the attribution of 
 full and eternal Godhead to the Christ enhances, not diminishes, the 
 Father's glory. "A mighty proof it is of the Father's power, and good- 
 ness, and wisdom, that He hath begotten such a Son, a Son nowise 
 inferior in goodness and in wisdom... When I say that the Son is not 
 inferior in Essence to the Father, but equal, and of the same Essence, 
 in this also I adore the Lord God, and His power, and goodness, and 
 wisdom, that He has revealed to us Another, begotten of Hirnself, like 
 to Him in all things. Fatherhood alone excepted" {//om. vii. in £p. 
 ad Philipp. c. 4). 
 
 Thus closes a passage in which, in the course of practical exhortation, 
 the cardinal truth of the true Godhead and true Manhood of Christ, and 
 that of His example, are presented all the more forcibly because inci- 
 dentally. The duty of unselfish mutual love and self-sacrifice is enforced 
 by considerations on the condescension of Christ which are quite mean- 
 ingless if He is not preexistent and Divine, and if the reality of His 
 Manhood is not in itself a sublime example of unforced self-abase- 
 ment for the good of others. All merely humanitarian views of His 
 Person and Work, however refined and subtilized, are totally at 
 variance with this apostolic passage, written within fresh living memory 
 of His life and death. 
 
 12 — 18. Inferences from the foregoing passages: the Great- 
 ness OF the methods of Salvation : the consequent Call 
 to a Life reverent, self-forgetful, fruitful, joyful. 
 
 12. IVherefore] The Apostle has now pressed on them the duty 
 and blessing of self-forgetting sympathy and love, above all by this 
 supreme Example. He here returns to the exhortation, in a measure, 
 but now only subordinatcly ; his mind is chiefly now possessed with the 
 greatness of salvation, and it is throtigh this, as it were, that he views 
 the duty and joy of Christian humility and harmony. 
 
 my beloved^ So again iv. i. Cp. i Cor. x. 14, xv. ^ ; 2 Cor. vii. i, 
 xii. 19; where this tender word similarly introduces earnest practical 
 appeals. See too Heb. vi. 9; Jas. i. 16; i Pet. ii. ri, iv. 12; 2 Pet. 
 iii. I, 8, 14, 17 ; i Joh. iii. 2, 21, iv. i, 7, 11 ; Jude 3, 17, 20. 
 
 ' And more elaborately in the '"Definition'' of the Council of Chalcedon, a.d. 451. 
 
72 PHILIPPIANS, II. [v. 13. 
 
 in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, 
 IS work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For 
 
 ye have always obeyed] So too R.V. Lit. , ye did always obey ; the 
 aorist. And so better here. The Apostle views as one past experi- 
 ence his personal intercourse with them of old at Philippi. See the 
 next words, where such a retrospect is implied. 
 
 not as in my presence only &c.] The Greek shews that these words 
 are to be joined with what follows; "work out your own salvation, 
 now in my absence, not only in my presence." 
 
 '■'■As in 7ny presence''' : — "oj" suggests the thought, or point of view, 
 of the agent ; " infliienced by the fact of my presence." 
 
 wcrk out your oivn salvation] ^^Yotcr own'''' is strongly emphatic. 
 I The Apostle is in fact bidding them "learn to walk alone," instead of 
 leaning too much on his presence and personal influence. "Do not 
 make me your proxy in spiritual duties which must be your own." 
 Hence the " much more'''' of the previous clause ; his absence was to be 
 the occasion for a far fuller realization of their own personal obliga- 
 tions and resources in the spiritual life. 
 
 " Salvation^ : — see above on i. 19. The main reference here is to 
 final glory (see remarks just below). But as life eternal is continuous 
 and one, here and hereafter, a side-reference may well be recognized 
 to present preservation from falling and sinning. " In this way of 
 diligence we receive daily more and more of 'salvation' itself, by 
 liberty from sin, victory over it, peace and communion with God, and 
 the earnests of heavenly felicity" (Scott). 
 
 " lVo7'k out'''' : — the verb is that used also e.g. Rom. iv. 15 ("the law 
 worketh Avrath"); 2 Cor. iv. 17, a close and instructive parallel. As 
 there the saint's "light affliction" "works out for him a weight of 
 glory," so here his watchful, loving, reverent consistency, for his 
 Lord's sake, "works out," issues in the result of, his "salvation." 
 There is not the slightest contradiction here to the profound truth of 
 Justification by Faith only, that is to say, only for the merit's sake of 
 the Redeemer, appropriated by submissive trust; that justification 
 whose sure issue is "glorification" (Rom. viii. 30). It is an instance 
 of independent lines of truth converging on one goal. From one point 
 of view, that of justifying merit, man is glorified because of Christ's 
 work alone, applied to his case through faith alone. From another 
 point, that of qualifying capacity, and of preparation for the Lord's 
 individual welcome (Matt. xxv. 21; Rom. ii. 7), man is glorified as 
 the issue of a process of work and training, in which in a true sense 
 he is himself operant, though grace lies below the whole operation. 
 
 with fear and trembli7ig\ not of tormenting misgiving (cp. i Joh. iv. 
 18), but of profound reverence and wakeful conscience. So i Cor. ii. 3; 
 1 Cor. vii. 15; Eph. vi. 5. Chrysostom quotes Psal. ii. 11, "Serve 
 the Lord in fear, and exult unto Him in trembling." — The Douay 
 (Romanist) Bible here has a note: — "This is against the false faith 
 and presumptuous confidence of modern sectaries " ; a reference to the 
 
V. 13.] PHILIPPIANS, II. 73 
 
 it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of 
 
 doctrine of a personal assurance of present Divine favour and coming 
 glory. But this is both to mistake the meaning of St Paul's phrase 
 '•fear and trembling," and to forget such passages as e.g. Rom. v. i, 
 2, 9, viii. 28 — 39. — It is the formulated tenet of the Church of Rome 
 that "no man can know, with a certainty under which nothing false 
 *can lurk, that he has attained the grace of God" {Canones Concil. 
 Trident., Sess. vi. cap, ix.). See further just below. 
 
 13. For it is God &c.] Here is the reason for the "fear and trembling." 
 The process of "working out" is one which touches at every point the 
 internal presence of Him before whom "the stars are not pure" (Job 
 XXV. 5). Meanwhile the same fact, in its aspect of the presence of His 
 tower, is the deepest reason for strength and hope in the process ; and 
 this thought also, very possibly, is present here. 
 
 God which worketh in yoti\ The Immanence, Indwelling, of God in 
 His saints, in deep and sacred speciality and reality, is a main doctrine 
 of the Gospel. The Paraclete is not only "with" but " in" them (Joh. 
 xiv. 17 ; and see below, on iv. -23). By the Paraclete's work, in 
 giving new birth and new life, "Christ, who is our life" (Col. iii. 3), 
 "is in them" (cp. esp. Rom. viii. 9 — 11, and see 2 Cor. iv. 10, ir, xiii. 
 5 ; Col. i. 27); and "in Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead" 
 (Col. ii. 9). See further on this all-important subject Eph. iii. 17. — In 
 the light of a passage like this we arrive at the animating truth that the 
 "grace" which is present in the Christian is not only a power, or influ- 
 ence, emitted as it were from above ; it is the living and eternal God 
 Himself, present and operating at "the first springs of thought and 
 will." 
 
 " Worketh''' : — the Greek word has a certain intensity about it, 
 "worketh effectually.'''' 
 
 to will\ I.e. His working produces these effects, not merely tends 
 towards them. Effecteth in you your ■willing: would be a fair render- 
 ing. Here, though in passing, one of the deepest mysteries of grace is 
 touched upon. On the one hand is the will of the Christian, real, per- 
 sonal, and in full exercise; appealed to powerfully as such in this very 
 passage. On the other hand, beneath it, as cause beneath result, if the 
 will is to work in God's way, is seen God working, God "effecting." 
 A true theology will recognize with equal reverence and entireness of 
 conviction both these great parallels of truth. It will realize human 
 responsibility with "fear and trembling"; it will adore the depths of 
 grace with deep submission, and attribute every link in the chain of 
 actual salvation to God alone ultimately^ 
 
 and to do] Or, as before, and your doing, or better, your working; 
 the verb is the same as that just above. The "will" is such as to 
 express itself in "effectual work." 
 
 ' On the philosophy of the subject see some excellent suggestions in M'Cosh's 
 Intuitiofis of the Mind, Bk. iv. ch. iii. 
 
74 PHILIPPIANS, 11. [vv. 14, 15. 
 
 14 his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and 
 
 15 disputings : that ye may be blameless and harmless, the 
 sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and 
 
 of his good pleasure] Better, with R.V., for His good pleasure ; for 
 its sake, to carry it out. The saint, new created, enabled by grace to 
 will and do, is all the while the implement of the purposes of God, and 
 used for them. Cp. Eph. ii. 10 for a close and suggestive parallel in 
 respect of this last point. 
 
 14. Do &c.] The general principle of holiness of life in the power 
 of the Divine Indweller is now carried into details, with a view to the 
 special temptations and failings of the Philippians. See above, on ii. 2. 
 
 all things] Observe the characteristic totality of the precept. Cp. 
 Eph. iv. 15, 31 ; and see 2 Cor. ix. 8. 
 
 without murmu7'mgs and disputings] amongst and against one ano- 
 ther. For the word " murmuring^^ in a similar connexion cp. Acts 
 vi. i; I Pet. iv. 9; and for '^disputing,'" Jas. ii. 4. This reference 
 suits the context, and the indications of the whole Epistle as to the 
 besetting sins of Philippi, better than the reference to murmurs and 
 doubts as towards God. And such sins against one another would be 
 prevented by nothing so much as by the felt presence of ' ' God working 
 in them." See below, on iv. 5. 
 
 ^'■Disputings'' : — for example, about the duties of others and the 
 rights of self. The older Latin versions render detractioncs. 
 
 15. be] Better, with the true reading, become, prove ; a gentle 
 I intimation that a change was needed. 
 
 blameless] Secure against true charges of inconsistency of temper and 
 conduct. 
 
 harmless] So too R.V. But this can be only a derived rendering. 
 The literal and ordinary meaning of the Greek is '•'■unmixed^ unadul- 
 terated, pure." The character denoted is simple as against double; 
 single-hearted in truth and love. It occurs elsewhere, in N.T., only 
 Matt. X. 16 ; Rom. xvi. 19 ; but often in secular writers. 
 
 the sons of God] More exactly, with R.V., children of God. The 
 Greek word rendered "children" points more specially than the other 
 to the nattire and character of the family of God ; the i2L-sm\^' -likeness. 
 The precise phrase " children of God," occurs elsewhere (in the Greek) 
 Joh. i. 12, xi. 52; Rom. viii. 16, 17, 21, ix. 8; i Joh. iii. r, 2, 10, v. 2. 
 Here the evident meaning is, "that you may prove the fact of your 
 spiritual sonship to God by your spiritual likeness to Him, which is its 
 one true proof." As a rule, Scripture tends to use the words " Father," 
 "son," "child," as between God and man, to indicate not the con- 
 nexion of creation but that of new-creation, as here. 
 
 without rebuke] One Greek adjective; the same word (in the best 
 attested reading here) as that in Eph. i. 4, v. 27; Col. i. 22 ; passages 
 in this same Roman group of St Paul's Epistles. 
 
 This word is closely connected with the preceding words ; we may 
 paraphrase, "children of God, blameless as such." — There is an im- 
 
PHILIPPIANS, II. 75 
 
 perverse nation, among whom ye shine as Hghts in the 
 world j holding forth the word of life ; that I may rejoice 16 
 in the day of Christ, that 1 have not run in vain, neither 
 
 plicit reference in the phrase to Deut. xxxii. 5, where the LXX. reads, 
 " They sinned; they were not child):en to Him, but blameworthy chil- 
 dren ; a generation crooked and perverse.^'' The "true Israelites" of 
 Philippi were to be the antithesis of the ancient rebels. 
 
 in the midst of &c.] A continued allusion to the words (see last 
 note) of Moses; a beautiful inversion of them. "A crooked and dis- 
 torted generation" is still in view, but it is now not the Lord's Israel, 
 but "they which are without" (Col. iv. 5), whose moral contrariety was 
 both to bring out the power and beauty of grace in the saints, and at 
 length to yield to its blessed charm. 
 
 **/« the midst of^: — not in selfish or timid isolation from the duties \ 
 and difificalties of life. The Gospel has no real sanction for the 
 monastic idea. Cp. Joh. xvii. 15; and the tenor of the Epistles at 
 large. 
 
 ye shine'] Better, ye appear, ye are seen (R.V.). The Greek verb 
 is used of the rising and setting of the stars, the '^ phcvnomena" of the 
 heavens. Perhaps this is meant to be remembered here. The saints, 
 in the beautiful light of holiness, were to rise star-like upon the dark 
 sky of surrounding sin. See next note. 
 
 lights'] Better, light-bearers, luminaries [lujuinaria, Latin Ver- 
 sions). The word appears in both secular and Biblical Greek as a 
 designation of the heavenly bodies ; see e.g. Gen. 1. 14, 16. It occurs 
 again, in N.T., only Rev. xxi. 11, apparently in the very rare sense of / 
 "radiance." 
 
 Cp. Isai. Ix. I ; Matt. v. 14, 16; Eph. v. 8. 
 
 16. Holding f 07-th] as offering it for acceptance ; presenting it to 
 the notice, enquiry, and welcome, of others. The metaphor of the 
 luminary is dropped. — It is intimated that the faithful Christian will 
 not be content without making direct efforts, however humble and un- 
 obtrusive, to win attention to the distinctive message of his Lord. 
 
 the word of life] The Gospel, as the revelation of eternal life in , 
 Christ. Cp. Joh. vi. 68; i Joh. i. i (where the reference of the phrase 
 is not to the personal Logos ; see Westcott there) ; and see also, in 
 illustration of the meaning of "word" here, i Joh. v. 11, 12; and 
 above, on i. 14. 
 
 that I may rejoice] Lit., '*/<? (be a) rejoicing for tne^ For the 
 thought, cp. I Thess. ii. 19. He looks forward to a sjiecial recogni- 
 tion of his converts at Philippi, at the Lord's Coming, and to a special 
 "joy of harvest" over them. 
 
 in the day of Christ] Lit., ^^unto the day &c."; in view of it, till I 
 am in it. On the ^^day" see note on i. 6. 
 
 that I have not run] Better, that I did not run. He speaks as if 
 already looking back on life as on one collected past. — '^ J^iin" : — a 
 favourite metaphor with St Paul, to represent the energy and progress 
 
1^ PHILIPPIANS, II. [v. 17. 
 
 17 laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacri- 
 fice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you 
 
 of life, moving towards its goal. Cp. Acts xiii. 25, xx. 24 (both Pauline 
 passages); i Cor. ix. 24, 26; Gal. ii. 2 (a close parallel), v. 7 ; 2 Tim. 
 iv. 7. See also Rom. ix. 16 ; 2 Thess. iii. i ; Heb. xii. r. 
 
 laboured] Better, did labour ; see last note. Cp. i Thess. iii. 5 for 
 nearly the same words. 
 
 in vain] Lit., "/<? za/iat is empty,'''' in vacuum. The phrase is 
 f peculiar to St Paul in N.T. 
 
 17. Yea, and //"&c.] He takes up tlie last word, characteristically. 
 " Laboured for you, did I say? Nay, if I have to say also died, poured 
 out my heart'' s blood, it is only joy to me." 
 
 be offered upon] Lit. and better, am being shed as a libation upon. 
 The imagery is sacrificial. He views the Philippians as an altar- sacri- 
 fice, a burnt-offering, in their character of consecrated believers ; and 
 upon that sacrifice the drink-offering, the libation, the outpoured wine, 
 4s Paul's life-blood, Paul as their missionary martyr. On the libations 
 of the Mosaic ritual, cp. Num. xv. 3 — 10, where the drink-offering 
 appears as a conspicuous detail in the rite of the burnt-offering. Bp 
 Lightfoot thinks that a reference to the pagan ritual of libation is more 
 likely, in an Epistle to a Church of Gentile converts. But surely St 
 Paul familiarized all his converts with O.T. s)Tnbolism; and his own 
 mind was of course deeply impregnated with it. — The same word, but 
 without any detail of imagery, appears again 2 Tim. iv. 6, on the 
 then actual eve of St Paul's death by the sword. — "The present 
 ) tense ['aw being shed''] places the hypothesis vividly before the eyes: 
 but it does not... refer to present dangers... comp. e.g. Matt. xii. 26" 
 (Lightfoot). — Ignatius {To the Romans, c. 2) speaks of being '■'• libated 
 to God'''' ; probably an allusion to this phrase. 
 
 the sacrifice and service of your faith] As we have just explained, 
 their faith in Jesus Christ, resulting in their living self-sacrifice to 
 God (Rom. xii. i), constituted them as it were victims at a spiritual 
 altar, and their lives a sacerdotal ritual or "service." Cp. for an 
 instructive parallel Rom. xv. 16, with note in this Series. — These 
 are the only two passages in his whole writings where the Apostle 
 applies the language of sacerdotalism to the work of the Christian 
 ministry. (See Appendix C.) It is remarkable that in each place 
 the language is obviously that of figure and, so to speak, poetry. 
 In the Ep. to the Romans, "the Gentiles" are "the oblation," and 
 "the glad-tidings" is the matter on which his "priest-work" is 
 exercised. In this passage the Philippians are both " sacrifice " and 
 "altar-ministers," while Paul is the "libation." 
 
 I joy, and rejoice with you all] Again the warm and significant 
 words, *'you all.'"' — His willing death for Christ, viewed as a last 
 contribution to their spiritual good, a last aid in their life of believing 
 self-consecration, would be a personal joy to him, and an occasion of 
 united joy with them or (as Lightfoot explains the phrase here) con- 
 gratulation of them. The Apostle assumes that they would rejoice, 
 
w. 18—21.] PHILIPPIANS, II. 77 
 
 all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with 18 
 me. 
 
 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly 19 
 unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I 
 know your state. For I have no 7tian likeminded, who will 20 
 naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not 21 
 
 with the deep joy of men who shared the martyr spirit. Cp. Eph. 
 iii. 13 for a somewhat similar thought. 
 
 Polycarp's Epistle (see our Introduction, ch. v.) ahnost begins with a 
 phrase which is a reminiscence of this sentence and iv. 10. 
 
 18. For the same cause] Better, with R.V., In the same manner. 
 The same phrase occurs Matt, xxvii. 44. 
 
 Jo ye joy &c.] A loving imperative. He bids them be glad, and 
 share their joy with him as he with them. It is an emphatic reitera- 
 tion of what he has implied in the words just above, that his death 
 .would be their joy, as being, if the Lord so willed, their spiritual 
 blessing. 
 
 19 — 30. He proposes soon to send Timotheus : He sends 
 without delay epaphroditus. 
 
 19. But I trust &ic.'\ Lit., But I hope &c. He refers back to the 
 allusion to his absence from them, ver. 12. That trial, while it brings 
 them its special calls and opportunities, is yet to be relieved. 
 
 in the Lord 'yestis'\ See last note on i. 8. 
 
 Timotheus^ See on i. i. 
 
 / aho'\ as well as you. He affectionately assumes that they, in 
 accordance with his entreaties above (ver. 12 &c.) will be "strong and 
 of a good courage" in the Lord. He would share this, through the 
 joy of hearing of it. 
 
 be of good comfort^ More lit., '■'■ be of good {happy) soul." A single 
 word (verb) in the Greek. 
 
 20. For'] He gives his reason for sending Timothy. 
 likemindcd\ Lit., '•'■ equal- souled ;'''' a slight echo, in form, of the 
 
 verb just above. Timothy's "soul," his loving and willing self, was 
 "equal," level, to St Paul's, in pure, cordial, interest in the Philip- 
 pians. — The Greek adjective occurs nowhere else in the N.T., and in 
 the LXX. only Psal. liv. 13 (Heb., Iv. 14), for the Hebrew '•^ after my 
 scale, or standard'^', a good parallel. The A.V. margin, "jt? dear 
 unto me,'' is certainly mistaken. 
 
 fiaturally'] R.V. '' truly ^ But the A.V. well conveys the meaning. 
 The word is literally, genuinely; so that heart corresponds to action. 
 
 care] Better, take careful, anxious thought. The verb (nierimndfi) 
 is traced by recent philologists into connexion with root-words giving 
 the idea o( mindfulness, earnestness of thought, not, as according to the 
 once current etymology, division of thought. — It is the same verb as 
 that below, iv. 6, where see note. — The apparent contradiction of the 
 two passages has a beautiful harmony beneath it. Timothy's "anxiety" 
 
j2> PHILIPPIANS, II. [vv. 21—23. 
 
 22 the thi7igs which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof 
 of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with 
 
 23 me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, 
 
 was in fact painstaking thought for others; the "anxiety" forbidden, 
 iv. 6, is the result of our failure, as each felt burthen comes, to pass it 
 on to the love and care of the Lord. — The verb (or its cognate noun) 
 rendered "rar^" here occurs in the sense it bears here, i Cor. vii. 32, 
 34, xii. 25 ; 2 Cor. xi. 28. In all other places its reference is to anxiety 
 in an unfavourable sense of the word. 
 
 21. aH\ The Greek would be more exactly represented by they all, 
 or all of them ; all of a definite group in question. This is a severe 
 censure on the persons really indicated. St Paul must have suffered 
 grave disappointments where he had a special right to expect ready 
 help. Demas (2 Tim. iv. 10) had his precursors ; indeed he may 
 have been included in this censure, for he was at Rome about this 
 time (Col. iv. 14; Philem. 24). But we must not assume that St Paul 
 here (or even 2 Tim. iv. 10) excommunicates, so to speak, those whom 
 he refers to ; the true disciple may have his weak, because faithless 
 and selfish, hour. See Acts xiii. 13, with xv. 38, and contrast 2 Tim. 
 iv. II. And again common sense bids us interpret the " they «//" with 
 a reserve. He must mean not "all the Christians around me," but 
 "all the possible Christian messengers around me." "The saints of 
 Caesar's household" (iv. 22), for example, could not be in question; 
 nor was Epaphroditus (ver. 25, &c.). 
 
 seek their 07vn] tJmigs, literally; their own ease or safety; perhaps 
 their own preferences in toil and duty. See i Cor. xiii. 5 for the oppo- 
 site choice as the choice of holy Charity. 
 
 the things which are Jesus Christ's^ The interests of His disciples 
 laid upon them by His Apostle. 
 
 22. the proof of hi7)i\ The test of him ; the practical evidence of 
 what he is. This they "knew," by eyewitness at Philippi. 
 
 as a son with ^^fathcr'X Better, as child with father. The Greek 
 word rendered "child" is a tender one. See above on ver. 15. For 
 St Paul's paternal love for Timothy cp. 2 Tim. i. 2, and that whole 
 Epistle. 
 
 he hath served with me\ More precisely, with me (slightly emphatic, 
 suggesting the speciality of his devotion in Christ to Paul) he did 
 bondservice. The reference is to the labours of Timothy (gathered up 
 by the aorist into one recollection) at Philippi. See above, on i. i, 
 note 2. — Grammatically, we might render, "with me he accepted bond- 
 service^' ; with a reference to Timothy's first dedication to missionary 
 work under St Paul, Acts xvi. i — 3. But he evidently refers to their 
 own observation of Timothy and so to a later period. 
 
 in the gospel] Lit., ''laito the GospeV ; well paraphrased by R.V., 
 in furtherance of the Gospel. See note on i. 5 above.— For ''the 
 GospeV in the sense of "the work of tlie Gospel" cp. below, iv. 3. 
 
vv. 24, 25-] PHILIPPIANS, II. 79 
 
 so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust 24 
 in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet 1 25 
 supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my 
 
 23. presently] Better, with R.V., forthwith, promptly, on ascertain- 
 ing the issue of his trial. 
 
 so soon as I shall see] He is sure, an fond, of the prospect of conti- 
 nued life (i. 25 and note) ; but this leaves him as much as ever obliged 
 to wait the development of the Roman legal process. And it needs 
 no very subtle psychology to see the possibility of the presence, in the 
 same person, of certainties and uncertainties about the same event. 
 — Observe that Divine inspiration is far from conveying universal 
 prescience. 
 
 ho%u it will go with me] A good paraphrase for the lit., " the things 
 around ?ne," my circumstances. 
 
 24. / trust] For the Greek and its force see on i. 25, with the 
 reference there to i. 6. 
 
 i7i the Lord] See last note on i. 8. 
 
 shortly] The word is of course elastic ; it may mean a few weeks, 
 or many months, as relations of comparison vary. What he is confi- 
 dent of is that Timothy's arrival would be followed at no great interval 
 by his own. — Bp Lightfoot compares i Cor. iv. 17, 19, for a curiously 
 close parallel to the language of this passage, without any connexion 
 of events. 
 
 25. Yet I supposed] Better, But I have counted, or, I count. — 
 ** YeV is too strong a word of contrast or exception. 
 
 "/ have counteW'' : — the Greek verb is an aorist, but an "epistolary' 
 aorist, in which the writer of a letter puts himself mentally at the 
 time of its reception. And this we often express in English by the 
 perfect or the present. — Epaphroditus was probably the bearer of the 
 Epistle. 
 
 necessary] as against the less obligatory conditions of Timothy s 
 intended mission. That concerned St Paul's comfort, this, the Phi- 
 lippians'; and in his view, on Christian principles, the latter was of 
 course more urgent. — For the phrase cp. 2 Cor. ix. 5. 
 
 Epaphroditus] We know him only from this Epistle, indeed only 
 from this passage, for the mention iv. 18 merely adds the fact that he 
 was the conveyer to St Paul of the Philippians' present. But the 
 few lines now before us are enough to shew us a Christian full of 
 spiritual love and practical devotion to Christ and the flock. — Epa- 
 phroditus has been identified with Epaphras (Col. i. 7, iv. 12; Philem. 
 23). But this is improbable. The shorter name is indeed only an 
 abbreviation of the longer; but "Epaphras" always denotes the con- 
 vert and missionary of Colossae, •* Epaphroditus" the messenger from 
 Philippi, two widely separated mission-stations. And the man in 
 each case appears to be a native of, or resident in, the station. Both 
 names were very common at the time. — It is observable that this 
 Christian's name embodies the name of the goddess AphroditL No 
 
8o PHILIPPIANS, 11. [v. 26. 
 
 brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but 
 
 26 your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For 
 
 he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because 
 
 scruple appears to have been felt among the primitive Christians 
 about the retention of such pre-baptismal names. See note on Rom. 
 xvi. I in this Series. 
 
 7ny brother, &c.] The loving commendation is most emphatic. 
 Epaphroditus had evidently at some time toiled and striven "in the 
 Gospel," along with St Paul, in no common way. This may have 
 been in past days at Philippi, or, as Lightfoot suggests, just recently 
 at Rome, since his arrival from Philippi. — ^^Fellow-soldier'" : — cp. 
 Philem. 2, and see 2 Cor. x. 3; i Tim. i. 18; 2 Tim. ii. 3, 4. The 
 Christian "worker" is a '■'■ soldier''^ as having to deal with "all the 
 power of the enemy" (Luke x. 19) in his work. 
 
 your tnessenger'\ In the Greek, '''■your apostolos.^'' Some have ex- 
 plained this to mean "your chief pastor," in fact "your bishop," leader 
 of the '"'■episcopV and ^'■diaconi" of i. r. But there is no real Scripture 
 parallel for such a meaning; and meanwhile 2 Cor. viii. 23 gives a 
 clear parallel for the meaning ^'' your delegated messenger {to me)^ The 
 Greek wording of the clause fully confirms this; it may be paraphrased, 
 "messenger, and minister of need, sent by you to me." R.V. your 
 messenger and minister to my need. Meanwhile the word apostolos 
 seems to have had from the very first a certain sacredness and speciality 
 about it. Even when not used of the Lord's Apostles, it has borrowed 
 something of greatness from His use of it (Luke vi. 13) for them; it 
 is not ine7-ely (as by derivation) "one sent," a messenger ; it is a sacred 
 and authoritative messenger. — We may perhaps reverently trace here 
 a slight play upon the word, as if the Philippians were the superior 
 party and Paul the inferior. As if he said, "One whom you have sent 
 2isyour missionary to me."" 
 
 he that tninistered to my wants'] Lit. and better (see above) [your] 
 minister of [to] my need. The Greek word is leitourgos, which again 
 is a word of dignified and often sacred connexion, exactly represented 
 by our "minister." See Rom. xiii. 6 for its use of magistrates; Heb. 
 viii. 2 for its use of priests. We see here again a certain affectionate 
 play upon the word : Epaphroditus bore an q^ce and authority given 
 by — the Philippians' love. 
 
 26. For] Here lay the "necessity," in St Paul's view, of his friend's 
 return to the Philippians; in Epaphroditus' longing for them, and their 
 love and anxiety in regard of him. 
 
 he longed] The Greek is full and emphatic, he was (in a state of) 
 I longing, of home-sickness. See note on i. 8. — Doubtless the feeling 
 was a recent if not a present one; and m an English letter we should 
 say accordingly, " A^ has been in a home-sick condition." 
 
 after you alt] A reading which has considerable support is "/<? see 
 .you ally The precise phrase thus formed occurs Rom. i. ii; i Thess. 
 I iii. 6; 2 Tim. i. 4. Perhaps this is a reason for deciding against it here, 
 as it might be a transcriber's reminiscence. 
 
V. 27, 28.] PHILIPPIANS, II. 8i 
 
 that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he 47 
 was sick nigh unto death : but God had mercy on him ; 
 and not on him only, but on me also, lest 1 should have 
 sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore the more care- 28 
 
 Observe the still recurring '^you all.'" Epaphroditus may have 
 been in some way involved in those differences between sets and 
 circles at Philippi (see above, on i. 27, &c.) which gave St Paul \ 
 anxiety. So he emphasizes Epaphroditus' impartial affection for 
 them, 
 
 was full of heaviness] Better, [has been] sore troubled. The word 
 is used of our blessed Lord's "sore trouble" in the Garden, Matt. xxvi. 
 37; Mar. xiv. 33. By derivation (see Lightfoot here) it probably 
 suggests the restlessness of profound dislike, shrinking from loathed 
 pain or grief. — We see a character of great sensitiveness and ten- 
 derness. 
 
 ye had heard, &c.] An English letter-writer would more naturally 
 say you have heard that he has been ill. The reference is to com- 
 parative recency, and present results. See Introduction, p. 16. 
 
 27. For indeed, &c.] Epaphroditus would have made light of the 
 illness; St Paul assures them that the report was seriously true, and 
 that the illness had a generous origin. 
 
 he was] He has been. 
 
 God had wercy on him] Though for him also "to die" would have 
 been "gain" (i. ^i), yet death in itself is a dark passage, even to 
 the Christian (see joh. xxi. 18; and 2 Cor. v. 4). And meanwhile 
 great are the joys of service on the pilgrimage, and deep their con- 
 nexion with the coming joys of the heavenly country. "Those who 
 are departed this life," says St Chrysostom here, "can no longer 
 ivin sotils^ But perhaps the immediate thought is simply that death 
 would have bereaved the Philippians of their friend, to whose loving 
 heart it was thus "a mercy," for their sakes, to recover. 
 
 on me also] Here, as so often in St Paul, a heart glowing with holy 
 and generous affection expresses itself in a recognition of the im- 
 portance of his friends to him. See e.g. Rom. xvi. 4. 
 
 sorrow upon sorrozv] A sore bereavement would have been added 
 to the grief caused him by the "brethren" of i. 15, 16, and to the 
 pervadinggrief of his separation by imprisonment from so many beloved 
 friends. — Observe the perfect naturalness of his language. He abides 
 in "the peace of God"; he "has strength for all things" (iv. 7, 13). 
 But that peace is no frost, or torpor, of the heart ; tliat strength is ( 
 not hardness. He is released from embitterment and from murmurs, 
 but every sensibility is refined by that very fact. It was so with his 
 Lord before him ; Joh. xi. 33, 35, 38. 
 
 This passage among others (e.g. 2 Tim. iv. 20) shews that the 
 mysterious "gift of healing," used by St Paul at Melita (Acts xxviii. 
 8), was not at the absolute disposal of even the faith of its recipient. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 6 
 
PHILIPPIANS, II. [vv. 29, 30. 
 
 fully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that 
 
 29 I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the 
 
 30 Lord with all gladness ; and hold such in reputation : be- 
 cause for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not 
 
 28. I sent\ In an English letter it would run, I have sent, or I am 
 sending. 
 
 carefully] Better, with R.V. diligently; taking pains to arrange. 
 
 less sorrowful] A beautiful touch of character. Among his sorrows, 
 he intimates, was his being the unwilling cause of separating Epaphro- 
 ditus from the Philippians, and bringing him into risks at Rome. To 
 think of him as safely returned to Philippi would be a solace, though it 
 would be a new separation for himself. — Under the shadow of that last 
 thought, perhaps, he says not ^^ happier''' but '■^ less sorroiufuiy 
 
 29. Receive hi??i therefore] ^^ Therefore'^: — as the consequence of 
 my sending him. The whole verse supports the suggestion that the 
 
 I internal friction among the Philippians had somehow made Epaphro- 
 J ditus unacceptable to some. See above on ver. 26. 
 
 in the Lord] See above on i. 8. 
 
 with all gladness] The cloud in his own sky interferes not in the least 
 with this holy soul's interest in the joy of others. 
 
 in reputation] R.V., in honour. The word occurs Luke vii. 1, of 
 the centurion's '■'■ highly-valued slave"; and i Pet. ii. 4, 6, of the '■'•pre- 
 cious stone." — Ihere was a slight risk, we gather here (and see iii. 17, 
 and note), lest such unobtrusive and devoted holders of, and workers 
 for, the Gospel should fall out of favour at Philippi. Cp. i Thess. 
 V. 12, 13. 
 
 30. the work of Christ] One most ancient MS. (C) omits " of 
 Christ''''; and some other evidence is for ^^ of the Lord^'' instead. R.V. 
 retains the reading of A.V., mentioning in the margin the reading '■^ of 
 the Lord.'''' Alford and Lightfoot advocate the omission. — For the 
 phrase ^^the work,'''' used without further definition, cp. Acts xv. 38. 
 
 he zuas nigh unto death] Lit., ^^he drew near, up to death,''^ a pecu- 
 liar but unmistakable expression. 
 
 not regarding his life] R. V, , hazarding his life. The two renderings 
 represent each a different reading, the difference lying in the presence 
 or absence of a single letter in the Greek {para't)o{u)lcusajnenos) . On 
 the whole that represented by R.V. has the better support. In the 
 more ancient Latin Version this Greek word is almost transhterated : 
 — parabolatus de a7iimd sua; words which might almost be rendered, 
 "having played the desperado with his life." The verb (found here 
 only) is formed on a common Greek verb of which one meaning is 
 "to wager in a game of chance," and so to run a risk. Bp Light- 
 foot renders here, ^^ having gambled xvith his life.''' — From the same 
 root comes the ecclesiastical word (Greek and Latin) parabolamis, a 
 member of a "minor order" devoted to nursing the infected, and 
 similar hazardous duties. The order originated in Constantine's time. 
 
v.3o] PHILIPPIANS, II. 83 
 
 regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward 
 me. 
 
 Unhappily it soon degenerated into a notoriously turbulent sort of 
 club. 
 
 ''His life'": — lit., ''his soul.'' For the very frequent use of the/ 
 Greek word psyche in the sense of bodily life cp. e.g. Matt. ii. 20. 
 
 to supply your lack &c.] More lit., " that he might fill up your defi- 
 ciency in the ministration designed for me.'" " Your'''' is slightly em- 
 phatic. Obviously, the Apostle means no reproof to the Philippians, 
 whose "ministration" of supplies he so warmly appreciates below (iv. 
 10 — 19). He means that they, as a community, were of course unable 
 to aid him by a personal visit, without which however their " minis- 
 tration" would have "lacked" a necessary condition of success. That 
 condition Epaphroditus had supplied ; he had undertaken the journey, 
 and doubtless had thrown himself at Rome into the Apostle's interests 
 and efforts. And somehow, whether by accidents on the journey, or 
 by risks run at Rome, or by both, he had incurred dangerous illness. — 
 See for a close parallel to the language here i Cor. xvi. 17; and cp. 
 the important phraseology of Col. i. 24, and notes there. 
 
 Ch. III. 1 — 3. Let them cultivate Joy in the Lord, as 
 the true preservative from the dangers of judaistic 
 Teaching. 
 
 1. Finally"] Lit., " For the rest''' : " For what remains!''' See Eph. 
 vi. 10, and note in this Series. In 2 Cor. xiii. i ; r Thess. iv. i ; 2 
 Thess. iii. i ; below iv. 8; and (in a slightly diflerent form) Gal. vi. 17; 
 the phrase appears to mean "in conclusion." But it is plainly 
 elastic, and in i Thess. we have an example, as here, of its use (and 
 of course of its retention by the writer on review of his writing) 
 some time before the actual fareiuell. As a fact the Apostle is just 
 about to open the last large topic of his letter, the topic of the dif- 
 ference between a true and a false Gospel; all else in the remaining 
 paragraphs is only accessory. Hitherto he has been dealing, in effect, 
 with the duty and blessedness of unity, secured by humility and watch- 
 fulness ; bringing in some all-important doctrinal statements, but only 
 by the way. He will now close with a definite and solemn message of 
 spiritual truth, in a matter of present urgency. 
 
 The connexion of this passage has been much debated, and particu- 
 larly the bearing of the phrase "to write the same things unto you." 
 What does he refer to ? To a previous Epistle ? To a previous similar 
 statement in this Epistle? But there is no other hint whatever of a 
 previous letter; and in this present letter there is no previous injunc- 
 tion to rejoice. The solution offered by Bp Lightfoot is as follows: — 
 " The same things " are the exhortations to unity so often made 
 already, and which the Apostle ivas about to reinforce. But he was 
 
 6—2 
 
84 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. I. 
 
 3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the 
 same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for 
 
 interrupted in his work, and not till after an interval of days, perhaps, 
 did he resume it. He then dropped the intended appeal, and turned 
 instead to the yet more serious subject of doctrinal error. 
 
 This ingenious suggestion offers, however, a serious difficulty, by 
 assuming that St Paul, with his scribe beside him, would have sent 
 out an Epistle in a state so disjointed, simply for lack of revision. No 
 view of Divine inspiration demands it ; and certainly all considerations 
 of thoughtful authorship are against it. 
 
 We offer the following theory: — The Apostle sees before him, as 
 he thinks of Philippi, the danger of doctrinal error ; error which in 
 one way or another undervalues Christ and Him crucified. The 
 true antidote to such error is a developed and rejoicing intuition into 
 Christ and His work, such as had been granted to himself. This he 
 will now make his theme. But he has, in a sense, done so already, 
 by the oft-repeated allusions to the Lord's sovereign and vital con- 
 nexion with His people ("m the Lord," ^^ in the heart of Christ,^'' &c.), 
 and above all by the opening passages of ch. ii. So he is " writing the 
 same things" when he writes now "finally" about "rejoicing in the 
 Lord'''' as their righteousness, life, glory, strength, and peace. All 
 " other Gospels" were obscurations of that great joy. 
 
 Thus the special injunction to '■'' rejoice''^ has regard to the past and 
 coming context at once. In particular, it anticipates ver. 3 below, 
 {'■''glory in Christ J estcs''''). 
 
 A suffrage in one of the Litanies of the venerable Church of the 
 Unitas Fratrum ("the Moravians") is in point here: — ''^ From the 
 loss of our glory in Thee, preserve and keep us, gracious Lord and 
 God." 
 
 rejoice"] R.V. margin, ^^ ox, farewell.'''' But the evidence of iv. 4, 
 which plainly takes this phrase up, and adds the word ^^ always,'' is 
 altogether for the text R.V., and A.V. "Farewell always''' is an im- 
 possible formula of conclusion ; we are constrained to render '■^ Be glad 
 always" there. And already ii. 18 he has used the same Greek word 
 in that sense beyond doubt. See the last note. 
 
 in the Lord] See last note but one, and that on i. 8. 
 
 To write the same things] See last note but two, for a reference of 
 this to "the things" already written in this Epistle about the glory and 
 fulness of Christ. 
 
 to me indeed... safe] The Greek words form an Iambic trimeter, a 
 verse corresponding in the Greek drama to our blank heroic, and may 
 thus be a quotation by the way-^. In i Cor. xv. 33 we almost certainly 
 have such a quotation from a Greek dramatist, Menander or perhaps 
 Euripides; "/// converse zu it hers fair morality''' We may render here, 
 with a view to the rhythm. To me not irksome, it is safe for you. — 
 
 ^ I owe this remark to a friend. 
 
vv. 2, 3.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 85 
 
 you // is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, 2 
 beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, 3 
 
 St James (i. 17) appears similarly to adopt a Greek hexameter; ^^ Every 
 giving of good and every boon of perfection^ 
 
 2. Beware of] Lit., ^^see." For this use of the verb, cp. Col. iv. 
 1 7 ; 2 John 8. 
 
 dogs] Lit. and better, the dogs. He refers to a known and defined 
 class ; and these evidently were those Judaistic teachers within the 
 pale of the Church to whom he has referred already (i. 15) in another 
 connexion and in a different tone. These Pharisee-Christians very 
 probably called the uncircumcised, and (from their point of view) 
 non- conforming, converts, "dogs," as the Pharisees-proper called 
 all Gentiles ; cp. Matt. xv. 26, 27, for words alluding to this use of 
 the term. The habits and instincts of the dog suggest ideas of unclean- 1 
 ness and wantonness ; and its half-wild condition in Eastern towns 
 adds the idea of a thing outcast. Thus everywhere in Scripture the 
 word "dog" is used in connexions of contempt, reproach or dread: 
 see e.g. i Sam. xxiv. 14; 2 Sam. xvi. 9; 2 Kings viii. 13; Psal. 
 xxii. 16, 20, hx. 6; Eccl. ix. 4; Matt, vii, 6; Rev. xxii. 15. — The 
 Apostle "here turns the tables" on the Judaist, and pronounces A/w I 
 to be the real defiled outcast from Messiah's covenant, rather than 
 the simple believer, who comes to Messiah not by way of Judaism, 
 but direct. The same view is expressed more fully Gal. v. 2 — 4. — It 
 is just possible that the word "dog" refers also to positive immorality 
 underlying, in many cases, a rigid ceremonialism. But this is at most 
 secondary here. See below vv. 18, 19, and notes, for another "school" 
 more open to such charges. 
 
 evi/ workers] Better, the bad -work-men. He refers to the same 
 faction under another aspect. Very probably, by a play on the 
 word " worker," he censures them as teaching a salvation by " works, "| 
 not by faith. (See e.g. Rom. iii. 27, iv. 2, 6, xi. 6 ; Gal. ii. 16,' 
 iii. 2 ; Eph. ii. 9 ; 2 Tim. i. 9 ; Tit. iii. 5.) As if to say, "They are 
 all for working, with a view to merit; but they are bungling ivork- 
 vitti all the while, adjusting wrongly the fabric of the Gospel, and 
 working not rightly even what in itself is right." Cp. 2 Cor. xi. 13 for a 
 passage where the same double meaning seems to attach to this 
 word. — For the other side of the truth of "working" see ii. 12, and 
 notes. 
 
 the concision] " The gashing, the mutilation .''' By this harsh kindred 
 word he satirizes, as it were, the rigid zeal of the Judaist for bodily 
 circumcision. In the light of the Gospel, the demand for the con- 
 tinuance of circumcision in the Church, as a saving ordinance, was in 
 fact a demand for a maltreatment of the body, akin only to heathen 
 practices; cp. e.g. i Kings xviii. 28. 
 
 Cp. Gal. V. 12, with Lightfoot's notes, for a somewhat simdar use of 
 words in a kindred connexion. Lightfoot here remarks on the frequent , 
 occurrence in the N.T. of verl)al play. See e.g. the Greek of Acts ' 
 viii. 30; Rom. xii. 3; 2 Thess. iii. 11. 
 
86 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. 4. 
 
 which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, 
 4 and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also 
 
 Wyclif curiously, and without any support in the Latin, renders this 
 clause, "seye dyuysioun"; Tyndale and Cranmer, "Beware of dis- 
 sencion (dissensyon)." 
 
 3. we are the circumcision] See the previous note. For the thought, 
 cp. especially Gal. iii. 7, 29, vi. 16; Eph. ii. 19; Col. ii. 11. /Jo-S^^^t-M 
 
 which worship God in the spirit] R. V. , who worship by the Spirit 
 Of God. This is based on the better-supported reading of the Greek, 
 and should be adopted. The word "worship" is thus used without an 
 expressed object, as Luke ii. 37 ; Acts xxvi. 7 ; (in both which places, 
 in A.V., the word "God" is in italics). The verb here [latreuein) ori- 
 ginally imports any sort of service, domestic or otherwise ; but usage 
 gives it in the N.T. a fixed connexion with the service of worship, and 
 occasionally (Heb. viii. 5, ix. 9, x. 2, xiii. 10) a special reference to the 
 worship of priestly ritual. Very probably this last usage is in view 
 here. The Judaist claimed to be the champion of the true ritual of 
 worship, as well as of the true initiation into covenant. The Apostle 
 replies that the spiritual Christian is as such the ideal worshipper, the 
 priest of the true rite. 
 
 "^j the Spirit of God'''': — cp. for the phrase in St Paul, Rom. viii. 
 9, 14; I Cor. ii. 10, II, 12, 14, iii. 16, vi. 11, vii^o, xii. 3; 2 Cor. iii. 
 3". The effect of the whole work of the Blessed Spirit in the regenerate 
 Christian was to bring him into right relations of worship with God 
 who "is Spirit" (Joh. iv. 24); to make him a "worshipper in (the) 
 Spirit and in truth." 
 
 and rejoice in Christ Jesus] R.V. , and glory &c. Better so, for the 
 Greek is not identical with that in i. 18, ii. 17, 18, 28, iii. i, iv. 4, 10. It 
 means a joy emphatically triumphant; such as would find its parody 
 in a proud and eager boastfulness (as e.g. Rom. ii. 23, iii. 27 ; i Cor. 
 iv. 7 ; 2 Cor. v. 12 &c. ; Gal. vi. 13 ; Jas iv. 16). 
 
 What national and ritual privilege was, in his own distorted estimate, 
 to the Judaist, that the true Messiah, the Incarnate Son of God, Christ 
 Jesus, was to the spiritual Christian — at once pedestal and crown, 
 righteousness and life and glory. 
 
 For the thought cp. Rom. v. 11 ; i Cor. i. 31 (observe previous con- 
 text); Gal. vi. 14. 
 
 have no confidence in theflesK] Quite lit., ^^ not in the flesh are confi- 
 dent"; with the implication that we are confident, on another and a 
 truer ground. 
 
 " The flesh" : — a most important word in the distinctive teaching of 
 St Paul. A fair popular equivalent for it would be "self," as far as 
 that word expresses that attitude or condition of our moral being which 
 is not subject to God's law or reliant on His grace. The "flesh" is 
 sometimes that state, or element, of man in which sin predominates ; 
 whatever in man is not ruled and possessed by the Holy Spirit; the 
 unsanctified intellect, the unsanctified affections. The "flesh" is some- 
 
V. 5-] PHILIPPIANS, III. 87. 
 
 have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh 
 that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more : 
 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the 5 
 
 times, again, as here, anything other than God taken by man as his 
 trust and strength, e.g. religious observances regarded as occasion for 
 self-confidence. In this latter case the word "flesh" is, as here, 
 shifted, so to speak, by a natural transition of language, from the 
 chooser to the thing chosen. 
 
 See further on this word Rom. viii. 4; Eph. ii. 3; and notes in this 
 Series. See also Dickson, On St PaiiVs Use of the Terms Flesh ami 
 Spirit (the Bain Lecture, 1883). 
 
 This short verse gives us one of the deepest and most inclusive 
 descriptions of the true Christian to be found in Scripture. 
 
 4 — 11. His own experience as a converted Pharisee: Jus- 
 tification BY Faith : its spiritual and eternal issues. 
 
 4. Though I might also &c.] The Greek seems to assert that he 
 not only might have, but has, such confidence. But the whole context, 
 and St Paid's wliole presentation of the Gospel, alike assure us 
 that this is but a " way of speaking." What he means is to assert, 
 in the most concrete form, his claim, if any one could have such a 
 claim, to rely on privilege and observance for his acceptance. Render 
 accordingly with 1\..V., Though I myself might have confidence even 
 in the flesh. So the Latin versions; Quanquani ego habcani A;c. 
 
 thi)iketh'\ R.V. margin, '■'■ seevieth.'''' But A.V., and text R.V., are 
 certainly right. The "seeming" or "appearing" is to the man's self; 
 he thinks it to be so. Cp. for this (frequent) use of the Greek verb 
 {dokeiti) e.g. Luke xxiv. 37; Acts xii. 9. And see esp. Matt. iii. 9, 
 " Z>£> not think {seem) to say in yourselves Sec"; where common sense 
 gives the paraphrase, "Do not think that you may say." So here, 
 "thinketh that he may have confidence &c." 
 
 / more\ " \, from his point of viruj, think that I may have it mure." 
 Cp. 2 Cor. xi. 21, 22, a passage closely akin to this. 
 
 5. Circumcised &.c.'\ Quite lit., "^j to circumcision, eight days old^ 
 See Gen. xvii. 12; Luke ii. 21. i^Ie was neither a proselyte, circum- 
 cised as an adult, nor an Ishmaelite, circumcised (as Josephus tells us, 
 Antiquities, xii. i. § 2 ; see Gen. xvii. 25) at thirteen, but a member of 
 the covenant from infancy. 
 
 Israel^ The name may refer here either to the original and indivi- 
 dual Israel, Jacob (Gen. xxxii. 28 &c.), or to the collective Israel, the 
 chosen nation. The former is more likely, in view of the next clause, 
 and would besides be the more vivid and emphatic reference ; " one of 
 the race descended from God's Prince." 
 
 The words Israel, Israelite, indicate specially the sacred privileges 
 and dignity of the Covenant People as such; see Trench, N.T. Syno- 
 7iymSf § xxxix., and Lightfoot, on Gal. vi. 16. Cp. Rom. ix. 4, xi. i; 
 % Cor. xi. 22; Eph. ii. 12; and see J oh. i. 47, 49. 
 
88 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. 6. 
 
 tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touch- 
 6 ing the law, a Pharisee ; concerning zeal, persecuting the 
 
 Benjamin'\ So he had previously said, Rom. xi. i. See Acts xiii. 
 1 1 for another mention by St Paul of his tribe, though in another con- 
 nexion. He names his tribe, not only to emphasize his nationality, 
 but no doubt because the Benjamites, descendants of the last and much 
 loved son of Jacob, had given the nation its first lawful king (whose 
 name the Apostle bore), and had with Judah remained " faithful among 
 the faithless" at the great Disruption (i Kings xii. 21). Ehud early 
 in O.T. history (Judges iii.), and Mordecai late (Esther ii. 5), were 
 'Benjamites. It is interesting to trace in St Paul's character some of 
 the characteristics of this small but remarkable tribe ; stern courage 
 and persistent fidelity. But certainly it was something better than 
 Benjamite "obstinacy and persistency" (Smith's Bible Diet., s.v. Ben- 
 Ja?)iin) which made him resist the entreaties of the disciples and avow 
 himself ready to die for the Lord (Acts xxi. 12, 13). — See further, 
 Conybeare and Howson, Life <Sr=r. of St Foul, ch. ii. 
 
 a Hebrew of the Hebrews\ With R.V., omit "///<?." Cp. again 
 2 Cor. xi. 22. The words mean that he was a Hebrew and of Hebrew 
 lineage. — What is a "Hebrew" in N.T. phraseology? In O.T. the 
 word is the distinctive national term, as against other national terms, 
 as Egyptian, Philistine &c. ; and is thus the term by which a heathen 
 would designate an Israelite. By the N.T. era its bearing had changed, 
 and in the N.T. (not in later Christian writers, or in Jewish and pagan 
 writers,) it designates the Jew who retained, more or less fully, his 
 national language and manners, as against the "Hellenist" who habi- 
 tually spoke Greek and largely conformed to Gentile customs. See 
 Acts vi. I. The "Hebrew" would thus naturally regard himself as 
 one of the elite of his race, from the historical and traditional point of 
 view. See further. Trench, as quoted just above on '•^Israel,'" and 
 Conybeare and Howson, ch. ii. 
 
 the laiu\ Lit., ^Uaw"\ but here, as often, the article is omitted 
 because not needed before a word defined by use or context. Obviously 
 the Mosaic ordinances are mainly intended. 
 
 a Pharisee'] So he declares himself Acts xxiii. 6, xxvi. 5. And see 
 Acts xxii. 3; Gal. i. 14. " The Pharisees... were the enthusiasts of the 
 later Judaism" (Conybeare and Howson, as above); the zealous and 
 rigid votaries of religious legal precision, elaborate devotion, vigorous 
 proselytism, and exclusive privilege. St Paul was "the son of Phari- 
 sees" (Acts xxiii. 6; though Lightfoot suggests that this means "dis- 
 ciple of Pharisees"; improbably, as it seems to us), and the student- 
 follower of the Pharisee (Acts v. 34) Gamaliel, probably "Rabban" 
 Gamaliel, grandson of Hillel. Cp. Acts xxii. 3, 
 
 6. zeal] "of God, but not according to true spiritual knowledge 
 {epigitdsis)" Rom. x. 2. Cp. Acts xxvi. 9 — 11. He implies here 
 that this "zeal" was perfectly sincere, though sinfully conditioned by a 
 moral blindness. See in this connexion Acts xxiii. i ; 2 Tim. i. 3. 
 
vv. 7, 8.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 89 
 
 church ; touching the righteousness which is in the law, 
 blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I 7 
 counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all 8 
 
 persecuting the church] Cp. i Cor. xv. 9; Gal. i. 13, 23; i Tim. 
 i. 13. 
 
 the righteousness which is in the /aio] Lit., again, " ?'« /aw"; see 
 fifth note on ver. 5. The reference is to completeness of observance 
 and privilege, from the point of view of the Pharisaic legalist. The 
 most rigid inquisitor in this direction could not have found fault with 
 Paul's title. See further on ver. 3. — "/w (the) law'''': — included within 
 its terms. 
 
 blameless] Better, with R.V., found blameless, a good paraphrase 
 of the Greek, which is literally, '•'■having become blatneless.'''' 
 
 His title, or temptation, to "confidence in the flesh" was thus com- 
 pounded of a natal right to the seal of the covenant; hereditary and 
 educated loyalty to the purest Jewish life and practice ; personal devo- 
 tion to the strictest Jewish religionism ; the utmost practical energy in 
 its defence; the most minute attention to its rules. Of its kind, the 
 position was perfect. 
 
 7. what things] The Greek might almost be paraphrased, "tlie 
 kind or class of things which"; including anything and everything, as 
 ground of reliance, other than Christ. So more fully, ver. 8. 
 
 gain] Lit. and better, gains. The plural suggests the proud and 
 jealous care with which the religionist would count over the items of 
 his merit and hope. One by one he had found them, or had won them ; 
 each with its separate value in the eyes of the old self 
 
 those] There is emphasis and deliberation in the pronoun. 
 
 / counted] Lit. and better, I have counted. The perfect tense 
 indicates not only the decisive conviction, but its lifelong permanence. 
 
 loss] A singular noun. The separate and carefully counted gains 
 are heaped now into one ruthless estimate of loss. From the new 
 point of view, they all sink together. 
 
 He does not mean that he discovered his circumcision, ancestry, 
 energy, diligence, exactness, to be in themselves evil things. But he 
 found them evil in respect of his having used them to shut out the 
 true Messiah from his obedience, faith, and love. As substitutes for 
 Him they were not only worthless, but positive loss. Every day of 
 reliance on them had been a day of delay and deprivation in regard 
 of the supreme blessing. 
 
 Wyclif's word here is "apeir>mgis," and just below "peirement"; 
 i.e. impairifigs, losses. 
 
 for Christ] Lit. and better, on account of the Christ; because of 
 the discovery of Jesus as the true Messiah, and of the true Messiah as 
 no mere supreme supernatural Jewish Deliverer, but as Son of God, 
 Lamb of God, Lord of Life. He cast away entirely all the old reli- 
 ance, but, observe, for something infinitely more than c<^uivalent. 
 
 8. Yea doubtless, and &c.] Deiter, perhaps. Yea rather I even Cv:c. 
 
90 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. 8. 
 
 things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
 Jesus my Lord : for whom I have suffered the loss of all 
 
 He adds a twofold new weight to the assertion ; "/ cotmV^ (not only 
 '■^ I have counted'"), emphasizing the presentness of the estimate; and 
 •' all things^ not only specified grounds of reliance. Whatever, from 
 any point of view, could seem to compete with Christ as his peace 
 and life, he renounces as such ; be it doings, sufferings, virtues, inspira- 
 tion, revelations. 
 for\ Better, again, on account of. 
 
 the excel lencyl More lit., the surpassingness. For St Paul's love 
 of superlative words see on ii. 9 above. 
 
 the kncnvledge &c.] He found, in the light of grace, that "this is 
 life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ" (Joh, xvii.3). 
 On the conditions and blessedness of such "knowledge" cp. e.g. Matt. 
 xi. 27 (where the word is kindred though not identical); Joh. i. 10 — 12; 
 X. 14, xiv. 7, xvii. 25; 2 Cor, v. 16, x. 5; Gal. iv. 9; Eph. iii. 19; 
 1 Pet. iii. 18; I Joh. ii. 3 — 5, iii. 6, iv. 7, 8. The Apostle sometimes 
 speaks with a certain depreciation of "knowledge" (e.g. i Cor. viii. i, 
 xiii. 2, 8). But he means there plainly a knowledge which is con- 
 cerned not with Christ and God, but with spii-itual curiosities, which 
 may be known, or at least sought, without Divine life and love. The 
 knowledge here in view is the recognition, from the first insight eter- 
 nally onward, of the "knowledge-surpassing" (Eph. iii. 19) reality and 
 glory of the Person and Work of the Son of the Father, as Saviour, 
 Lord, and Life ; a knowledge inseparable from love. See further on 
 ver. 10. 
 
 Observe the implicit witness of such language as that before us to 
 the Godhead of Christ. Cp. Eph. iii. 19, and notes in this Series. 
 
 of Christ Jesus my Lord^ Note the solemnity and fulness of the 
 designation. The glorious Object shines anew before him as he thinks 
 out the words. Observe too the characteristic ^^ t?iy Lord" (see note 
 on i. 3 above). There is a Divine individualism in the Gospel, in deep 
 harmony with its truths of community and communion, but not to be 
 merged in them. "One by one" is the law of the great ingathering 
 and incorporation (Joh. vi. 35, 37, 40, 44, 47, 51 &c.) ; the believing 
 individual, as well as the believing Church, has Christ for "Head" 
 (1 Cor. xi. 3), and lives by faith in Him who has loved the individual 
 and given Himself for him (Gal. ii. 20 ; cp. Eph. v. 25). 
 
 for 'whof?i] Lit. and better, on account of whom; in view of the 
 discovery of whom. 
 
 I have suffered &c.] Better, I suffered &c.; a reference to the crisis 
 of his renunciation of the old reliance, and also of the stern rejection 
 with which the Synagogue would treat him as a renegade. This one 
 passing allusion to the tremendous cost at which he became a Christian 
 is, by its very passingness, deeply impressive and pathetic ; and it has 
 of course a powerful bearing on the nature and solidity of the reasons 
 for his change, and so on the evidences of the Faith. See on this last 
 
V. 8.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 91 
 
 things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 
 
 subject, Obsei-vations on the Character Qfc. of St Fauiy by George, first 
 Lord Lyttelton (1747). 
 
 The verb rendered ^^ I suffered loss,^' "I was fined, viulcied,'" is akin 
 to the noun ^^/oss" used just above, and takes it up. There is a certain 
 verbal "play" in this; he reckoned his old privileges and position toss, 
 from a spiritual point of view, and he was made by others to feel the 
 /oss of them, in a temporal respect. 
 
 all things] The Gr. suggests the paraphrase, my all. 
 
 dii7ig'\ Better, refuse, as R.V. margin. The Greek word is used in 
 secular writers in both senses. Its probably true derivation favours 
 the former, but the derivation popularly accepted by the Greeks ("a 
 thing cast to the dogs") the latter. And this fact leans to the inference 
 that in common parlance it meant the leavings of a meal, or the like. 
 See Lightfoot here. 
 
 that I may win] Better, with R.V,, that I may gain; the verb 
 echoes the noun of ver. 7. There was no merit in his coming to a true 
 conviction about "confidence in the flesh"; but that conviction was so 
 vital an antecedent to his possession and fruition of Christ that it was 
 as it were the price paid in order to " gain" Him. Cp. the imagery of 
 Rev. iii. 17, 18. 
 
 ^^ That I may": — practically, we may paraphrase, "that I might"', 
 with a reference to ihe past. The main bearing of the passage is obvi- 
 ously on the crisis of his conversion ; on what he then lost and then 
 gained, but he speaks as if he were in the crisis now. Not unfrequently 
 in N.T. Greek the past is thus projected into the present and future, 
 where certainly in English we should say '^7night," not '■'•may" Cp. 
 e.g. (in the Greek) Matt. xix. 13; Acts v. 26; i Tim. i. 16; i John 
 iii. 5. It is true that the Apostle here uses the present, not the past, 
 in the adjoining main verb ("/ count"). But this may well be an 
 exceptional case of projection of the whole statement about the past, 
 instead of part of it, into the present. — Or may not the words '' and do 
 count them refuse" be parenthetic? In that case he would in effect 
 say, what would be a most vivid antithesis, " I suffered the loss of my 
 all, (and a worthless 'all' I no7U see it to U,) that I might ^<?m Christ." 
 
 He thus "gained" nothing less than Christ; not merely subsidiary 
 and derived benefits, but the Source and Secret of all benefits. The 
 glorious Person, "who is made unto us of God wisdom, even righteous- 
 ness, and sanctification, and redemption" (i Cor. i. 30), was now his 
 own, in a mysterious but real possession. 
 
 9. be found in him] at any moment of scrutiny or test; alike in life, 
 in death, and before the judgment-seat. The truth of the believer's 
 deep incorporation in his Lord and Head, and identification with Him 
 for acceptance and life, is here full in view. In0ie surrender of faith 
 (Eph. ii. 8 — 10 ; cp. John iii. 36) he becomes, in the deep laws of spi- 
 ritual life, a true "limb" of the sacred Head; interested in His merits, 
 penetrated with His exalted Life. In the Epistles to Colossae and 
 
92 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. 9. 
 
 9 and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, 
 
 Ephesus, written from the same chamber as this, we have the large 
 development of this truth ; and cp. John xv. i — 8 ; i Cor. xii. la. 
 
 Lightfoot remarks (on Gal. ii. 17, and here) that the verb ^'' to find'''' 
 is very frequent in Aramaized Greek, and has somewhat lost its dis- 
 tinctive meaning. Still, it is seldom if ever used in the N.T. where 
 that meaning has not some place. 
 
 mine <yw7i righteousness] Rather more precisely, with R.V. , a right- 
 eousness of mine own. The word ^'' righteousness^^ is highly charac- 
 teristic, and of special meaning, in St Paul. In very numerous pas- 
 sages (examine Rom. iii. 5 — 26, iv. 3, 5, 6, 9, ri, 13, vi. 16, x. 3; 
 I Cor. i. 30 ; 2 Cor. iii. 9 ; and cp. Tit. iii. 5) its leading idea evi- 
 dently is that of acceptance, satisfactoriness, however secured, to law ; 
 whether to special or to general law as the case may be. (See Grimm's 
 Greek-Eng. Lexicon of the N.T., Thayer's edition, on the word 5i/cat- 
 oavvq, for a good statement of the matter from the purely critical point 
 of view.) "A righteousness of mine own" is thus a title to accept- 
 ance, a claim on Divine justice, due to my own doings and merits, sup- 
 posed to satisfy a legal standard. 
 
 which is of the law] Literally, again ^^ of law." But R.V. retains 
 the definite article, as practically right in translation, as it was in 
 ver. 6. — How shall we define the word " Law " here ? Is it the 
 Mosaic law from the Pharisee's point of view, as in ver. 6 ? Or 
 is it the far larger fact of the Divine preceptive moral code, taken 
 as a covenant of life, in which the terms are, " Do this, truly and 
 perfectly, and live; do this, and claim acceptance as of right"? 
 We take the answer to be that it means here this latter as an exten- 
 sion of the former ; that the thought rises, or developes itself, in this 
 passage, from the idea of special ordinance to the idea of universal 
 covenanting precept. And our reasons lie, partly in this context, 
 partly in the great parallel passages in the Epistles to the Romans, 
 Galatians, Ephesians and Colossians. In the present context the ideas 
 immediately contrasted or opposed to that of "the law" are ideas not 
 of "work," in any meaning of that word, but of " faith." And for ex- 
 position of this we turn to the argument of Rom. i. — v., and of Galatians 
 ii. iii., and of Eph. ii. i — 10, and (a passage closely parallel to this ; 
 see notes in this Series) 13 — 17; and of Col. ii. 8 — 14. In this whole 
 range of teaching it is apparent that the idea of Law, as a whole, 
 cannot possibly be satisfied by explaining it to mean merely a Divine 
 code of observances, though that is one of its lower and subsidiary 
 meanings. It means the whole system of Divine precept, moral as 
 well as ceremonial, eternal as well as temporal, taken as a covenant to 
 be fulfilled in order to acceptance of the person before God. The im- 
 plicit or explicit contrary is that such acceptance is procured for us by 
 the merits of the RWeeming Lord, appropriated to the sinner by the 
 single profound means of faith, that is to say, acceptance of Him as 
 Sacrifice, Saviour, Lord, on the warrant of God's word. Such faith, 
 in the spiritual order of things, unites to Christ, and in that union the 
 
V. 9-] PHILIPPIANS, III. 93 
 
 which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of 
 
 "member" receives the merit of the "Head" for his acceptance, and 
 the life and power of the Head for obedience. That obedience (see 
 esp. Eph. ii. 8 — lo) is now rendered not in fulfilment of a covenant for 
 acceptance, but in the life, and for the love, given to the believer under 
 the covenant in which he is accepted, from first to last, for the sake of 
 his meritorious Lord and Head. Cp. further, Heb. x., esp. 15 — 18; 
 with Jerem. xxxi. 33, 34. 
 
 Such is the general Pauline doctrine of acceptance, a doctrine such 
 as to give its opponents or perverters, from the very first, a superficial 
 excuse to make it out to be antifiomian (Rom. iii. 8, vi. i); a fact of 
 the utmost weight in the estimate of its true bearing. 
 
 Such a general doctrine assists us in interpreting this great incidental 
 passage. And we infer hei-e accordingly that the primary idea is that 
 of acceptance for Chrisfs sake, as against acceptance on the score of 
 any sort of personal merit. The spiritual development of the regene- 
 rate being comes in nobly here, as in the other and larger passages 
 referred to ; but it comes in upon the basis, and as the sef4uel, of a 
 gratuitous acceptance for Christ's sake alone. See notes on ver. 10. 
 
 that which is through the faith of Christ^ So lit., but better, in 
 regard of English idiom, that -wMch is through faith in Christ. 
 For the Greek construction (^'- faith of^ meaning "■faith i/i") cp. e.g. 
 Mark xi. 22; Acts iii. 16; Gal. ii. 16, 20; Eph. iii. 12; 2 Thess. ii. 13. 
 Here again, as with the words "law" and "righteousness," St Paul's 
 writings are a full commentary. See especially Rom. iii. 22 — 28, a 
 passage most important as a parallel here. It brings out the fact that 
 " faith," in the case in question, has special regard to Christ as the 
 shedder of His sacred blood in propitiation, and that the blessing 
 immediately received by faith thus acting is the acceptance, the jus- 
 tification, of the sinner before the holy Lawgiver and Judge, solely 
 for the Propitiator's sake. See further Rom. iv., v., viii. 33, 34, ix. 33, 
 X. 4, 9, ic; Gal. ii. 16, iii. i — 14, 21 — 24; Eph. ii. 8, 9. 
 
 Much discussion has been raised over the true meaning of "faith" 
 in Scripture doctrine. It may sufilce ^o point out that at least the 
 leading and characteristic idea of the word is personal trust, not of 
 course without grounds, but on grounds other than " sight." It is cer- 
 tainly not mere assent to testimony, a mental act perfectly separable 
 from the act of personal reliance. Setting aside Jas. ii. 14 — 26, where 
 the argument takes up and uses designedly an inadequate idea of 
 faith (see Commentary on the Romans in this Series, p. 261), the 
 word "faith" consistently conveys in Scripture the thought of per- 
 sonal reliance, trustful acceptance of Divine truth, of Divine work, 
 of the Divine Worker and Lord^ And if we venture to ask why 
 such reliance takes this unique place in the process of salvation, 
 we may reply with reverence that, so far as^e can see into the 
 mysterious fact, it is because the essence of siffn reliance is a going 
 
 1 Fides est fidticia (Luther). See this .idmirahly developed and illustrated by 
 J. C. Hare, Victory oj Faith, pp. 15— 22 (ed. 1847). 
 
94 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. lo. 
 
 lo Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith : that / 
 
 forth from self to God, a bringing of nothing in order to receive every- 
 thing. There is thus a moral fitness in faith to be the saving contact 
 and recipient, while yet all ideas of moral worthiness and deserv- 
 ingness are decisively banished from it. It is fit to receive the Divine 
 gift, just as a hand, not clean perhaps but empty, is fit to receive a mate- 
 rial gift. Certainly in the reasonings of St Paul every effort is made 
 to bring out the thought that salvation by faith means in effect salva- 
 tion by Christ only and wholly, received by sinful man, as sinful 
 man, simply and directly in and by personal reliance on God's word. 
 The sinner is led off, in a happy oblivion of himself, to simple and 
 entire rest in his Saviour. 
 
 the righteousness -which is of God'\ On the word "righteousness" see 
 above, note 2 on this verse. Here, practically, it means acceptance, 
 welcome, as a child and saint, in Christ and for Christ's sake. 
 
 " Of God": — lit., ^^out of God," originating wholly in Him, uncaused 
 by anything in man. Its origin is the Father's love, its reason and 
 security, the Son's merits, its conveyance, the Holy Spirit uniting the 
 sinner in faith to the Son. 
 
 For some good remarks, of caution as well as assertion, on justifying 
 righteousness, see G. S. Faber's Primitive Doctrine of Jtistification, ch. 
 i., pp. 25 — 32, with footnotes (ed. 1839). 
 
 by fait K\ Lit., upon faith; in view of, under circumstances of, 
 faith. We may render, "(?« condition of faith.'''' But faith, in the 
 Pauline view, is not a mere condition; it is the recipient act and state. 
 It is a condition, not as paying for a meal is a condition to getting good 
 from it, but as eating it is a condition. 
 
 On the doctrine of this verse cp. the Sermon of Salvation (being the 
 third in the First Book of Homilies), referred to in Art. xi. as "the 
 Homily of Justification"; and the short treatise of Bp Hopkins, of 
 Londonderry (cent. 17), The Doctrine of the Two Covenants. See 
 further Appendix F ; and cp. at large O'Brien, Nature a7id Effects of 
 Faith, and Hooker's Discourse of Justification, esp. §§ 3 — 6, 31 — 34. 
 
 10. That I 7?iay knoiv hij?t] In order to know Him. For the con- 
 struction, cp. e.g. I Cor. X. 13. — Observe the sequence of thought. 
 He embraces "the righteousness which is of God on terms of faith," 
 and renounces " a righteousness of his own" as a means to the end here 
 stated — the spiritual knowledge of Christ and of His power to sanc- 
 tify and glorify by assimilation to Himself. In order to that end, he 
 thankfully "submits Himself to the righteousness of God" (Rom. x. 3 ; 
 cp. 1 Pet. i. 2) r accepts the Divine justification for the merit's sake of 
 Jesus Christ alone; Icnowing, with the intuition of a soul enlightened 
 by grace, that in such submission lies the secret of such assimilation. 
 Welcoming Christ as his one ground of peace with God, he not only 
 enters at the same time on spiritual contact with Christ as Life from 
 God, but also gets such a view of himself and his Redeemer as to 
 affect profoundly his whole intercourse with Christ, and the effects of 
 that intercourse on his being. 
 
V. lo.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 95 
 
 may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the 
 
 Ver. lo is thus by no means a restatement of ver. 9. It gives an- 
 other range of thought and truth, in deep and strong connexion. To 
 use a convenient classification, ver. 9 deals with Justification, ver. 10 
 wdth Sanctification in relation to it. 
 
 " That I may know Him'''': — the Greek seems to imply a decisive act 
 of knowledge rather than a process. A lifelong process is sure to result 
 from the act; for the Object of the act " passeth knowledge" (Eph. 
 iii. 19). But the act, the decisive getting acquainted -u>ith what Christ 
 is, is in immediate view. A far-reaching insight into Him in His 
 glory of grace has a natural connexion with the spiritual act of sub- 
 missive faith in Him as our Sacrifice and Righteousness. Cp. Joh. 
 vi. 56. 
 
 On this "knowledge" of recognition and intuition, cp. ver. 8, and 
 notes. 
 
 the pcnocr of his resiirrection'\ A phrase difficult to exhaust in expo- 
 sition. The Lord's Resurrection is spiritually powerful as {a) eviden- 
 cing the justification of believers (Rom. iv. 24, 25, and by all means cp. 
 I Cor. XV. 14, 17, 18); as [b) assuring them of their own bodily resur- 
 rection (i Cor. XV. 20, &c. ; i Thess. iv. 14); and yet more as {c) 
 being that which constituted Him actually the life-giving Second Adam, 
 the Giver of the Spirit who unites the members to Him the Vital Head 
 (Joh. vii. 39, XX. 22; Acts ii. 33; cp. Eph. iv. 4 — 16). This latter 
 aspect of truth is prominent in the Epistles to Ephesus and Colossae, 
 written at nearly the same period of St Paul's apostolic work ; and we 
 have here, very probably, a passing hint of what is unfolded there. 
 The thought of the Lord's Resurrection is suggested here to his mind 
 by the thought, not expressed but implied in the previous context, of 
 the Atoning Death on which it followed as the Divine result. 
 
 This passage indicates the great truth that while our acceptance in 
 Christ is always based upon His propitiatory work for us, our power 
 for service and endurance in His name is vitally connected with His 
 life as the Risen One, made ours by the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Cp. further Rom. v. 10, vi. 4— ir, vii. 4, viii. 11; 2 Cor. iv. 10; 
 Eph. ii. 6; Col. iii. i — 4; Heb. xiii. 20, 21. 
 
 the fellowship of his sufferings] Entrance, in measure, into His 
 experience as the Sufferer. The thought recurs to the Cross, but in 
 connexion now with Example, not with Atonement. St Paul deals 
 with the fact that the Lord who has redeemed him has done it at the 
 severest cost of pain ; and that a moral and spiritual necessity calls His 
 redeemed ones, who are united vitally to Him, to "carry the cross," 
 in their measure, for His sake, in His track, and by His Spirit's power. 
 And he implies that this cross- bearing, whatever is its special form, 
 this acceptance of affliction of any sort as for and from Him, is a deep 
 secret of entrance into spiritual intimacy with Christ ; into "knowledge 
 of Him." Cp. further Rom. viii. 17, 37; 2 Cor. i. 5, iv. 11, xii. 9, 10; 
 Col. i. 24; 2 Tim. ii. 12; i Pet. iv. 13; Rev. iii. 10. 
 
96 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. lo. 
 
 fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto 
 
 being made cofiformable'] Better, with R.V., becoming conformed. 
 The Greek construction is free, but clear. — The Lord's Death as the 
 supreme expression of His love and of His holiness, and the supreme 
 act of His surrender to the Father's will, draws the soul of the Apostle 
 with spiritual magnetic force to desire, and to experience, assimilation 
 of character to Him who endured it. The holy Atonement wrought 
 by it is not here in direct view ; he is full of the thought of the revela- 
 tion of the Saviour through His Passion, and of the bliss of harmony 
 in will with Him so revealed. No doubt the Atonement is not for- 
 gotten ; for the inner glory of the Lord's Death as Example is never 
 fully seen apart from a sight of its propitiatory purpose. But the im- 
 mediate thought is that of spiritual harmony with the dying Lord's 
 state of will. Cp. i Cor. iv. lo. 
 
 11. if by any means\ For the strong language of contingency 
 here cp. i Cor. ix. 27. Taken along with such expressions of 
 exulting assurance as Rom. viii. 31 — 39; 2 Tim. i. 12; and indeed 
 with the whole tone of "joy and peace in believing" (Rom. xv. 13) 
 which pervades the Scriptures, we may fairly say that it does not 
 imply the uncertainty of the final glory of the true saint. It is 
 language which views vividly, in isolation, one aspect of the "Pilgrim's 
 Progress " towards heaven ; the aspect of our need of continual 
 watching, self-surrender, and prayer, in order to the development 
 of that likeness without which heaven would not be heaven. The 
 other side of the matter is the efficacy and perseverance of the grace 
 which comes out in our watching ; \\ithout which we should not 
 watch; which "predestinates" us "to be conformed to the image of 
 the Son of God" (Rom. viii. 29). The mystery lies, as it were, 
 between two apparently parallel lines ; the reality of an omnipotent 
 grace, and the reality of the believer's duty. As this line or that is 
 regarded, in its entire reality, the language of assurance or of contin- 
 gency is appropriate. But the parallel lines, as they seem now, prove 
 at last to converge in glory (J oh. vi. 39, 40, 44, 54, x. 27 — 29; Rom. 
 viii. 30; I Thess. v. 23, 24). 
 
 See Hooker's Sermon Of the Certainty and Perpetuity of Faith in 
 the Elect, especially the closing paragraphs. 
 
 / might'] Lit., and here better, with R.V., I may. 
 
 the resurrection of the dead] The better supported reading gives, as 
 R.V., tlie resurrection from the dead. The phrase implies a certain 
 leaving behind of "the dead"; and this is further emphasized in the 
 Greek, where the noun rendered "resurrection" is the rare word exan- 
 astdsis, i.e. the common word {anastdsis) for resurrection, strengthened 
 by the preposition meaning "from." This must not, however, be pressed 
 far; later Greek has a tendency towards compounding words without 
 necessarily strengthening the meaning. It is the setting of the word 
 here which makes an emphasis in it likely. — It has been inferred that St 
 Paul here refers to a special and select resurrection, so to speak, and 
 that this is "the first resurrection" of Rev. xx. 5, 6, interpreted as a 
 
vv. II, 12.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 97 
 
 his death ; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrec- n 
 tion of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, 12 
 
 literal resurrection of either all saints or specially privileged saints, be- 
 fore that of the mass of mankind. (Such an interpretation of Rev. xx. 
 appears as early as Tertullian, cent. 2, de Monogamid, c. x.). But 
 against this explanation here lies the fact that St Paul nowhere else 
 makes any immistakable reference to such a prospect (i Cor. xv. 23, 
 24 is not decisive, and certainly not i Thess. iv. 16); and that this 
 makes it unlikely that he should refer to it here, where he manifestly 
 is dealing with a grand and ruling article of his hope. We explain it 
 accordingly of the glorious prospect of the Resurrection of the saints 
 in general. And we account for the special phrase by taking him to 
 be filled with the thought of the Lord's l<esurrection as the pledge and, 
 so to speak, the summary of that of His people ; and His Resurrection 
 was emphatically "^from the dead." — Or it may be that we have here 
 to explain "the dead" as a term of abstract reference, meaning prac- 
 tically "the state of the dead," the world of death. — In any case, the 
 phrase refers to "the resurrection of life" (Dan. xii. 2; Joh. v. 29); 
 "the resurrection of the just" (Luke xiv. 14) ; differenced from that of 
 "the unjust" (Acts xxiv. 15), whether or no in time, certainly in an 
 awful distinction of conditions and results. The blessed resurrection is 
 here called "///^resurrection" as the blessed life is called "///^ life" (e.g. 
 1 John V. 12). The antithesis is not non-resurrection, and non-exist- 
 ence, but such resurrection, and such existence, as are ruin and woe. — 
 It is observable that the Apostle here implies his expectation of death, 
 to be followed by resurrection; not of survival till the Lord's Return. 
 Cp. 2 Cor. iv. 1 4. 
 
 12—16. On the other hand, his spiritual condition is 
 one of progress, not perfection. 
 
 12. Not as though &c.] This reserve, so emphatic and solemn, 
 appears to be suggested by the fact, brought out more fully below 
 (w. 18, 19), of the presence of a false teaching which represented the 
 Christian as already in such a sense arrived at his goal as to be lifted 
 beyond responsibility, duty, and progress. No, says St Paul; he has in- 
 deed "gained Christ," and is "found in Him, having the righteousness 
 of God"; he " knows" his Lord, and His power ; but none the less he 
 is still called to humble himself, to recollect that the process of grace is 
 never complete below, and \.\\?l\. from one point of view its coming com- 
 pletion is always linked with the saint's faithful watching and prayer, 
 the keeping open of the "eyes ever toward the Lord" (Psal. xxv. 15). 
 
 attaitied^ Better, received, or, with R.V., obtained; for the verb 
 is not the same as that in ver. 11. (It is the same as that in Rev. iii. 11.) 
 The thought of '■^ the crown'''' is probably to be supplied. See below, 
 on ver. 14. — R.V. renders, rather more lit., ^^ Not that I have already 
 attained.'''' But the construction of A.V. well represents the Greek. — 
 Some documents here add '■'• or have been already justified^' ; but the 
 evidence is decisive against this insertion. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 7 
 
98 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. 13. 
 
 either were already perfect : but I follow after, if that I 
 
 may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of 
 
 13 Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have ap- 
 
 were already perfect'] Better, have been already perfected. The 
 process was incomplete which was to develope his being for the life of 
 glory, in which "we shall be like Him" (i Joh. iii. 3; cp. Rom. viii. 
 29) ; a promise implying that we are never so here, completely. Cp. 
 the Greek of Rom. xii. 2 ; 2 Cor. iii, 18; in which the holy "transfor- 
 mation" is presented as a process, advancing to its ideal, not yet arrived 
 there. And see further below, on ver. 15. 
 
 The Greek verb, and its kindred noun, were used technically in later 
 ecclesiastical Greek of the death of martyrs (and of monks, in a remark- 
 able passage of Chrysostom, Horn. XI v. on i Tijn.), viewed as spe- 
 cially glorious and glorified saints. But no such limitation appears in 
 Scripture. In Heb. xii. 23 the reference plainly is to the whole com- 
 pany of the holy departed : who have entered, as they left the body, on 
 the heavenly rest, the eternal close of the state of discipline. Cp. 
 Wisdom iv. 13; "he [the just man], in short {stzsoTi) perfected, fulfilled 
 long times." 
 
 I follow after] R.V., I press on. The thought of the race, with its 
 goal and crown, is before him. Cp. i Cor. ix. 24 — 27; Gal. ii. 2, v. 7; 
 2 Tim. ii. 5, iv. 7; Heb. xii. i. 
 
 if that I may] Better, if indeed I may. On this language of con- 
 tingency, see note above on ver. 11. 
 
 apprekefid] i. e., grasp. Cp. i Cor. ix. 24. All the English ver- 
 sions before 161 1 have ^^comprehe7id^^ here. Both verbs now bear 
 meanings which tend to mislead the reader here. The Greek verb 
 is that rendered ^' receive,'^ or ^' obtaiit," just above, only in a stronger 
 (compound) form. He thinks of the promised crown, till in thought 
 he not merely "receives" but "grasps" it, with astonished joy. 
 
 that for which also &c.] The Greek may be rendered grammatically 
 either [a) thus, or [b) '■''inasmuch as I was even &c." Usage in St Paul 
 (Rom. V. 12; 2 Cor. v. 4) is in favour of {b); context is rather for (a), 
 which is adopted by Ellicott, and Alford, and in R.V. (text; margin 
 gives {b)). Lightfoot does not speak decidedly. We recommend {a) for 
 reasons difficult to explain without fuller discussion of the Greek than 
 can be offered here. — The meaning will thus be that he presses on to 
 grasp the crown, with the animating thought that Christ, in the hour 
 of conversion, grasped him with the express purpose in view that he, 
 through the path of faith and obedience, might be glorified at last. 
 Cp. Rom. viii. 30; where we see the "call" as the sure antecedent not 
 to justification only but to glory ; but antecedent in such a way as 
 powerfully to cheer and strengthen the suffering saint in the path of 
 the cross, not to leave him for a moment to fatalistic inaction. The 
 rendering [b) gives a meaning not far distant from this, though less 
 distinctly. 
 
 Christ yesus] Read, with the documentary evidence, Christ. 
 
vv. 14, 15.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 99 
 
 prehended : but this one thing I do, forgetting those things 
 which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things 
 which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of m 
 the high caUing of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, 15 
 
 13. Brethren] A direct loving appeal, to restate and enforce what 
 he has just said. 
 
 / count not myself^ *'I" and "myself" are both emphatic in the 
 Greek. Whatever others may think of themselves, this is his deliberate 
 estimate of hitnself. He has in view the false teachers more clearly 
 indicated below, vv. i8, 19. 
 
 but this one thing I do] *' One thing" is perhaps in antithesis to the 
 implied opposite idea of the '■'■many things," of experience or attain- 
 ment, contemplated by the teacher of antinomian perfection. 
 forgettmg'] Avoiding all complacent, as against grateful, reflection. 
 
 behind] He does not say "around" or "present." The unwearied 
 runner is already beyond any given point just reached. 
 
 reaching forth] The Greek (one compound verb) gives the double 
 thought of the runner stretching out his head and body towards his 
 goal. Lightfoot remarks that the imagery might apply to the racing 
 charioteer, bending, lash m hand, over his horses (Virgil, Georg. III. 
 106) ; but that the charioteer, unlike the runner, would need often to 
 look back, and that this, with the habitual use by St Paul of the simile 
 of the foot-race, assures us that the runner is meant here. 
 
 those .. .before] "more and more, unto the perfect day" (Prov. iv. 18). 
 Each new occasion, small or great, for duty or suffering, would be a new 
 " lap " (to translate technically St Chrysostom's word here) of the 
 course; would give opportunity for "growth in the grace and know- 
 ledge of the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. iii. 18). "To increase more 
 and more" (i Thess. iv. 10) was his idea of the life of grace for others; 
 but above all, for himself. 
 
 14. the mark] R.V., ^'-the goaiy But the Greek word is, like 
 "mark," a general rather than a special one, and used in the classics 
 rather of archery than of racing. The verse might be roughly but 
 closely rendered, "mark- wards I haste, towards the prize &c."; I run 
 with a definite aim, and that .aim is to win the prize. Cp. i Cor. ix. 
 26 ; "I so run, not as uncertainly.''^ 
 
 the prize] The same word occurs i Cor, ix. 24, and not elsewhere 
 in N.T. It is very rare in secular Greek, but is connected with the 
 common word for the arbiter or umpire who awarded the athletic prize. 
 In Christian Latin (e.g. in the Latin versions here) it appears trans- 
 literated, as bravium (or brabium). The "prize" is "the crown," 
 glory everlasting as the blessed result and triumph of the work of 
 grace, of the life of faith. Cp. Rev. ii. 10; and esp. 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. 
 
 the high calling] Lit., '■'■the upward, or upper calling^ The Latin 
 versions have superior vocatio, superna vocatio. The word rendered 
 ^^ hi^^h" is the same as that rendered Gal. iv. 26 as "Jerusalem which 
 is abo7>e'": and cp. Joh. viii. 23, "I am from [the things) abovey — The 
 
lOO 
 
 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. IS. 
 
 as many as he perfect, be thus minded : and if in any thiiig 
 ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto 
 
 "calling" in St Paul's case was doubtless to be an Apostle (Alford), 
 but it was first and most to be a Christian, and the whole tone of this 
 great passage is in favour of this latter thought. He is dealing with 
 his own spiritual expci'ience as a general model. — This "calling" is 
 "celestial," at once in origin, operation, and final issue. Cp. Col. iii. 
 r, 2; 2 Thess. ii. 14. In the Epistles the words "call," "calling," 
 denote not merely the external invitation but the internal and effectual 
 drawing of the soul by grace. See in illustration i Cor. i. 23, 24. 
 It corresponds nearly to the common use of the word "conversion." 
 — Contrast the use of "call" in the Gospels; Matt. xx. 16, xxii. 14. 
 
 of God in Christ yestis'\ The Father is the Caller (as Rom. viii. 29, 
 30; Gal. i. 15 ; 2 Tim. i. 9; i Pet. v. 10 &c.), and the call is "in" 
 the Son; it is conveyed through the Son, and takes effect in union 
 %uith Him, in embodiment in Him. For the pregnant construction cp. 
 I Cor. vii. 22. 
 
 15. perfecf] An adjective, not a perfect participle, as was the kin- 
 dred word {"■perfected'') in ver. 12. — Is there a contradiction between 
 this place and that? On the surface, but not really. The Apostle 
 appears to be taking up the favourite word of teachers who upheld 
 some phase of "perfectionism," and using it, with loving irony, on the 
 side of truth; as if to say, "Are you, are we, ideal Christians, perfect 
 Christians, all that Christians should be? Then among the things that 
 shotild be in our character is a holy discontent with, and criticism of, 
 our o\vn present attainment. The man in this sense 'perfect' will be 
 sure to think himself 7iot perfected." — And it is important to remember 
 that the Greek word rendered "perfect" is an elastic word. It may 
 mean "adult," "mature," as against infantine; cp. Heb. v. 13, 14. 
 A "perfect" Christian in this respect may have spiritual y^a/Z/y well 
 developed, and yet be very far from "perfected" in spiritual character. 
 — Such considerations, in the light of this whole passage, will do any- 
 thing for such a Christian rather than teach him to tolerate sin in 
 himself; they will at once keep him humble and contrite, and animate 
 
 " him to ever fresh developments in and by Christ. 
 
 be-.^ninded^ The same word as that in i. 7, ii. 2, 5, where see notes. 
 God shall reveal] by the action of His Holy Spii'it on heart, mind, 
 and will, amidst the discipline of life. There need not be any new 
 verbal revelation, but there would be a new inward revelation of the 
 correspondence of the inspired Word with the facts of the soul, and 
 so a fresh light on those facts. — Such language implies the Apostle's 
 certainty of his commission as the inspired messenger of Christ; it 
 would otherwise be the language of undue assumption. Cp. Gal. i. 
 6 — 12. 
 
 16. Nevertheless'] Better, with R.V., only; a word, like the Greek, 
 of less contrast and easier transition. 
 
 attained] Not the same Greek verb as that in ver. 12, though R.V. 
 (with A.V.) gives the same English. The verb here is properly used. 
 
vv. i6, 17.] PHILIPPIANS, III. loi 
 
 you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let 16 
 us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thifig. 
 
 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them 17 
 
 in classical Greek, of anticipation (so i Thess. iv. 15), arrival before- 
 hand, rapid arrival. Later, and so ordinarily in N.T., it loses much 
 at least of this speciality, and means little besides "to reach," "to 
 arrive." Still, a shadow of the first meaning may be traced in most 
 places; a suggestion of an arrival which is either sudden, or achieved 
 in spite of obstacles. The latter idea would be in place here, where 
 the metaphor of the race with its difficulties is still present; as if to 
 say, " whereunto we have succeeded in arriving." — The verb is in the 
 aorist, but the English perfect is obviously right. 
 
 let us walk by the same &c.] The Greek verb is in the infinitive, " to 
 walk'"', a frequent idiomatic substitute for the mood of command or 
 appeal. Apparently this construction is always used in address to 
 others (see Alford here), and thus we should render "-walk ye &c. " — 
 The verb here rendered "walk" means not only movement on the feet 
 in general, but orderly and guided walking, stepping along a line. The 
 appeal is to take care of Christian consistency in detail, up to the full 
 present light, on the unchanging principles of the Gospel, which are 
 essentially "the same" for all. And there is a reference, doubtless, 
 in the words "the same," to the Philippians* tendency to differences of 
 opinion and feeling. 
 
 The words after "-by the same'''' are an excellent explanation, but not 
 part of the text. Read, in the same [path or principle]. 
 
 17 — 21. Application of the thought of progress : warning 
 
 AGAINST ANTINOMIAN DISTORTION OF THE TRUTH OF GRACE: 
 THE COMING GLORY OF THE BODY, A MOTIVE TO HOLY 
 PURITY. 
 
 17. Brethren^ A renewed earnest address, introducing a special 
 message. See above, ver. 13. 
 
 be followers toi^ether of me\ More lit., become my united imitators. 
 For his appeals to his disciples to copy his example, see iv. 9 ; i Cor. 
 iv. 16 (a passage closely kindred in reference to this), x. 33 — xi. i ; and 
 cp. r Thess. ii. 7, 9; 2 Thess. iii. 7—9 ; and Acts xx. 18—21, 30 — 35. 
 Such appeals imply not egotism or self-confidence, but absolute confi- 
 dence in his message and its principles, and the consciousness that his 
 life, by the grace of God, was moulded on those principles. In the 
 present case, he begs them to "join in imitating" him, in his renun- 
 ciation of self-confidence and spiritual pride, with their terrible risks. 
 
 inark'X Watch, for imitation. The verb usually means the watching 
 of caution and avoidance (Rom. xvi. 17), but context here decides the 
 other way. The Philippians knew Paul's principles, but to see them 
 they must look at the faithful disciples of the Pauline Gospel among 
 themselves; such as Epaphroditus, on his return, the "true yokefellow" 
 (iv. 3), Clement, and others. 
 
I02 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. i8. 
 
 18 which walk so as ye have us for an en sample. (For many 
 walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you 
 
 walk] The common verb, not that noticed just above. It is a very 
 favourite word with St Paul for life in its action and intercourse. See 
 e.g. Rom. xiii. 13, xiv. 15 ; 2 Cor. iv. 2 ; Eph. ii. 10, iv. i; Col. i. 10, 
 iv. 5; r Thess. iv. i, 12; 2 Thess. iii. 6. Cp. i Joh. i. 7, ii. 6; 2 Joh. 
 4; Rev. xxi. 24. 
 
 ** IValk so as &c.": — more lit., with R.V., so walk even as &c. 
 
 US'] " Shrinking from the egotism of dwelling on his own personal 
 experience, St Paul passes at once from the singular to the plural" 
 (Lightfoot). Timothy and his other best known fellow -workers, Silas 
 certainly (Acts xvi.), if still alive, would be included. 
 
 ensajnple] An "Old French" and " Middle English " derivative of 
 the Latin exemplum (Skeat, Etym. Did.). The word occurs in A.V. 
 elsewhere, i Cor. x. i r ; i Thess. '\.*i\'i Thess. iii. 9 ; i Pet. v. 3 ; 2 Pet. 
 ii. 6 ; and in the Prayer Book (Collect for 2nd Sunday after Easter). 
 
 18. 7nany] Evidently holders of an antinomian parody of the Gospel 
 of gi'ace ; see on ver. 12. That there were such in the primeval Church 
 appears also from Rom. xvi. 17 — 18 (a warning to Rome, as \h\% from 
 Rome); i Cor. v., vi. To them Rom. iii. 31, vi. i, refer, and 
 Eph. V. (5. 
 
 There may have been varieties under a common moral likeness ; 
 some perhaps taking the view afterwards prominent in Gnosticism — 
 that matter is essentially evil, and that the body therefore is no better 
 for moral control ; some (and in the Roman Epistle these surely are in 
 view), pushing the truth of Justification into an isolation which per- 
 verted it into deadly error, and teaching that the believer is so accepted 
 in Christ that his personal actions are indifferent in the sight of God. 
 Such growths of error, at once subtle and outrageous, appear to cha- 
 racterize, as by a mysterious law, every great period of spiritual 
 advance and illumination. Compare the phenomena (cent. 16) of the 
 Libertines at Geneva and the Prophets of Zwickau in Germany. Indeed 
 few periods of Christian history have escaped such trials. 
 
 The false teachers in view here were no doubt broadly divided from 
 the Judaists, and in most cases honestly and keenly opposed to them. 
 But it is quite possible that in some cases the "the extremes met" in 
 such a way as to account for the mention here of both in one context, 
 in this chapter. The sternest formal legalism has a fatal tendency to 
 slight "the Aveightier matters of the law," and heart-purity among 
 them ; and history has shewn cases in which it has tolerated a social 
 libertinism of the worst kind, irrevocably condemned by the true 
 Gospel of free grace. Still, the persons referred to in this section were 
 those who positively '■'•gloried in their shame"; and this points to an 
 avowed and dogmatic antinomianism. 
 
 The "■many'" of this verse is an instructive reminder of the formid- 
 able internal difficulties of the apostolic Church. 
 
 / have told you] Lit. and better, I used to tell you, in the old 
 days of personal intercourse. This makes it the more likely that the 
 
V. 19-] PHILIPPIANS, III. 103 
 
 even weeping, thai they are the enemies of the cross of 
 Christ : whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, i? 
 and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 
 
 antinomians were not of the gnostic type of the later Epistles, but 
 of that of the Ep. to the Romans, perverters of the doctrine of free 
 grace. 
 
 weeping] Years had only given him new and bitter experience of the 
 deadly results.— For St Paul's tears, cp. Acts xx. 19, 31 ; 2 Cor. ii. 4. 
 We are reminded of the tears of his Lord, Luke xix. 41 ; tears which 
 like these indicate at once the tenderness of the mourner and the 
 awfulness and certainty of the coming ruin. See a noble sermon by 
 A. jNIonod (in his series on St Paul), Son Chrisiianisme, ou ses Larmes. 
 An extract is given. Appendix G. 
 
 the enemies of the cross] As deluding their followers and themselves 
 into the horrible belief that its purpose was to give the reins to sin, 
 and as thus disgracing it in the eyes of unbelieving observers. "The 
 cross" here, undoubtedly, means the holy propitiation of the Lord's 
 Death. For the Divine connexion of it as such with holiness of heart 
 and life see the argument of Rom. iii. — vi. ; Gal. v. 
 
 19. end] A word of awful and hopeless import. Cp. Rom. vi. 2X; 
 1 Cor. xi. 15; Heb. vi. 8; i Pet. iv. 17. 
 
 destruction] R.V., perdition. See on i. 28. 
 
 their belly] Lit. and better, the belly. Cp. Rom. xvi. 18 for the 
 same word in the same connexion. See too i Cor. vi. 13. The word 
 obviously indicates here the sensual appetites generally, not only glut- 
 tony in food. Venter in Latin has the same reference. See Lightfoot. 
 
 The Antinomian boasted, very possibly, of an exalted spiritual liberty 
 and special intimacy with God. 
 
 whose glory is in their shame] It is implied that they claimed a 
 " glory"; probably in such " liberty " as we have just indicated. They 
 set up for the true Christian philosophers, and advanced dogmatists. 
 (Cp. Rom. xvi. quoted above.) But in fact their vaunted system was 
 exactly their deepest disgrace. 
 
 who mind earthly things)] For a closely kindred phrase, in the nega- 
 tive, see Col. iii. 2 ; and observe the context, ver. 5 &c. And for the 
 meaning of "mind" here see notes on i. 7, ii. 2, above. 
 
 The Antinomian claimed to live in an upper region, to be so conver- 
 sant with celestial principles as to be rid of terrestrial restraints of 
 letter, and precept, and custom. As a fact, his fine-spun theory was 
 a transparent robe over the corporeal lusts which were his real 
 interests. 
 
 The Greek construction of this clause is abrupt, but clear. 
 
 20. For] The A.V., by marking vv. 18, 19 as a parenthesis, con- 
 nects this " for" with ver. 17. But there is no need for this. A sup- 
 pressed link of thought is easily seen and expressed between vv. 19, 20; 
 somewhat thus: "such principles and practices are wholly alien to 
 ours; for &c." In a grave oral address or dialogue such links have 
 
I04 " PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. 20. 
 
 20 For our conversation is in heaven ; from whence also we 
 
 often to be supplied, and the Apostle's written style is a very near 
 approach to the oral. 
 
 A reading "^«/," or '^JVozv,^^ has much support in early quota- 
 tions, but none in MSS. See Lightfoot here. 
 
 our] He refers to the "ensamples" mentioned ver. 17, as distin- 
 guished from their opponents. Or perhaps we should say, from their 
 false friends. For very possibly these antinomians claimed to be the 
 true disciples of Pauline truth, the true exponents of free grace as 
 against legalism. 
 
 conversation] R.V. " czli'zenskip" ; margin, ^^ commonwealth.^'' The 
 A.V. is the rendering also of all our older versions, except Wyclif's, 
 which has "lyuyng." It represents the conversatio of the Latin ver- 
 sions, a word which means not "mutual speech" but "the intercourse 
 of life " (see on i. 27); and the meaning is thus, in effect, that '■^we live 
 on earth as those whose hojne is in heaven P — The same English is 
 found (in A.V.) Psalm 1. 23 ; 2 Cor. i. 12 ; Gal. i. 13 ; Eph. ii. 3, iv. 22 ; 
 above i. 27 (where see note); &c. But the Greek in all these' places 
 is quite different from the Greek here, where the word is poUteumd 
 (connected with polis, city, polites, citizen), a word which occurs no- 
 where else in N.T., nor in LXX., nor in the Apocrypha. In classical 
 Greek it denotes {a) a ^^ measure,^'' or '''■ policy,^'' of state; (b) the 
 governing body of a state, its ^^ government" \ {c) the constitution of 
 a state, including the rights of its citizens. On the whole, this last 
 meaning best suits the present context, or at least approaches it most 
 nearly. What the Apostle means is that Christians are citizens of 
 the heavenly City, enrolled on its register, free of its privileges, and, 
 on the other hand, "obliged by the nobility" of such a position to live, 
 whether in the City or not as yet, as those who belong to it and repre- 
 sent it. "Our citizenship, our civic status, is in heaven," fairly gives 
 this thought. In the anonymous Epistle to Diognetus, a Christian 
 writing of cent. 2 (printed with the works of St Justin), a sentence 
 occurs (c. 5) which well illustrates this passage, and perhaps refers to 
 it, and is in itself nobly true: "Christians, as dwellers, are on earth, 
 as citizens, in heaven." — The verb cognate to the noun here is used 
 there ; see, on the verb, note on i. 27 above. 
 
 is] More strictly and fully, subsists. See second note on ii. 6 
 above, where the same word occurs. The thought is that the "citizen- 
 ship" is at any moment an antecedent and abiding fact, on which the 
 citizen may fall back. 
 
 in heaven] Lit., in (the) heavens; as often in N.T. On this plural 
 see note on Eph. ii. 10, in this Series. — Cp. Gal. iv. 26; Heb. xii. 22; 
 Rev. iii. 12 (where see Abp Trench's full note, Epistles to the Seven 
 Chtirches, pp. 183 — 187), xxi., xxii., for the revealed conception of the 
 heavenly City, the Ourdnopolis, as it is finely called by St Clement 
 of Alexandria (cent. 2), and Eusebius of Caesarea (cent. 4); and 
 other Greek Fathers use the word ouranopolft^s of the Christian. — The 
 great treatise of St Augustine (cent. 4 — 5), On the City {Civitas) 
 
V. 21.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 105 
 
 look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ : who shall 21 
 
 of God, contains a wealth of illustration of the idea of this verse. To 
 Augustine, writing amidst the wreck of Old Rome (about A.D. 420), 
 the Christian appears as citizen of a State which is the antithesis not 
 of human order, which is of God, and which is promoted by the true 
 citizens of heaven, but of "the world," which is at enmity with Him. 
 This State, or City, is now existing and operating, through its members, 
 but not to be consummated and fully revealed till the eternity of glory 
 shall come in (see Smith's Did. of Christian Biography^ I., p. 221). 
 The thought of the Holy City was dear to St Augustine. The noble 
 medieval lines. 
 
 Me receptet Syon ilia, 
 
 Urbs beata, tirhs tranquilla, 
 
 (quoted at the close of Longfellow's Gulden Legend), are taken almost 
 verbally from Augustine, de Spiritu et Anitnd, c. Ix. See Trench, 
 Sacred Latin Poetry, p. 332 (and cp. pp. 312 — 320). 
 
 f-om whence^ Lit., '■'■ out of 7vhich {place).^' The pronoun is singu- 
 lar, and so cannot refer directly to the plural noun, "the heavens." 
 The construction must be either {a) a merely adverbial one, an equiva- 
 lent for the adverb ^'whence"; or {b) the pronoun must refer back to 
 the noun politetima (on which see above). In the latter case, we must 
 suppose that the idea of citizenship suggests, and passes into, that of 
 city, the local home of the citizens, and the word denoting citizenship is 
 treated as if it denoted city^. The solution {d) is no doubt simpler, 
 but clear evidence for the usage (where ideas oi place are in view), is 
 not apparent, though the fact is asserted (e.g. by Winer, Granunar of 
 N. T. Greek, Moulton's Ed., p. 177). Happily the grammatical pro- 
 blem leaves the essential meaning of the clause quite clear. 
 
 xue look for'] Better, with R.V., we wait for. The form of the verb 
 implies a waiting full of attention, perseverance, and desire. The verb 
 occurs elsewhere, Rom. viii. 19, 23, 25; i Cor. i. 7; Gal. v. 5; Heb. 
 ix. 28 ; I Pet. iii. 20. Of these passages all but Gal. (?) and i Pet. refer 
 to the longed for Return of the Lord, the blessed goal of the believer's 
 hope. Cp. Luke xii. 35 — 38 ; Acts i. 11, iii. 20, 21 ; Rom. viii. 18, 23 
 — 25, xiii. ir, 12; I Cor. xi. 26, xv. 23, &c.; Col. iii. 4; i Thess. i. 
 10, ii. 19, iii. 13, iv. 14 — v. 10, 23; 2 Thess. i. 7 — 10; i Tim. vi. 14; 
 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12, iv. 8; Tit. ii. 13; Heb. x. 25, 37; Jas. v. 7,8; t Pet. 
 i. 7, 13, iv. 13, V. 4 ; 2 Pet. iii. 4, 9, 13 ; i John ii. 28, iii. 2, 3 ; Rev. 
 ii. 25, xxii. 20. 
 
 the Saviour &c.] There is no article in the Greek ; and therefore 
 render, perhaps, as our Saviour, the Lord &c. The A.V. is by no 
 means untenable grammatically, but the word "Saviour" is so placed 
 as to suggest not only emphasis but predicative force. And the deep 
 connexion in the N.T. between the Lord's Return and the full and 
 final "salvation" of the believer's being (cp. esp. Rom. xiii. 11) gives 
 a natural fitness to this use of the holy Title here. 
 
 1 We might thus perhaps render, or explain, politeutna by "seat of citizenship.''* 
 
io6 PHILIPPIANS, III. [v. 21. 
 
 change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto 
 
 **7%<? Lord yesus Christ": — this full designation of the Blessed 
 Person suits the tone of solemn hope and joy in the passage. 
 
 21. change] The Greek verb is cognate to the word schetna, on 
 which see second note on ii. 8. It occurs also i Cor. xi. 13, 14, 15, 
 and, with a different reference of thought, 1 Cor. iv. 6. Its use here 
 implies that, in a sense, the change would be superficial. Already, in 
 the "new creation" (2 Cor. v. 17; Gal. vi. 15) of the saint the essen- 
 tials of the glorified being are present. Even for the body the pledge 
 and reason of its glory is present where the Holy indwelling Spirit is, 
 (Rom. viii. ir). And thus the final transfiguration w\\\ be, so to speak, 
 a change of "accidents," not of "essence." ''^Nozv are we the sons of 
 God ; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be" (i John iii. 2). 
 
 our vile body'] Lit., and far better, the body of our humiliation. 
 Wyclif has " whiche schal refourme the bodi of oure mekenesse"; 
 the Rhemish version, "the body of our humilitie"; Beza's Latin 
 version, corpus nostrum hu?7iile ; Luther, unsern nichtigen Leib. All 
 paraphrases here involve loss or mistake. The body transfigured by 
 the returning Lord is the body "of our humiliation" as being, in 
 its present conditions, inseparably connected with the burthens and 
 limitations of earth; demanding, for its sustenance and comfort, a 
 large share of the energies of the spirit, and otherwise hindering the 
 spirit's action in many directions. Not because it is material, for the 
 glorified body, though "spiritual" (i Cor. xv. 44), will not be spirit; 
 but because of the mysterious effect of man's having fallen as an em- 
 bodied spirit. The body is thus seen here, in its present condition, to 
 be rather the "humbling" body than "vile" (Lat., vilis, '' cheap'\ 
 "humble." 
 
 Observe meanwhile that peculiar mystery and glory of the Gospel, 
 a promise of eternal being and blessedness for the body of the saint. 
 To the ancient philosopher, the body was merely the prison of the 
 spirit ; to the Apostle, it is its counterpart, destined to share with it; in 
 profound harmony, the coming heaven. Not its essential nature, but 
 its distorted condition in the Fall, makes it 'now the clog of the 
 renewed spirit ; it shall hereafter be its wings. This is to take place, 
 as the N.T. consistently reveals, not at death, but at the Return of 
 Christ. 
 
 The bearing of this passage on the error of the libertine, who "sinned 
 against his own body" (i Cor. vi. 18), is manifest. 
 
 that it may be fashioned like] One word, an adjective, in the Greek ; 
 we may render, nearly with R.V., (to be) conformed. The word is 
 akin to morphe, ii. 6, where see note. It is implied that the coming 
 conformity to our Blessed Lord's Body shall be in appearance because 
 in reality ; not a mere superficial reflection, but a likeness of consti- 
 tution, of nature. 
 
 unto his glorious body"] Lit. and better, the body of His glory; 
 His sacred human body, as He resumed it in Resurrection, and carried 
 
V. 21.] PHILIPPIANS, III. 107 
 
 his glorious body, according to the working whereby he 
 is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 
 
 it up in Ascension^, and is manifested in it to the Blessed. — ** Of His 
 glory"" ; because perfectly answering in its conditions to His personal 
 Exaltation, and, so far as He pleases, the vehicle of its display. A 
 foresight of Avhat it now is was given at the Transfiguration (Matt, 
 xvii. -2, and parallels) ; and St Paul had had a moment's glimpse of it 
 as it is, at his Conversion (Acts ix. 3, 17, xxii. 14; i Cor. ix. i, xv. 8). 
 
 Our future likeness in body to His body is alone foretold here, without 
 allusion to its basis in the spiritual union and resemblance wrought in us 
 now by the Holy Spirit (e.g. 2 Cor.iii. 18), and to be consummated then 
 (i John iii. 2). But this latter is of course deeply implied here. The 
 sensual heresies which the Apostle is dealing with lead him to this 
 exclusive view of the glorious future of the saint's body. 
 
 It is plain from this passage, as from others (see esp. i Cor. xv, 41 — 44, 
 53), that the saint's body of glory is continuous with that of his humilia- 
 tion; not altogether a "new departure" in subsistence. But when we 
 have said this, our certainties in the question cease, lost in the mysterious 
 problems of the nature of matter. The Blessed will be "the same," 
 body as well as spirit ; truly continuous, in their whole being, in full 
 identity, with the pilgrims of time. But no one can say that to this 
 identity will be necessary the presence in the glorified body of any 
 given particle, or particles, of the body of humiliation, any more than 
 in the mortal body it is necessary to its identity (as far as we know) 
 that any particle, or particles, present in youth should be also present 
 in old age. However, in the light of the next words this question may 
 be left in peace. Be the process and conditions what they may, in 
 God's will, somehow 
 
 "Before the judgment seat, 
 Though changed and glorified each face. 
 
 Not unremembered [we shall] meet, 
 For endless ages to embrace." 
 
 {Christian Year, St Andrew's Day.) 
 
 according to the working whereby &c.] More lit., according to 
 the worMng of His being able. The word ''mighty'"' in the A.V. 
 (not given in the other English versions) is intended to represent the 
 special force of the Greek word energeia (see note on the kindred verb, 
 ii. 12); but it is too strong. "■Active,"'' or even "■actual^' would be 
 more exact; but these are not really needed. The ''working'' is the 
 positive putting forth of the always present "ability.''' 
 
 even to subdue all things unto himself] "Even" precedes and in- 
 tensifies the whole following thought. 
 
 Elsewhere the Father appears as "subduing all enemies," "all 
 
 > The Ascension may well have been, as many theologians have held, a further 
 glorification, the crown of mysterious processes carried on through the Forty Days. 
 We see hints of the present majesty of the Lord's celestial Body in the mystical 
 language of Rev. i. 14 — 16. 
 
io8 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [v. i. 
 
 4 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, 
 my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly 
 
 things," to the Son. Cp. i Cor. xv. 25 (and Ps. ex. i), 27 (and 
 Ps. viii. 6). But the Father "hath given to the Son to have hfe 
 in Himself" (John v. 26 — 29), and therefore power. The will of the 
 Father takes effect through the will of the Son, One with Him. 
 
 ^^ All things''' : — and therefore all conditions or obstacles, impersonal 
 or personal, that oppose the prospect of the glorification of His saints. 
 Cp. Rom. viii. 38, 39; i Cor. iii. 21 — 23. 
 
 ^^ Unto IIi??iself'' : — so that they shall not only not obstruct His 
 action, but subserve it. His very enemies shall be — ^^ His footstool " 
 and He shall "be glorified in His saints" (2 Thess. i. 10). And 
 through this great victory of the Son, the Father will be supremely 
 glorified. See i Cor. xv. 28 ; a prediction beyond our full understand- 
 ing, but which on the one hand does ttot mean that in the eternal 
 Future the Throne will cease to be "the throne of God cindof theLamb''' 
 (Rev. xxii. i, 3), and on the other points to an infinitely developed 
 manifestation in eternity of the glory of the Father in the Son. Mean- 
 while, the immediate thought of this passage is the almightiness, the 
 coming triumph, and the present manhood, of the Christian's Saviour. 
 
 Ch. IV. 1 — 7. With such a prospect, and such a Saviour, 
 
 LET them be steadfast, UNITED, JOYFUL, SELF-FORGETFUL, 
 RESTFUL, PRAYERFUL, AND THE PEACE OF GOD SHALL BE 
 THEIRS. 
 
 1. Therefore] In view of such a hope, and such a Lord. 
 
 dearly beloved] Omit "^i?a;-/>'," which is not in the Greek; though 
 assuredly in the tone of the passage. The word "beloved" is a favourite 
 with all the apostolic writers ; a characteristic word of the Gospel of 
 holy love. St Paul uses it 27 times of his converts and friends. 
 
 longed for] The word occurs here only in N.T., but the cognate 
 verb occurs i. 6, ii. 26, and cognate nouns Rom. xv. 23; 2 Cor. vii. 7, 
 II. The address here is full of deep personal tenderness, and of 
 longing desire to revisit Philippi. 
 
 my Joy and crown] Cp. the like words to the sister Church in 
 Macedonia, i Thess. ii. 19, 20, iii. 9; and see 2 Cor. i. 14. The 
 thought of the Day of glory brings up the thought of his recognition of 
 his converts then, and rejoicing over them before the Lord. Mani- 
 festly he expects to know the Philippians, to remember Philippi. 
 
 so] In such faith, and with such practice, as I have now again 
 enjoined on you. 
 
 stand fast] The same verb as that i. 27, where see note. And here 
 cp. especially i Cor. xvi. 13; Gal. v. i ; i Thess. iii. 8 (a close 
 parallel, in both word and tone). The Christian is never to stand 
 still, as to growth and service; ever to stand fast, as to faith, hope, 
 and love, 
 
 in the Lord] In recollection and realization of your vital union with 
 
vv. 2, 3.] PHILIPPIANS, IV. 109 
 
 beloved. I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that a 
 they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee 3 
 also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured 
 
 Him who is your peace, life, hope, and King. Cp. Eph. vi. 10, and 
 note in this Series. 
 
 my dearly beloved^ Lit., simply, l)elove(i. His heart overflows, 
 as he turns from the sad view of sin and misbelief to these faithful 
 and loving followers of the holy truth. He can hardly say the last 
 word of love. 
 
 2, / beseech'\ R.V. , I exhort. But the tenderer English word well 
 represents the general tone here, and the Greek fully admits it as a 
 rendering. See e.g. 2 Cor. xii. 8. Observe the repetition of the word. 
 
 Eiiodias ...Syntyche\ Read certainly Eu6dia, a feminine name. In 
 the versions of Tyndale and Cranmer the second name appears as 
 '■'■ Sintiches," intended (like Euodias) to be a masculine name. But 
 such a name is nowhere found in Greek inscriptions, nor is Euodias, 
 though this might be contracted from the known name Euodianus. 
 Both Euodia and Syntyche are Vnown femittine names, and the persons 
 here are evidently referred to as women, ver. 3. — Of these two Christians 
 we know nothing but from this mention. They may have been 
 "deaconesses," like Phoebe (Rom. xvi. i); they were certainly (see 
 ver. 3) active helpers of the Missionary in his days of labour at Philippi, 
 Perhaps their activity, and the reputation it won, had occasioned a 
 temptation to self-esteem and mutual jealousy ; a phenomenon unhappily . 
 not rare in the modern Church. — Bp Lightfoot (on this verse, and 
 p. 55 of his edition) remarks on the prominence of women in tlie 
 narrative of the evangelisation of Macedonia; Acts xvi. 13 — 15, 40, 
 xvii. 4, 12. He gives proof that the social position and influence of 
 Macedonian women was higher than in most ancient communities. See 
 above, Introduction, p. 13. The mention here of two women as import- 
 ant persons in the Philippian Church is certainly an interesting coinci- 
 dence with the Acts. — As a curiosity of interpretation, Ellicott (see also 
 Lightfoot, p. 170) mentions the conjecture of Schwegler that Euodia and 
 Syntyche are really designations of Church-parties, the names being 
 devised and significant. This theory, of course, regards our Epistle 
 as a fabrication of a later generation, intended as an eirenicon. "What 
 will not men affirm?" 
 
 of the same tnitid in the Lord\ They must lay aside pique and 
 prejudice, in the power and peace of their common union with Christ. 
 
 3. And I enircat'\ Better, Yea, I request, or beg (as in our polite 
 use of that word). 
 
 alsd\ Paul was doing what he could to "help" his two converts; liis 
 friend at Philippi must "help" too. 
 
 true yokefellow^ This person can only be conjecturally identified. 
 He may have been a leading episcofus (i. i) at Philippi. He may 
 have been Epaphroditus, as Bp Lightfoot well suggests; charged with 
 this commission by St Paul not only orally, but thus in writing, as a 
 
no PHILIPPIANS, IV. [v. 3. 
 
 with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other 
 
 sort of credential. One curious conjecture, as old as St Clement of 
 Alexandria (cent. 2) is that it was St Paul's ivife^', and it is curious 
 that the older Latin version has dilectissime conjux, ^^ dearest pa7'*ner.^* 
 But the word conjux^ like "partner," is elastic and ambiguous, and the 
 adjective is masculine. Both the form of the Greek adjective here, and 
 the plain statement in i Cor. vii. of St Paul's celibacy a few years 
 before, not to speak of the unlikelihood, had he been married, of his 
 wife's residence at Philippi, are fatal to this explanation. Another 
 guess is that the word rendered "yokefellow," syzygus, or synzygus 
 is a proper name, and that we should render ''^Syzygus, tridy so called.''^ 
 But this, though possible, is unlikely; no such name is found in 
 inscriptions or elsewhere. 
 
 Wyclif's rendering, "the gernjan felowe," looks strange to modem 
 eyes; it means "thee, germane (genuine) comrade." 
 
 help those women] Lit., help them (feminine). ^^ Them" means 
 Euodia and Syntyche. The help would come in the way of personal 
 conference and exhortation, with prayer. 
 
 which'] The Greek is well represented in R.V., for they. 
 
 laboured with me] Lit., ^^ strove along with me" The verb is the 
 same as that i. 27, where see note. Euodia and Syntyche had aided 
 devotedly in the missionaiy work in their town, perhaps as sharers of 
 special "gifts" (see Acts xxi. 9), or simply as exhorters and instructors 
 of their female neighbours, probably also in loving labours of mercy 
 for the temporal needs of poor converts. Like Phoebe of Cenchrese 
 (Rom. xvi. i) they were perhaps deaconesses. See Appendix C. 
 
 in the gospel] Cp, i. 5, ii. 22; and below, on ver. 15. 
 
 with Clement] Does this mean, "Help them, and let Clement and 
 others help also," or, "They strove along with me in the gospel, and 
 Clement and others strove also"? The grammar is neutral in the ques- 
 tion. On the whole, the first explanation seems best to suit the context, 
 for it keeps the subject of the difference between Euodia and Syntyche 
 still in view, which the second explanation scarcely does; and that 
 difference was evidently an important and anxious fact, not to be lightly 
 dismissed. 
 
 *■'■ Clement" Greek, Clemes: — we have no certain knowledge of his 
 identity. The name was common. It is asserted by Origen (cent. 3) 
 that he is the Clement who was at a later time bishop of Rome, and 
 author of an Epistle to the Corinthians, probably the earliest of extant 
 patristic writings. Eusebius (cent. 4) implies the same belief. There 
 is nothing impossible in this, for a Philippian Christian, migrating to 
 the all-receiving Capital, might very possibly become Chief Pastor there 
 in course of time. But the chronology of the life and work of Clement 
 of Rome is obscure in detail, and some evidence makes him survive till 
 quite A.D. 120, more than half a century later than this: a length of 
 labour likely to be noticed by church historians, if it were the fact. In 
 
 1 Renan translates the words here {Saint Paul, p. 14S), ma chere ipouse. See 
 Salmon, Introduction to N. T., p. 465, note. 
 
vv. 4, 5-] PHILIPPIANS, IV. ill 
 
 my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of 
 life. 
 
 Rejoice in the Lord alway : and again I say, Rejoice. 4 
 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord 5 
 
 his Epistle (c. xlvii.) he makes special and reverent mention of St Paul; 
 and this is perhaps the strongest point in favour of the identity; but 
 certainly not decisive. See Lightfoot, Philippians, p. 168. 
 
 the book of life] Cp. Rev. iii. 5, xiii. 8, xvii. 8, xx, 12, 15, xxi. 27 ; and 
 Luke X. 20. And see Exod. xxxii. 32, 33; Ps. Ixix. 28, Ixxxvii. 6; Isai. 
 iv. 3; Ezek. xiii. 9; Dan. xii. i. The result of comparison of these 
 passages with this seems to be that St Paul here refers to the Lord's 
 "knowledge of them that are His" (2 Tim. ii. 19; cp. Joh. x. 27, 28), 
 for time and eternity. All the passages in the Revelation, save iii. 5, 
 are clearly in favour of a reference of the phrase to the certainty of the 
 ultimate salvation of true saints; particularly xiii. 8, xvii. 8; and so too 
 Dan. xii. i, and Luke x. 20. Rev. iii. 5 appears to point in another 
 direction (see Trench on that passage). But in view of the other 
 mentions of the "Book" in the Revelation, the language of iii. 5 may 
 well be only a vivid assertion that the name in question shall be found 
 in an indelible register. Exod. xxxii. and Ps. Ixix. are of course definite 
 witnesses for a possible blotting out from "a book written" by God. 
 But it is at least uncertain whether the book there in view is not the 
 register of life temporal, not eternal. — Practically, the Apostle here 
 speaks of Clement and the rest as having given illustrious proof of their 
 part and lot in that "life eternal" which is "to know the only true God, 
 and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent" (Joh. xvii. 3). — The word 
 ^^ names" powerfully suggests the individuality and speciality of Divine 
 love. 
 
 4. Rejoice in the Lord] Cp. iii. i, and note. 
 
 alway] This word is a strong argument against the rendering ^' Fare- 
 well,^^ instead of '■'Rejoice.'''' '"■Always^'' would read strange and un- 
 natural in such a connexion. And cp. i Thess. v. 16. 
 
 He leads them here above all uncertain and fluctuating reasons for 
 joy, to Him Who is the supreme and unalterable gladness of the be- 
 lieving soul, beneath and above all changes of circumstances and sen- 
 sation. 
 
 5. moderation] K.Y.," forbearance"; mzxgwi,'^ gentleness" •,\Nyc\\i, 
 "patience" ; Tyndale and Cranmer*; '' softenes"; Geneva, ''patient 
 niynde"; Rheims, "modestie"\ Lat. versions, modestia; Beza, aquitas; 
 Luther, Lindigkeit. The word is full of interest and significance, and is 
 very difficult of translation. Perhaps forbearance, though inadequate, 
 is a fair rendering. It means in effect considerateness, ihe attitude of 
 thought and will which in remembrance of others forgets self, and wil- 
 lingly yields up the purely personal claims of self. The "selfless" man 
 is the "moderate" man of this passage; the man who is yielding as 
 air in respect of personal feeling or interest, though firm as a rock 
 in respect of moral principle. See an excellent discussion, Trench, 
 
112 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [v. 6. 
 
 6 is at hand. Be careful for nothing ; but in every thing by 
 prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests 
 
 Synonyms, § xliii. — The editor may be allowed to refer to a small book 
 of his own in further illustration, Thoughts on the Spiritual Life, ch. iii. 
 
 be known, &c.] Trench (quoted above) shews that the quality here 
 commended is essentially, by usage as well as etymology, a thing having 
 to do with life, action, intercourse. For its existence, so to speak, 
 society is necessary. ^^Men" must be met and dealt with, and so must 
 "know" it by its practical fruits. 
 
 *^ The Lord is at hand":— in the sense oi presence, not of coming. 
 Cp. Psal. cxix. (LXX. cxviii.) 151, '■^Thou art near, O Lord"', where 
 the Greek is the same. And for the spiritual principle, see Psal. xxxi. 
 19, 20, cxxi. 5. Not that the deeply calming expectation of the Lord's 
 approaching Return is excluded from thought here ; but Psal. cxix. 
 decides for the other as the leading truth. 
 
 6. Be careful for nothing\ Better, in modern English, In nothing' be 
 anxious (R.V.). Wyclif, "be ye no thing bisie"; all the other older 
 English versions are substantially as A. V. ; Luther, Sorget nichts ; Latin 
 versions, Nihil solliciti sitis [fueritis). On the etymology of the Greek 
 verb, and on the thought here, see note above, ii. 20. There the mental" 
 action here blamed is commended ; a discrepancy fully harmonized by a 
 view of different conditions. Here, the saints are enjoined to deal with 
 every trying circumstance of life as those who know, and act upon, the 
 fact that "the Lord thinketh on me" (Psal. xl, 17). Cp. Ivlark iv. 19; 
 Luke viii. 14, x. 41, xxi. 34; i Cor. vii. 32; i Pet. v. 7. 
 
 The English word '"'"care" is akin to older Teutonic words meaning 
 lamentation, murmur, sorrow, and is not connected wdth the Lat. cura 
 (Skeat, Etym. Diet.). English literature, from "Piers Plowman" 
 (cent. 14) to Shakspeare and the A.V., abounds in illustrations of 
 the meaning of the word here. E.g., Vision of Piers Plozuman, V. 76 : 
 " carefullich ?nea culpa he comsed to' shewe " ; i.e. "he anxiously com- 
 menced to unfold" his sins in the confessional. So, in the same 
 writer, a mournful song is "a careful note." 
 
 in every thing] An all-inclusive positive, to justify the all-inclusive 
 negative just before. — Observe here, as so often, the tendency of Chris- 
 tian precepts to a holy universality of scope. Cp. Eph. iv. 29, 31, v. 3, 
 and notes in this Series. 
 
 by prayer and supplication^ We might almost paraphrase the Greek, 
 where each noun has an article, "by your prayer &c."; by the prayer 
 which of course you offer. 
 
 "Prayer" is the larger word, often including all kinds and parts of 
 "worship"; "supplication" is the more definite. Cp. Eph. vi. 18, and 
 note in this Series. The two words thus linked together are meant, how- 
 ever, less to be distinguished than to include and enforce the fullest and 
 freest "speaking unto the Lord." 
 
 with thanksgiving\ " The temper of the Christian should always be 
 one of thanksgiving. Nearly every Psalm, however deep the sorrow 
 and contrition, escapes into the happy atmosphere of praise and grati- 
 
V. ;.] PHILIPPIANS, IV. 
 
 113 
 
 be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which 7 
 passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds 
 
 tude. The Psalms, in Hebrew, are the Praises. All prayer ought to 
 include the element of thanksgiving, for mercies temporal and spiritual" 
 (Note by the Dean of Peterborough). — The privilege of prayer is in 
 itself an abiding theme for grateful praise. 
 
 be made knozvn\ Exactly as if He needed information. True faith 
 will accept and act upon such a precept with very little questioning or 
 discussion of its rationale. Scripture is full of illustrations of it in prac- 
 tice, from the prayers of Abraham (Gen. xv., xvii., xviii.) and of Abra- 
 ham's servant (Gen. xxiv.) onward. It is for the Eternal, not for us, 
 to reconcile such humble but most real statements and requests on our 
 part with His infinity. 
 
 This verse is a caution against the view of prayer taken by some 
 Mystic Christian thinkers, in which all articulate petition is merged in 
 the soul's perpetual ^^Thy will be done.'^ See Mme. Guyon, Moyen 
 Court de faire Oraison, ch. xvii. Such a doctrine has in it a sacred 
 element of truth, but as a whole it is out of harmony with the divinely 
 balanced precepts of Scripture. 
 
 7. And'\ An important link. The coming promise of the Peace of 
 God is not isolated, but in deep connexion. 
 
 the peace of God] The chastened but glad tranquillity, caused by 
 knowledge of the God of peace, and given by His Spirit to our spirit. 
 Cp. Col. iii. 15 (where read, "the peace of Christ"); Joh. xiv. 27. The 
 long and full previous context all leads up to this; the view of our ac- 
 ceptance in and for Christ alone (iii. 3 — 9) ; the deepening knowledge of 
 the living Lord and His power (10); the expectation, in the path of 
 spiritual obedience, of a blessed future (11 — 21); watchful care over 
 communion with Christ, and over a temper befitting the Gospel, and 
 over the practice of prayer (iv. i — 6). 
 
 Here is the true "Quietism" of the Scriptures. 
 
 all understanding] ^' AW wind," '^a.\\ thinl'ing poraer." Our truest 
 reason recognizes that this peace exists, because God exists ; our articu- 
 late reasoning cannot overtake its experiences; they are always above, 
 below, beyond. Cp. Eph. iii. 19. 
 
 shall keep] Observe the definite promise; not merely an aspiration, 
 or even an invocation. Cp. Isai. xxvi. 3. The Latin versions, mis- 
 takenly, read custodiat. 
 
 R.V., shaJl guard. This is better, except as it breaks in on the im- 
 memorial music of the Benediction. All the older English versions 
 have "heep," except the Genevan, which has "dcftnd" "Guard" (or 
 "defend") represents correctly the Greek verb, which is connected with 
 nouns meaning "garrison," "fort," and the like, and also prevents the 
 mistake of explaining the sentence — " sh!L[\ heep you in Chnst, prevent 
 you from going out of Christ." What it means is thai, ''in Christ 
 Jesus," who is the one true spiritual Region of blessing, the peace of 
 God shall protect the soul against its foes. 
 
 PlIILlPriANS. 8 
 
ii4 
 
 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [v. 8. 
 
 8 through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things 
 are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things 
 are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever thifigs are 
 lovely, whatsoever thi7igs are of good report ; if there be any 
 
 hearts'\ The word in Scripture includes the whole "inner man"; 
 understanding, affections, will. 
 
 minds] Lit. and better, thougMs, acts of mind. The holy serenity 
 of the believer's spirit, in Christ Jesus, shall be the immediate means 
 of shielding even the details of mental action from the tempter's power. 
 Cp. Eph. vi. i6, where the "faith" which accepts and embraces the 
 promise occupies nearly the place given here to the peace which is the 
 substance of the promise. 
 
 through Christ Jesus'] Lit. and better, In. — See last note but two. 
 
 8 — 9. As A LAST SPIRITUAL ENTREATY, LET THEIR REGENERATE 
 MINDS BE TRUE-THOUGHTFUL: LET THEM REMEMBER PaUL'S 
 WORD AND PRACTICE. 
 
 8. Finally] A phrase introducing a precept, or precepts, more or 
 less based on what has gone before. See above, on iii. i. 
 
 He begs them to give to their minds, thus "safeguarded" by the 
 peace of God, all possible pure and healthful material to work upon, 
 of course with a view to practice. Let them reflect on, take account of, 
 estimate aright, (see note below on '■^ think on these things^''), all that 
 was true and good ; perhaps specially in contrast to the subtle perver- 
 sions of moral principle favoured by the persons described above (iii. 
 1 8, 19), who dreamed of making an impossible divorce between the 
 spiritual and the moral. 
 
 true] Both in the sense of \xyi^-speaking and Xxw'i^-heing. Truthful- 
 ness of word, and sincerity of character, are absolutely indispensable to 
 holiness. Nothing is more unsanctified than a double meaning, or a 
 double purpose, however "pious" the " fraud." 
 
 honest] Margin, "vetierable"; R.V., honourable. The adjective is 
 rendered '■''grave,^' 1 Tim. iii. 8, 11; Titus ii. 2. It points to serious 
 purposes, and to self-respect ; no small matter in Christianity. In older 
 English ^^ honest'" bore this meaning more than at present. 
 
 just] Right, as between man and man; scrupulous attention to all 
 relative duties. 
 
 pure] Perhaps in the special respect of holy chastity of thought and 
 act as regards the body. There may be more in the word : see 2 Cor. 
 vii. II ; and cp. i Joh. iii. 3. But most surely this is in it. See Trench, 
 Synonyms, ii. § xxxviii. 
 
 lovely] Pleasing, amiable. Cp. for the English in this meaning, 2 Sam. 
 i. 23. It is a meaning rare now, if not obsolete, but it was still common 
 a century ago. — The Christian is here reminded that his Master would 
 have him attend to manner as well as matter in his life. Grace should 
 
V. 9-1 PHILIPPIANS, IV. 115 
 
 virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 
 Those thi?igs, which ye have both learned, and received, 9 
 and heard, and seen in me, do : and the God of peace 
 shall be with you. 
 
 make gracious. Cp. i Pet. iii. 8. — The Rhemish version has "amiable" 
 here. 
 
 of good report] Better, probably, sweet-spoken; "loveliness" in the 
 special respect of kindly and winning speech. So Lightfoot. Ellicott 
 explains the word, however, in a different direction; "fair sounding," 
 "high-toned" ; with a special reference to elevated truths and principles. 
 R.V. retains the rendering of A.V., with margin '■^graciottsy 
 
 if there he any virtue] "Whatever virtue there is." To complete 
 his meaning, he bids them exercise thought on whatever is rightly 
 called "virtue," even if not expressly described in the previous words. 
 
 The word rendered "virtue" (arete) occurs here only in St Paul, and 
 elsewhere in N.T. only i Pet. ii. 9 (of God, and in the sense of 
 "praise," as always in LXX.); 2 Pet. i. 3 (of God, as rightly read), and 
 5 (twice), of an element in Christian character. It is remarkable that a 
 favourite word of Greek ethics should be thus avoided ; but the reason 
 is not far to seek. By derivation and in usage it is connected with 
 ideas of manhood, courage, and so self-reliance. The basis of good- 
 ness in the Gospel is self-renunciation, in order to the reception of 
 GRACE, the undeserved gift of God. 
 
 Here however the Apostle concedes a place to the word, so to speak, 
 as if to extend in every direction the view of what is right in action. 
 In 1 Pet. i. 5 it is used with the quite special meaning of vigour in the 
 life of grace. 
 
 ajiy praise] "Whatever praise there is," justly given by the general 
 human conscience. Here again he is, as it were, conceding a place to 
 an idea not quite of the highest, yet not at discord with the high- 
 est. It is not good to do right for the sake of the selfish pleasure of 
 praise; but it is right to praise what is rightly done, and such praise 
 has a moral beauty, and may give to its recipient a moral pleasure not 
 spoiled by selfishness. St Paul appeals to the existence of such a 
 desert of praise, to illustrate again what he means when he seeks to 
 attract their thoughts towards things recognized as good, "There is 
 such a thing as right praise; make it an index of the things on which 
 you should think." 
 
 think on] Literally, ^'■reckon, calculate''''', see above, first note on 
 this verse. 
 
 9. Those things &c.] On the apparent egotism of this appeal, see 
 on iii. 17. R.V. renders, somewhat better, The things &c. 
 
 have both leai-ned &c.] Better, both learned &c. The verbs are 
 aorists, and the reference is to his long-past residence at Philippi. 
 
 received] Cp. i Cor. xi. 23, xv. i, 3; Gal. i. 9; Col. ii. 6; i Thess. 
 ii. 13, iv. I. In all these cases the verb is used of learning a truth 
 passed on by another. 
 
 seen] Saw. See note i on this verse. 
 
 8—2 
 
Ii6 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [v. lo. 
 
 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last 
 your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were 
 
 in me] As specimen and model. See note on i. 26. Strictly 
 speaking, the "m me" refers only to the " saiv." 
 
 do] Practise, as a holy habit. 
 
 and] See first note on ver. 7. 
 
 the God of peace] Author and giver of the peace of God. Cp. for 
 the phrase Rom. xv. 33, xvi. 20; 1 Cor. xiii. 11; i Thess. v. 23; 
 Heb. xiii. 20. And see 2 Thess. iii. 16. In i Cor. xiv. 33 we have, 
 "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace"; and there the 
 "peace" is evidently Christian social peace, rather than that which 
 resides in the spirit of the saint, or has to do with his personal relations 
 with God (and cp, 2 Cor. xiii. 11). But the two are closely connected; 
 the Divine peace in the individual tends always, in its right development 
 and action, to the peace of the community, for it means the dethrone- 
 ment of the spirit of self. St Paul may thus have had in view here the 
 need of more harmony among the Philippians, and of a nobler moral 
 and spiritual tone (ver. 8) as an aid towards it. But the whole context 
 is so full of the highest aspects of Christian experience that we take the 
 present phrase to refer primarily, at least, to God as at peace with His 
 people, and making peace within their hearts; the "Lord of the 
 sabbath" of the soul. 
 
 10—20. He renders loving thanks for their Alms, 
 
 BROUGHT HIM BY EpAPHRODITUS. 
 
 10. But] The directly didactic message of the Epistle is now over, 
 and he turns to the personal topic of the alms, for himself and his 
 work, received through Epaphroditus from Philippi. 
 
 I rejoiced] R.V., I rejoice; taking the Greek aorist as "epistolary." 
 See on ii. 25. The aorist may refer, however, to the joy felt when the 
 gift arrived, the first thankful surprise; and if so, A.V. represents 
 it rightly. 
 
 in the Lord] See last note on i. 8. — The whole circumstance, as 
 well as the persons, was in deep connexion with Him. 
 
 at the last] Better, with R.V., at length; a phrase of milder 
 emphasis. — ^^ At the last'''' (cp. Gen. xlix. 19) is ^^ at last" in an older 
 form. The Philippians had sent St Paul a subsidy, or subsidies, 
 before ; but for reasons beyond their control there had been a rather 
 long interval before this last. 
 
 your care of me hath flourished] Better, you have shot forth thought 
 (as a branch or bud) for me; or, less lit., you have burgeoned into 
 thought for me. — The verb, only intransitive in the classics, is also 
 transitive in LXX. (see Ezek. xvii. 24) and Apocrypha (see Ecclus. 
 1. 14). The poetic boldness of the phrase is noticeable; our second 
 alternative translation fairly represents it. Perhaps the courteous kind- 
 liness of the Apostle's thought comes out in it; an almost pleasantry 
 of expression. 
 
 wherein] Or, 'whereon; "with a view to which"; i.e., as the pre- 
 vious words imply, with a view to an effort to aid him. 
 
vv. II, 12.] PHILIPPIANS, IV. 117 
 
 also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak i 
 in respect of want : for I have learned, in whatsoever state 
 I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be 1 
 abased, and I know how to abound : every where and in 
 all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, 
 
 ye were careftiT\ Ye took thought. The verb {phronetn) is quite 
 different from that in ver. 6. It bears here (and just above, where 
 its infinitive is represented by the English noun "thought") the unusual 
 meaning of definite thinkings not, as usual, that of being in a mc?ital 
 state. See on i. 7. 
 
 The gracious, sympathetic recognition of good intentions is indeed 
 Christian. 
 
 lacked opportunity^ Particularly, a suitable bearer had not been 
 forthcoming. 
 
 11. want'\ Better, perhaps, need, as less extreme in meaning. The 
 Greek word occurs elsewhere only Mark xii. 44; of the great poverty of 
 the Widow. 
 
 /] Slightly emphatic. He implies an appeal to them to learn 
 his secret for themselves. 
 
 have learned'\ Lit., '"''did learn'\\ but probably the A.V. (and 
 R.V.) rightly represent the Greek. It is possible, however, that he 
 refers to the time of waiting for their aid as his learning time; "I 
 learned, in that interval, a lesson of content." 
 
 He implies in any case that the pause in their assistance had been a 
 time of some privation, though not from the higher point of view. 
 
 contenf] Lit., ^^self-sufficient'' ; in the sense oi omnia mca mecum 
 porta. He did not depend upon circumstances for satisfaction. Such 
 "sufficiency," but on very different principles, was a favourite Stoic 
 virtue. 
 
 12. to be abased] "To be low," in resources and comforts. The word 
 is used in classical Greek of a river running low. 
 
 to abound] as now, in the plenty the Philippians had provided. 
 This experience, as well as the opposite, called for the skill of grace. 
 
 every where and in all things] Lit., in everything and in aU 
 things ; in the details and total of experience. 
 
 / am instructed] I have been initiated ; " / have learned the secret " 
 (R.V.). The Greek verb is akin to the words, mystes, mystenon, and 
 means to initiate a candidate into the hidden tenets and worship of the 
 "Mysteries"; systems of religion in the Hellenic world derived 
 perhaps from prehistoric times, and jealously guarded by their votaries. 
 Admission to their arcana, as into Freemasonry now, was sought even 
 by the most cultured ; with the special hope, apparently, of a peculiar 
 immunity from evil in this life and the next. See Smith's Diet, of 
 Greek afid Roman Antiquities. It is evident that St Paul's adoption 
 of such a word for the discovery of the "open secrets" of the Gospel 
 is beautifully suggestive. Lightfoot remarks that we have the same 
 sort of adoption in his frequent use (and our Lord's, Matt xiii. 11; 
 
ii8 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [vv. 13, 14. 
 
 13 both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things 
 
 14 through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding 
 ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my afflic- 
 
 Mark iv. 11 ; Luke viii. 10 ; and see Rev. i. 20, x. 7, xvii. 5, 7) of the 
 word ^''mystery" for a revealed secret of doctrine or prophecy. 
 
 to be ficll'\ R.y., to be filled. The Greek verb is the same as e.g. 
 Matt. V. 6, xiv. 20. St Paul uses it only here. Its first meaning was 
 "to give fodder to cattle," but it lost this lower reference in later 
 Greek (Lightfoot). 
 
 hungry\ No doubt often in stern reality. Cp. i Cor. iv. 11. 
 
 13. / can do all things] More exactly, I have strengtli for all 
 things; whether to do or to bear. The Latin versions, beautifully, 
 render, omnia possum. The "all things" are, of course, not all things 
 absolutely; he is not the Omnipotent. They are "all things" with 
 which he has to do, as the will of God brings them to him; not 
 the boundless field of possibilities, but a straight line across it, the 
 actual path of duty and suffering, chosen not by himself but by his Lord 
 and Master. The reference is thus limited and practical; but ivithin- 
 that reference it is, observe, not ^^some'^ but '■'all" things that he can 
 meet in peace and strength. Cp. i Cor. x. 13; Eph. ii. 12. 
 
 through Christ which strengtheneth me} With the best attested 
 reading, and more exactly, in Him who enahleth me The verb 
 occurs elsewhere in the active, i Tim. i. 12; 2 Tim. iv. 17. It occurs 
 in the middle or passive, Acts ix. 22; Rom. iv. 20; Eph. vi, 10; 
 2 Tim. ii. i ; Heb. xi. 34. It imports the supply on the one hand and 
 reception and realization on the other of a supernatural ability 
 {dynamis), coming out in action. 
 
 Observe the phrase, " z w Him." It is in vital union with his Head 
 that the "member" is thus able for "all things," and in no other way 
 (cp. Joh. XV. 4, 5; 2 Cor. ix. 8, xii. 9, 10). But this way is open 
 to the submissive faith of every true Christian, not of Apostles and 
 Martyrs only. 
 
 The word ""Christ" is not in the true text, but is manifestly a 
 true "gloss." 
 
 14. Notwithstanding] "Again the Apostle's nervous anxiety to 
 clear himself interposes" (Lightfoot). We would rather call it loving 
 care than nervous anxiety. He is tender over their feelings, as he 
 thinks how "their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their 
 liberality" (2 Cor. viii. i, 2), in love to him and to the Lord; and not 
 even his testimony to the power of Christ shall make him seem to slight 
 their collection. 
 
 ye have well done\ Better, perhaps, ye did well ; when you gave and 
 sent your alms. 
 
 commmiicate with] Better, as more intelligible to modern readers, 
 take a share in. For the thought, cp. on j. 7. Their sympathy, coming 
 out in self-denial, blent their experience M'ith that of the imprisoned and 
 impoverished Apostle. 
 
vv. 15— I?.] PHILIPPIANS, IV. 119 
 
 tion. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning 15 
 of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church 
 communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, 
 but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and 16 
 again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift : but 17 
 
 15. Nowl Better, But. He suggests, with the same delicacy of 
 love, that their previous gifts would have sufficed, without this gift, to 
 witness and seal their hearts' cooperation with him. "You have done 
 well in such participation; but indeed you had assured its existence 
 before. " 
 
 ye Philippians knoio a/so] Better, ye yourselves too know, Philip- 
 pians; ye, as well as I. — ^'■Philippians'''' : — the form used by St Paul is 
 ^*' Philippesians''\ one of several forms of the civic adjective. The same 
 appears in the ancient "Title" (see above) and in the "Subscription" 
 below. See Lightfoot here. 
 
 the gospel] I.e. his evangelization (of their region). Yox this mean- 
 ing of "the Gospel" cp. 2 Cor. x. 14 (and perhaps viii. 18); Gal. ii. 7; 
 I Thess. iii. 2; and above, i. 5, 7, 12, iv. 3. 
 
 when I departed from Macedonia] He refers to abotit the time of his 
 advance into "Achaia," Roman Southern Greece; just before and just 
 after he actually crossed the border. For the narrative, cp. Acts xvii. 
 1 — 15. This is a reminiscence after an interval of about ten years. 
 
 communicated with me] Better, took its share with me. See last 
 note on ver. 14. 
 
 as concerning] Better, with R.V., in the matter of. 
 
 giving and receiving] I.e., their giving a subsidy to him, and his re- 
 ceiving it from them. The Greek phrase is a recognized formula, like our 
 "credit and debit." See Lightfoot here. To bring in the thought of 
 their "giving temporal things" and "receiving spiritual things" (i Cor. 
 ix. 11) is to complicate and confuse the passage. 
 
 ye only] No blame of other Churches is necessarily implied. The 
 thought is occupied with the fact of a sure and early proof of Philippian 
 sympathy. 
 
 16. even in Thessalonica]' "Even ivhefi I was there." — Thessalonica 
 was just 100 Roman miles (about 92 English) from Philippi, on the 
 
 Via Egnatia. Amphipolis and Apollonia were the two intermediate 
 road-stations, about 30 miles from each other, and apparently Paul and 
 Silas passed only a night at each, hastening to Thessalonica, where 
 probably they spent some weeks, or even months (Acts xvii. i — 9; and 
 cp. Conybeareand Hovvson, Life and Epistles Sac. ^ ch. ix.; Lewin, L.and 
 E. &c., vol. I. chap. xi.). Thus Thessalonica was practically the 
 Apostle's first pause after leaving Philippi ; and it was in Macedonia. 
 
 once and again] Within a short stay at the longest. In Acts xvii. 
 only "three sabbaths" are mentioned; but the Epistles to Thessalonica 
 seem to imply that he stayed somewhat longer, by their allusions to the 
 impression made at Thessalonica by his and his companions' life and 
 example. See i Thess. ii. i — 12; 2 Thess. iii. 7, 8. 
 
I20 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [v. i8. 
 
 [8 I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I 
 have all, and abound : I am full, having received of Epa- 
 phroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of 
 a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. 
 
 my necessity] The profits of his hard manual labour at Thessalonica 
 (see I and 2 Thess. just quoted) evidently left him still very poor. He 
 would take nothing of the Thessalonians, vv'hile still actually introducing 
 the Gospel to them. 
 
 17. Not &c.] Here again see the sensitive delicacy of love. This 
 allusion to the cherished past, begun with the wish to shew that he 
 needed no present proof of sympathy, might after all be taken to be 
 "thanks for future" liberality. It shall not be so. 
 
 cfesire] Better, with R.V., seek. The verb occurs e.g. Matt. xii. 39; 
 Rom. xi. 7. Both its form and usage suggest here the appropriate 
 meaning of an active, restless search; a "hunting for" the object. 
 
 a gift] Lit. and much better, the gift ; the mere motiey of the col- 
 lection. 
 
 desire] Again, seek : the same idea, with a beautiful change of refer- 
 ence. 
 
 fruit that may abound] Lit. and better, the fruit &c. — St Chrysos- 
 tom's comment here, in which he uses the Greek verb akin to the noun 
 (tokos) meaning interest on money, seems to imply that he, a Greek, un- 
 derstood the phrase to be borrowed from the money-market. If so, we 
 may translate, the interest that is accruing to your credit. The 
 imagery, by its very paradox, would be appropriate in this passage of 
 ingenious kindness. The only objection to the rendering is that the 
 precise Greek words are not actually found in special pecuniary con- 
 nexions, though they would easily fit into them. 
 
 " That may " ; — that does is certainly right, and in point. He regards 
 it as as a present certainty that "God is well pleased" (Heb. xiii. 16) 
 with their gift of love, and that the blessed "profit" of His "well done, 
 good and faithful" (Matt. xxv. 21) is secure for them. 
 
 18. But] He carries on the correction, begun in ver. 17, of a pos- 
 sible misunderstanding of his warm words. He must not be thought 
 to "spell" for future gifts, least of all now, so amply supplied as he is. 
 
 / have all] The Greek verb is one used in connexions of payment, to 
 express a full receipt. We might almost paraphrase, "you h^ve paid 
 me in full in all respects." 
 
 and abound] It is enough, and more than enough; I "run over" 
 with your bounty. See ver. 12, above. 
 
 Epaphroditus] See on ii, 25, 30. We learn definitely here that he 
 was the bringer of the collection. 
 
 the things] He seems to avoid the word ^^iiioncyy It was more 
 than money ; the coin was the symbol of priceless love. 
 
 an odour of a sweet smell] See Eph. v. 2, for the same Greek 
 phrase. It is common in LXX. as the translation of the Heb. reach 
 nichoach, a savour of rest; the fume of the altar, smelt by the Deity^ 
 
20 
 
 vv. 19, 2o.j PHILIPPIANS, IV. 121 
 
 But my God shall supply all your need according to his 19 
 riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our 
 Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 (in the picture language of typical sacrifices), and recognized as a token 
 of welcome allegiance or propitiation. See note in this Series on Eph. 
 V. 2. — Here the fragrance is that of either the "bunit-offering" of self- 
 dedication (see Lev. i, 9), or the ''meal offering," or "peace offering," 
 of thanksgiving (see Lev. ii. 2, iii. 5), or of both combined, as they are 
 combined in our Liturgy of the Holy Communion. 
 
 a sacrifice acceptable &c.] Cp. last note, and Heb. xiii. 16. See also 
 Eph. vi. 8, and note in this Series. 
 
 19. But\ R.V., ''^ AfidP But surely there is a slight contrast 
 meant, to an implied wish that he could send back some material requital 
 of his own to alleviate their "deep poverty" (2 Cor. viii. 2). 
 
 my God'\ Words deeply characteristic of St Paul. See on i. 3 above. 
 Bp Lightfoot well remarks that the phrase is specially in point here; 
 the Apostle is thinking of what God on his behalf ^\z^ do for others. 
 
 shall supply] Promise, not only aspiration. He is sure of Hjs faith- 
 fulness. — '"'■ Sicpply'" : — lit., ^'fill,''^ pouring His bounty into the void of 
 the "need." 
 
 all your need] R. V. , somewhat better, every need of yours. See 
 again, 2 Cor. viii. 2, where the exceptional poverty of the converts of 
 Northern Greece is referred to. The prominent thought here is, surely, 
 that of temporal poverty. Cp. particularly 2 Cor. ix. 8, where the 
 first reference seems to be to God's ability to supply to His self- 
 denying servants always more from which they may still spare and give. 
 But neither here nor in 2 Cor. are we for a moment to shut out the 
 widest and deepest applications of the truth stated. 
 
 his riches in glory] His resources, consisting in, and so lodged in, 
 His OAvn "glory" of Divine power and love. Cp. Rom. vi. 4, and note 
 in this Series, for a similar use of the word "glory." — Bp Lightfoot 
 prefers to connect '■^ shall supply, in glo7y, your need, according 
 to His riches,'' and he explains the thought to be, "shall supply 
 your need by placing you in glory.''' But we venture to think this 
 construction needlessly difficult. — Anything in which God is "glorified" 
 (see e. g. Gal. i. 24) is, as it were, a reflection of His holy glury, and a 
 result of it. Tender providential goodness to the poor Philippians would 
 be such a result. 
 
 On St Paul's love of the word "riches" in Divine connexions, 
 cp. Eph. i. 7, and note in this Series. 
 
 in Christ Jesus] "in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the God- 
 head," "in whom" the saints are "filled," as regards all their needs 
 (Col. ii. 9, 10). The "glory" of both grace and providence is lodged, 
 for His people, in Him. 
 
 20. God and our Father] Better, our God and Father; the ultimate 
 Source of all faith, love, and hope in the brethren and members of His 
 Son.— "0«r".— ''It is no longer ['my'], for the reference is now 
 
122 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [VV. 21, 22. 
 
 21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which 
 
 22 are with me greet you. All the saints salute you, chiefly 
 
 not to himself as distinguished from the Philippians, but as united 
 to them" (Lightfoot). 
 
 glory] Lit. and better, the glory ; the adoring praise due in view of 
 this their act of love, and of the certainty of a full supply of all their 
 need. 
 
 for ever and ever] Lit., "/<? the ages of the ages^ The A.V. (and 
 R.V.) are a true paraphrase. On the word aiSn (age) see notes in this 
 Series, on Rom. xvi. 25; Eph. i. 21. The idea conveyed by the phrase 
 here is of circles of duration consisting of, embracing, other circles 
 ad hifinitiun. 
 
 Amen\ Probably, but not quite certainly, to be retained in the text. 
 The word is properly a Hebrew adverb {^^sure/}'"), repeatedly used as 
 here in O. T. See e.g. Deut. xxvii. 15; Psal. Ixxii. 19; Jer. xi. 5 
 (marg. A. V.). 
 
 21—23. Salutations and Farewell. 
 
 21. Salute] Cp. Rom. xvi. 3 — 16. 
 saint] See on i. i. 
 
 in Christ ^esus] See on i. i. — The words may grammatically be 
 connected with either ^^ salute," to which Lightfoot inclines, or "'saint.'''' 
 In view of i. i, we recommend the latter. See on the other side (with 
 Lightfoot) Rom. xvi. 22; i Cor. xvi. 19. 
 
 the brethreji which are with me] " Apparently the Apostle's personal 
 companions... as distinguished from the Christians resident in Rome, 
 who are described in the following verse " (Lightfoot). 
 
 greet] Better, with R.V., salute. The verb is the same as that just 
 above. 
 
 22. chiefly] More exactly, but chiefly. There was something 
 marked and emphatic about this message. 
 
 they of Cesar s household] "Probably slaves and freedmen attached 
 to the palace" (Lightfoot). It has been sometimes assumed that these 
 persons, on the other hand, were members of the imperial family, and 
 this has been used either to prove the remarkable advance of the 
 Gospel in the highest Roman society during St Paul's first captivity, 
 and incidentally to evidence a late date in that captivity for the Epistle, 
 or to support a theory of the spuriousness of the Epistle. Bp Lightfoot, 
 in an "additional note," or rather essay {Philippians, pp. 171 — 178), 
 has shewn with great fulness of proof that the "household of Cesar" 
 was a term embracing a vast number of persons, not only in Rome but 
 in the provinces, all of whom were either actual or former slaves of the 
 Emperor, filling every possible description of office more or less domestic. 
 The Bishop illustrates his statements from the very numerous burial 
 inscriptions of members of the "Household" found within the last 170 
 years near Rome, most of them of the period of the Julian and Claudian 
 Emperors. And the names of persons in these inscriptions afford a 
 
V. 23.] PHILIPPIANS, IV. 123 
 
 they that are of Cesar's household. The grace of our Lord 23 
 Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 
 
 It was written to the Philippians from Rome by Epaphroditus. 
 
 curiously large number of coincidences with the list in Rom. xvi. ; 
 among them being Amplias, Urbanus, Apelles, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, 
 Patrobas, Philologus. And it appears by the way to be very probable 
 that both Aristobulus' and Narcissus' "households" (Rom. xvi. 10, 
 11) were in fact the slave-establishments of the son of Herod the 
 Great, and of the favourite of Claudius, respectively, transferred to the 
 possession of the Emperor. Bp Lightfoot infers from this whole 
 evidence the great probability that the "saints" greeted in Rom. xvi. 
 were, on the whole, the same "saints" who send greeting here from 
 Rome. Various as no doubt were their occupations, and their native 
 lands, the members of the Household of Cesar as such must have had 
 an esprit de corps, and, for their rank in society, a prestige, which made 
 it humanly speaking likely that a powerful influence, like that of the 
 Gospel, if felt among them at all, would be felt widely, and that they 
 would be in the way to make a distinctive expression of their faith and 
 love, when occasion offered. 
 
 The view thus given of the saints here mentioned, their associations 
 and functions, not only in the age of Nero but in the precincts of 
 his court, and probably for many of them within the chambers of his 
 palace, gives a noble view in passing of the power of grace to triumph 
 over circumstances, and to transfigure life where it seems most impos- 
 sible. 
 
 A certain parallel to the Household of Cesar appears in the vast 
 Alaison du Roy of the later French monarchy. But the Maison was 
 for the noblesse alone. 
 
 23. The grace] So every Epistle of St Paul's closes, or almost 
 closes. In the Ep. to the Romans this benediction occurs twice; xvi. 
 20, 24. The exact form found here occurs also Gal. vi. iS; Philem. 7^. 
 — Observe the deeply implied testimony to the Divine glory of the 
 Saviour, who is mentioned here alone, and in conclusion, as the 
 Fountain of grace. 
 
 with your spirit] The inmost basis of the life and will of man, and 
 here of regenerate man. That "spirit" is not annulled, or absorbed, 
 by the Divine power; the "grace" is to be '■'■with" it (cp. i Cor. xv. 10). 
 But it is also to be "z«" it (see ii. \i above), possessing, assimilating, 
 transforming, into the likeness of Him whose presence and power is 
 grace. 
 
 Amen] The word is probably to be omitted from the text. But 
 though the Apostle did not write it, the reader can supply it as his 
 own response. 
 
 The Subscription. 
 
 // was written... by Epaphroditus] ^* Written by'''' is, of course, 
 **sent by means of, by the hand of.'''' — The words obviously give the 
 facts of the case correctly. It is equally obvious that they were not in 
 
124 PHILIPPIANS, IV. [v. 23. 
 
 the original copies. Of the many varying "Subscriptions" in extant 
 MSSm the shortest appears to be the oldest ; To the Philippians 
 (Philippesians ; see on iv. 15 above). Others are, It was w^ritten 
 FROM Rome; It was written &c. by Epaphroditus, or, in one 
 case, by Epaphroditus and Timotheus. In one MS. appears 
 [The Epistle] to the Philippians is fulfilled, in another, is 
 finished. 
 
 On the Subscriptions to St Paul's Epistles, see Scrivener's Inb'odiic- 
 tion to the Criticism of the N. T. (Ed. 1883, p. 62). They are ascribed 
 (in their longer form) to Euthalius, a bishop of the fifth century. See 
 further, note in this Series on the Subscription to the Epistle to the 
 Ephesians. 
 
APPENDICES. 
 
 PAGE lAGB 
 
 A. St Paul's Residence at Rome F. Robert Hall on Phil. ii. 5—8. 
 
 (Introd. p. 20) 125 —Baur's theory (Ch. ii. 6) ... 132 
 
 B. "Saints and faithful brethren" G. Ad. Monod on St Paul's Tears 
 
 (Ch. i. i) 128 (Ch. iii. 18) 133 
 
 C. Bishops and Deacons (Ch. i, i) 128 H. Family Affection of Christi- 
 
 D. Ebionite Christology (Ch. i. 15) 131 anity(Ch. iv. i) 134 
 
 E. Christology and Christianity I. Philippi and the Epistle (Ch. iv, 
 
 (Ch. ii. 5) 132 18) 134 
 
 A. ST PAUL'S RESIDENCE AT ROME. 
 (Introduction, p. •20.) 
 
 "St Paul arrived in Rome, from Melita, in the spring of a.d. 61, 
 probably early in March. There he spent 'two full years' (Acts 
 xxviii. 30), at the close of which, as we have good reason to believe, he 
 was released. 
 
 "In the long delay before his triaP he was of course in custody; 
 but this was comparatively lenient. He occupied lodgings of his own 
 (Acts xxviii. 16, 23, 30), probably a storey or flat in one of the lofty 
 houses common in Rome. It is impossible to determine for certain 
 where in the City this lodging was, but it is likely that it was either 
 in or near the great Camp of the Praetorians, or Imperial Guard, out- 
 side the Colline Gate, just N.E. of the city^. In this abode the 
 Apostle was attached day and night by a light coupling-chain to a 
 Praetorian sentinel, but was as free, apparently, to invite and maintain 
 general intercourse as if he had been merely confined liy illness. 
 
 "The company actually found in his rooms at difi'crent times was 
 very various. Plis first visitors (indeed they must have been the 
 providers of his lodging) would be the Roman Christians, including 
 
 1 Due probably to procrastination in the prosecution and to the caprice of the 
 Emperor. See Lewin, vol. 11. p. 236, for a parallel case. 
 * See Bp Lightfoot, Philippians, pp. 9 &c., 99 &c. ; [and our note on Phil. i. 13]. 
 
126 APPENDICES. 
 
 all, or many, of the saints named in a passage (Rom. xvi.) written only 
 a very few years before. Then came the representatives of the Jewish 
 community (Acts xxviii. 17, -23), but apparently never to return, 
 as such, after the long day of discussion to which they were first 
 invited. Then from time to time would come Christian brethren, 
 envoys from distant Churches, or personal friends ; Epaphroditus from 
 Philippi, Aristarchus from Thessalonica, Tychicus from Ephesus, 
 Epaphras from Colossse, John Mark, Demas, Jesus Justus. Luke, 
 the beloved physician, was present perhaps always, and Timotheus, 
 the Apostle's spiritual son, very frequently. One other memorable 
 name occurs, Onesimus, the fugitive Colossian slave, whose story, 
 indicated in the Epistle to Philemon, is at once a striking evidence 
 of the perfect liberty of access to the prisoner granted to anyone 
 and everyone, and a beautiful illustration both of the character of 
 St Paul and the transfiguring power and righteous principles of the 
 Gospel. 
 
 "No doubt the visitors to this obscure but holy lodging were far more 
 miscellaneous than even this list suggests. Through the successive 
 Praetorian sentinels some knowledge of the character and message 
 of the prisoner would be always passing out. The right interpretation 
 of Phil. i. 13^ is, beyond reasonable doubt, that the true account of 
 Paul's imprisonment came to be ' known in the Praetorian regiments, 
 and generally among people around'; and Phil. iv. 22 indicates 
 that a body of earnest and affectionate converts had arisen among the 
 population of slaves and freedmen attached to the Palace of Nero. 
 And the wording of that passage suggests that such Christians found a 
 welcome meeting place in the rooms of the Apostle ; doubtless for 
 frequent worship, doubtless also for direct instruction, and for the 
 blessed enjoyments of the family affection of the Gospel. Meanwhile 
 (Phil. i. 15, 16) there was a section of the Roman Christian community, 
 probably the disciples infected with the prejudices of the Phainsaic 
 party (see Acts xv., &c.), who, with very few exceptions (see Col. 
 iv. II and notes), took sooner or later a position of trying antagonism 
 to St Paul ; a trial over which he triumphed in the deep peace of 
 Christ. 
 
 "It is an interesting possibility, not to say probability, that from time 
 to time the lodging was visited by inquirers of intellectual fame or 
 distinguished rank. Ancient Christian tradition^ actually makes the 
 renowned Stoic writer, L. Annseus Seneca, tutor and counsellor of 
 Nero, a convert of St Paul's ; and one phase of the legend was the 
 fabrication, within the first four centuries, of a correspondence between 
 the two. It is quite certain that Seneca was never a Christian, though 
 his language is full of startling superficial parallels to that of the 
 N.T., and most full in his latest writings. But it is at least very likely 
 that he heard, through his many channels of information, of St Paul's 
 existence and presence, and that he was intellectually interested in 
 his teaching; and it is quite possible that he cared to visit him. It 
 
 1 See Bp Lightfoot, Philippians, pp. 99 &c., [and our notes on Phil. i. 13]. 
 
 2 The first hint appears in Tertullian, cent. 2 — 3. 
 
APPENDICES. 127 
 
 is not improbable, surely, that Seneca's brother Ciallio (Acts xviii. 12) 
 may have described St Paul, however passingly, in a letter; for 
 Gallio's religious indifference may quite well have consisted with a 
 strong personal impression made on him by St Paul's bearing. Feslus 
 himself was little interested in the Gospel, or at least took care to seem 
 so, and yet was deeply impressed by the ptTsonuf/ o( the Apostle. And, 
 again, the Prefect of the Imperial Guard, a.d. 6r, was Afranius Burrus, 
 Seneca's intimate colleague as counsellor to Nero, and it is at least 
 possible that he had received from Festus a more than commonplace 
 description of the prisoner consigned to him^. 
 
 "Bp Lightfoot, in his Essay, 'St Paul and Seneca' {Philippians, 
 pp. 270, &c.), thinks it possible to trace in some of the Epistles of the 
 Captivity a Christian adaptation of Stoic ideas. The Stoic, for 
 example, made much of the individual's membership in the great Body 
 of the Universe, and citizenship in its great City. The connexion 
 suggested is interesting, and it falls quite within the methods of Divine 
 inspiration that materials of Scripture imagery should be collected from 
 a secular region. But the language of St Paul about the Mystical 
 Body, in the Ephesian Epistle particularly, reads far more like a 
 direct revelation than like an adaptation ; and it evidently deals with 
 a truth which is already, in its substance, perfectly familiar to the 
 readers^. 
 
 "Other conspicuous personages of Roman society at the time have 
 been reckoned by tradition among the chamber-converts of St Paul, 
 among them the poet Lucan and the Stoic philosopher Epictetus^. 
 But there is absolutely no evidence for these assertions. It is in- 
 teresting and suggestive, on the other hand, to recall one almost certain 
 case of conversion about this time within the highest Roman aristo- 
 cracy. Pomponia Grcecina, wife of Plautius the conqueror of Britain, 
 was accused (a.d. 57, probably), of 'foreign superstition,' and tried 'by 
 her husband as domestic judge. He acquitted her. But the deep 
 and solemn seclusion of her life (a seclusion begun A.D. 44, when her 
 friend the princess Julia was put to death, and continued unbroken till 
 her own death, about A.D. 84), taken in connexion with the charge, as 
 in all likelihood it was, of Christianity, 'suggests that, shunning 
 society, she sought consolation in the duties and hopes of the Gospel'*, 
 leaving for ever the splendour and temptations of the world of Rome. 
 She was not a convert, obviously, of St Paul's; but her case suggests 
 the possibility of other similar cases." 
 
 Commentary on tht Epistle to Ephesians (in this Scries), Intro- 
 duction, pp. 16 — 19. 
 
 ' We cannot but think that Bp Lightfoot {Phiiip/>i(i>is, p. 301) somewhat under- 
 rates the probability that Gallio and Burrus should have given Seneca an interest in 
 St Paul. 
 
 • It appears in the First Ep. to the Corinthians, written a few years before the Ep. 
 to the Ephesians. See 1 Cor. xii. 
 
 ^ For the curiously Christian tone of Epictetus' writings here and there, see 
 Bp Lightfoot, Pkilippians, pp. 313 &c. The Manital of Epictetus is a book of gold 
 in its own way, but still that way is not Christian. 
 
 * Bp Lightfoot, Philippians, p. 21. 
 
128 APPENDICES. 
 
 B. "SAINTS AND FAITHFUL BRETHREN." (Ch. I. i.) 
 
 •*It is universally admitted... that Scripture makes use of presump- 
 tive or hypothetical language.... It is generally allowed that vi^hen all 
 Christians are addressed in the New Testament as 'saints,' 'dead to 
 sin,' 'alive unto God,' 'risen with Christ,' 'having their conversation 
 in heaven,' and in other like modes, they are addressed so hypotheti- 
 cally, and not to express the literal fact that all the individuals so 
 addressed were of this character; which would not have been true.... 
 Some divines have indeed preferred as a theological arrangement a 
 secondary sense of [such terms] to the hypothetical application of it in 
 its true sense. But what is this secondary sense when we examine it? 
 It is itself no more than the true sense hypothetically applied.... 
 Divines have... maintained a Scriptural secondary sense of the term 
 ^ saint ^^ as 'saint by outward vocation and charitable presumption' 
 (Pearson on the Creed, Art, IX.) ; but this is in very terms only the real 
 sense of the term applied hypothetically." 
 
 J. B. MozLEY : Revieiv of Baptismal Controversy, p. 74 (ed. 1862). 
 
 C. BISHOPS AND DEACONS. (Ch. I. i.) 
 
 These words have suggested to Bp Lightfoot an Essay on the rise, 
 development, and character, of the Christian Ministry, appended to his 
 Commentary on the Epistle (pp. 189 — 269). The Essay is in fact a 
 treatise, of the greatest value, calling for the careful and repeated study 
 of every reader to whom it is accessible. Along with it may be use- 
 fully studied a paper on the Christian Ministry in The Expositor for 
 July, 1887, by the Rev. G. Salmon, D.D., now Provost of Trinity 
 College, Dublin. 
 
 All we do here is to discuss briefly the two official titles of the 
 Philippian ministry, and to add a few words on the Christian Ministry 
 in general. 
 
 Bishops, Episcopi, i.e. Overseers. The word occiirs here, and Acts 
 XX. 28; I Tim. iii. 2; Tit. i. 7; besides i Pet. ii. 25, where it is used 
 of our Lord. The cognate noun, episcope, occurs Acts i. 20 (in a 
 quotation from the O.T.); i Tim. iii. i; and in three other places not 
 in point. The cognate verb, episcopetn, occurs Heb. xii. 15 (in a 
 connexion not in point); i Pet. v. 2. 
 
 On examination of these passages it appears that within the lifetime 
 of SS. Peter and Paul there existed, at least very widely, a normal 
 order of Church-officers called Episcopi, Superintendents. They were 
 charged no doubt with many varied duties, some probably semi-secular. 
 But above all they had spiritual oversight of the flock. They were 
 appointed not by mere popular vote, certainly not by self-designation, 
 
APPENDICES. 129 
 
 but in some special sense "by the Holy Ghost" (Acts xx. 28). This 
 phrase may perhaps be illustrated by the mode of appointment of the 
 first "deacons" (Acts vi. 3), who were presented by the Church to the 
 Apostles, for confirmatory ordination, as men already (among other 
 marks of fitness) "full of the Holy Ghost." 
 
 The episcopus was evidently not an official comparatively rare; there 
 were more episcopi than one in the not very large community of 
 Philippi. 
 
 Meanwhile we find another designation of Church-ofificers who are 
 evidently in the same way shepherds and leaders of the flock; Presbyleri, 
 Elders. They are mentioned first, without comment, at the time of the 
 martyrdom of James the Great. See Acts xi. 30, xiv. 23, xv. 2, 4, 6, 
 22, 23, xvi. 4, XX. 17, xxi. 18; I Tim. v. i, 17, 19; Tit. i. 5; Jas. 
 V. 14; I Pet. v. I (and perhaps 5). See also 2 John i; 3 John i. 
 These elders appear Acts xiv. 23; Tit. i. 5; as "constituted" in local 
 congregations by an Apostle, or by his immediate delegate. 
 
 It is clear that the N.T. episcopus and presbyteries are in fact 
 the same official under differing designations ; episcopi'is, a term 
 borrowed mainly from the Gentiles, with whom it signified a super- 
 intending commissioner; presbyteriis, from the "Eldership" of the 
 Jews. This appears from Acts xx. 17, 28, where St Paul, addressing 
 the Ephesian "elders," says that they have been appointed "bishops" 
 of the flock. In the Pastoral Epistles it is similarly plain that the 
 titles coincide. See also i Pet. v. i, 2, in the Greek. 
 
 Whether both titles were from the first in use everywhere we cannot 
 be sure. But it is not improbable. In the very earliest post-apostolic 
 writings we find "presbyters" at Corinth {Clem. Rom. to the Corinth- 
 ians, i. cc. 42, 44), and "bishops" {zvith '■^deacons" as in Phil. i. i) 
 in the further East {Teaching of the Twelve Apostles^ c. 15). 
 
 We trace the same spiritual officials under more general desig- 
 nations, I Thess. v. 12, 13; Heb. xiii. 17; and perhaps i Cor. xii. 28 
 {'* governments"), and Eph. iv. 11 (^'■pastors and teachers''^). 
 
 Deacons, Diaconi, i.e., Workers. The title does not occur in the 
 Acts, nor anywhere earlier than this Epistle, except Rom. xvi. i, 
 where Phcebe is called a diaconns of the church at Cenchreoe*. 
 Here only and in i Tim. iii. 8, 12, is the word plainly used 
 of a whole ministerial order. But in Acts vi. we find described 
 the institution of an office which in all likelihood was the dia- 
 conate. The functions of the Seven are just those which have 
 been ever since in history, even till now, assigned to deacons. And 
 tradition, from cent. 1 onwards, is quite unanimous in calling the 
 Seven by that title. 
 
 Deacons are very possibly indicated by the word '■'■helps''^ in i Cor. 
 xii. 28. 
 
 The deacon thus appears to have been primarily the officer ordained 
 
 * There is evidence of the existence in apostolic times of .in organized claM of 
 female helpers in sacred work (see i Tim. v. 3 — 16). A little later the famous letter 
 of Pliny to Trajan shews that such helpers {tm'nistrtr)v/erc known in the Churches of 
 A-sia Minor. The order was abolished before cent. 12. 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. O 
 
i^o APPENDICES. 
 
 to deal with the temporal needs of the congregation. But he was 
 assumed to be a "spiritual man," and he was capable of direct com- 
 missioned spiritual work. 
 
 It thus appears then that during the lifetime of SS. Peter and Paul 
 the word episcopus did not yet designate a minister presiding over and 
 ruling other ministers; a "bishop" in the later and present sense. The 
 episcopus was an "overseer" of not the shepherds but simply the flock, 
 and might be (as at Philippi) one of several such in the same place. 
 
 This fact, however, leaves quite open the question whether such a 
 presiding ministry, however designated at first, did exist in apostolic 
 times and under apostolic sanction. That it did so may be inferred from 
 the following evidence, very briefly stated. 
 
 It is certain that by the close of cent, i a definite presidential 
 "episcopacy" (to which the word episcopus was then already appro- 
 priated, seemingly without the knowledge that it had once been other- 
 wise) appears everywhere in the Church. As early probably as a.d. 
 no we find it, in the Epistles of St Ignatius, a prominent and im- 
 portant fact of Church life, at least in the large circle of Churches 
 with which Ignatius corresponded^. Later Church history presents us 
 with the same constitution, though occasionally details of system vary^, " 
 and the conceptions of function and power were highly developed, not 
 always legitimately. Now between Ignatius and St John, and even 
 St Paul, the interval is not great; 30 or 50 years at the most. It 
 seems, to say the least, unlikely that so large a Church institution, over 
 whose rise we have no clear trace of controversy or opposition, should 
 have arisen quite out of connexion with apostolic precedent. Such 
 precedent we find in the N.T., \a) in the presidency of Apostles during 
 their lifetime, though strictly speaking their unique office had no 
 "successors"; {b) in the presidency of their immediate delegates or 
 commissioners (perhaps appointed only p7'o tempore), as Timothy and 
 Titus; (<:) in the presidency of St James the Less in the mother-church 
 of Christendom ; a presidency more akin to later episcopacy than any- 
 thing else in the N.T. 
 
 We find further that all early history points to Asia Minor as the 
 scene of the fullest development of primitive episcopacy, and it con- 
 sistently indicates St John, at Ephesus, as in a sense its fountain-head. 
 It is at least possible that St John, when he finally took up his abode in 
 Asia, originated or developed there the regijne he had known so well at 
 Jerusalem. 
 
 Meanwhile there is every reason to think that the episcopate, in this 
 latter sense, rather grew out of the presbyterate than otherwise. The 
 primeval bishop was primus inter pares. He was not so much one 
 of another order as the first of his order, for special purposes of 
 
 * He does not mention the bishop in writing to the Ronan Church. But there 
 is other good evidence for the then presence of a bishop at Rome. 
 
 2 At Alexandria, till at least ad. 260, the bishop was chosen and ordained by the 
 presbyters. In the Church of Patrick (cent. 5) in Ireland and Columba (cent. 6) in 
 Scotland, the bishop was an ordainer, but not a diocesan ruler. See Boultbee, Hist, 
 of the Church of Englmid, p. 25. 
 
APPENDICES. 131 
 
 government and ministration. vSucli, even cent. 5, is St Jerome's 
 statement of the theory. And St Jerome regards the bishop as being 
 what he is not by direct Divine institution, but by custom of the Churcli. 
 Not till late cent. 2 do we find the sacerdotaP idea familiarly attached 
 to the Christian ministiy, and not till cent. 3, the age of Cyprian, 
 do we find the formidable theory developed that the bishop is the 
 channel of grace to the lower clergy and to the people. 
 
 On the whole, the indications of the N. T. and of the next earliest 
 records confirm the statement of the Preface to the English Ordinal that 
 "from the Apostles' time there have been these orders of ministers in 
 Christ's Church, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons." On the other hand, 
 having regard to the essentially and sublimely spiritual character of the 
 Church in its true idea, and to the revealed immediate union of each 
 member with the Head, by faith, we are not authorized to regard even 
 apostolic organization as a matter of the first order in such a sense as 
 that we should look on a duly ordained ministry as the indispensable 
 channel of grace, or should venture to unchurch Christian communities, 
 holding the apostolic faith concerning God in Christ, but diflFerently 
 organized from what we believe to be on the whole the apostolic model-. 
 On the other hand, no thoughtful Christian will wish to forget the sacred 
 obligations and benefits of external harmony and unity of organization, 
 things meant to yield only to the yet greater claims of the highest spiri- 
 tual truth. 
 
 D. EBIONITE CHRISTOLOGY. (Ch. I. 15.) 
 
 The allusion in our note to "lowered and distorted views" of the 
 Person of our Lord on the part of later Judaizers more or less Christian, 
 has regard mainly to Ebionism^ a heresy first named by Irenceus (cent. 
 2) but which seems to have been the direct descendant of the school 
 which specially opposed St Paul. It lingered on till cent. 5. 
 
 It appears to have had two phases; the Pharisaic and the Essene. 
 As regards the doctrine of Christ's Person, the Pharisaic Ebionites held 
 that Jesus was born in the ordinary course of nature, but that at His 
 Baptism He was "anointed by election, and became Christ" (Justin 
 Martyr, Dial., c. xlix.); receiving power to fulfil His mission as 
 Messiah, but still remaining man. He had neither pre-existence nor 
 Divinity. The Essene Ebionites, who were in fact Gnostics, held (at 
 least in many instances) that Christ was a super-angelic created Spirit, 
 incarnate at many successive periods in various men (for instance, in 
 Adam), and finally in Jesus. At what point in the existence of Jesus 
 the Christ entered into union with Him was not defined. 
 
 See Smith's Diet, of Christian Bio^^'aphy, dec, art. Ehionism, 
 
 1 It will be remembered that the word itpews, sacerdos, is never in N.T. a 
 designation of the Christian minister. 
 
 2 This was fully owned by the great Anglican writers of cent. 17. See Bp Andrewes 
 writing to Du Moulin; Bp Cosin to Basire; and Bp Hall's Peace Maker, § 6. Cp. 
 J. J. S. Perowne, D.D., Church, Ministry, and Sacraments, pp. 6, 7. 
 
132 APPENDICES. 
 
 E. CHRISTOLOGY AND CHRISTIANITY. (Ch. II. 5.) 
 
 "A Christianity without Christ is no Christianity; and a Christ 
 not Divine is one other than the Christ on whom the souls of Christians 
 have habitually fed. What virtue, what piety, have existed outside 
 of Christianity, is a question totally distinct. But to hold that, since 
 the great controversy of the early time was wound up at Chalcedon, 
 the question of our Lord's Divinity has generated all the storms of the 
 Christian atmosphere, would be simply an historical untruth. 
 
 "Christianity... produced a type of character wholly new to the Roman 
 world, and it fundamentally altered the laws and institutions, the tone, 
 temper and tradition of that world. For example, it changed profoundly 
 the relation of the poor to the rich..Jt abolished slavery, and a 
 multitude of other horrors. It restored the position of woman in society. 
 It made peace, instead of war, the normal and presumed relation 
 between human societies. It exhibited life as a discipline... in all its 
 parts, and changed essentially the place and function of suffering in 
 human experience... All this has been done not by eclectic and arbitrary 
 fancies, but by the creed of the Homoousion, in which the philosophy 
 of modern times sometimes appears to find a favourite theme of ridicule. 
 The whole fabric, social as well as personal, rests on the new type of 
 character which the Gospel brought into life and action." 
 
 W. E. Gladstone {'■Nineteenth Century^ 
 May 1888; pp. 780—784). 
 
 F. ROBERT HALL ON PHIL. II. 5—8. 
 BAUR'S THEORY. (» 
 
 The Rev. Robert Hall (1764 — 1831), one of the greatest of Christian 
 preachers, was in early life much influenced by the Socinian theology. 
 His later testimony to a true Christology is the more remarkable. The 
 following extract is from a sermon "preached at the (Baptist) Chapel in 
 Dean Street, Southwark, June 27, 1815" {JVorks, ed. 1833; vol. vi.,^ 
 p. 112): 
 
 "He was found in fashion as a man: it was a wonderful discovery, 
 an astonishing spectacle in the view of angels, that He who was in the 
 form of God, and adored from eternity, should be made in fashion as a 
 man. But why is it not said that He WAS a man? For the same 
 reason that the Apostle wishes to dwell upon the appearance of our 
 Saviour, not as excluding the reality, but as exemplifying His con- 
 descension. His being in the form of God did not prove that He 
 was not God, but rather that He was God, and entitled to supreme 
 honour. So, His assuming the form of a servant and being in the 
 likeness of man, does not prove that He was not man, but, on the 
 
APPENDICES. 133 
 
 contrary, includes it; at the same time including a manifestation of 
 Himself, agreeably to His design of purchasing the salvation of His 
 people, and dying for the sins of the world, by sacrificing Himself upon 
 the Cross." 
 
 Baur (PauluSy pp. 458 — 464) goes at length into the Christological 
 passage, and actually contends for the view that it is written by one who 
 had before him the developed Gnosticism of cent. 2, and was not 
 uninfluenced by it. In the words of ver. 6, a consciousness of the 
 Gnostic teaching about the ^on Sophia, striving for an absolute union 
 with the absolute being of the Unknowable Supreme ; and again about 
 the iEons in general, striving similarly to "grasp" the plei-oiiia of 
 Absolute Being and discovering only the more deeply in their effort 
 this kendma of their own relativity and dependence. 
 
 The best refutation of such expositions is the repeated perusal of the 
 Epistle itself, with its noon-day practicality of precept and purity of 
 affections, an^ noj: jeast its high language (ch. iii.) about the sancti ty 
 of the body — an idea whflliV toreijgnlo tne Gn65tlL' tibhere 7*' ^hn"n 
 TFis true that Jbchrader, a cntic earlier tnan liaur ^see Aiiora, N. T. 
 III. p. 27), supposed the passage iii. i — iv. 9 to be an interpolation. 
 But, not to speak of the total absence of any historical or docu- 
 mentary support for such a theory, the careful reader will find in that 
 section just those minute touches of harmony with the rest of the 
 Epistle, e.g. in the indicated need of internal union at Philippi, which 
 are the surest signs of homogeneity. 
 
 G. AD. MONOD ON ST PAUL'S TEARS. (Cii. TTI. iS.) 
 
 "What is the Gospel of St Paul? Is it but a refined deism, an- 
 nouncing as its whole doctrine the existence of God and the immortality 
 of the soul, as its whole revelation the fatherhood of God and the 
 brotherhood of man, as its only mediator Jesus Christ living as orophet 
 and dying as martyr? Or is this Gospel a religion unlike all others 
 {une religion tout d. /or/)... proclaiming a God unknown, promising 
 an indescribable deliverance, demanding a radical change, compassion- 
 ate and terrible at once, ...high as heaven, deep as hell? You need 
 not, for your answer, consult the writings of the Apostle; you have 
 but to see him weeping at your feet." 
 
 Saint Paul, Cinq Discoiirs (ed. 1859), p. 6 J. 
 
134 APPENDICES. 
 
 H. FAMILY AFFECTION OF CHRISTIANITY. (Ch. IV. i.) 
 
 "While the great motives of the Gospel reduce the multiplicity 
 and confusion of the passions by their commanding force, they do, 
 by the very same energy, expand all sensibilities ; or, if we might 
 so speak, send the pulse of life with vigour through the finer vessels of 
 the moral system : there is far less apathy, and a far more equable 
 consciousness in the mind, after it has admitted Christianity, than 
 before ; and, by necessary consequence, there is more individuality, 
 because more life. Christians, therefore, while they understand each 
 other better than other men do, possess a greater stock of sentiment to 
 make the subject of converse, than others. The comparison of heart 
 to heart knits heart to heart, and communicates to friendship very 
 much that is sweet and intense.... 
 
 " So far as Christians truly exhibit the characteristics of their Lord, 
 in spirit and conduct, a vivid emotion is enkindled in other Christian 
 bosoms, as if the bright Original of all perfection stood dimly revealed. 
 ...The conclusion comes upon the mind... that this family resem- 
 blance... springs from a common centre, and that there exists, as its 
 archetype, an invisible Personage, of whose glory all are, in a measure, 
 partaking." 
 
 Isaac Taylor, of Ongar; Saturday Evening, ch. xix. 
 
 I. PHILIPPI AND THE EPISTLE. (Ch. IV. i8.) From an 
 essay by Prof. J. Agar Beet, in The Expositor (January, 1889), I 
 extract the closing sentences : — 
 
 "With this reply [the Epistle], a gift infinitely more precious than 
 that he brought from Philippi, Epaphroditus starts on his homeward 
 journey. The joy caused by his return, and the effect of this wonderful 
 letter when first read in the Church at Philippi, are hidden from us. 
 And we may almost say that with this letter the Church itself passes 
 from our view. To-day, in silent meadows quiet cattle browse among 
 the ruins which mark the site of what was once the flourishing Roman 
 colony of Philippi, the home of the most attractive Church of the 
 apostolic age. But the name and fame and spiritual influence of that 
 Church will never pass. To myriads of men and women in every age 
 and nation, the letter written in a dungeon at Rome and carried 
 along the Egnatian Way by an obscure Christian messenger, has been a 
 light Divine, and a cheerful guide along the most rugged paths in life. 
 As I watch, and myself rejoice in, the brightness of that far-shining 
 light, and glance at those silent ruins, I see fulfilled an ancient 
 prophecy : The grass withereth, the floiver fadcth : but the word of our 
 God shall stand for ever. " 
 
INDEX 
 
 TO INTRODUCTION, NOTES, AND APPENDICES. 
 
 *^* From this Index (to subject-matter, and to names of Authors) are omitted 
 for the most part such references as are obviously indicated by chapter and verse of 
 the Text. 
 
 ./Eschylus, 42 
 
 affection, Christian, 134 
 
 Alford, Dean, 14, 22, 49, 50, 64, 68, 70, 
 
 82, 98, 100, loi, 103, 133 
 Andrewes, Bp, 131 
 antinomianism, 48, 102 
 Alius, 65 
 assurance, 72, 73 
 Augustine, St, 104, 105 
 
 Baur, 21, 22, 133 
 Beet, Professor, 134 
 Bengel, 43 
 
 bishops, 38, 80, 128 — 131 
 body, destiny of the, 106 
 bondservice. Christian, 38 
 Boultbee, Dr, 130 
 bravbiui, 99 
 Burrus, \t, 127 
 
 Camerarius, 54 
 
 Chalcedon, "Definition" of, 71 
 
 Christ, eternal reign of, 108 
 
 Godhead of, 65, 70, 71, 90, 123 
 
 Christ yesuSy 38 
 
 Christian Year, 107 
 
 Chrysostom, St, 54, 64, 71, 72, 81,98, 99, 
 
 120 
 Cicero, 68 
 Clement, St, of Alexandria, 20, 104, 110 
 
 Rome, 110, 129 
 
 colonies, Roman, 10 
 
 Columba, St, 130 
 
 commerce, metaphors from, 120 
 
 Conybeare and Howson, 58, 88, 119 
 
 Cosin, Bp, 131 
 
 Cyprian, St, 131 
 
 Dante, 70 
 
 Day of Christ, 41 
 
 deacons, 38, 129 
 deaconesses, no, 129 
 Dickson, 87 
 Dictionary 0/ the Bible, 88 
 
 — Christian Biography ,\o$, 
 
 131 
 
 — Classical Antiquities, 117 
 
 Diognetus, Epistle to, 104 
 
 doctrine and practice, 63, 71, 132 
 
 Ebionism, 131 
 Edersheim, 22 
 Ellicott, Bp, 47, 49, 50, 53, 65, 67, 68, 
 
 98, 109, 115 
 Elzevir, 37 
 Epictelus, 127 
 episcopacy, 130, 131 
 Euripides, 84 
 Eusebius, 21, 104 
 Euthalius, 124 
 Expositor, The, 38, 128, 134 
 
 Faber, G. S., 94 
 Fatherhood, Divine, 74 
 faith, nature of, 93 
 Festus, 127 
 flesh, 87 
 
 Gallio, 127 
 Gibbon, 68 
 
 Gladstone, W. E, 132 
 gnosticism, 133 
 God the Father, 123 
 grace, 39, 73 
 
 — and will, 73 
 Grimm's Lexicon of N. T., gi 
 Guyon, Mine, 113 
 
 Hall, Bp, 131 
 
 — Robert, 132 
 
136 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Hare, J. C, 93 
 Hilgenfeld, 22 
 Homilies, 94 
 Hooker, 94, 96 
 Hopkins, Bp, 94 
 
 Ignatius, St, 13, 21, 27, 28, 62, 76, 130 
 indwelling, 73 
 Irenaeus, St, 20, 70 
 individualism of the Gospel, 90 
 
 joy, spiritual, 50 
 
 Josephus, 87 
 
 Judaists, 48, 85, 126 
 
 justification, 18, 45, 69, 72, 92 — 94, 102 
 
 Justin, St, 42, 131 
 
 kendsts, 65, 66 
 knowledge, 90 
 
 Leathes, Dr, 36 
 
 Lewin, 10, 11, 46, 119 
 
 Liddon, Dr, 69 
 
 Lightfoot, Bp, II, 14, 16 — 18, 21, 22, 24, 
 27, 28, 39, 44, 46, 47, 49, 50, 64—66, 
 68, 69, 76, 79, 80, 82, 83, 85, 87, 91, 99, 
 103, 109, III, 115, 117 — 119, 121, 122, 
 125 — 128 
 
 Longfellow, 105 
 
 lost, state of the, 70 
 
 Lucan, 121 
 
 Luther, 93 
 
 Lydia, 11 
 
 Lyons and Vienne, Epistles /rom, 21 
 
 Lyttelton, Lord, 91 
 
 Macedonia, 11 
 
 Macedonian characteristics, 13 
 M'Cosh, 73 
 Maisoti du Roy, 123 
 Melanchthon, 54 
 Menander, 84 
 Merivale, Dean, 46 
 metrical N.T. quotations, 84 
 Monod, Adolphe, 54, 103, 133 
 Mozley, J. B , 128 
 
 Nineteoith Century, The, 132 
 
 O'Brien, Bp, 94 
 
 Parabolaftt, 82 
 
 Patrick, St, 130 
 
 Paul, St, at Rome, 125 — 127 
 
 Pembroke Hall, 135 
 
 perfectionism, 100 
 
 Perowne, Dean (of Peterborough), 113, 
 
 131 
 perseverance of the saints, 96, 97, iii 
 Pfleiderer, 22 
 
 Philip of Macedon, 11 
 Philippi, 9—14, 134 
 
 battle of, 10 
 
 party spirit in Church of, 19, 39, 
 
 92, 63, 74, 81, 82, lOI 
 Philippians, Epistle to the, 
 
 its date, 14 
 
 — occasion, ig 
 
 — authenticity, 20 
 
 ■ — doctrinal affinities, 18, 
 
 19, 23, 24 
 
 — argument, 28 — 35 
 
 — spiritual power, 134 
 
 Philippians, Epistle of Polycarp to, 13, 
 
 21, 24—28, 57, 76 
 Phoebe, 129 
 Piers Plowman, 112 
 play, verbal, 85 
 Plutarch, 64 
 Pomponia Graecina, 127 
 Praetorian camp, 46 — 7, 125 
 Polycarp, St, 13, 21, 24 — 28, 57, 76 
 
 Renan, 22, no 
 Ridley, Bp, 135 
 righteousness, 92 
 
 sacerdotal language, 76 
 
 sacerdotalism, 131 
 
 Salmon, Dr, 12, 22, no, 128 
 
 Schrader, 133 
 
 Schwegler, 109 
 
 Scott, Thomas, 62, 72 
 
 Scrivener, Dr, 124 
 
 self-abnegation, 62, 115 
 
 Seneca, 126 
 
 Skeat, Professor, 53, 102, 112 
 
 sonship, spiritual, 74 
 
 soul and spirit, 58 
 
 "Spirit," " the Spirit," 61 
 
 Stoicism, 127 
 
 Suicer, 54 
 
 Taylor, Isaac, 54, 134 
 
 Teaching oy the Twelve Apostles, 129 
 
 Tertullian, 20, 42, 97 
 
 Tigellinus, 16, 18 
 
 Trench, Abp, 64, 87, 105, 106, 112, 114 
 
 Trent, Council of, 73 
 
 union with Christ, 42, 91, 118 
 Unitas Frairum, Church of the, 84 
 
 Valentinians, 70 
 Virgil, 99 
 
 Westcott, Professor, 75 
 
 Winer, 105 
 
 Wittichen, 22 
 
 woman, at Philippi, 16, 109 
 
 i^ 
 
 Cambridge: printed by c. j. clay, m.a. and ?;ons, at the university press. 
 
Date Due