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Philippians
Chapter One
Philippians 1
The affection of the Philippians, which expressed itself
by sending help to the apostle, reminded him of the spirit they had always
shewn; they had cordially associated themselves with the labours and trials of
the gospel. And this thought leads the apostle higher, to that which governs
the current of thought (most precious to us) in the epistle. Who had wrought in
the Philippians this spirit of love and of devotedness to the interests of the
gospel? Truly it was the God of the glad tidings and of love; and this was a
security that He who had begun the good work would fulfil it unto the day of
Christ. Sweet thought!-now that we have no longer the apostle, that we have no
longer bishops and deacons, as the Philippians had in those days. God cannot be
taken from us; the true and living source of all blessing remains to us,
unchangeable, and above the infirmities, and even the faults, which deprive
Christians of all intermediate resources. The apostle had seen God acting in
the Philippians. The fruits bore witness of the source. Hence he counted on the
perpetuity of the blessing they were to enjoy. [1] But
there must be faith in order to draw these conclusions. Christian love is
clear-sighted and full of trust with regard to its objects, because God
Himself, and the energy of His grace, are in that love.
To return to the principle-it is the same thing with the assembly of
God. It may indeed lose much, as to outward means, and as to those
manifestations of the presence of God, which are connected with man's
responsibility; but the essential grace of God cannot be lost. Faith can always
count upon it. It was the fruits of grace which gave the apostle this
confidence, as in Hebrews 6:9, 10; 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 4. He counted indeed,
in 1 Corinthians 1:8, and in Galatians, on the faithfulness of Christ in spite
of many painful things. The faithfulness of the Lord encouraged him with regard
to Christians, whose condition in other respects was the cause of great
anxiety. But here-surely a much happier case-the walk itself of the Christian
led him to the source of confidence about them. He remembered with affection
and tenderness the way in which they had always acted towards him, and he
turned it into a desire for them that the God who had wrought it would produce
for their own blessing the perfect and abundant fruits of that love.
He opens his own heart also to them. They took part, by
the same grace acting in them, in the work of God's grace in him, and that with
an affection that identified itself with him and his work; and his heart turned
to them with an abundant return of affection and desire. God, who created these
feelings, and to whom he presented all that passed in his heart, this same God
who acted in the Philippians, was a witness between them (now that Paul could
give no other by his labour among them) of his earnest desire for them all. He
felt their love, but he desired moreover, that this love should be not only
cordial and active, but that it should be guided also by wisdom and
understanding from God, by a godly discernment of good and evil, wrought by the
power of His Spirit; so that, while acting in love, they should also walk according
to that wisdom, and should understand that which, in this world of darkness,
was truly according to divine light and perfection, so that they should be
without reproach until the day of Christ. How different from the cold avoidance
of positive sin with which many Christians content themselves! The earnest
desire of every excellence and likeness to Christ which divine light can shew
them is that which marks the life of Christ in us.
Now the fruits produced were already a sign that God was
with them; and He would fulfil the work unto the end. But the apostle desired
that they should walk throughout the whole of the way according to the light
that God had given, so that when they came to the end there should be nothing
with which they could be reproached: but that, on the contrary, set free from
all that might weaken or lead them astray, they should abound in the fruits of
righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. A fine
practical picture of the Christian's normal condition in his daily work towards
the end; for, in the Philippians, we are always on the way towards our heavenly
rest in which redemption has set us.
Such is the introduction to this epistle. After this
expression of the wishes of his heart for them, reckoning on their affection,
he speaks of his bonds, which they had remembered; but he does so in connection
with Christ and the gospel, which he had most of all at heart. But, before I go
beyond the introduction into the matter of the epistle, I would notice the
thoughts which lie at the foundation of the sentiments expressed in it.
There are three great elements which stamp their character on it.
Firstly, it speaks of the Christian's pilgrimage in the
wilderness; salvation is viewed as a result to be obtained at the end of the
journey. Redemption accomplished by Christ is indeed established as the
foundation of this pilgrimage (as was the case with Israel at their entrance
into the wilderness), but the being presented risen and in glory before God,
when victorious over every difficulty, is the subject in this epistle, and is
that which is here called salvation.
In the second place, the position is characterised by the
apostle's absence, the assembly having therefore itself to maintain the
conflict. It had to overcome, instead of enjoying the victory gained over the
enemy's power by the apostle when he was with them and could make himself weak
with all who were weak.
And, thirdly, the important truth, already mentioned, is
set forth, that the assembly, in these circumstances, was cast more immediately
on God-the inexhaustible source for it of grace and strength, of which it was
to avail itself in an immediate way by faith-a resource which could never fail
it. [2] I
resume the consideration of the text with verse 12, which begins the epistle
after the introductory portion. Paul was a prisoner at Rome. The enemy appeared
to have gained a great victory in thus restraining his activity; but by the
power of God, who orders all things and who acted in the apostle, even the
devices of the adversary were turned to the furtherance of the gospel. In the
first place, the imprisonment of the apostle made the gospel known, where it
would not otherwise have been preached, in high places at Rome; and many other
brethren, reassured as to the apostle's position, [3] became
more bold to preach the gospel without fear. But there was another way in which
this absence of the apostle had an effect. Many-who, in the presence of his
power and his gifts, were necessarily powerless and insignificant persons-could
make themselves of some importance, when, in the unsearchable but perfect ways
of God, this mighty instrument of His grace was set aside. They could hope to
shine and attract attention when the rays of this resplendent light were
intercepted by the walls of a prison. Jealous but hidden when he was present,
they availed themselves of his absence to bestir themselves; whether false
brethren or jealous Christians, they sought in his absence to impair his
authority in the assembly, and his happiness. They only added to both. God was
with His servant; and, instead of the self-seeking which instigated these sorry
preachers of the truth, there was found in Paul the pure desire for the
proclamation of the good news of Christ, the whole value of which he deeply
felt, and which he desired above all, be it in what way it might.
Already the apostle finds his resource for his own case,
in God's operating independently of the spiritual order of His house with
regard to the means that He uses. The normal condition of the assembly is that
the Spirit of God acts in the members of the body, each one in its place, for
the manifestation of the unity of the body and of the reciprocal energy of its
members. Christ, having overcome Satan, fills with His own Spirit those whom He
has delivered out of the hand of that enemy, in order that they may exhibit at the
same time the power of God and the truth of their deliverance from the power of
the enemy, and exhibit them in a walk, which, being an expression of the mind
and energy of God Himself, leaves no room for those of the enemy. They
constituted the army and the testimony of God in this world against the enemy.
But then, each member, from an apostle down to the weakest, acts efficaciously
in his own place. The power of Satan is excluded. The exterior answers to the
interior, and to the work of Christ. He who is in them is greater than he who
is in the world. But everywhere power is needed for this, and the single eye.
There is another state of things, in which, although all is not in activity in
its place, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, yet the restoring
energy of the Spirit in an instrument like the apostle defends the assembly, or
brings it back into its normal condition, when it has partially failed. The
epistle to the Ephesians, on the one side, and those to the Corinthians and
Galatians, on the other, present these two phases of the history of the
assembly.
The epistle to the Philippians treats-but with the pen of
a divinely inspired apostle-of a state of things in which this last resource
was wanting. The apostle could not labour now in the same manner as before, but
he could give us the Spirit's view of the state of the assembly, when,
according to the wisdom of God, it was deprived of these normal energies. It
could not be deprived of God. Doubtless the assembly had not then departed so far
from its normal condition as it has now done, but the evil was already
springing up. All seek their own, says the apostle, not the things of Jesus
Christ; and God allowed it to be so during the life of the apostles, in order
that we might have the revelation of His thoughts respecting it, and that we
might be directed to the true resources of His grace in these circumstances.
Paul himself had to experience this truth in the first
place. The bonds that united him to the assembly and to the work of the gospel
were the strongest that exist on earth; but he was obliged to resign the gospel
and the assembly to the God to whom they belonged. This was painful; but its
effect was to perfect obedience, trust, singleness of eye, and
self-renunciation, in the heart, that is, to perfect them according to the
measure of the operation of faith. Nevertheless the pain caused by such an
effort betrays the inability of man to maintain the work of God at its own
height. But all this happens in order that God may have the whole glory of the
work; and it is needed, in order that the creature may be manifested in every
respect according to the truth. And it is most blessed to see how, both here
and in 2 Timothy, the decay of individual life and ecclesiastical energy brings
out a fuller development of personal grace on one hand and ministerial energy
on the other, where there is faith, than is found anywhere else. Indeed it is
always so. The Moseses, and Davids, and Elijahs are found in the time of the
Pharaohs, and Sauls, and Ahabs.
The apostle could do nothing: he had to see the gospel
preached without him-by some through envy and in a spirit of contention, by
others through love; encouraged as regards the apostle's bonds, these desired
to alleviate them by continuing his work. Every way Christ was preached, and
the apostle's mind rose above the motives which animated the preachers in the
contemplation of the immense fact, that a Saviour, the deliverer sent of God,
was preached to the world. Christ, and even souls were more precious to Paul
than the work's being carried on by himself. God was carrying it on; and
therefore it would be for the triumph of Paul, who linked himself with the
purposes of God. [4] He
understood the great conflict which was going on between Christ (in his
members) and the enemy; and if the latter appeared to have gained a victory by
putting Paul in prison, God was using this event for the advancement of the
work of Christ by the gospel, and thus in reality for the gaining of fresh
victories over Satan-victories with which Paul was associated, since he was set
for the defence of that gospel. Therefore all this turned to his salvation, his
faith being confirmed by these ways of a faithful God, who directed the eyes of
His faithful servant more entirely upon Himself. Sustained by the prayers of
others and by the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, instead of being cast
down and terrified by the enemy, he gloried more and more in the sure victory
of Christ in which he shared. Accordingly he expresses his unchangeable
conviction, that in nothing should he be made ashamed, but that it would be
given him to use all boldness, and that Christ would be glorified in him,
whether by his life or his death; and he had death before his eyes. Called to
appear before Caesar, his life might be taken from him by the emperor's
judgment; humanly speaking the issue was quite uncertain. He alludes to this,
chapter 1:22, 30; 2:17; 3:10. But, living or dying, his eye was now more fixed
on Christ than even on the work, high placed as that work might have been in
the mind of one whose life could be expressed in this one
word-"Christ." To live was for him-not the work in itself, nor only
that the faithful should stand fast in the gospel, although this could not be
separated from the thought of Christ, because they were members of His
body-Christ; to die was gain, for he should be with Christ.
Such was the purifying effect of the ways of God, who had
made him pass through the ordeal, so terrible to him, of being separated for
years, perhaps four, from his work for the Lord. The Lord Himself had taken the
place of the work-so far at least as it was connected with Paul individually;
and the work was committed to the Lord Himself. Possibly the fact that he was
so engrossed with the work had contributed to that which led to his
imprisonment; for the thought of Christ alone keeps the soul in equilibrium,
and gives everything its right place. God caused this imprisonment to be the
means through which Christ became his all. Not that he lost his interest in the
work, but that Christ alone held the first place; and he saw everything, and
even the work, in Christ.
What consolation it is, when we are perhaps conscious that
our weakness has been manifested, and that we have failed in acting according
to the power of God, to feel that He, who alone has a right to be glorified,
never fails!
Now, since Christ was everything to Paul, it was evident
gain to die, for he would be with Him. Nevertheless it was worth while to live
(for this is the force of the first part of verse 21), because it was Christ
and His service; and he did not know which to choose. Dying, he gained Christ
for himself: it was far better. Living, he served Christ; he had more, as to
the work, since to live was Christ, and death of course would put a stop to
that. Thus he was in a strait between the two. But he had learnt to forget
himself in Christ; and he saw Christ entirely occupied with the assembly according
to His perfect wisdom. And this decided the question; for being thus taught of
God, and not knowing for himself which to choose, Paul lost sight of himself,
and thought only of the need of the assembly according to the mind of Christ.
It was good for the assembly that he should remain-for one assembly even: thus
he should remain. And see what peace this looking to Jesus, which destroyed
selfishness in the work, gives to the servant of God. After all, Christ has all
power in heaven and earth, and He orders all things according to His will. Thus
when His will is known-and His will is love for the assembly-one can say that
it will be done. Paul decides as to his own fate, without troubling himself as
to either what the emperor would do, or the circumstances of the time. Christ
loved the assembly. It was good for the assembly that Paul should remain; Paul
shall then remain. How entirely Christ is everything here! What light, what
rest, from a single eye, from a heart versed in the Lord's love! How blessed to
see self so totally gone, and Christ's love to the assembly seen thus to be the
ground on which all is ordered!
Now if Christ is all this for Paul and for the assembly,
Paul desires that the assembly should be that which it ought to be for Christ,
and thereby for his own heart to which Christ was everything. To the assembly
therefore the apostle's heart turns. The joy of the Philippians would be
abundant through his return to them; only let their conduct, whether he came or
not, be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Two thoughts possessed his mind,
whether he should see them or hear tidings of them, that they might have
constancy and firmness in unity of heart and mind among themselves; and be
devoid of fear with regard to the enemy, in the conflict they had to maintain
against him, with the strength that this unity would give them. This is the
testimony of the presence and operation of the Spirit in the assembly, when the
apostle is absent. He keeps Christians together by His presence; they have but
one heart and one object. They act in common by the Spirit. And, since God is
there, the fear with which the evil spirit and their enemies might inspire them
(and it is what he ever seeks to do; compare 1 Peter 5:8) is not there. They
walk in the spirit of love and power and of a sound mind. Their condition is
thus an evident testimony of salvation-entire and final deliverance-since in
their warfare with the enemy they feel no fear, the presence of God inspiring
them with other thoughts. With regard to their adversaries, the discovery of
the impotence of all their efforts produces the sense of the insufficiency of
their resources. Although they had the whole power of the world and of its
prince, they had met with a power superior to their own-the power of God, and they
were its adversaries. A terrible conviction on the one side; profound joy on
the other, where not only there was thus the assurance of deliverance and
salvation, but they were proved to be salvation and deliverance from the hand
of God Himself. Thus, that the assembly should be in conflict, and the apostle
absent (himself wrestling with all the power of the enemy), was a gift. Joyful
thought! unto them it was given to suffer for Christ, as well as to believe in
Him. They had a further and a precious portion in suffering with Christ, and
even for Christ; and communion with His faithful servant in suffering for His
sake united them more closely in Him.
Note, here, how thus far we have the testimony of the
Spirit to a life above the flesh, not of it. In nothing he had been ashamed,
and fully trusted he never should be, but Christ magnified in his body, were
his lot life or death, as He ever had been. He does not know whether to choose
life or death, both were so blessed; to live, Christ; to die, gain, though then
labour was over; such confidence in Christ's love to the assembly that he
decides his case before Nero by what that love would produce. Envy and strife
against himself leading some to preach Christ would only turn to victorious
results for himself: he was content if Christ was preached. The superiority to
the flesh, living above it so completely, was not that it was not there or its
nature changed. He had, as we learn elsewhere, a thorn in the flesh, a
messenger of Satan to buffet him. But it is a glorious testimony to the power
and working of the Spirit of God.
[1] Read
in verse 7 as in the margin, "because ye have me in your hearts."
[2] We
shall find the whole tenor of a life which was the expression of the power of
the Spirit of God brought out in it. It marks this, that sin, or the flesh as
working evilly in us, is not mentioned in the epistle. It gives the forms and
features of the life of Christ; for if we live in the Spirit, we should walk in
the Spirit. We shall find the graciousness of christian life (chap. 2), the
energy of christian life (chap. 3), and its superiority to all circumstances
(chap. 4). The first more opens the apostle's heart as to his actual
circumstances and feelings, as was natural. Exhortation begins with chapter 2.
Still even in chapter 1 we find the apostle entirely superior to circumstances
in the power of spiritual life.
[3] In
the first edition I had taken this as the effect of the apostle's imprisonment
in arousing the faith of those inactive when he was active. And this would be
the sense of the English translation and is a true principle. But it seems that
the force of the words is "rather got confidence as to my bonds."
They were in danger of being ashamed of him, as if he were a malefactor.
[4]
There is blessed faith in this. But then a man must have made the work his
life. "To me to live is Christ." If so, if the work prospers, he
prospers; if Christ is glorified, he is content, even if the Lord has laid him
aside.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Philippians》
Philippians 1
Chapter Contents
The apostle offers up thanksgivings and prayers, for the
good work of grace in the Philippians. (1-7) He expresses affection, and prays
for them. (8-11) Fortifies them against being cast down at his sufferings.
(12-20) He stood prepared for glorifying Christ by life, or death. (21-26)
Exhortations to zeal, and constancy in professing the gospel. (27-30)
Commentary on Philippians 1:1-7
(Read Philippians 1:1-7)
The highest honour of the most eminent ministers is, to
be servants of Christ. And those who are not really saints on earth, never will
be saints in heaven. Out of Christ, the best saints are sinners, and unable to
stand before God. There is no peace without grace. Inward peace springs from a
sense of Divine favour. And there is no grace and peace but from God our
Father, the fountain and origin of all blessings. At Philippi the apostle was
evil entreated, and saw little fruit of his labour; yet he remembers Philippi
with joy. We must thank our God for the graces and comforts, gifts and
usefulness of others, as we receive the benefit, and God receives the glory.
The work of grace will never be perfected till the day of Jesus Christ, the day
of his appearance. But we may always be confident God will perform his good
work, in every soul wherein he has really begun it by regeneration; though we
must not trust in outward appearances, nor in any thing but a new creation to
holiness. People are dear to their ministers, when they receive benefit by
their ministry. Fellow-sufferers in the cause of God should be dear one to
another.
Commentary on Philippians 1:8-11
(Read Philippians 1:8-11)
Shall not we pity and love those souls whom Christ loves
and pities? Those who abound in any grace, need to abound more. Try things
which differ; that we may approve the things which are excellent. The truths
and laws of Christ are excellent; and they recommend themselves as such to any
attentive mind. Sincerity is that in which we should have our conversation in
the world, and it is the glory of all our graces. Christians should not be apt
to take offence, and should be very careful not to offend God or the brethren.
The things which most honour God will most benefit us. Let us not leave it
doubtful whether any good fruit is found in us or not. A small measure of
Christian love, knowledge, and fruitfulness should not satisfy any.
Commentary on Philippians 1:12-20
(Read Philippians 1:12-20)
The apostle was a prisoner at Rome; and to take off the
offence of the cross, he shows the wisdom and goodness of God in his
sufferings. These things made him known, where he would never have otherwise
been known; and led some to inquire after the gospel. He suffered from false
friends, as well as from enemies. How wretched the temper of those who preached
Christ out of envy and contention, and to add affliction to the bonds that
oppressed this best of men! The apostle was easy in the midst of all. Since our
troubles may tend to the good of many, we ought to rejoice. Whatever turns to
our salvation, is by the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of
seeking for it. Our earnest expectation and hope should not be to be honoured
of men, or to escape the cross, but to be upheld amidst temptation, contempt,
and affliction. Let us leave it to Christ, which way he will make us
serviceable to his glory, whether by labour or suffering, by diligence or
patience, by living to his honour in working for him, or dying to his honour in
suffering for him.
Commentary on Philippians 1:21-26
(Read Philippians 1:21-26)
Death is a great loss to a carnal, worldly man, for he
loses all his earthly comforts and all his hopes; but to a true believer it is
gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and misery. It delivers him from
all the evils of life, and brings him to possess the chief good. The apostle's
difficulty was not between living in this world and living in heaven; between
these two there is no comparison; but between serving Christ in this world and
enjoying him in another. Not between two evil things, but between two good
things; living to Christ and being with him. See the power of faith and of
Divine grace; it can make us willing to die. In this world we are compassed with
sin; but when with Christ, we shall escape sin and temptation, sorrow and
death, for ever. But those who have most reason to desire to depart, should be
willing to remain in the world as long as God has any work for them to do. And
the more unexpected mercies are before they come, the more of God will be seen
in them.
Commentary on Philippians 1:27-30
(Read Philippians 1:27-30)
Those who profess the gospel of Christ, should live as
becomes those who believe gospel truths, submit to gospel laws, and depend upon
gospel promises. The original word "conversation" denotes the conduct
of citizens who seek the credit, safety, peace, and prosperity of their city.
There is that in the faith of the gospel, which is worth striving for; there is
much opposition, and there is need of striving. A man may sleep and go to hell;
but he who would go to heaven, must look about him and be diligent. There may
be oneness of heart and affection among Christians, where there is diversity of
judgment about many things. Faith is God's gift on the behalf of Christ; the
ability and disposition to believe are from God. And if we suffer reproach and
loss for Christ, we are to reckon them a gift, and prize them accordingly. Yet
salvation must not be ascribed to bodily afflictions, as though afflictions and
worldly persecutions deserved it; but from God only is salvation: faith and
patience are his gifts.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Philippians》
Philippians 1
Verse 1
[1] Paul
and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus
which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Servants —
St. Paul, writing familiarly to the Philippians, does not style himself an
apostle. And under the common title of servants, he tenderly and modestly joins
with himself his son Timotheus, who had come to Philippi not long after St.
Paul had received him, Acts 16:3,12.
To all the saints —
The apostolic epistles were sent more directly to the churches, than to the
pastors of them.
With the bishops and deacons — The former properly took care of the internal state, the latter, of the
externals, of the church, 1 Timothy 3:2-8; although these were not wholly
confined to the one, neither those to the other. The word bishops here includes
all the presbyters at Philippi, as well as the ruling presbyters: the names
bishop and presbyter, or elder, being promiscuously used in the first ages.
Verse 4
[4] Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
With joy —
After the epistle to the Ephesians, wherein love reigns, follows this, wherein
there is perpetual mention of joy. "The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy." And joy peculiarly enlivens prayer. The sum of the whole epistle is,
I rejoice. Rejoice ye.
Verse 5
[5] For
your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
The sense is, I thank God for your fellowship
with us in all the blessings of the gospel, which I have done from the first
day of your receiving it until now.
Verse 6
[6]
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Being persuaded —
The grounds of which persuasion are set down in the following verse.
That he who hath begun a good work in you,
will perfect it until the day of Christ —
That he who having justified, hath begun to sanctify you, will carry on this
work, till it issue in glory.
Verse 7
[7] Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in
my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of
the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
As it is right for me to think this of you
all — Why? He does not say, "Because of an
eternal decree;" or, "Because a saint must persevere;" but,
because I have you in my heart, who were all partakers of my grace - That is,
because ye were all (for which I have you in my heart, I bear you the most
grateful and tender affection) partakers of my grace - That is, sharers in the
afflictions which God vouchsafed me as a grace or favour, Philippians 1:29,30; both in my bonds, and when
I was called forth to answer for myself, and to confirm the gospel. It is not
improbable that, after they had endured that great trial of affliction, God had
sealed them unto full victory, of which the apostle had a prophetic sight.
Verse 8
[8] For
God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus
Christ.
I long for you with the bowels of Jesus
Christ — In Paul, not Paul lives, but Jesus Christ.
Therefore he longs for them with the bowels, the tenderness, not of Paul, but
of Jesus Christ.
Verse 9
[9] And
this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in
all judgment;
And this I pray, that your love — Which they had already shown.
May abound yet more and more — The fire which burned in the apostle never says, It is enough.
In knowledge and in all spiritual sense — Which is the ground of all spiritual knowledge. We must be inwardly
sensible of divine peace, joy, love; otherwise, we cannot know what they are.
Verse 10
[10] That
ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without
offence till the day of Christ;
That ye may try — By
that spiritual sense.
The things that are excellent — Not only good, but the very best; the superior excellence of which is
hardly discerned, but by the adult Christian. That ye may be inwardly sincere -
Having a single eye to the very best things, and a pure heart. And outwardly
without offence - Holy, unblamable in all things.
Verse 11
[11]
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto
the glory and praise of God.
Being filled with the fruits of
righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God — Here are three properties of that sincerity which is acceptable to God:
1. It must bear fruits, the fruits of righteousness, all inward and outward
holiness, all good tempers, words, and works; and that so abundantly, that we
may be filled with them. 2. The branch and the fruits must derive both their
virtue and their very being from the all - supporting, all - supplying root,
Jesus Christ. 3. As all these flow from the grace of Christ, so they must issue
in the glory and praise of God.
Verse 12
[12] But
I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me
have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
The things concerning me — My sufferings. Have fallen out rather to the furtherance, than, as you
feared, the hinderance, of the gospel.
Verse 13
[13] So
that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other
places;
My bonds in Christ —
Endured for his sake.
Have been made manifest — Much taken notice of.
In the whole palace — Of
the Roman emperor.
Verse 14
[14] And
many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more
bold to speak the word without fear.
And many —
Who were before afraid.
Trusting in the Lord through my bonds — When they observed my constancy, and safety not withstanding, are more
bold.
Verses 15-16
[15] Some
indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: [16] The
one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to
my bonds:
Some indeed preach Christ out of contention — Envying St. Paul's success, and striving to hurt him thereby.
Not sincerely —
From a real desire to glorify God.
But supposing —
Though they were disappointed. To add more affliction to my bonds - By enraging
the Romans against me.
Verse 17
[17] But
the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
But the others out of love — To Christ and me.
Knowing —
Not barely, supposing.
That I am set —
Literally, I lie; yet still going forward in his work. He remained at Rome as
an ambassador in a place where he is employed on an important embassy.
Verse 18
[18] What
then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is
preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
In pretence —
Under colour of propagating the gospel.
In truth —
With a real design so to do.
Verse 19
[19] For
I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply
of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
This shall turn to my salvation — Shall procure me an higher degree of glory.
Through your prayer —
Obtaining for me a larger supply of the Spirit.
Verse 20
[20]
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be
ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be
magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
As always —
Since my call to the apostleship.
In my body —
however it may he disposed of. How that might be, he did not yet know. For the
apostles did not know all things; particularly in things pertaining to
themselves, they had room to exercise faith and patience.
Verse 21
[21] For
to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
To me to live is Christ — To know, to love, to follow Christ, is my life, my glory, my joy.
Verse 22
[22] But
if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose
I wot not.
Here he begins to treat of the former clause
of the preceding verse. Of the latter he treats, Philippians 2:17.
But if I am to live is the flesh, this is the
fruit of my labour — This is the fruit of my living longer,
that I can labour more. Glorious labour! desirable fruit! in this view, long
life is indeed a blessing.
And what I should choose I know not — That is, if it were left to my choice.
Verse 23
[23] For
I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ;
which is far better:
To depart —
Out of bonds, flesh, the world.
And to be with Christ — In a nearer and fuller union. It is better to depart; it is far better
to be with Christ.
Verse 25
[25] And
having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for
your furtherance and joy of faith;
I know — By
a prophetic notice given him while he was writing this. That I shall continue
some time longer with you - And doubtless he did see them after this
confinement.
Verse 27
[27] Only
let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel 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 spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the
gospel;
Only — Be
careful for this, and nothing else.
Stand fast in one spirit — With the most perfect unanimity.
Striving together —
With united strength and endeavours.
For the faith of the gospel — For all the blessings revealed and promised therein.
Verse 28
[28] And
in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of
perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
Which —
Namely, their being adversaries to the word of God, and to you the messengers
of God.
Is an evident token —
That they are in the high road to perdition; and you, in the way of salvation.
Verse 29
[29] For
unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but
also to suffer for his sake;
For to you it is given — As a special token of God's love, and of your being in the way of
salvation.
Verse 30
[30]
Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
Having the same kind of conflict with your
adversaries, which ye saw in me - When I was with you, Acts 16:12,19, etc.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Philippians》
Chapter 1. The Life of Believers
Partnership in
One Spirit
Advance the Gospel
I. Pray for
Abundant Love
II. Christ
Always Be Exalted
III. Live a
Life Worthy of the Gospel
── Chih-Hsin Chang《An Outline of The New Testament》
Chapter One General Review
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To appreciate why the Philippians were a source of great joy to Paul 2) To learn from Paul's attitude concerning persecution, death, and the purpose of life SUMMARY
Paul begins his epistle with his customary salutation followed by anexpression of thanksgiving and prayer. The church at Philippi had beena source of great joy to Paul by virtue of their fellowship with him inthe proclamation of the gospel. Confident that God will complete the work He began in them, Paul prays that their spiritual growth will continue (1-11). His circumstances at Rome gospel, despite imprisonment and opposition by false brethren. He is confident that everything will turn out alright, and that he will even come to them again. It is not without mixed feelings, however, for he is torn between a desire to be with Christ and a realization that to remain in the flesh is more needful for them (12-26). At the moment, his desire is that whether absent or present he may hearthey are conducting themselves worthy of the gospel, by standing fast in one spirit and one mind for the gospel and not disturbed by any adversaries. They should take comfort in knowing that, like Paul, theyhave been granted the honor not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake (27-30). OUTLINE
I. INTRODUCTION (1-11)
A. SALUTATION (1-2) 1. From Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ (1a ) 2. To the saints in Christ Jesus who in Philippi , with the bishops and deacons (1b) 3. Grace and peace from God and Jesus Christ (2) B. PAUL'S THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER (3-11) 1. His thanksgiving for them (3-8) a. That every thought, every request in their behalf, is one of joy (3-4) b. For their fellowship in the gospel from the very first day (5) c. He is confident that God will complete the work begun in them, for they have shared with him in his chains and the proclamation of the gospel (6-7) d. God is his witness to how much he longs for them with the love of Jesus (8) 2. His prayer for them (9-11) a. That their love abound in knowledge and all discernment (9) b. That they approve the things that are excellent (10a ) c. That they be sincere and without offense till Christ returns (10b) d. That they be filled with the fruits of righteousness (11) 1) Made possible by Jesus Christ (11a ) 2) To the glory and praise of God (11b)