Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Ver. 1. _With the bishops and deacons_] The word priest is never used at all for a minister of the gospel by the apostles, no, nor by the more ancient Fathers, as... [ Continue Reading ]
Grace _be_ unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and _from_ the Lord Jesus Christ. Ver. 2. _Grace be to you_] _See Trapp on "_ 1Co 1:2 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Eph 1:2 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Ver. 3. _Upon every remembrance_] And no wonder; for these were those famous Macedonians, that first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to their faithful ministers by the will of God, 2 Corinthians 8:5. _See Trapp on "_ 2Co 8:5 _"_ and compare with I... [ Continue Reading ]
Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, Ver. 4. _Making request with joy_] Those that grieve their faithful ministers, and quench the Spirit in them, do it to their own singular disadvantage.... [ Continue Reading ]
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Ver. 5. _For your fellowship_] A good man cannot tell how to go to heaven alone. No sooner had the Philippians received the gospel, but they were in fellowship to a day. The communion of saints was with them a point of practice as well... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 6. _That he which hath begun a good work_] Gr. εναρξαμενος, "That he which hath in-begun a good work in you;" for the work is wholly inward and spiritual, saith an i... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 7. _Partakers of my grace_] That is, ye communicate with me in my sufferings, which he here cal... [ Continue Reading ]
For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. Ver. 8. _I long after you all_] Here the apostle practised his own precept of fatherly affection, φιλοστοργοι, Romans 12:10. Pray for me, mine own heart root in the Lord, _quem in intimis visceribus habeo ad convi... [ Continue Reading ]
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and _in_ all judgment; Ver. 9. _And in all judgment_] Or, sense. The soul also hath her senses as well as the body. And these must be exercised to discern good and evil, Hebrews 5:14, those two learned senses especially (as A... [ Continue Reading ]
That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Ver. 10. _Approve the things_] Or, try the things that differ, that ye be not cheated, and so undone, as many a man is by purchasing a counterfeit commodity at an unreasonable rate. A B... [ Continue Reading ]
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. Ver. 11. _Being filled with the fruits_] The excellency of a Christian is to follow God fully, as Caleb, Numbers 14:24; to have a heart full of goodness, as those, Romans 15:14; a life full o... [ Continue Reading ]
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things _which happened_ unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; Ver. 12. _Rather unto the furtherance_] So were Luther's troubles. _Quo magis illi furunt, _ saith he, _eo amplius procedo._ The more they rage, the more t... [ Continue Reading ]
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other _places_; Ver. 13. _In all the palace_] So in the Diet held at Augsburgh in Germany, A.D. 1530. Caesar reading the Protestants' confession, and sending it abroad to other Christian princes, as desiring their advice about it... [ Continue Reading ]
And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Ver. 14. _Are much more bold_] This is the fruit of the saints' sufferings. _Ecclesia totum mundum sanguine et oratione convertit, _ saith Luther. As the lily is increased by its o... [ Continue Reading ]
Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: Ver. 15. _Some indeed preach Christ_] Such self-seekers there are today not a few. Two things make a good Christian, good actions and good aims. Though a good aim doth not make a bad action good, as we see in Uzzah, yet... [ Continue Reading ]
The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: Ver. 16. _Preach Christ of contention_] Striving to bear away the bell from me, as the better preachers. And with such ambitionists the Church of Christ hath ever been pestered. This made Luther pray, _A do... [ Continue Reading ]
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. Ver. 17. _Knowing that I am set_] κειμαι, or, laid by the heels. They of love help out at a deadlift, and do my office abroad; as Marulla, a maid of Lemnos, seeing her father slain in the gate, took up his weapons, and not... [ Continue Reading ]
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. Ver. 18. _Christ is preached, &c._] _Prorsus Satan est Lutherus, sed Christus vivit, et regnat, Amen, _ saith Luther in an epistle of his to Spalatinus; Luth... [ Continue Reading ]
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, Ver. 19. _This shall turn to my salvation_] God maketh all to co-operate, and turneth all about to the best; as the skilful apothecary maketh of a poisonous viper a wholesome treacle.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 20. _According to my earnest_] αποκαραδοκια, St Paul stood as it were on tip... [ Continue Reading ]
For to me to live _is_ Christ, and to die _is_ gain. Ver. 21. _And to die is gain_] Because death to a good man is the daybreak of eternal brightness, _ianua vitae, porta caeli, _ the door to life, the gate to heaven, as Bernard hath it, a valley of Achor, a door of hope to give entrance into Parad... [ Continue Reading ]
But if I live in the flesh, this _is_ the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. Ver. 22. _What I shall choose, I wot not_] As a loving wife sent for by her husband far from home, and yet loth to leave her children, is in a muse and doubt what to do, so was the apostle. He had _mort... [ Continue Reading ]
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Ver. 23. _For I am in a strait_] Plato in the eighth of his laws hath a like speech, The communion of the soul with the body, κοινωνια ψυχη και σωματι διαλυσεως ουκ εστι κρειττων, is not better... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh _is_ more needful for you. Ver. 24:. _Is more needful for you_] Mr Bolton dying, and desiring to be dissolved, being told that it was indeed better for him to he with Christ, but the Church of God could not miss him, nor the benefit of his ministry, he thus replie... [ Continue Reading ]
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; Ver. 25. _And joy of faith_] That is, for your full assurance, which is that highest degree of faith, whereby a believer having gotten victory over his doubtings, triumpheth with a... [ Continue Reading ]
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Ver. 26. _That your rejoicing_] Gr. Your glorying or exulting in this, that God hath given me in, as an answer to your prayers. It is surely a sweet thing to bear from heaven. David often boasts of it, Psalms... [ Continue Reading ]
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; Ver. 27. _Only let your conversation_] _q.d._ If you woul... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _And in nothing terrified_] πρυρομενοι. A metaphor from horses, when they tremble and are sorely frightened. He that feareth God need fear none else, Psal... [ Continue Reading ]
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; Ver. 29. _For unto you it is given_] As a high honour not only to believe (though that is a great matter; for he that believeth hath set to his seal that God is true, hath given God a test... [ Continue Reading ]
Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear _to be_ in me. Ver. 30. _Which ye saw in me_] Acts 16:19; Acts 16:23,24, &c. _See Trapp on "_ Act 16:19 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Act 16:23 _"_ _See Trapp on "_ Act 16:24 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]