Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Philippians 1:2

χάρις ὑμῖν κτλ. Χάρις is a near equivalent to the English “favour,” with its alternative meanings of comeliness and goodwill, of pleasingness and pleasure. The latter is its far commoner direction in LXX. and N.T., the former in the Greek Apocrypha. Linguistically, the word seems to be connected first with the thought of brightness, then with that of beauty, and so passes into that of the kindly pleasure given by the sight of beauty. By usage in didactic passages in the N.T. it denotes specially the unbought favour of the Holy One towards the sinful and helpless, whether in pardon, in gift of Divine life, or in development of it. It is the antithesis to ἔργον and to the whole idea of merit and payment. Cp. esp. Romans 11:6. And in itself, as the act is never apart from the Agent, χάρις in our acceptance is God for us, in our new life and power it is God in us.

εἰρήνη. The word is probably cognate to εἴρω, to join. “Peace” is essentially a harmony, an adjustment. Here it denotes the enjoyment of harmony with God; His reconciled favour, resulting in the Christian’s and the Church’s inward rest and happiness.

θεοῦ. The Father; see the immediate context. Not that to St Paul the Father is more Divine than the Son, but that He is the FATHER, in whom Deity is as in the Fountain, while it is in the Son as in the Stream. Hence the frequent distinctive use of θεός where He is in view.—See Pearson, Exposition of the Creed, marginal p. 40.

κυρίου. Without the article, as frequently. Usage has given the word an adequate self-definition. Here the Lord Christ is equally with His Father the Giver of eternal blessing; a deep indication of the apostolic belief about Him.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Philippians 1:2

Old Testament

New Testament