Philippians 2:22

τὴν δοκιμὴν. “The test” through which he passed, before your eyes, when we were both at Philippi.—Or perhaps δοκιμή here means the result of the test, “proved fitness.” In Greek, as in English, abstract nouns are constantly passing from “process” to “result” (e.g. οἰκοδομή), and becoming more concrete.

ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον. “As child with father”; supplying σὺν in idea from the next words. Observe τέκνον, the tender word, of the born child; see on Philippians 2:15 above. For St Paul’s fatherly love for Timothy see 2 Timothy 1:2, and that whole Epistle.

σὺν ἐμοὶ. Slightly emphatic by position; as if to say, you saw his devotion of course, for it was shewn in connexion with me, your own Apostle.

ἐδούλευσεν. “He did bondservice”; almost, “he slaved.” The aorist gathers up Timothy’s toil at Philippi into one thought. This is better than to render it, “He entered on bondservice”; for the reference is plainly not to his first Christian work, but to his labours at Philippi.

εἰς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. Well paraphrased by R.V., “in furtherance of the gospel.” See note on Philippians 1:5 above. For εὐαγγέλιον in the sense of missionary work, see below, Philippians 4:3.