N. FAMILY AFFECTION OF CHRISTIANITY. (CH. Philippians 4:1) “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... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕΥ̓ΟΔΊΑΝ. So certainly, not Εὐωδίαν, which appears in a very few MSS. not of high authority. 2. ΕΥ̓ΟΔΊΑΝ … ΣΥΝΤΥΧῊΝ. Both are feminine names (the bearers are referred to as _women_ just below, Philippians 4:3), and both are known in the inscriptions. Lightfoot quotes (from the collections of Gruter... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΝΉΣΙΕ ΣΎΝΖΥΓΕ (the MSS. are divided between συνζ- and συζ-). So אABD, 17 27 47 73 and some other cursives, vulg (_germane compar_) copt goth æth, Orig Victorin. KL, most cursives, syrr, Chr Thdt, read σύζυγε γνήσιε. WH print Σύνζυγε (as a proper name) in the margin. 3. ἘΡΩΤΩ͂. “I beg”; as in our p... [ Continue Reading ]
ΧΑΊΡΕΤΕ ἘΝ ΚΥΡΊΩΙ ΠΑΝΤΌΤΕ. _Gaudete in Domino semper_, Vulg.—See above Philippians 3:1, and notes, where the evidence of παντότε in favour of rendering χαίρετε by “rejoice” is pointed out.—Cp. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17, παντότε χαίρετε, ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε. He leads them above all lower reasons f... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ ἘΠΙΕΙΚῈΣ ὙΜΩ͂Ν. Vulg., _Modestia vestra_; A.V., “your moderation”; Wyclif, “youre pacience”; Tindale and ‘Cranmer,’ “youre softenes”; Geneva, “your patient mynde”; Rheims, “your modestie”; Luther, _Eure Lindigkeit_; R.V. text, “your forbearance,” marg. “your gentleness.” “Forbearance” is best, th... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΗΔῈΝ ΜΕΡΙΜΝΑ͂ΤΕ. “In nothing be anxious,” R.V. _Nihil solliciti sitis_, Vulg. _Sorget nichts_, Luther. On the etymology of μεριμνᾶν, and on the thought here, see above on Philippians 2:20. The mental action here blamed is there (in Timothy) commended; a discrepancy harmonized by the different condi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ. An important link here. Prayerfulness and the Divine peace are in profound connexion. Ἡ ΕἸΡΉΝΗ ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂. The inward serenity, caused by the known presence of ὁ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης (Philippians 4:9), as His Spirit calms our spirit. Cp. Colossians 3:15, [ἐνδύσασθε … τὴν� …], καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ χρισ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ ΛΟΙΠΌΝ. See above, on Philippians 3:1. Once more he gathers up the thought towards a close.—Are their “hearts and thoughts” thus “sentinelled,” in Christ, by the peace of God? Then let them, in their safe Castle, “in the Secret of the Presence,” not sleep, but give their minds all possible pure m... [ Continue Reading ]
A LAST SPIRITUAL APPEAL: LET THEIR MINDS BE TRUE TO ALL THAT IS GOOD: LET THEM FOLLOW PAUL’S TEACHING AND PRACTICE... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἃ ΚΑῚ ἘΜΆΘΕΤΕ … ἘΝ ἘΜΟΊ. On the apparent egotism, see above on Philippians 3:17.—The aorists refer to the past days at Philippi. ΠΑΡΕΛΆΒΕΤΕ. In the sense of receiving a truth passed on by a teacher, who on his part παραδίδωσιν. See e.g. 1 Corinthians 11:23, ἐγὼ παρέλαβον�. Cp. Galatians 1:9, εἴ τις... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΧΆΡΗΝ ΔῈ. The thought now finally turns from the didactic to the personal.—R.V., “But I rejoice”; the present; taking ἐχάρην as an epistolary aorist. See on Philippians 2:25. The time reference, however, may be to the day when the gift arrived, now probably some while ago. ἘΝ ΚΥΡΊΩΙ. The persons a... [ Continue Reading ]
LOVING THANKS FOR THEIR ALMS, BROUGHT BY EPAPHRODITUS... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘʼ ὙΣΤΈΡΗΣΙΝ. “In terms of need.” Vulg., _propter penuriam_. See Mark 12:44 for the only other occurrence of the noun in Biblical Greek; ἐκ τῆς ὑστερήσεως αὐτῆς πάντα … ἔβαλεν (_de penuria sua_, Vulg.). ἘΓῺ ΓᾺΡ ἜΜΑΘΟΝ. “For _I_” (with a slight emphasis) “have learned.” Here the English perfect (A... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἾΔΑ ΚΑῚ ΤΑΠΕΙΝΟΥ͂ΣΘΑΙ. Apparently he would have written οἶδα καὶ τ. καὶ περισσεύειν: but a second οἶδα is thrown in for emphasis. See Lightfoot’s note.—“I know both how to be abased.” For this use of εἰδέναι, _callere_, “to know how,” cp. e.g. Matthew 7:11, οἴδατε δόματα�: 1 Thessalonians 4:4, εἰδέ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ἘΝΔΥΝΑΜΟΥ͂ΝΤΊ ΜΕ. So א**Obadiah 1:2; Obadiah 1:17, vulg copt arm æth, Clem Victorin Amb. So all recent Editors. אcD2cG2K2L, almost all cursives, Orig Ath Cyr Chrys add Χριστῷ, and a few fathers Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ (or Ἰ. Χ., or Χ. Ἰ. τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν). 13. ΠΆΝΤΑ ἸΣΧΎΩ. “For all things I have strength... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΛῊΝ ΚΑΛΩ͂Σ ἘΠΟΙΉΣΑΤΕ. He is lovingly anxious lest his “ability in Christ” should even seem to blunt his gratitude to his friends, whose “deep poverty had abounded to the riches of their liberality” (2 Corinthians 8:1-2). ἘΠΟΙΉΣΑΤΕ. “Ye did”; when you sent your alms. ΣΥΝΚΟΙΝΩΝΉΣΑΝΤΕΣ. “Unitedly sh... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἼΔΑΤΕ ΔῈ. The δὲ suggests, with the same delicacy of love, that their earlier gifts would have sufficed to assure him of their fellowship with him. “You have now done well; but indeed you had repeatedly, and to a rare degree, shewn your sympathy before.” ΚΑῚ ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ. You as well as I. ΦΙΛΙΠΠΉΣΙΟΙ.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ἘΝ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΊΚΗΙ. That is, even when I was no further away from you than Thessalonica; so prompt and generous were you.—See Acts 17:1-9.—Thessalonica was just 100 Roman (about 92 English) miles from Philippi, on the Via Egnatia. Amphipolis and Apollonia were the two intermediate stations, each ab... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Χ ὍΤΙ ΚΤΛ. Here again see the sensitive delicacy of love. He fears lest this allusion to the cherished past, made only to shew that he needs no present proof of sympathy, might after all read like “thanks for future favours.” ἘΠΙΖΗΤΩ͂. Almost “am hunting for.” Cp. Matthew 12:39, γενεὰ πονηρὰ … σ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠΈΧΩ ΔῈ. The δὲ carries on the correction, begun in Philippians 4:17, of any possible mistake of his warm words. He is well supplied; he must not be suspected of suggesting more gifts in the future. ἈΠΈΧΩ. “I have received in full.” Cp. Matthew 6:2; Matthew 6:5; Matthew 6:16, ἀπέχονσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΛΗΡΏΣΕΙ. So אObadiah 1:2 cKL, most cursives, copt arm æth, Chr (twice). D2*G2, 17 37, and several other cursives, vulg, Chrys (twice) Cyr Victorin and other fathers read πληρώσαι. All recent Editors -σει. In such a case it is the more likely alternative that the assertion would be softened, in copi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΩ͂Ι ΔῈ ΘΕΩ͂Ι ΚΤΛ. “Now to our God and Father &c.”; the ultimate Source of all blessing for the members of His Son. ἩΜΩ͂Ν. “It is no longer μου, for the reference is now not to himself as distinguished from the Philippians, but as united to them” (Lightfoot). Ἡ ΔΌΞΑ. “The adoring praise” due in vi... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΣΠΆΣΑΣΘΕ. Cp. Romans 16:3-16 for such ἀσπασμοί in detail. ΠΆΝΤΑ ἍΓΙΟΝ ἘΝ ΧΡΙΣΤΩ͂Ι ἸΗΣΟΥ͂. “Every saint” (see on Philippians 1:1) “in Christ Jesus.” We might explain the clause, as Lightfoot inclines to do, “Salute in Christ Jesus every saint”; cp. 1 Corinthians 16:19, ἀσπάζοντας ὑμᾶς ἐν κυρίῳ πολλ... [ Continue Reading ]
SALUTATIONS AND FAREWELL... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΆΛΙΣΤΑ ΔῈ. There was something marked and emphatic about this message. ΟἹ ἘΚ ΤΗ͂Σ ΚΑΊΣΑΡΟΣ ΟἸΚΊΑΣ. “Probably slaves and freedmen attached to the palace” (Lightfoot). It has been thought, on the other hand, that these persons were members of the imperial family, or at least grandees of the court; an... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟΥ͂ Κ. Ἰ. Χ. So אABG2K2L, most cursives, arm. D2, some cursives, syr (pesh) copt æth and some fathers add ἡμῶν. ΤΟΥ͂ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΟΣ ὙΜΩ͂Ν. So א*Obadiah 1:2 G2, 6 17 31 47 73 80 and some other cursives, copt arm æth, Damasc Victorin. So all recent Editors. אcKL, most cursives, syrr, Chrys Thdrt Thphyl r... [ Continue Reading ]