Philippians 1:6

Being confident This verse is a parenthesis in the thought, suggested by the continuity "until now"of the Philippians" love and labour. The past of grace leads him to speak of its future. The English word "confident"happily represents the Greek, which like it sometimes denotes reliance, on definite grounds (so Matthew 27:43; Mar 10:24; 2 Corinthians 1:9; below, Philippians 2:24; Philippians 3:3-4; Hebrews 2:13, &c), sometimes a more or less arbitrary assurance(so Romans 2:19). In every case in the N. T. the word indicates a feeling of personal certainty, for whatever cause.

this very thing A favourite phrase with St Paul; Romans 9:17 (where he varies the phrase of the LXX.), Romans 13:6; 2Co 2:3; 2 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 7:11; Galatians 2:10; Ephesians 6:18; Ephesians 6:22; Colossians 4:8. Elsewhere it occurs only 2 Peter 1:5, and there the reading is disputed. The words are a characteristic touch of keen and earnest thought.

he which hath begun Lit. he that began; at the crisis of their evangelization and conversion. "He"is God the Father (as habitually, where nothing in the context defines Either of the Other Persons), the supreme Author of the work of grace.

The Greek verb here occurs also Galatians 3:3, where the crisis of conversion is viewed from the convert'spoint of view; "ye beganby the Spirit." The reference to the Holy Spirit, however, reminds us there also that a Divine enabling is absolutely needed in order to man's "beginning" the new life.

a good work We may perhaps render the good work. The article is absent in the Greek, but the reference is obviously to thework of works. Cp. below, Philippians 2:13, and note.

will perform it Better, as R.V., will perfect it. Cp. again Galatians 3:3; "ye beganby the Spirit; are ye now being perfectedby the flesh?"

For the thought of this sentence cp. Psalms 138:8; "the Lord will complete (all) for me; O Lord, Thy mercy is for ever; forsake not the works of Thy hands." There the individual believing soul expresses the confidence of faith which is here expressed with regard to the community ("you") of such souls.

until the day, &c. The glorious goal of the redeeming process, because then, and not before, the wholebeing of the saint, body (Romans 8:23) as well as spirit, shall be actually delivered from all the results of sin. The mention of this Day here is thus equally in point whether or not the Apostle were contemplating a speedy or distant return of the Lord. If He returns before the believer's death, His coming is of course the final crisis; if otherwise, "the redemption of the body," and so far the redemption of the being, is deferred. Cp. Ephesians 4:30; 2 Timothy 1:12.

The "Day" of Christ is mentioned below, Philippians 1:10; Philippians 2:16; and altogether, in St Paul, about twenty times. For the Lord's own use of the word "Day" for the Crisis of His Return as Judge and Redeemer, cp. Matthew 7:22; Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22; Matthew 11:24; Matthew 12:36; Matthew 24:36; Luke 17:24; Luke 17:26 ("days"), Luke 17:30-31; Luke 21:34; John 6:39-40; John 6:44; John 6:54.