Philippians 2:1-4. The subject continued: appeal for self-forgetful Unity 1. _therefore_ The connexion of thought with the previous sentences is close. He has pressed on them the duty and blessing of concord and cooperation, and now enforces it further, with a special appeal to them to minister hap... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fulfil ye my joy_ Lit. "_fill_" it. He already rejoices in them (Philippians 1:4); but the manifestation in them of the unity of holy love would _complete_the reasons and the experience of that joy. "He felt small anxiety for himself, if but the Church of Christ might prosper" (Calvin). _that ye b... [ Continue Reading ]
Let _nothing_be done] The briefer original, in which no verb appears, is very forcible, but would be exaggerated in a literal rendering. Observe the totality of the prohibition. It is a rule for all Christian lives at all times. _through_ Lit. "_according to_," on the principles of. _strife_ The s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Look_ Better, with documentary evidence, LOOKING. "_Look … on_" becomes in R.V. "_look … to_," a change not greatly needed. The look is the look of sympathy, kindly interest, _self-forgetful_cooperation. This short verse is a noble and far-reaching lesson in Christian ethics. _every man … every ma... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let this mind be_ R.V., HAVE THIS MIND; adopting a reading different in form but scarcely so in import from that taken for the A.V., which fairly represents either reading. In the great passage which follows we have a suggestive example of Christian moral teaching. One of the simplest and most pri... [ Continue Reading ]
F. ROBERT HALL ON Philippians 2:5-8. BAUR's THEORY The Rev. Robert Hall (1764 1831), one of the greatest of Christian preachers, was in early life much influenced by the Socinian theology. His later testimony to a true Christology is the more remarkable. The following extract is from a sermon "prea... [ Continue Reading ]
The appeal enforced by the supreme Example of the Saviour in His Incarnation, Obedience, and Exaltation... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who_ in His pre-existent glory. We have in this passage a N.T. counterpart to the O.T. revelation of Messiah's "coming to do the will of His God" (Psalms 40:6-8, interpreted Hebrews 10:5). _being_ The Greek word slightly indicates that He not only "_was_," but "_already was_," in a state anteceden... [ Continue Reading ]
_But made himself of no reputation_ "_But_" here introduces the infinitely gracious action of the Saviour as _the contrary_to what it would have been had He "thought His Equality with God a prize." We may paraphrase, "That He did not so think of it, He shewed by making Himself," &c. See Bp Ellicott'... [ Continue Reading ]
_found_ as one who presented Himself for inspection and test. See Appendix F. _fashion_ See third note on Philippians 2:6 above. The Greek word _schêma_denotes appearance _with or without_underlying reality. It does not negative such reality any more than it asserts it; it emphasizes _appearance_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore_ From the point of view of this passage, the glorification of the Crucified Lord was the Father's recognition and reward of His infinitely kind and gracious "looking upon the things of others." The argument is, of course, that similarly the Christian who humbles himself shall be exalted.... [ Continue Reading ]
_at the name of Jesus_ Lit., with R.V., IN THE NAME OF JESUS, or as far as grammatical form goes, "_in the name Jesus_." "It is not -the name Jesus" but -the name of Jesus" " (Lightfoot). This must mean that the context decides it thus; the grammar is ambiguous. But the previous argument (see last n... [ Continue Reading ]
_every tongue should confess_ Again an implicit quotation of Isaiah 45:23. The verb rendered "_confess_," as Lightfoot points out, has in Scriptural Greek almost resigned its literal meaning of open avowal, to take that of praise and thanksgiving. Our Lord Himself uses it, Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21... [ Continue Reading ]
Inferences from the foregoing passages: the Greatness of the methods of Salvation: the consequent Call to a Life reverent, self-forgetful, fruitful, joyful 12. _Wherefore_ The Apostle has now pressed on them the duty and blessing of self-forgetting sympathy and love, above all by this supreme Examp... [ Continue Reading ]
_For it is God_&c. Here is the reason for the "fear and trembling." The process of "working out" is one which touches at every point the internal presence of Him before whom "the stars are not pure" (Job 25:5). Meanwhile the same fact, in its aspect of the presence of His _power_, is the deepest rea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Do_&c. The general principle of holiness of life in the power of the Divine Indweller is now carried into details, with a view to the special temptations and failings of the Philippians. See above, on Philippians 2:2. _all_things] Observe the characteristic totality of the precept. Cp. Ephesians 4... [ Continue Reading ]
_be_ Better, with the true reading, BECOME, PROVE; a gentle intimation that a change was needed. _blameless_ Secure against _true_charges of inconsistency of temper and conduct. _harmless_ So too R.V. But this can be only a derived rendering. The literal and ordinary meaning of the Greek is "_unmi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Holding forth_ as offering it for acceptance; presenting it to the notice, enquiry, and welcome, of others. The metaphor of the luminary is dropped. It is intimated that the faithful Christian will not be content without making direct efforts, however humble and unobtrusive, to win attention to the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, and if_&c. He takes up the last word, characteristically. "_Laboured_for you, did I say? Nay, if I have to say also _died, poured out my heart's blood_, it is only joy to me." _be offered upon_ Lit. and better, AM BEING SHED AS A LIBATION UPON. The imagery is sacrificial. He views the Philippi... [ Continue Reading ]
For _the same_cause] Better, with R.V., IN THE SAME MANNER. The same phrase occurs Matthew 27:44. _do ye joy_&c. A loving imperative. He bids them be glad, and share their joy with him as he with them. It is an emphatic reiteration of what he has implied in the words just above, that his death woul... [ Continue Reading ]
He proposes soon to send Timotheus: He sends without delay Epaphroditus 19. _But I trust_&c. Lit., BUT I HOPE &c. He refers back to the allusion to his absence from them, Philippians 2:12. That trial, while it brings them its special calls and opportunities, is yet to be _relieved_. _in the Lord J... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ He gives his reason for sending Timothy. _likeminded_ Lit., "_equal-souled;_" a slight echo, in form, of the verb just above. Timothy's "soul," his loving and willing self, was "equal," level, to St Paul's, in pure, cordial, interest in the Philippians. The Greek adjective occurs nowhere else... [ Continue Reading ]
_all_ The Greek would be more exactly represented by THEY ALL, or ALL OF THEM; all of a definite group in question. This is a severe censure on the persons really indicated. St Paul must have suffered grave disappointments where he had a special right to expect ready help. Demas (2 Timothy 4:10) had... [ Continue Reading ]
_the proof of him_ THE TEST OF HIM; the practical evidence of what he is. This they "knew," by eyewitness at Philippi. _as a son_with the _father_ Better, AS CHILD WITH FATHER. The Greek word rendered "child" is a tender one. See above on Philippians 2:15. For St Paul's paternal love for Timothy cp... [ Continue Reading ]
_presently_ Better, with R.V., FORTHWITH, promptly, on ascertaining the issue of his trial. _so soon as I shall see_ He is sure, _au fond_, of the prospect of continued life (Philippians 1:25 and note); but this leaves him as much as ever obliged to wait the development of the Roman legal process.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I trust_ For the Greek and its force see on Philippians 1:25, with the reference there to Philippians 1:6. _in the Lord_ See last note on Philippians 1:8. _shortly_ The word is of course elastic; it may mean a few weeks, or many months, as relations of comparison vary. What he is confident of is t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet I supposed_ Better, BUT I HAVE COUNTED, or, I COUNT. "_Yet_" is too strong a word of contrast or exception. _"I have counted":_the Greek verb is an aorist, but an "epistolary" aorist, in which the writer of a letter puts himself mentally at the time of its reception. And this we often express... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ Here lay the "necessity," in St Paul's view, of his friend's return to the Philippians; in Epaphroditus" longing for them, and their love and anxiety in regard of him. _he longed_ The Greek is full and emphatic, HE WAS (IN A STATE OF) LONGING, of home-sickness. See note on Philippians 1:8. Do... [ Continue Reading ]
_For indeed_, &c. Epaphroditus would have made light of the illness; St Paul assures them that the report was seriously true, and that the illness had a generous origin. _he was_ HE HAS BEEN. _God had mercy on him_ Though for him also "to die" would have been "gain" (Philippians 1:21), yet death _i... [ Continue Reading ]
_I sent_ In an English letter it would run, I HAVE SENT, or I AM SENDING. _carefully_ Better, with R.V. DILIGENTLY; taking pains to arrange. _less sorrowful_ A beautiful touch of character. Among his sorrows, he intimates, was his being the unwilling cause of separating Epaphroditus from the Phili... [ Continue Reading ]
_Receive him therefore "Therefore":_ as the consequence of my sending him. The whole verse supports the suggestion that the internal friction among the Philippians had somehow made Epaphroditus unacceptable to some. See above on Philippians 2:26. _in the Lord_ See above on Philippians 1:8. _with a... [ Continue Reading ]
_the work of Christ_ One most ancient MS. (C) omits _"of Christ";_and some other evidence is for "_of the Lord_" instead. R.V. retains the reading of A.V., mentioning in the margin the reading "_of the Lord_." Alford and Lightfoot advocate the omission. For the phrase "_the work_," used without furt... [ Continue Reading ]