Philippians 2:22

the proof of him The test of him; the practical evidence of what he is. This they "knew," by eyewitness at Philippi.

as a sonwith 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. 2 Timothy 1:2, and that whole Epistle.

he hath served with me More precisely, with me (slightly emphatic, suggesting the speciality of his devotion in Christ to Paul) he did bondservice. The reference is to the labours of Timothy (gathered up by the aoristinto one recollection) at Philippi. See above, on Philippians 1:1, note 2. Grammatically, we might render, "with me he accepted bond-service"; with a reference to Timothy's first dedication to missionary work under St Paul, Acts 16:1-3. But he evidently refers to their own observation of Timothy and so to a later period.

in the gospel Lit., "unto the Gospel";well paraphrased by R.V., in furtherance of the Gospel. See note on Philippians 1:5 above. For "the Gospel" in the sense of "the work of the Gospel" cp. below, Philippians 4:3.