Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Philippians 1:17

ἐξ ἐριθείας. Here virtually = “selfishness” (rather than “factiousness”). Originally, the character of a worker for pay. Now that which degraded the hired worker, in the estimation of antiquity, was his labouring wholly for his own interests, while it was a sign of the noble to devote himself to the common weal. This sense suits all N.T. passages (Romans 2:8; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Galatians 5:20; James 3:14; James 3:16). See Hpt [37] 's valuable note from which the above is condensed. τὸν Χ. It is hard to say whether τόν ought to be retained. It would easily be accounted for as an assimilation to τὸν Χ. in Philippians 1:15. καταγγ. A distinction has been drawn between καταγγ. as confined to those sent by Christ and κηρύσς. as applying to all preachers, including our Lord Himself. Probably they are quite synonymous here. Cf. an excellent note in Westcott (on 1 John 1:5) on the special signification of καταγγ. among compounds of ἀγγέλλω = “proclaim with authority, as commissioned to spread the tidings throughout those who hear them”. οὐχ ἁγν. “With mixed motives.” Cf. Pind., Ol., iii., 37, μεγάλων ἀέθλων ἁγνὰν κρίσιν (quoted by Alf [38]). οἰόμενοι. “Purposing.” So frequently in later Greek. Schmid (Atticismus, i., 128) quotes from Dio Chrys., Aristides and Philostratus. Cf. Phryn. (ed. Lobeck), 190, βιβλίον … ὅπερ οἴεται δηλοῦν. There is a sharp contrast between εἰδότες in Philippians 1:16 and οἰόμενοι here. θλίψιν ἐγείρειν τ. δεσμ. μ. The balance of authority is in favour of ἐγείρειν. ἐπιφέρειν is probably an ancient gloss, which may have crept into some text from the margin. The phrase apparently means “to stir up vexation for me in my imprisonment”. They attributed their own jealous feelings to the Apostle, and could not conceive a greater worry to him than that he should hear of their success in preaching.

[37] Haupt.

[38] Alford's Greek Testament.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Philippians 1:17

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