Philippians 2:15

γένησθε. “That ye may become.” A high ideal before Paul's mind to be reached by a gradual process. ἄμεμπτοι. οὐ μικρὰν γὰρ προσάγει κηλῖδα ὁ γογγυσμός (Chr [9]). Perhaps ἄμεμ. refers to the judgment of others, while ἀκέραιοι denotes their intrinsic character (so Lft [10]). Cf. Matthew 10:16, where Christ exhorts the disciples to be ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. τέκνα Θεοῦ. This whole clause is a reminiscence, not a quotation, of Deuteronomy 32:5, ἡμάρτοσαν, οὐκ αὐτῷ τέκνα, μωμητά · γενεὰ σκολιὰ καὶ διεστραμμένη. It is impossible to say whether Paul uses τ. Θ. in the strict sense common in N.T., or whether he employs the term more loosely as in Ephesians 5:8. The best authorities read ἄμωμα, the more usual N.T. word. ἀμωμητά may be due to μωμητά of LXX. μέσον is certainly to be read instead of ἐν μέσῳ, with all leading authorities. It is one of those adverbial expressions which, in the later language, perhaps under the influence of Semitic usage, took the place of prepositions. Cf. Hatz., Einl, p. 214, where several exx. are quoted from Porphyrogenitus, de Caer. σκολ. κ. διεστραμ. The latter epithet is precisely = the Scotch expression “thrawn,” “having a twist” in the inner nature. ἐν οἷς. Sense-construction. φαίν. Commentators differ as to whether φ. means here “appear” or “shine”. Surely the appearing of a φωστήρ, a luminary, must be, at the same time, a shining. Both interpretations really converge in this context. [Calv. takes φαίν. as imperative, and compares Isaiah 60:2. This is by no means unlikely.] Probably κόσμος (= the whole universe of things) goes closely with φωστῆρες, emphasising the contrast, while nothing is said as to their influence on others. Christ Himself is τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου (John 8:12). His followers are φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ. For κόσμος see Evans' excellent note on 1 Corinthians 2:12.