Philippians 1:12

“Now. would have you know, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the gospel”

“Now. would have you know”: “Since the Philippians are so anxious about Paul, he makes no delay in the letter. He tells about it right here. But while all centers on his own person, on his fate, acquittal or condemnation, Paul merges all in the gospel” (Lenski p. 721). “In all probability this optimism was not wholly shared by those whom Paul addresses. The church at Philippi was on tenterhooks. ‘What is going to happen to Paul; will he be condemned or will he be acquitted?' ‘Too bad for him and for the cause of the gospel, this imprisonment!' That was what many people were thinking” (Hendriksen p. 67). “Have fallen out rather”: “It strikes us that Paul does not speak of himself, or enlarge upon his experiences, but has in mind only the cause of the gospel. Even during and in spite of his imprisonment, all is well, for the gospel is being advanced. And to him that is the only thing that matters” (Muller p. 49). “Progress”: Advancement. “The word which is specially used for the progress of an army or an expedition. It is the verb which is used for cutting away the trees and the undergrowth, and removing the barriers which would hinder the progress of an army. Paul's imprisonment, so far from shutting the door, opened the door to new spheres of work and activity, into which he would never otherwise have penetrated” (Barclay p. 20). “Paul's imprisonment, rather than hindering the gospel, had actually cleared the way for its further proclamation” (Jackson p. 29) (Romans 8:28).

He was. man of tireless activity. He had goals of spreading the gospel further west into Spain (Romans 15:24), and he was eager to revisit the churches he had founded, but all of this had been put on hold by this imprisonment. Such an imprisonment had dragged on for. couple of years. Another man might have become extremely frustrated and bitter, yet Paul realized that opportunities to spread the gospel are always present when one is around other people. In this letter there is not the slightest hint of discouragement, disappointment or bitterness. In fact, this prisoner is trying to encourage people who are not in prison! We often think that it takes "ideal" or very favorable circumstances to spread the gospel or convert others. God reveals otherwise. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16) and it can spread and convict the hearts of men and women, even in hard or very limited circumstances (1 Thessalonians 1:6 “having received the word in much tribulation”).