Philippians 1:16

“the latter do it out of love, knowing that. am appointed for the defense of the gospel”

“The latter do it out of love”: Men that have goodwill towards Paul are men motivated by. love for God and love for others. This infers that the other group was motivated by. self-interest. “Knowing that. am appointed for the defense of the gospel”: “They recognized that God had sent him to Rome for this very purpose, his impending opportunity to defend the gospel before Caesar's tribunal. If Paul, despite his restrictions, was promoting the interests of the gospel, those people of goodwill could do no less” (Bruce p. 44). “Knowing”: This is an intelligent love. “It was not, though,. mere emotional attachment to the apostle; no, they loved ‘knowing' that Paul was set for the defense of the gospel!” (Jackson p. 31). “Set”: “Set or appointed” ( P.P. Comm. p. 4). “Set or destined” (Muller p. 54). “Thus supporting that Paul and his supporters recognized that it was due to the providence of God that he had been ‘appointed' to these circumstances” (Jackson p. 31). Note: True love is not blind, "love" saw the real picture here, Paul's imprisonment was part of God's overall plan to spread the gospel. Since Paul is God's instrument to bring the gospel before the very highest in the Roman government, these Christians will lovingly cooperate with God's plan. But hate, envy and self-interest are blind! Paul's rival's, preachers motivated by self, were completely blind to all of the above.

“Defense”: These Christians did not begrudge Paul for the authority he exercised, the miraculous gifts he possessed or the fame he was gaining, because they realized that he was God's messenger to defend the gospel before the highest court in the land. In. sense every Christian must be prepared to defend the gospel (1 Peter 3:15).