PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Philippians
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 60,353 words · 61 reading sections
Philippians 1:1
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Philippians 1:1 INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS Philippi was a Roman colony, and the chief city of one part of Macedonia, Ac 16:12, it is by Appianus called Datos which was its original name; and by Diodorus Siculus it is called Crenidae {a}, from, the fountains about it; and …
2,443 wordsSECTION 2Philippians 1:2
Philippians 1:2 Ver. 2. Grace be unto you,.... This form of salutation is used by the apostle in all his epistles; See Gill on "Ro 1:7";…
28 wordsSECTION 3Philippians 1:3
Philippians 1:3 Ver. 3. I thank my God,.... After the inscription and salutation follows a thanksgiving, the object of which is God; to whom thanks is to be given at the remembrance of his name, and the perfections of his nature, and for all his mercies, temporal and spiritual. The apostle expresses his propriety and …
309 wordsSECTION 4Philippians 1:4
Philippians 1:4 Ver. 4. Always in every prayer of mine for you all,.... The apostle was a praying believer, and a praying minister: notwithstanding all his gifts, and graces, and high attainments, he was not above the work and duty of prayer, and in which he was sensible he stood in need of the assistance and directio…
182 wordsSECTION 5Philippians 1:5
Philippians 1:5 Ver. 5. For your fellowship in the Gospel,.... Or "for your communication unto the Gospel"; that is, to the support of it. These Philippians were one of the churches of Macedonia the apostle so highly commends for their liberality in 2Co 8:1; they had been very communicative to him, and those that were…
471 wordsSECTION 6Philippians 1:6
Philippians 1:6 Ver. 6. Being confident of this very thing,.... The reason of his thanksgiving, and of his making request with joy continually on the behalf of this church, was the confidence and full persuasion he had of this same thing, of which he could be as much assured as of any thing in the world: that he whic…
1,540 wordsSECTION 7Philippians 1:7
Philippians 1:7 Ver. 7. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all,.... Some connect these words with Php 1:3; as if the apostle's sense was, that it became him to be thus affected to them, and mindful of them in his prayers, to make request for them with joy, and give thanks for their fellowship in the Gospel…
750 wordsSECTION 8Philippians 1:8
Philippians 1:8 Ver. 8. For God is my record,.... Which is all one as swearing by him; it is in form of an oath, being a solemn appeal to him as the searcher of hearts, for the uprightness of his mind, the sincerity of his expressions, and the strength of his affections: how greatly I long after you all; the common m…
254 wordsSECTION 9Philippians 1:9
Philippians 1:9 Ver. 9. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more,.... As a proof of his great affection for them, he puts up this petition on their account; which supposes that they had love, as they must certainly have, since the good work of grace was begun in them; for wherever the work of the S…
1,006 wordsSECTION 10Philippians 1:10
Philippians 1:10 Ver. 10. That ye may approve things that are excellent,.... Or "try things that differ". There are some things that differ one from other; as morality and grace, earthly things, and heavenly things, carnal and spiritual, temporal and eternal things, law and Gospel, the doctrines of men, and the doctri…
1,041 wordsSECTION 11Philippians 1:11
Philippians 1:11 Ver. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness,.... Good works. Some think alms deeds, or acts of liberality and bounty, are here particularly intended; and that respect is had to the generosity of these Philippians to the apostle, and others: and true it is, that these are sometimes so called…
1,005 wordsSECTION 12Philippians 1:12
Philippians 1:12 Ver. 12. But I would ye should understand, brethren,.... The church at Philippi having heard of the apostle's troubles, he was very desirous that they should have a true and right understanding of them, and especially of the use they had been of, and were like to be of more and more; and that partly t…
574 wordsSECTION 13Philippians 1:13
Philippians 1:13 Ver. 13. So that my bonds in Christ,.... What he had more darkly hinted before, he more clearly expresses here; the things that happened to him were his bonds; he was now a prisoner at Rome and in chains; though he had the liberty of dwelling alone in his own hired house, and of his friends coming to …
625 wordsSECTION 14Philippians 1:14
Philippians 1:14 Ver. 14. And many of the brethren in the Lord,.... This is another instance of the usefulness of the apostle's sufferings, and another proof of their being for the furtherance of the Gospel; they were not only the means of the conversion of many that were without, but were very encouraging and strengt…
586 wordsSECTION 15Philippians 1:15
Philippians 1:15 Ver. 15. Some, indeed, preach Christ,.... That is, some of them, as the Arabic version reads; some of the brethren, that were only so in profession; wherefore these could not be the unbelieving Jews, who preached the Messiah in general, but did not believe Jesus of Nazareth to be he, and opened the pr…
907 wordsSECTION 16Philippians 1:16
Philippians 1:16 Ver. 16. The one preach Christ of contention,.... That is, those that preached of envy and strife, an not of good will to Christ, to the Gospel, to the souls of men, or to the apostle; and though they preached Christ, yet not sincerely or "purely"; not but that they delivered the sincere milk of the …
462 wordsSECTION 17Philippians 1:17
Philippians 1:17 Ver. 17. But the other of love,.... Those that were truly brethren in the Lord, who had received the grace of God in truth, to whom the Gospel was come in power, and who had a spiritual and experimental knowledge of Christ, and of the mysteries of his grace; these preached Christ of love, "out of the …
406 wordsSECTION 18Philippians 1:18
Philippians 1:18 Ver. 18. What then? notwithstanding every way,.... What follows from hence? what is to be concluded from all this? what is to be thought or said in this case? this, that notwithstanding these brethren acted on those different principles, and with those different views: whether in pretence: of love to…
489 wordsSECTION 19Philippians 1:19
Philippians 1:19 Ver. 19. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation,.... Or "to salvation", to the salvation of others; that is, the preaching of Christ by these men, though designed by them to the hurt of the apostle; yet he knew that by the power and grace of God it should be made useful to the conversion, and…
565 wordsSECTION 20Philippians 1:20
Philippians 1:20 Ver. 20. According to my earnest expectation and [my] hope,.... These words are so placed as that they may refer both to what goes before and what follows after; and the sense be either that the apostle had earnest expectation and hope, even a strong confidence of his salvation, or deliverance from hi…
749 wordsSECTION 21Philippians 1:21
Philippians 1:21 Ver. 21. For to me to live is Christ,.... Christ was his life "efficiently", the efficient cause and author of his spiritual life; he spoke it into him, produced it in him, and disciplined him with it: and he was his life, objectively, the matter and object of his life, that on which he lived; yea, it…
621 wordsSECTION 22Philippians 1:22
Philippians 1:22 Ver. 22. But if I live in the flesh,.... To be in the flesh sometimes signifies to be in a state of nature and unregeneracy, and to live in and after the flesh, to live according to the dictates of corrupt nature; but here it signifies living in the body, or the life which is in the flesh, as the Syri…
4,943 wordsSECTION 23Philippians 2:1
Philippians 2:1 INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS 2 This chapter contains several exhortations to unity, love, and concord, to humility, and lowliness of mind, and to a becoming life and conversation; and concludes with commendations of two eminent ministers of Christ, Timothy and Epaphroditus. The arguments engaging to ha…
1,664 wordsSECTION 24Philippians 2:2
Philippians 2:2 Ver. 2. Fulfil ye my joy,.... The Arabic version adds, "by these things"; meaning not his joy in the Lord Jesus Christ, which arose from views of interest his person, blood, and righteousness; which was had by believing in him, by enjoying communion with him, and living in hope of the glory of God; thi…
636 wordsSECTION 25Philippians 2:3
Philippians 2:3 Ver. 3. [Let] nothing [be done] through strife,.... About words merely; otherwise they were to strive for the faith of the Gospel, the purity of Gospel ordinances, worship and discipline; but the apostle would not have them strive merely to carry a point determined on, without having any regard to reas…
397 wordsSECTION 26Philippians 2:4
Philippians 2:4 Ver. 4. Look, not every man on his own things,.... Not but that a man should take care of his worldly affairs, and look well unto them, and provide things honest in the sight of all men, for himself and his family, otherwise he would be worse than an infidel; but he is not to seek his own private advan…
324 wordsSECTION 27Philippians 2:5
Philippians 2:5 Ver. 5. Let this mind be in you,.... The Arabic version renders it, "let that humility be perceived in you". The apostle proposes Christ as the great pattern and exemplar of humility; and instances in his assumption of human nature, and in his subjection to all that meanness, and death itself, even the…
243 wordsSECTION 28Philippians 2:6
Philippians 2:6 Ver. 6. Who being in the form of God,.... The Father; being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person. This form is to be understood, not of any shape or figure of him; for as such is not to be seen, it is not to be supposed of him; or any accidental form, for there are no accide…
1,078 wordsSECTION 29Philippians 2:7
Philippians 2:7 Ver. 7. But made himself of no reputation,.... Or "nevertheless emptied himself"; not of that fulness of grace which was laid up in him from everlasting, for with this he appeared when he was made flesh, and dwelt among men; nor of the perfections of his divine nature, which were not in the least dimin…
703 wordsSECTION 30Philippians 2:8
Philippians 2:8 Ver. 8. And being found in fashion as a man,.... Not that he had only the show and appearance of a man, but he was really a man; for "as" here, denotes not merely the likeness of a thing, but the thing itself, as in Mt 14:5, wv here, answers to the Hebrew k, which is sometimes by the Jews {k} said to b…
536 wordsSECTION 31Philippians 2:9
Philippians 2:9 Ver. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,.... The apostle proceeds to observe the exaltation of Christ, for the encouragement of meek and humble souls; that whereas Christ, who so exceedingly demeaned himself, was afterwards highly exalted by God, so all such who, in imitation of him, behave …
1,584 wordsSECTION 32Philippians 2:10
Philippians 2:10 Ver. 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,.... Which is to be understood, not of the outward act of bowing the knee upon hearing the name, and the syllables of the mere name Jesus pronounced; for in the bare name there can be nothing which can command such a peculiar respect; it was a n…
499 wordsSECTION 33Philippians 2:11
Philippians 2:11 Ver. 11. And [that] every tongue should confess,.... Whether of angels or men, or of men of whatsoever nation. Confession is either true and hearty, as when the mouth and heart agree in confessing, and which is made only by true believers; or verbal only, or in mere outward form, and by force, as in h…
271 wordsSECTION 34Philippians 2:12
Philippians 2:12 Ver. 12. Wherefore, my beloved,.... This is an inference from the instance and example of Christ; that since he, who was God over all, blessed for ever, made himself so low in human nature, in which he is now so highly exalted, having done the work and business he came about with such condescension, h…
1,129 wordsSECTION 35Philippians 2:13
Philippians 2:13 Ver. 13. For it is God which worketh in you,.... Which is both an encouragement to persons conscious of their own weakness to work, as before exhorted to; see Hag 2:4; and a reason and argument for humility and meekness, and against pride and vain glory, since all we have, and do, is from God; and als…
691 wordsSECTION 36Philippians 2:14
Philippians 2:14 Ver. 14. Do all things,.... Not evil things, these are to be abhorred, shunned, and avoided, even all appearance of them, they are not to be done, even the sake of good; nor all indifferent things at all times, and under all circumstances, when the peace and edification of others are in danger of bein…
6,177 wordsSECTION 37Philippians 3:1
Philippians 3:1 INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS 3 In this chapter the apostle cautions the Philippians against false teachers, whom he describes as evil men, and exhorts them to walk as they had him, and other faithful ministers for an example. And whereas these judaizing teachers were for drawing them off from Christ, a…
1,415 wordsSECTION 38Philippians 3:2
Philippians 3:2 Ver. 2. Beware of dogs,.... By whom are meant the "judaizing" teachers, who were for imposing the works and ceremonies of the law upon the Gentiles, as necessary to salvation; and they have the name retorted on them they used to give to the Gentiles; see Mt 15:26; nor should they think it too severe, s…
549 wordsSECTION 39Philippians 3:3
Philippians 3:3 Ver. 3. For we are the circumcision,.... And not they; they have the name, and we the thing, or that which legal circumcision was a shadow of, namely, circumcision of the heart; which lies in being pricked to the heart under a true sense of sin; in having the hardness of the heart removed, and the iniq…
771 wordsSECTION 40Philippians 3:4
Philippians 3:4 Ver. 4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh,.... This he says, lest it should be objected to him, that the reason why he had no confidence in the flesh, and did not boast of it, was, because he could not; he had nothing to glory of, and put his confidence in, and therefore acted the common…
348 wordsSECTION 41Philippians 3:5
Philippians 3:5 Ver. 5. Circumcised the eighth day,.... Circumcision was an appointment of God to Abraham, and his male issue; to him and them God gave the covenant of circumcision: this to Abraham personally was a sign and seal, that the righteousness of faith, which he had while he was an uncircumcised person, shoul…
1,416 wordsSECTION 42Philippians 3:6
Philippians 3:6 Ver. 6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church,.... The Vulgate Latin version adds, "of God", as in Ga 1:13. The apostle was very zealous of the traditions of the elders, and for the law of God, and towards God also; though his zeal was not according to knowledge, but blind, ignorant, and furious; whi…
356 wordsSECTION 43Philippians 3:7
Philippians 3:7 Ver. 7. But what things were gain to me,.... As circumcision, and the observance of the ceremonial law, which he thought were necessary to salvation; and his natural and lineal descent from Abraham, which he supposed entitled him to the favour of God, and eternal life, as well as to outward privileges;…
683 wordsSECTION 44Philippians 3:8
Philippians 3:8 Ver. 8. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss,.... Not only the things before mentioned, but anything, and everything else but Christ, or that stood in competition with him, or were short of him; as his natural and acquired parts; the whole compass of learning he had attained to; all that h…
1,152 wordsSECTION 45Philippians 3:9
Philippians 3:9 Ver. 9. And be found in him,.... This is another end the apostle had in view, in counting all things loss and dung, and suffering the loss of all for Christ. Calvin, different from other interpreters, reads the words actively, "and may find in him"; and thinks the sense is, that the apostle renounced a…
1,009 wordsSECTION 46Philippians 3:10
Philippians 3:10 Ver. 10. That I may know him,.... The Ethiopic version reads "by faith"; and to the same sense the Syriac. The apostle did know Christ, and that years ago; he knew whom he had believed; he knew him for himself; he knew his personal interest in him; nor did he know any but him in the business of salvat…
863 wordsSECTION 47Philippians 3:11
Philippians 3:11 Ver. 11. If by any means I, might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not in a figurative sense, the resurrection from the death of sin to a life of grace, of which Christ is the efficient cause, for this the apostle had attained to; unless the consummation of that spiritual life, in perfect hol…
330 wordsSECTION 48Philippians 3:12
Philippians 3:12 Ver. 12. Not as though I had already attained,.... Or "received"; he had received much grace out of the fulness of it in Christ; he had received the gift of righteousness, the forgiveness of his sins, and the adoption of children; he had attained to a lively hope of the incorruptible inheritance, and …
652 wordsSECTION 49Philippians 3:13
Philippians 3:13 Ver. 13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended,.... That for which he was apprehended of Christ: he had not attained to perfect knowledge, was not come to the mark, had not received the prize, or laid hold on eternal life; though he had received so much grace, and such gifts, as had qualifi…
5,008 wordsSECTION 50Philippians 4:1
Philippians 4:1 INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS 4 This chapter contains exhortations to various duties becoming Christians, the apostle's thankfulness to the Philippians for their present to him, and the conclusion of the epistle with the salutations of the brethren: in Php 4:1; the apostle exhorts the saints with great …
1,250 wordsSECTION 51Philippians 4:2
Philippians 4:2 Ver. 2. I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche,.... Two women, who were members of this church at Philippi, and who seem to have been at variance; either with each other, on account of some temporal and civil things, as often is the case of the dear children of God, who fall out by the way; and it bec…
228 wordsSECTION 52Philippians 4:3
Philippians 4:3 Ver. 3. And I entreat thee also, true yoke fellow,.... Not his wife, as some think {d}, for he had none, as appears from 1Co 7:7, at the writing of which epistle he was at Ephesus, where he stayed some little time, and then went to Jerusalem; where he was quickly apprehended, and sent a prisoner to Rom…
918 wordsSECTION 53Philippians 4:4
Philippians 4:4 Ver. 4. Rejoice in the Lord alway,.... This is a repetition of the exhortation in the preceding chapter; See Gill on "Php 3:1"; with this addition "alway"; for there is always cause and matter for rejoicing in Christ, even in times of affliction, distress, and persecution; since he is always the same; …
130 wordsSECTION 54Philippians 4:5
Philippians 4:5 Ver. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men,.... The Vulgate Latin reads, "your modesty". The Syriac and Arabic versions, "your meekness", or "humility"; graces which accompany moderation, and are very necessary to it, but not that itself. The Ethiopic version renders it, "your authority", which …
717 wordsSECTION 55Philippians 4:6
Philippians 4:6 Ver. 6. Be careful for nothing,.... This must be understood not in the most extensive sense, but with a limitation and restriction. There are many things that saints are to be careful for, as men and Christians; they are to be careful of their bodies, as well as of their souls; of the health of them, w…
734 wordsSECTION 56Philippians 4:7
Philippians 4:7 Ver. 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding,.... Not that peace which God calls his people to among themselves in their effectual calling; and which he requires of them to cultivate and maintain; and which he encourages in them by the promise of his gracious presence among them; and wh…
594 wordsSECTION 57Philippians 4:8
Philippians 4:8 Ver. 8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,.... To close all with respect to the duties of Christianity incumbent on the professors of it, the apostle exhorts to a regard to everything that is true; that is agreeable to the Scriptures of truth, to the Gospel the word of truth, or to the law …
454 wordsSECTION 58Philippians 4:9
Philippians 4:9 Ver. 9. These things which ye have both learned,.... Meaning from himself, in a doctrinal way: and received; not only into their heads but hearts, had embraced cordially, with great affection, in the love thereof, as well as given a full assent to: and heard; either publicly or privately, from the pu…
197 wordsSECTION 59Philippians 4:10
Philippians 4:10 Ver. 10. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly,.... The apostle proceeds to the last part of this epistle, and to take notice of the present which these Philippians had sent him, on account of which this his rejoicing was; and which was not small but great, and was not of a carnal but spiritual kind; it …
655 wordsSECTION 60Philippians 4:11
Philippians 4:11 Ver. 11. Not that I speak in respect of want,.... Either of want of will in them; of their slowness and backwardness in their care of him, postponing him to others, caring for him last of all; this gave him no uneasiness, he did not take it ill, knowing and owning himself to be less than the least of …
715 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.