18. What then? Such being the case, how does it affect me ?
Notwithstanding (Av). Read adv ote except that. Rey., only that. What is my feeling in view of these things? Only that I rejoice that Christ is preached.
In pretence. With a spirit of envy and faction, possibly with a counterfeited zeal for truth.
19. This. This preaching of Christ in every way. Shall turn (droByjceras). Lit., come off, eventuate.
Salvation. Not his deliverance from captivity, but it will prove salutary to him in a spiritual sense and to the saving work of the Gospel. Salvation simply is used, without any more precise definition ; and the broader sense, as related to his min-
Cu. L] THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 423
istry, seems to be indicated by the words Christ shall be magni- jied, in ver. 20.
Supply (ecyopnylas). See on add, 2 Pet. i. 5. Compare Gal. ii. 5. The word implies bountiful supply.
Of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Either the supply furnished by the Spirit, or the supply which is the Spirit. It is better to take it as including both. The exact phrase, Spirit of Jesus Christ, is found only here. Spirit of Christ occurs Rom. viii. 9; 1 Pet.i.11. The Holy Spirit is meant; called the Spirit of Jesus Christ, because through the Spirit Christ communi- cates Himself to His people. “The Spirit is the living prin- ciple and the organ of the proper presence of Christ and of His life in them” (Meyer).
20. Earnest expectation (dzroxapadoxtav). Only here and Rom. viii. 19, on which see note.
Shall be ashamed (aicyuvIjoopas). Rev., better, giving the force of the passive, shall be put to shame.
Boldness. See on Philem. 8.
Shall be magnified in my body. Through my bodily suf- ferings Christ shall appear more glorious, and that even if I die.
21. To me. Emphatic. Whatever life may be to others, to mé, etc.
To live is Christ (ro Sv Xpucros). Lit., the living ts Christ. Compare Gal. ii. 20. He has no thought of life apart from Christ.
Gain. As consummating the union with Christ. Compare Col. iii. 4; 2 Cor. v. 1-8.
‘‘ Declare unto him if the light wherewith Blossoms your substance shall remain with you Eternally the same that it is now ;
And if it do remain, say in what manner, After ye are again made visible, It can be that it injure not your sight.
424 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cx. L
As by a greater gladness urged and drawn They who are dancing in a ring sometimes Uplift their voices and their motions quicken ; So, at that orison devout and prompt, The holy circles a new joy displayed In their revolving and their wondrous song. Who so lamenteth him that here we die That we may live above, has never there Seen the refreshment of the eternal rain.” DANTE, ‘‘ Paradiso,” xiv., 13-27.
22. If I live (e¢ ro Gv). Rev., better, if to kive: the living, as ver. 21. ;
This is the fruit of my labor. According to the A. V. these words form the offset of the conditional clause, and con- clude the sentence: ¢f I live—this is the fruit. It is better to make the two clauses parallel, thus: ¢f living after the flesh, (if) this ws frurt of labor. The conditional suspended clause will then be closed by what I shall choose I do not declare. Fruit of labor, advantage accruing from apostolic work. Compare Rom. i. 13.
Yet what | shall choose | wot not («al ri aiprjoouar ob yvopitw). Kai rendered yet has the force of then. If living on the flesh be, etc., then what I shall choose, ete. Wot is obsolete for know. In classical Greek yvwpitw means: 1, to make known point out; 2, to become acquainted with or discover , 3, to have acquaintance with. In the Septuagint the predominant meaning seems to be to make known. See Prov. xxii. 19: Ezek. xliv. 23 ; Dan. ii. 6,10; v. 7. The sense here is zo de- clare or make known, as everywhere in the New Testament. Compare Luke ii. 15; John xvii. 26; Acts ii. 287 Cols iveri: 2 Pet. i. 16, ete. If I am assured that my continuing to live is most fruitful for the Church, then I say nothing as to my per- sonal preference. I do not declare my choice. It is not for me to express a choice.