Ve stand fast (ctyxere). Compare Eph. vi. 13; 2 Thess. li. 15. For the verb, see on John i. 26; viii. 44.
Spirit—mind (rvevpwatt—apvyp). See on Rom. viii. 4; xi. 3.
Striving together for the faith (cuvaddodvtes TH mlores). The verb occurs only here and ch. iv. 3. The figure is that of an athletic contest, and is in keeping with stand fast. Not to be rendered stroving in concert with the faith, thus personifying
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Jaith, and making the faith signify the gospel teaching.* For the faith as christian doctrine, see on Acts vi. 7. Hazth is to be taken in its usual subjective sense of trust in Christ or in the Gospel. Together refers to the mutual striving of the Philip- pians; not to their striving in concert with Paul.
28. Terrified (mrupdépevor). Only here in the New Testa- ment. Properly of the terror of a startled horse. Thus Dio- dorus Siculus, speaking of the chariot-horses of Darius at the battle of Issus: “‘ Frightened (wrupopevor) by reason of the mult- itude of the dead heaped round them, they shook off their reins ” (xvii., 34). Plutarch says: ‘The multitude is not easy to handle so that it is safe for any one to take the reins; but it should be held sufficient, if, not being scared by sight or sound, like a shy and fickle animal, it accept mastery.”
Which is (Aris éoriv). Seeing that it is.
An evident token (évdeés). Only here, Rom. iii. 25, 26 ; 2 Cor. viii. 24: Lit., a pointing owt. Used in Attic law of a writ of indictment. A demonstration or proof.
To you of salvation (vpiv). Read tuav of you. Rev., of your salvation.
And that of God. Reyv., from God (a0). Lightfoot finds here an allusion, in accord with striving together, to the sign of life or death given by the populace in the amphitheatre when a gladiator was vanquished, by turning the thumbs up or down. “The christian gladiator does not anxiously await the signal of life or death from the fickle crowd. The great Director of the contest Himself has given him a sure token of deliverance.”
29. It is given—to suffer for His sake (éyapiady to uiep —airod racyew). Every word here is significant. Suffering is a gift of grace. “It is given” should be “it was given,” re- ferring to the gift bestowed when they became Christians. Suffering was the marriage-gift when they were espoused to Christ: the bounty when they enlisted in His service. Be-
* So Lightfoot.
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coming one with Him they entered into the fellowship of His suffering (ch. iii, 10). The gift was not suffering as such. Its meaning and value lay in its being for His sake. The Macedonian churches, and the Philippian church especially, were preéminently suffering churches. See 2 Cor. viii. 2.
30. Conflict (d4yava). An athletic contest. See on strw- ing, Col. i. 29, and compare striving together, ver. 27.
Ye saw. In his sufferings at Philippi, Acts xvi.; see 1 Thess. ii. 2.
Hear. Concerning my imprisonment.