17. 2u^a,//A>jra/, imitators [followers] together with) Paul him self was an imitator [follower] of Christ ; the Philippians, there fore, were to be imitators [followers] together with him. — ffMTTsTre, regard [marfc]) with unanimity. — OVTM$, so) The inferior examples of friends of the Cross of Christ ought to be tried by the standard of those that are superior and nearer to perfection.
18. lHspi<ra7oijoiv, walk) before your eyes. — <roXXax/g, often) There ought to be a constant demonstration. — xXa/'wv, weeping) We may suppose that Paul added this word, after he had mois tened the epistle with his tears ; in joy, there is still sorrow, Rom. ix. 2. — ro'jg s^Qpovg ro\j cravpou, the enemies of the Cross) Gal. vi. 12, 14.
19. rf>v, whose) The nominative is implied ; comp. o/, which presently after occurs and is dependent on Kepifrarouffiv, walk. — ro rsXoc, the end) This statement is put before the others, that what follows may be read with the greater horror. It will be seen in the end. [The end, to which the plans of every man tend, shows truly wliat is his condition. — Y. g.] — a-TrwXs/a, destruction) The antithesis is tarr^a, Saviour, ver. 20. — uv 6 fabg r\ xoitJa, ivhose god is their belly) Rom. xvi. 18. The antithesis is Kvpio*, Lord, ver. 20 ; and TO <tupa, body, ver. 21, as 1 Cor. vi. 13. Their belly is sleek, our body is wasted ; the fashion [s^fia out of fjt,era<fxri[Aari<iei] of both will be changed. — jj <3&Ja, glory) The pre vious, God, and glory, here are set down as parallel ; and there fore 86%a, glory, in this passage denotes a god, or glorying con cerning a god. Hos. iv. 7, LXX., rqv do^av avruv zig dqffopai, " I will turn their glory to dishonour." — a/V^ui/jj,
It corresponds to the Hebrew word ntSO, for example, Hab. ii. 10. Comp. respecting this prophet, the note at Col. ii. 23 ; like wise nny below, 5^ %o/X/«, the belly. But at the same time the word alludes to an idol, to which D^3, aiayj^vr^ shame, corre sponds. The LXX. have sometimes a/o-^u^, shame, for nny, nakedness ; therefore in this passage Paul seems to denote rqv %araro/j,yv, the concision, to indicate, that the circumcision now was not glorious, but a subject for shame. So the belly and shame are closely allied. They worship that of which they ought to be ashamed, and they will be miserably ashamed of it at
1 TT.oAXoi, many) To follow many in the way of imitation is dangerous. —
V.g.