The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 9

nncl tboir liboral bounty. 'fhis fellowship in cndurnnce of suft'oring and in propngating began "in tho beginning of the gospel," the gospel. Thus there seems to bo no when the Philippians sent aid to tho apostle roference in the words "defence and con- at Thcsealonicri and Corinth; it continued firmation" to hie public defence before "until now "-ten years; they had just •ent Cmsar (which probably had not yet taken their nlms to St. Paul at Rome by Epe.- plo.ce), but genero.l!y to bis work of preach- phroclitue (eh. iv. 10). ing the gospel, which we.s both apologetic, Ver. 6. - Being confident of this very meeting the objections of adversaries, and thing. St. Paul's thanksgiving refers, not aggreMsi ve, asserting the truth. only to the pnet, but also to tho future. He Ver. 8.-For God is my record-rather, hne o. confident trustfulness in God's powe:r witness(comp. Rom. i. 9)-how greatly I long nnd love. The worcls a:b-ro -roii-ro might after you e.ll in the bowels of Jesus Chr'.et. menn "on this e.eeount," i.e. on account of The word u.-7<&-yxva., here rendered" bo1vela," the perseverance described in ver. 5, but the means the heart, liver, etc., not the e,itrails. order seems to support the ordinary rencler- The expression is remarkable, an,! is well iug. That he which hath begun a good illustrated by Bengel's striking wor<ls," Pau- work in yon will perform it; rather, o.s R. V., lus non in Pauli, sed Jesn Christi movetur he which began. Both lvap~clµevos and ,,..,_ visceribns." "Not I, but Christ li.:eth in ,,.,l<fr., have (Bishop Lightfoot) a sacrificial me." He is so united with Christ that ,(JC reference. The good work is self-consecra- feel a with tb e heart of Christ, he loves with tion, the sacrifice of them solves, their sou ls the love of Christ. and bodies, iasuing in the co-operation 1,f Ver. 9.-And this I pray. This is the lnbour e.nd e.lmsgiving. This sacrificial purport of the prayer already mentioned iu metaphor recurs in eh. ii. 17. The good ver. 4. The conjunction Yva. marks the end work is God's; he began it and he will of St. Panl's prayer, and so its purport. perfect it. The beginning (Bengel) is the That your love may a.bound yet more and pledge of the consummation. Yet it is also more. Your love; not love for the apostlo their work-tueir co-operation towards the only, but the grace of Christian charity. St. gospel (comp. eh. ii. 12, 13). Until the day Paul finds no fault with the Philippians, of J esns Christ. The perfecting will go on but" ignis in apostolo nunquam dicit, Snffi- until the great day. To the individual cit" (Bengel). He prays for their con- Christian that day is practically the do.y of tinued growth in love, but not unintelligent his death; though, indeed, tho process of love. In knowledge and in all judgment. perfecting may be going on in the holy dead 'E1r!'Y"wu« is a stronger word than 'Y"iiJuis: it till they obtain their perfect consummo.tion means full, complete knowledge. The Greek and bliss both in body and soul. These afo811u,s (literally, sense) occurs only here in words do not iiuply that St. Paul expected the New Testament, though a.lu811-r./ip,a. (or- the second advent during the life of his gans of sense) is found in Heh. v. H. "Dis- Philippian converts. The words " in you " cernment," the rendering of R.V., is more must be understood as meaning "in your correct than "judgment." It is, Bishop hearts," not merely "among you." Wordsworth says, "that delicate tact and Ver. 7.-Even as it is meet for me to think instinct, which almost intuitively perceives this of you all. It is meet; rather,just, right. what is right, and almost unconsciously To think this; to entertain this confidence shrinks from what is w:rong." It cannot concerning you. Because I have yon in my exist without love. ••Everyone that loveth heart ; or, because you have me in your heart. is born of God, and knoweth God." With But the order of the worcls, and ver. 8, make love there comes a spirii;u,i.l sense, spiritual the first rendering the more probable. His sight, spiritual bee.ring, a sense of the beauty love for them incrce.ses his confidence. In- of holiness, e. fine perception of Christian asmuoh as both in my bonds, and in the de- propriety; -1, &-yd,,..,, ov,c auxwLovei. fence and oonfirma.tion of the gospel. These Ver. 10.-That ye may a.pprove things words may bo taken with the prececling, "I that are e:a:oellent. Love, issuing in spirituu.l ho.ve you in my heo.rt during my imprison- discernment, would enable them to recog- ment o.nd defence." So Ohrysostom, whose nize, to test, to prove things that are excel- words are very striking: 03-rw -ydp fr.,., Tu- lent; so Bengel," Non modo prm m~lis bona, p11vv11<ov 6 lpws 6 1rvevµa.T11Cos ws µ716evl 1rapa· sed in bonis optiwe.." '!'his seews better xwp•iv 1<a.1p,p. But it is, perhaps, more na- tho.n the alternative rendering, "to prove turnl to to.ke them with tho following. Ye all the things that differ" (comp. Roai. ii. 18). are pa.rte.kers of my graoe ; rather, ye all are That ye may be sinoere and without offence partalcers with me of the graoe. '.1.'hoy wern till the day of Christ. Eil<11,p1vfis, according partakers of the grace of God given to him to the common derivation (from ,17<11, SUll- in his bonds and in his work. The like light, aud 1tplvw), meo.ns "judged in the full gro.oe wo.s given to them both for the pe.ssivo light of the sun," tlll\t is, pnr,i, true; comp. anrl activo siJea of the Chl'iBtian Ii fo-1.iolll John iii, 21, "He tlmt dol'th truth cometh  4 THE EPISTLF, TO THE PHILIPPIANS. [oll, I. 1-30,