The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 11

servant, mc11ne laLour for hire, nnd is com- Spirit from the Father. Others, as Meyer, monly used of hil'Cd c11nvaseers, in the sense make the genitive subjective, and interpret of factiousness, party spirit. It is reckoned "the aid which the Spirit supplies." The by St. Paul in Gal. v. 20 among the works Spirit is here called "the Spirit of Jesl'.is of the flesh, and is condemned also in Hom. Christ"-" proceeding from the Fa.tber and ii. B. Not sinoerely, supposing to add afflic- the Son." So also Gal. iv. 6; Rr>m. viii. !J; tion to my bonds; rather, as R.V. (rending Acts xvi. 7 (in the true reading), "tile Spirit with the best manuscripts 1-y,lp,w), thinking of Jesus." to raise up ajJUc.tion for me in my uond8. Ver. 20.-According to my earnest expec- Their motives were not pure; they wished tation e.nd my hope, that in nothing I shall t.> make SL. Paul feel the helplessneBB of be a.shamed. The Greek word for ·• earnest imprisonment, and to increase bis affliction e:a:pecta.tion," which occurs a.lso in Rom. viii. by opposing bis doctrines, n.n<l by forming a. 19, means literally, e. watching with out- party insisting on the observance of the stretched head, with the attention concen- ceremonial la.w. Bishop Liglitioot tra.ns- trnterl on one ohject, and turned away from la.tes 81\(,j,,v 1-y,/p,av "to make my chains all others. Neither his sufferings nor the go.II me." opposition of the J uda.izers will put him to Ver. 18.-Wha.t then 1 notwithstanding, shame. But that with all boldness, as al- every wa.y, whether in pretence, or in truth, ways, so now also Christ shall be ma.gnified Christ is preaohed; rather, only that, as in my body, whether it be by life, or by R.V. (comp. Acts xx. 23). WJ1a.t is the death. After" boldness" (literally, l>oldness result of all this preaching? Only the.t of speech) we shoulrl expect the active form, Christ is announced, that the story of Christ "I shall magnify." St. Paul, in hia humility, is told. The motives of the preachers ma.y prefers the passive, "Christ shall be magni- not be good, but the resnlt is good ; the fied." Boldness of speech wa.s t.o be hia gospel fa.cts are ma.de more widely known, pa.rt, tl,e glory should be Christ's. What- not only by those who preach in sincerity, ever the issue might be, w hetl1er a life of but even by mell.lls of those who strive to Christian labour or e. martyr's death, it promote their own party ends under the would be well. The apostles were not om- pretence of preaching Obrist. And I therein niscient, says Bengel, in relation to their do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. St. Paul own ruture lot; they lived in faith allll rejoices in the good which God brings out hope. of evil; though that good is produced by Ver. 21.-For to me to live is Christ, and to the outward agency of his own adversaries. die is gain. Others, a.s Calvin, render (not Yea, and I shall rejoice. He will not allow so well), "For to me Christ is gain both in himself to be vexed by the bitterness of his life and in death." The alternative sug- opponents, he will not imitate their party gested in ver. 20 leads St. Paul to a short spirit; his joy will continue, for be knows digression on the comparative advantages uf the.t, in spite of present hindrances, the life and death; he is content with either. result is assured. Life is blessed, for it is Christ; comp. CoL Ver. 19.-For I know the.t this ehe.11 turn iii. 4, '' Christ, who is our Life," and Gal. ii. to my salvation, TovTo, this, refers to the 20," Not I, but Christ liveth in me;" "Quic- general preaching of Christ, rather than (as quid vivo, Christum vivo" (Bengel). The Calvin e.nd others interpret) to the affliction life of Christ lives, breathes, energizes, in raised up for St. Paul. The opposition of the life of his saints. His flesh, bis iucar- his enemies will stir him up to greater nate life is their mee.t; his blood, the mys- nctivity and earnrstness, and so conduce to tery of his atonement, is the drink of their his spil'itual well-be,ng now and to his sal- souls. He e.bidetb in them, a.nd they in vation hereafter. This ho lmoivs, for "all him. And yet death is gain; the slate of all things work together for good to them dec,th, not the a.et of dying, is meant (t!.e that lovo God." Some, as Clny;ostow, inliuitive is a.orist, ,,-/, o.1ro8av,iv), for the <lea,) undel'Stand ,n.,,,.11p(a here of present S(lfety in Christ l\re l\t home with the Lord (,!vii~- or delivemnce from prison; but this socms µovn,s 1rpos .,-i,v K6p,ov) in a far more blesse<l improbable. The words aro quoted from sense tbll.ll the saints on enrth. Job xiii. IG, Sepluugint Version. Through Ver. 22.-But if I live in the flesh, this is your prayer, and the supply of tho Spirit of tha fruit of my la.bour : yet what I shall Jesus Christ. He knows t.hnt they pray for ohoose I wot not; or perhaps, as Meyer, "I him; ho humbly believes that those prnyers woke not known." St. l't\u\ wavers be- c,ssist him in working out his own sulvc,tion. tween his own personal longiug for rest in As the pro.yer uscends, sc,ys Bengel, the Puradise with Christ, nnd the tlwught that supply of the Spirit descends; comp. Go.I. the contiuu!lnce of his life on eMth might iii. 5, "Ho thut ministcr<'th i;: supplietb,' oonduco to the aprco.Jing ot' the gospel, U.V.J to you the Spirit." 'fbo Spirit is the Tbo gnuumur of tbo Greek sentence aptly supply; the Lord Jesus Soll(ls tho ,1uiokoning ropretwnts the apoatl,/~ hc;itatiou. Thu  r, THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. [en. 1. 1-30.