The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 12

conetrnrtfon is Rlmo~t hoprlNtsly oonfueed. The first translation seems preferable, for PerhRps lh<' intrrpretat.ion of the R.V. ie the St. Paul's assurnnco docs not seem to rest on Firnplest : "But if to live in the fl.esh,--tf dil'eot inspiration, but on a c11lcnl11tion of this is the fruit of mv work, then what I probabilities. The e.postles couhl Mt CLlwe.ys shnll chooee I wot not." Thus 1tapwos is forosee their own future (Acts xx. 22). psrnllel with ,dplios (ver. 21); .,-b (fiv Iv Bishop Lightfoot so.ye, " The same word <J"ap1tl is nlso " ~ain, n fruit; the geniti'l"e is oi8a is used Acts xx. 25, where he expresses one of npposition ; the work it.'!elf is the his belief the.t he ehe.11 not see his AsiCLtio fruit. St. Pnul, says Bengel, regards his converta age.in. Viewed os infallible pre- work e.s fruit, others seek fruit from their sentiments, the two nre hardlyreoonoilnble; work. Bishop Lightfoot proposes another for the one e.ssnmes, the other nege.ti vee, his rendering, "But what if my living in the release. The assurance hore recorded wns flesh will OO.'\r fruit, etc. ? 1n fact what to fulfilled (l Tim. i. S); while the presenti- choose I k-now not." Snrely, 811.ys Bengel, ment there expresserl was overruled by the Christian's lot is excellent; he can hesi- events (2 Tim. i. 15, 18: iv. 20).'' For your tate only in the choice of ble.'!sings; disap- furtberanoe and joy of faith i for the progress pointed he cannot be. e.nd joy of your faith, the.t yon may con- Ver. 23.-For I a.m in a strait betwixt tinue.Uy incree.se in faith and te.ke delight two; rnther, but (so the best manuscripts) in it. Joy is the key-note of this Epistle. I am straitened, hemmed in (Bishop Light- Ver. 26.-The.t your rejoioing may be more foot) bdici.xt the tioo n1tcrnntives, life and abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my com- death, pressing npon me, conslxaining me on ing to you again. Glorying or boa.sting either side. Having a desire to depart ; (,ca,',X"/µ.a), not rejoicing. Perhaps rather, ho'l"ing my desire set towards departing (,ls e.s Meyer," That the matter in which you .,-d avaJ,.iio-a,). The word occnrs ngain in 2 have to glory [i.e. the bliss in which you Tim. iv. 6, 'O Kcupds -rijs ~µ1's Cl.vCLA60-1;c.os. rejoice a.s Christiane] me.y increase abun- It is used of a, ship, to loose from its moor- dantly in Christ Jesus (as the clement or ing,,; or n camp, to break np; comp. 2 Cor sphere of the glorying] in me [ne the instru• 'I". 1, " If our earthly honse of this taber- mentor eanse]." nacle were dksol'l"Cd (1ra-rczJ\Vfiji)." Probnbly Ver. 27.-0nly let your conversation be. here ihe metap11or is to.ken from tent life; St. Pnul exhorts the Philippiane to stead- to loosen, to rcm,,rn the tent, the temporary fastness. Only, whatever happens, whether abode, in the journey to the heavenly city. I come or no, 1ro"ll.,.,-,6,rr6,, behave as •citi~ And to be with Chri.st. The holy dead are zens ( comp. eh. iii. 20, 'Hµ.ii>v .,-,; 1ro"ll.1-reiiµ.a with Christ, they rest from tbe:ix fabourB; and Eph. ii 19, ~11µ.1ro"ll.i.,-a1 -rii>v lr:ylc.,v. The the} live nnto God (Luke XL 38); they do verb also occurs in Acts xxiii. 1, "I have not sleep idly witbont conscionsm.11s, for lived ( ..-e..-o"ll.f"TE11µ.a1) in all good conscience they are described :in Holy Scripture as wit- towards God.'' St. Pe.ul was himself a nesses (Heb. xii 1) of the race set before Roman citizen; he we.e writing from Rome: li'l"ing Christians (comp. also 2 Cor. v. 6, 8 his presence there waecaueed by his havingex- and ActJ! vii. 59). Yet they are elsewhere ercieed the rights of citizenship in appeCLling described as sleeping (1 Cor. xv. 51, 52; 1 t.o Cmse.r. He wa.e writing to a ple.ce largely TiiesE.. iv. 14, 15); for the rest of the spirits inhahited by Roman citizens (for Philippi of jnst men in Paradise is as a sleep com- was a Roman colony), a place in which he pared with the perfect consummntion and had declared himself to be e. Roman (Acts bliss of God's elect, both in body and soul, xvi 87). The metaphor we.a natural. Some in hiB everlasting glory. Whlch is fe.r of you are citizens of Rome, the imperial better; rrn,l and translo.te,for it i8 by much city : Ii ve, e.11 of yon, as citizens of the rery far l,eiter. He piles up comparati\'es, heavenly country, the city of the living ae if uunble to find words capable of express- God. A.s it becometh the gospel of Christ ; ing the glory of his hope. rather, as R.V. margin, behave as citizens Ver. 2¼.- !Tevertheleu to abide in the 11.eah worthily of. There is a striking pnrnllel in is more needful for you. To abide by the Polycarp's letter to these same Philippia.ne fiedi (if with some anthorities the prepo- (sect. 5), •Ecw 1ro"/\.1.,-i11rr<l,µ.e6a. 3.(lws ahoii, ,cal sition is omiit~d), to hold to this hnman life rr11µ./3a.rr,J,,.,{,,roµ.ev ab-r,ji: literally, "If we live with all its trials, is more needful for your as citizens worthily of him, we shall also s:1ke. Meyer quotes Seneca., 'Epist.' 98, reign with him." That whether I oome and "Vit111 sure ad jici nihil desiderat sue, eausa, 1ee yon, or elsa be absent, I may hear of red eorum, quibus utilis est.'' your a.ff'airs, that ye ste.nd fa.It In one spirit. Ver. 25.-A.nd having this con.fi.dence, I The metaphor is military, and follows know that I shall abide 11:id continue with naturally from the thought of citizenship. you all. Being persuaded of this, that my Philippi was e. military colony, its chief /,. is nrxdful for you; or, ae others render, magistrates were praitors, ,r.,-pa-r71-yol (Acts "A. d t11i..e I certainly, con.6.dently know.'' xvi. 20), literally, '' generals" (comp. Eph. en. r. 1--30.J THE EPISTLE TO THE PllILIPPJANl'!. 7