The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 40

enrtbly fri<>nds. When the Rpostlo, then, eays that to die is gain, ho must mel\n thnt wl_rnt !s gnined by d~11.th more th~n _coun_tcrbalances the loss. 'l'he result, when every- thing 1s computed, 1s n~t loss; 1t ~s gam. He does not tell us how much gain it le; bu_t be uses tha word_ w)th a_ cer~m absolute~ess, It, is not a more slight excess of !!Rm over loss; but 1t 1s gam w1t~o1;1t men~1?n of limitation._ It is gain such as ~wallows up the sense of loss. This 1~ cond1t1onal on our having mada Obrist our end. If we have made any worldly obJect our final end, then to die is loss and with a certain Rbsoluteness of meaning. It is tot.al <>arthly loss without any gai~ that can he set. against it in the next world. It is what Christ calls the loss of the soul, It is the loss of the great end and joy of existence. But if we have made Christ the end of our life, then t,o die is to have succeeded in life. It is to have been climbin" the mountain and t,o have gained the summit. It is to have bern contending i~ the arena and t,o have gained the prize. It is to have been living for Christ and to have come to Christ as our supreme Reward. 2. The consideration of advantage ro others by hu continuing in life makes him und,eculed. •• But if to live in the flesh,-if this is the fruit of my work, then what I shall choose I wot not. But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very fa.r better." He has shown a leaning to tha alternative of dying. But had the other alternative, viz. living in the flesh, no hold upon him? How did it stand related to his work, i.e. the work given him on earth to do? Had he yet accomplished all the good to others that was intended by his labours? Let it be BUpposed that his living in the flesh was the condition of carrying out his life-task in its fruitfulness to others, then he felt at a loss which alternative to choose. He was in a strait betwixt the two. He felt the obligation of finishing bis life-work with all the good that might result from it to others. But he felt, on the other hand, a desire to depart and be with Christ, which was very far better. Let the form of the desire be not.ed. He had a desire to depart. The reference is to breaking up a camp. Our body is the earthly tabernacle in which we live. We have a natural aversion to break up our earthly encampment. We become attached to our dwelling and its surroundings, even by long use. The apostle had triumphed over this, so as even to desire to break up his earthly encampment. Severe or long-continued sickness may bring on the desire for death. " As a servant," s:i.ys Job, "earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: so am I made to possess months of venity, and wearisome night.s are appointed to me. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro until the dawning of the day." Old age may make us feel that we are becoming unfitted for life. "I am this day fourscore years old: ... can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women ? " Or our nncongenial surroundings may make us sigh for a change. " Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar ! " What had principalJy influence with the apostle was the attraction of the life beyond. 'l'he earthly breaking up, or what he elsewhere calls his absence from the body, would be his presence with the Lord. He felt drawn to the Lord, with whom he had vital union and communion, and to the invisible world over which he presided, and to the people who were there happy with him. lle felt that to have face-to-face and affectionate intercourse with him, t.o have a new comprehension of his mind and a new reception of his Spirit, was better than being here. It was far better. Nay, he uses a triple comparative, and his language, deliberately chosen, is, that It is" very far better." It is to have Christ in his incomparable worth and glory disclosed to us and enjoved by us as he cannot be here. 3. The consideration of advantage especially to tit£ Pl,ilippians by his coutinuing in life ultimatdy 1!1"evai?s with him. "Yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake. And having th!S confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and a.bide with you all." While he had a strong tending toward the Lord, it was not an impatient, precipitate tending. He was not mutinous against tha Divine disposal of him. There was wisdom in his state of mind. He _saw clearl_y that it was for his own advantage to depart. But he saw, at the same time, that 1t was more netdful for such as the Philippians, that he should abide in the flesh. And when it came to be a question between personal bliss and work to be done by him, there could be no doubt on what side his decision would be given. He had enough of the spirit of the Master, like him, to for~go heavenly bliss for earthly work. He was not Clll, I. 1-30.) 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS.