The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 84

their mystery. Things without names would be too wonderful for ue. Only a few JIOOple continue to wonder as muoh after a thing is named, as before." Now, the Name which _ihe Fa~her set-'! &h<?ve every name is that of Jesus. The signification of this namr 1s Saviour (Matt. 1. 21), and the whole course of Providence is to exalt this nbo1·e e'l"ery other name. Hence the deep significance of this passage seems to be this-the.t salvation is the greatest glory which can be attributed to any individual. E'l"en the world is coming round to this idea, that for a man to be the "saviour of his country" in any sense is the highest position to which he can attain. When public worth is recognized, it is in connection with some salvation which the hero has wrouuht for men. The world is steadily moving towards this Divine idea, that the highest gl~ry attainable in the na.ture of things is the glory of saving in some way others. ffi AT THEN.um OF JESUS THE Ul\'IVEBSE SHALL YET BOW. (Vers. 10, 11.) Amona the saviours of mankind the Lord Jesus Chrisi is, of course, pre-eminent. All othe~ sal'l"ations will be made to appear in their essential insignificance when compared with Christ's sah-ation of his fellows from sin and death. Hence the long procession of the ages shall yet issue in the universal acclaim." Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Rev. v. 12). This is only another way of putting the truth that self- sacrifice shall yet be recognized as the sublimest manifestation of personality, a.nd that in self-sacrifice Jesus has been pre-eminent. 'l'hc homage of the universe is yet to bo made before the self-sacrifice which is embodied in Jesus Christ. IT. Tim LORDSHIP OF JESUS SHALL BE UNIVERSALLY .ACKNOWLEDGED. (Ver. 11.) Not only shall the Name of Jesus be put in honour above all other names, but his right to reign shall be recognized by all. The sovereignty of self-sacrifice is the goal of intellectual and moral progress. Jesus, as embodying the principle in absolute per- fection, will yet receive the homage of the universe. Even his enemies shall be constrained to bow to his authority and submit to his holy will. The triumph of self-forgetfulness and consideration for others is t.o be embodied in the acknowledged sovereignty of the Saviour. V. But lastly, THE GLOBY OF THE FATHEB SHAI.L PROVE TO BE THE LABT END OF THl!l WHOLE PLAN. (Ver. 11 .) For what is this but a similar compensation coming in natural order round to the Father again? The Father in the present dispensation has set himself to glorify, not him.self, bnt his self-sacrificing other self, the Son. He is l1imself exemplifying the self-forgetfulness and consideration for others for which his gospel calls. The Father is not looking on his own things, any more than the Son. Each Person of the adorable Trinity looks.away from self to secure the glory of his mate. Is it not right and beautiful in these circumstances that the glory of the great Father should result from the consideration for others he has shown, and that the mediatorial honours of Jesus should in the end be laid at the Father's feet? It is sometimes thought that it savours of selfishness to say that God arranges all things for his own glory. But when it is analyzed we find that the seemingly selfish arrange- ment has been really the most absolute unselfishness. God has been looking upon the thinas and interests of others all the time. He has been laying himself out for the ;cool'of his creatures. Disinterestedness has characterized his whole history; and if it be arranged that eventually the universe recognizes and adores the self-forgetfulness of God, if this is to be hailed at laat ea the only real glory,-then surely we could not d.eaire it otherwise.-R. :M. E. Vers. 12, 13.-The awful reapor,sibility of personal inspiration. The purposo of the present passaae, as we have seen, is to secure in the Philippian converts that considera- tion for the ~velfare of others which is the grand secret of Christian unity. '!'ho uample of Christ has been brought forward for the same object. Salvation, as wrought out by Jesus, has been the pre-eminent example of public spirit. But now we seem to have come across a break in Paul's idea, as if ho would centre the converts in self once again, while labouring to deliver them from self. And the passage has beeD torn from the context and split up into antagonistic exhortations, so that it seems a theological battle--ground rather than a call to Christian power and peace. Let us """ if w" ,;o not alu,gethcr escape the difficulty by hol<liug hard to the connection of Lhe aµ,stlt'i; thought. en. 11. 1-30.J 'l'HE EPIS'fLE 'l'O THE PI:llLIPPIANS.