The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 97

poreonnl comfort and convenience before the claims of Christ on their service. Of those available there were none (with only one exception) who could stand the test of such a journey. There is !I side light thrown hero on one of the trials of Paul in his imprison- ment. As all, when it came to the crisis, forsook Christ and fled, so Paul was so isolated ne to be nt a loss to find a delngate of the right stamp for thi~ mission to Philippi. "All," he has to say," seek their own, not the thingR of Jesus Christ." In no haste, in all sobriety, does he bring this heavy indictment against them. They were all so afflicted with selfishness that they could not, at the call of Christ, brave a journey from Rome to Philippi. And before we cast a stone at them, let UB ask if we coukl have stood the test ourselves. Do we habitually place the claim.e of Christ before personal comfort and convenience? May the same charge of selfishness not be brought home to very many sti!I? If there was, even among those who profess to be Christ's, a willingness to set aside comfort and convenience for Christ, would there not be a hundredfold more of men and of money for Christian work? The one exception, the one unselfish man of those who might have gone to Philippi, was Timothy. He is commended as like-minded, or like-souled, with the apostle. And this is to be explained by the fact of his spiritual parentage. The language used in various places is "son," "my own son," "my beloved son," "my dearly beloved son." It is common to see the features of the father repeated in the son. This is true, not only of the bodily features, but extends even to the mental and spiritual configuration. Timothy had been moulded by his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois in the Jewish religion, and no doubt they had left their mark on him. But in his conversion to Christianity he had so completely come under the formative influence of tbe apostle that there was a kind of natural assimilation to him in what he cared for. With his father's instincts, is Chrysostom's explanation of the word " truly" that is used here. Because Paul cared for the state of the Philippians, Timothy his son could not help caring for their state. 3. His fitness relative to the Philippians. "But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child serveth a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the gospel." Timothy had been with Paul at Philippi, as is borne out by the narrative in the Acts of the .Apostles, and his qualities had been there put to the proof. Their experience of him was this, that-as a child serveth a father, so he had served with Paul in furtherance of the gospel. It is an excellent arrangement, by which the younger is made to serve under the elder. It is beautiful to see a son free from opinionativeness and self-will, and spending his time and employing his powers as the father, in his larger experience and superior wisdom, directs. Soldiers who have plenty of strength and courage, when they go into battle are placed under the best military skill that is obtainable, and thus in the result it is as though each had the skill of his commander. It will be a source of strength for us, the men of this generation, to be guided by what has been proved to be good by the men of former generations, especially by those principles of religion which have stood the test of the ages, and have had the approval of the wisest and best of our race. Timothy must have been a very young man when working at Philippi, and very unaccustomed to the work. Some years after the date of this Epistle, Paul wrote to him in these words: "Let no man despise thy youth." In his inexperience in the work o! furthering the gospel he had grace given him to take the course marked out for him by Paul; and thus he was preserved from many a fall, and was able to work to the best advantage. In this he was an example to a junior pastor serving with a senior. Blessed are those who, filled with a sen_se of their own imperfections, value the assistance of the wise in the direction of their energies. 4. Time of his mission. "Him therefore I hope to send forthwttb, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me." He hoped shortly to send Timothy to them; he hoped, therefore, shortly to see how it would go with him. As soon as he saw the result of the trial, which he was confident would be his liberation, forthwith, without any loss of time, would he senu forth Timothy, that the Philippian and other Churches might rejoice. 6. The mission of Timothy was not to supersede a visit from himself. . ." But I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall come shortly." In the same spmt anu. sphere of co,~fidijnce, ho gives them to _underst~od that, while th_us wi:iting of t~e mission of '11mothy, he does not forget his promise to pay th~°:1 a v1s1t lumself, ~n hl.13 liberation. It might not be nn immediate or a prolooged vmt; but he helu. himself bound (God willing) to include Philippi in bis plau of visitatiou,  94 TB E EPI.:5TLE TO THE l'HI LIPPIANS, [on. n. 1-30,