The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 158

moti,c-~. The nf'"•1k implies that we have circumstances in which I nm." Dut the the- l"'""cr 0f 1son'rning our thoughts, and eenee is the s!\me. St. Pnnl is spc>1tking of 8 0 art' rt'sp0mihle for them. If the thoughts his present condition: he is con lent witl1 it, :1r0 r,r,kred well, the outward life will t?~ugh it. involves oll the hnrdships of cap- f,,J)ln,·. tivity; lue present contentment is !\ enmple Y,•r. 9.-Those things, whioh ye have both of his habitual Imme of mind. AuT&p,cr,s, learned. and reoeived, and heard, and seen hore rendered "oontent " is a common word in me. do. St. Pou I turns from contempla- in Greek philosophy. it menus "eolf-euffi- tion to practical life: they mast translote cient," "independent." It is of frequont int.o nction )he lessons which they rCC'eived occurrence in Stoical treatises ; but St. Paul fron1 him. The verbs arc norists and refer uses it in a Christian sense ; he is 11/ml.p,cr,s tn the time when he was am<>ng them. He in relation to man, but his 11/ml.p1<<1u comes t!luf:ht not hy word only, but by linng from God (2 Cor. ix. 8). nnmple; they saw in him when present, Ver. 12.-I know both how to be abased, nu,] heard of liim when he was nbsent, a and I know how to abound, St. Paul hnd pntkm of the Christion life. And the God experience both of sorrow nnd of joy, both of peace &hall be with you. God dwells of distress nud of comfort ; he knew how to with those who think holy thoughts nnd bear himself in both, bocauso hie ehiefest live hol, li.es; and with him comes the joy was "in the Lord." This abiding joy pence wl;ich is his, which be giveth (comp. raised him above the vicissitudes of this Rom. xv. 33). mortal state, and gave him nn 11/,.,.clp1<<1a, Yer. 10.-Bnt I rejoioed in the Lord a Christian independence, which enabled gTC&tly, that now at the last your ea.re of him to act beoowingly both in adversity me hath fionri.shed again. St. Paul !hanks and in prosperity. Everywhere a.nd in all the Philippian Church for the gifts brought things I am instrnoted; literally, as R.V., by Epaphroditus; his expressions, so cour- in everything and in all things; as we Sl!,Y, teous and yet so dignified, bespeak, like the "in each and all," in every cou<lition sepa- Epistle to Philemon, like all his writings, rately o.nd in all collectively. Tlie R.Y. the perfect gentleman in the hest sense of translates more accurately, "have !learned the word. I rejoiced in the Lord; he fulfils the· secret." The Greek µ.,µ.011µ.aA. means his own precept (ver. 4). His joy rises from properly, "I have been initiated." It is a the gift t.o the love which prompted the word adapted from the old Greek mysteries; ;:ift, and thence t.o the Divine Giver of tbat comp. Bengel, "Disc,iplina arcana imbutus love. Greaay. Bengel says, "Hoe vu sum, ignota muudo." St. Paul represents placuerit St.oico. Paulns ingeutcs a:ffectus the advanced Christian life ns a mystery, habuit, sed in Domino." The R.V. render- the secrets of which are taught by God the ing- of the following words is more literal: Holy Ghost to the soul that longs to prove "Ye revived your thong Lt for me." The in its own personal experience "what is that ,·erb is properly UBed of a tree putting forth good and acceptable and perfect will of fresL shoots aft.er its winter 6leep. Bengel God." St. Paul frequently uses the word thinks tliat tl,e metaphor was deri-red from µ.11,nfipu,11, mystery, for the truths once the sea.."OD; the apostle wo.s writing in the hidden but now brought to light by the spring. OtLers, as Meyer, render differ- gosp-el. Both to be full a.nd to be hungry, ently, '' Ye flourished again (i.e. in your both to abound and to snff'er need. 'l'he circu!ll5tances) so as to lllind my interests." word rendered "to be full" (xop.,.d(•uOa,) A,; the words might seem to imply some is strictly used of animals, o.nd means "to degree of Llame, St. Paul hastens to nscribe be foddered;" in the New Testament and the tlelay of tLe Phllippia11s to causes be- later Greek it is used also of DJen, without yond their own control Wherein ye were any depreciatory significance, as in Matt. also c2.!'eful, but ye le.eked opportunity; v. 6, "'l'lu·y shall be filled (xop-rau6fiuo11T111)." wore literally, wherein ye did indeed take Ver. 13.-I ca.n do all things through tlv,ught, as R.V. It may he that they had Christ whioh strengtheneth me; rather, as !JG suiu,,ble messeuger; but St. Paul speaks R.V., in him that strengtheneth me. The ,,f the "deep poverty" of the Macedonian best manuscriptB omit the word" Christ" in C!J urche:s lll 2 Cor. ,iii. I, 2, where he al.so this place. In him. It is only in Christ, ~ pra.lij(:,'; their liberality. spiritual union with him, that the Christian Ver. 11.-l'i'ot that I Bpea.k in reepeot of is a.ina.p1<r,r, self-suflicient. His presence want: for I have lea.rlled, in whataoever gives strength to do and suJl'er all thing, It.ate I am, tber1,wilh to be oontent. He ex- (comp. 2 Cor. xii. 9). plains himself; it i.. not want that prompt.ad Ver. 14.-Notwith8tanding 7e have well hl.E wc,rdE. Litel'hlly, I /.t;a,med (the verb is done, that 7e did oommuDioate with m7 uuri.!!t); that iE, wl:.en Le became a Christian. a.111.iction; rather, 88 B.V., ye had fello1111hip Tht_ A. V. i£ verbally inaccurate in the fol- tmth my ajftictwn. St. Paul values the sym- l"Wlllg we.rill., which lllf:aU literally, "In the pathy, the fellow-feeling, more than tho OH, IV, 1-23.] ·rnE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. 159