The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 173

made him independent. It is tlie humble spirit which trusts the omnipotent Saviour "·hich pr()res to be really the independent spirit. It is humility and indepcndenoe "·h1rh nlrniys go together. When we control our desires, minimize our wants, we oan n-nrh independence more really the.n by acquiring vut ,eetate. The rioh are often dis- e0nt;,nted. Their desires outstrip all a.cquisition, and they a.re discontented in :ipite of their 11bundanco. III. 'l'IIE CO?>"TE1'"TEn SPIRIT MAKES MUCH OF ITS BOUNT~. (Vere. 12-18.) With the independence PRul manifests magnimimity. See how he speaks of the attention ol the Philippians. He makes it out that they have been always sending to him-that every time they had an opportunity they were sending him their love-tokens. "Ouco and again'.' they bad sent to his :necessity. Now, it requires a big contented spirit to tnke the kmdness of others cordially. Emerson ~y~, "You cannot give anything to a magnanimous person. After you have served him he at once puts you in debt by his magnanimity. The ser.-ice a man renders his friend is trivial and selfish compared with the service he knows his friend stood in readiness to yield him, alike before he had begun to serve his friend and now also. Compared with that good-will I bear my friend, the benefit it is in my power to render him seems small. Besides, our action on each other, good as well as evil, is so incidental and at random that we can seldom hear the acknowlcdgments of any person who would thank us for a benefit without some shame and humiliation. We can rarely strike a direct stroke, but must be content with an oblique one; we i:eldom have the satisfaction of yieldina a direct benefit which is directly received. But rectitude scatters favours on every side without knowing it, and receives with wnnder tho thanks of all people." In the same way, we find the magnanimous Paul m11.king as much of the kindness of the Philippfans as led them, we may be sure, to wonder at such mention being made of their gifts at all. IV. THE CO:!\"TE1'"'TED SPmIT LOOKS AT ALL m A BPmITUAL LIGHT. (Vers. 19-23.) Paul was glad of their gift, for it was spiritual "fruit." It was a benefit to them more than to him. Did they not realize that "it is better to give than to receive"? They had pleased God by their goodness to his servant. And he would supply all their need, according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. He would give them spiritual compensation. They wonld get a benefit in soul which was cheaply bought by what they had given. He then sums up the joy-inspiring Epistle with salutations, among others, from those saints in Cmsa.r's household. This shows what success Paul's mission had enjoyed at the capital, how even the entourage of the emperor had felt the spell of the aged prisoner. Paul had shown that he could live a heavenly, joyful, contented life, in spite of his imprisonment and possible martyrdom. The hero made l,eroes of others. The guardsmen who were chained to him cleaved to him in love, May such a celestial life be onrs !-R. M. E. Ven;. 1-7.- Various ezhortafi.ons. I. STEADFASTNESS. "Wherefore, my brethren beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved." Ju; in the first chapter our performing our duties as citizens is followed by the exhor- tation to stand fast, so here our possession of the privileges of heavenly citizens is more formally made the ground of the same 4:X;horta.tion. We ~e to stand fast_ so as has been pointed out, i.£. as heavenly c1t1zens. There might be a standmg fast azainst becoming heavenly citizens. And even as heavenly citizens they were to stand fast in the Lord, i.e. within the limits and to the extent prescribed by Christ, and in the ~trength offered by (_::hrist. But the duty ?f stea?fas~ne~s is almost lost si,,.ht of m the wealth of epithets of endearment with which 1t 18 ~urrounded. Tht Philippians were his brethren beloved; he cherished the warmest feeliogs toward them. They were his longed for ; he had in absence a great desire to 110e them. They were his joy; he had a great delight in their Christian excellences. They were his crown, or wreath of victory round the di~dem ; the,: were evidence that he had not run in vain. And, having stated the duty with all brevity, he falls back on the first epithet as if he had difficulty in breaking away from affectionate expression. Let them riot, then, grieve such love by neglecting to stand fa~t. II. 'IRE r:;,cc,~crLIATION OF Euonu AblD SYNTYCHE. 1. Direct appeal. "I exhort Eu0di.a, aod l exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord." It is a OH. IV. 1-28.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS. li5