THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE

Philippians.

ST. PAUL founded the Christian Church at Philippi, as we read (ACTs, xvi. 12-40), about the year of Christ 51; and we read of his being there again (Acтs, xx. 6). Philippi was a small city of Macedonia, situated near the borders of Thrace. It had formerly been called Crenides, but the famous king Philip had given it his own name, when he enlarged and fortified it against the Thracians. A Roman colony had been carried thither by Julius Cæsar.

The Christians at Philippi were always full of acknowledgement for the faith they had received from God, by the ministry of St. Paul. They assisted him on several occasions (PHI. iv. 16). They sent him money while in Achaia; and, being informed that he was a prisoner at Rome, they sent a deputa tion to him by Epaphroditus, their bishop, to be serviceable to him (PHI. iv. 12, 18). Epaphroditus fell sick; and St. Paul, in order to deliver the Philippians from their concern at the hearing of his sickness, sent Epaphroditus to them again, when he was recovered, and by him this epistle. The design of this epistle was to thank the Philippians for the supply they had sent him; to comfort them under the concern they had expressed for his imprisonment; to check a party spirit that had crept in among them; and to promote, on the contrary, an entire union and harmony of affection; to guard them against being seduced from the purity of the Christian faith by Judaizing teachers; to support them under the trials. with which they struggled; and, above all, to inspire them with a zealous concern to adorn their holy profession, by the most eminent Christian attainments.

As the apostle tells the Philippians that he hoped to see them shortly (Pн1. ii. 24), and there are plain intimations (PHI. i. 12; ii. 26) in the epistle of his having been some time at Rome, it is probable that it was written in the year 62, towards the end of his confinement.

CHAP. I.

3 He testifieth his thankfulness to God, and his love toward them, for the fruits of their faith, and fellowship in his sufferings, 9 daily praying to him for their increase in grace: 12 he showeth what good the faith of Christ had received by his troubles at Rome, 21 and how ready he is to glorify Christ either by his life or death, 27 exhorting them to unity, 28 and to fortitude in persecution.

A. D. 64. PAUL and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons :

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2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance 1

of you,

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request 2 with joy,

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5 For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now;

6 Being 'confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you3

I mention. A. V.

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2 making supplication. We. among you. Ham.

CHAP. I.

a1 COR. i. 2: To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus. bACTS, xvi. 12: And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days, &c.

See on ROM. i. 7.

See on Roм. i. 8, 9.

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ROM. xii. 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. do. xv. 26: For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 2 COR. viii. 1: More over, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. PHI. iv. 14, 15: Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now, ye Philippians, know also, that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

'HEB. X. 35; Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

* Ps. cxxxviii. 8: The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

JOHN, vi. 29: This is the work of God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent. 1 THES. i. 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and pa

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will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ : 7 Even as it is meet5 for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my 'bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel, "ye all are partakers of my grace."

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8 For God is my record, P how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

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9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

10 That ye may approve things that are ex

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4 will finish it. A. V. just. Wi. Pu. ye have me in your heart. A. V. partakers with me of grace. A. V. companions of grace with me. Ma. Cr. experience. Co. feeling. Ma. understanding. Cr. Bi. Rh. sense. A. V. perception. Dod. spiritual sense. We.

tience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.

i Ver. 10.

2 COR. iii. 2: Ye are our epistle written in our hearts. do. vii. 3: I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.

See on ACTs, ix. 16.

m Ver. 17.

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PHI. iv. 14, 16: Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. For even in ThessaIonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 2 TIM. i. 8: Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God. REV. i. 9: I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation.

• See on ROM. i. 9.

P PHI. ii. 26: He longed after you all.

thren dearly beloved and longed for.

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See on JOHN, Xiii. 34.

do. iv. 1: My bre

EPH. i. 8: Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. PHILE. 6: That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

ROM. ii. 18: And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent. do. xii. 2: That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. EPH. v. 10: Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

cellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

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11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, " which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel;

13 So that my bonds in Christ 10 are manifest in all the palace," and in all other places ;

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14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

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16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel.

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way,

9try things that differ. A. V. 10 for Christ. A. V. A. V. 12 to all others. A. V.

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See on 1 Cor. i. 8.

Cæsar's court.

JOHN, xv. 4, 5: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. EPH. ii. 10: We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. CoL. i. 6: Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.

▾ See on 1 Cor. X. 31.

▾ PHI. iv. 22: All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Cæsar's houshold.

* PHI. ii. 3.

y Ver. 7. 1 COR. ix. 17: A dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me.

whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply 13 of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

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20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, "whether it be by life, or by death.

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to 1 die is gain.

22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: 15 yet what I shall choose I

wot not.

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two,16 having

13 ministering. Co. Ma. Cr. Bi. help. Gen. 15that thing is to me fruitful for the work. Cr. ways. Dod.

14 if I am to live. We. 16 borne two different

ROM. viii. 28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

a See on ROM. xv. 30.

b See on ROM. viii. 9.

ROM. viii. 19: The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God..

ROM. v. 5: Hope maketh not ashamed.

EPH. vi. 19, 20: And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

f Rom. xiv. 7, 8: For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

8 See on ROM. vi. 11.

REV. xiv. 13: And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.