This chapter contains several exhortations to unity, love, and concord, to humility, and lowliness of mind, and to a becoming life and conversation; and concludes with commendations of two eminent ministers of Christ, Timothy and Epaphroditus.

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ Or “exhortation”, as the word is sometimes rendered; that is, either if there is any exhortation of Christ to love and unity, as there is in (John 15:11, John 15:17) , and this is of any weight and value; or if an exhortation hereunto made in the name…

Fulfil ye my joy The Arabic version adds, “by these things”; meaning not his joy in the Lord Jesus Christ, which arose from views of interest his person, blood, and righteousness; which was had by believing in him, by enjoying communion with him, and living in hope of the glory of God; this in a…

Let nothing be done through strife About words merely; otherwise they were to strive for the faith of the Gospel, the purity of Gospel ordinances, worship and discipline; but the apostle would not have them strive merely to carry a point determined on, without having any regard to reason and truth,…

Look, not every man on his own things Not but that a man should take care of his worldly affairs, and look well unto them, and provide things honest in the sight of all men, for himself and his family, otherwise he would be worse than an infidel; but he is not to seek his own private advantage, and…

Let this mind be in you The Arabic version renders it, “let that humility be perceived in you”. The apostle proposes Christ as the great pattern and exemplar of humility; and instances in his assumption of human nature, and in his subjection to all that meanness, and death itself, even the death of…

Who being in the form of God The Father; being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person. This form is to be understood, not of any shape or figure of him; for as such is not to be seen, it is not to be supposed of him; or any accidental form, for there are no accidents in…

But made himself of no reputation Or “nevertheless emptied himself”; not of that fulness of grace which was laid up in him from everlasting, for with this he appeared when he was made flesh, and dwelt among men; nor of the perfections of his divine nature, which were not in the least diminished by…

And being found in fashion as a man Not that he had only the show and appearance of a man, but he was really a man; for “as” here, denotes not merely the likeness of a thing, but the thing itself, as in , (ως) here, answers to the Hebrew (כ) , which is sometimes by the Jews [[9]] said to be (כף…

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him The apostle proceeds to observe the exaltation of Christ, for the encouragement of meek and humble souls; that whereas Christ, who so exceedingly demeaned himself, was afterwards highly exalted by God, so all such who, in imitation of him, behave to one…

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow Which is to be understood, not of the outward act of bowing the knee upon hearing the name, and the syllables of the mere name Jesus pronounced; for in the bare name there can be nothing which can command such a peculiar respect; it was a name common…

And that every tongue should confess Whether of angels or men, or of men of whatsoever nation. Confession is either true and hearty, as when the mouth and heart agree in confessing, and which is made only by true believers; or verbal only, or in mere outward form, and by force, as in hypocrites,…

Wherefore, my beloved This is an inference from the instance and example of Christ; that since he, who was God over all, blessed for ever, made himself so low in human nature, in which he is now so highly exalted, having done the work and business he came about with such condescension, humility,…

For it is God which worketh in you Which is both an encouragement to persons conscious of their own weakness to work, as before exhorted to; see ; and a reason and argument for humility and meekness, and against pride and vain glory, since all we have, and do, is from God; and also points out the…

Do all things Not evil things, these are to be abhorred, shunned, and avoided, even all appearance of them, they are not to be done, even the sake of good; nor all indifferent things at all times, and under all circumstances, when the peace and edification of others are in danger of being hurt by…

That ye may be blameless This, and what follows, show the end to be answered, by observing the above exhortation. This respects not their being blameless in the sight of God, which the saints are not in themselves, being not without sin, though they are, as considered in Christ, clothed with his…

Holding forth the word of life By which may be meant, either Christ the essential Word, in whom life was, and is, and who is called the quick or living Word, (John 1:1, John 1:4) ; and here may be styled the Word of life, because he has all life in him; he has a divine life in him, as God, he is…

Yea, and if I be offered Or “poured out”, as the drink offerings of wine or oil were; meaning the effusion of his blood, which he compares to a libation, or drink offering, which was poured upon the sacrifice; and the laying down of his life for the sake of Christ, and his Gospel: which he knew not…

For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me. ] He would not have them be sorrowful, should they hear of his death for the sake of the Gospel, and of his blood being poured out in such a cause, since it was as a libation on their faith, and for the confirmation of it, and would be gain to…

But I trust in the Lord Jesus Or “hope”; not in himself, his wisdom, will, resolutions, and purposes; nor in an arm of flesh, in any human aid and power; nor in princes, nor in Nero, the Roman emperor, as expecting a release from bonds by him, when he could the more easily part with Timothy; but in…

For I have no man likeminded With myself; as my soul, so the Syriac version renders it. Timothy had a soul like the apostle’s, which none that were with him, besides him, had; he was of the same judgment with him in the doctrines of grace; he received and preached the same Gospel as he did; he…

For all seek their own Meaning not every individual, but the greatest part; and not merely such as were manifestly false teachers, but such as were with the apostle, as ministers of the word; and we may suppose him to be stripped, by one means or another, of the more valuable preachers of the…

But ye know the proof of him They had had an experiment of him, a trial of his spirit, and a proof of his gifts and ministry, when he was among them with the apostle at his first preaching the Gospel to them, to the conversion of Lydia, and of the jailer, and their households, which laid the…

Him therefore I hope to send presently For the reasons now given: so soon as I shall see how it will go with me; whether he should be released from his bonds or not; whether he should live or die; whether he should be set free, or be called to suffer martyrdom for the sake of Christ; for he…

But I trust in the Lord The Syriac version reads, “in my Lord”: that I also myself shall come shortly: this he adds, partly to let them see, that he still retained a secret hope and persuasion in his own mind of a deliverance, though he could not be certain of it, how things would go with him; and…

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, &c.] In the mean while, before either he or Timothy could come to them. This man was sent by the Philippians to the apostle with a present, and had been detained at Rome for some time, partly through business, and partly through sickness; but…

For he longed after you This verse and contain the reasons of the apostle’s sending him; and the first is, because he had a very vehement and longing desire after all of them; to see them, as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions add, and as it is read in the Alexandrian and Claromontane copies, and in…

For indeed he was sick nigh unto death It was not a mere rumour, or a false alarm, but was real matter of fact; and it was not a light disorder, a slight indisposition, but a very dangerous illness; though the sickness was not unto death, yet near it.

I sent him therefore the more carefully Or in greater haste, and as soon as possible: that when ye see him again ye may rejoice; for this must greatly increase their joy, to see him again after he had been so long from them, and under such a disorder, which had made them to fear they should never…

Receive him therefore Not only into their houses, where such as bring the doctrine of Christ should be admitted, and not others; but into their bosoms, into their hearts and affections, as he had reason to believe they would, and into their fellowship and communion, and to the exercise of his…

Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death Meaning either the work the church sent him about, and which he cheerfully undertook, and faithfully performed in carrying of a present to, and visiting the apostle in prison; which is called the work of Christ, because taken by Christ as if it…