THE ARGUMENT Paul, being called of the Lord to preach the gospel in Macedonia, having touched at Neapolis of Greece, came to Philippi, the first city, in regard of its situation, within that part of Macedonia, on his way from Samothracia into that country, through Amphipolis and Apollonia, to…

Paul and Timotheus; i.e. the author and approver, intimating the good agreement between Paul and Timothy, whom they well knew, to gain their fuller assent to what should be written, Matt. 18:16, 1 Cor. 1:1, 2 Cor. 1:1.

The evangelical salutation, as Rom. 1:7, Eph. 1:2, 2 Pet. 1:2; praying for the free and undeserved favour of God the Father to them, as the fountain, James 1:17 together with all inward and outward blessings, flowing thence through Christ the procurer of them.

As in most of his Epistles, (viz. Rom. 1:8, 1 Cor. 1:4, 2 Cor. 1:3, Eph. 1:3, Col. 1:3, 1 Thess. 1:2, 2 Thess. 1:3, 2 Tim. 1:3} he begins with thanks to God; and here, my God, i.e. whose I am, and whom I serve in the gospel of his Son, Acts 27:23, with Rom.

As in praising of God, the Author of all that grace they had received, in every solemn prayer, so in continuing his fervent and assiduous requests unto God always, 1 Thess. 5:17, for them all: the term all being used three times emphatically: compare Luke 2:37, Rom. 1:9.

Your being joined with us and other Christians in the communion of Christ, and glad tidings of salvation by him, 1 Cor. 10:16–17, 1 Pet. 4:13, 1 John 1:3, 1 John 1:7; evidenced by the communication of your bounty, Gal. 6:6, Heb.

Being confident of this very thing; i.e. having thanked God for what he had done and did for them, he expresseth his firm persuasion and charitable hope of their perseverance for the future.

Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all; i.e. consonant to the law of equity and charity, Acts 4:19, 1 Cor. 13:7, Col. 4:1, with 2 Pet. 1:13. It behoves me to pass this judgment on you all, upon good grounds.

Confirming what he had before written, he appeals to God in the heavens, who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins, as in some other Epistles, Rom. 1:9, 2 Cor. 1:23, with 2 Cor. 11:31, Gal. 1:20, 1 Thess. 2:5, 1 Thess.

And this I pray: having praised God for their attainments, he returns, (as Phil. 1:4} in token of his love, to his great petition for them. That your love may abound; viz.

i.e. To the ends he subjoins, namely, that ye may approve things that are excellent; that upon a due expense of circumstances in a judicious trial, upon rightly discerning the differences of things not obvious to every eye, so as to choose and approve those things that are really to be preferred,…

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness; i.e. not only bringing forth some single, yea, or singular fruit, but replenished, plurally, with the fruits of righteousness, Acts 9:36, Col. 1:10; elsewhere called the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22, Eph.

But I would ye should understand, brethren: to obviate the insinuations which false teachers and others might make use of from Paul’s sufferings, to obstruct the cordial entertainment of those glad tidings he had brought, and to discourage those who did obey the truth, he doth by this friendly…

And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds; and here again, contrary to the expectation of those persecutors, who designed to make havoc of the church, his innocent carriage and constancy in bearing the cross, had all influence upon the greater part of the brethren (not…

He doth here tacitly answer an exception which might be made; It were better some of them were silent, than preach so boldly as to procure him hatred, and lessen his reputation; 1.

This distinction he did amplify and explain here, by particularly showing the ill motive, manners, and end of the worst sort of preachers, from an ill affection of hatred, emulation, and wrath, 2 Cor. 12:20, Gal.

Then intimating the genuine principle and good end of the better sort, who were moved from a prevailing affection to God, the edification and salvation of souls; cordially joining with Paul in carrying on the same design that he did, who was appointed of God, Acts 23:11, 1 Thess.

What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in, truth, Christ is preached: q.d. It doth not follow, that these different intentions of the preachers should hinder the spreading of the gospel, and therefore it should not abate either your confidence or mine in the cause of Christ,…

He doth here further commend Timothy, compared with the generality of those who with him did attend the ministry of the gospel at Rome, where it seems (whatever the papists pretend) Peter did not then preside as metropolitan.

According to my earnest expectation and my hope; he allegeth and explaineth the ground and certainty of his knowledge and persuasion of his enemies’ disappointment, and all succeeding well with him, trusting in the living God, 1 Tim.

Some read it: For Christ is my gain in life and in death; or: For Christ is to me both in life and in death advantage. Both acknowledge it to be brought in as a reason of Paul’s hope in life and death; and of his indifferency, in submission to God’s pleasure, in life and death, intimating it was…

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: some, from the various use of the Greek particles, render this first clanse interrogatively; But whether to live in the flesh were worth the while? Or more profitable? (understand, than to die).

For I am in a strait between two; because he knew not what to choose for the best, he was held in suspense, Luke 12:50, Acts 18:5, as one drawn both ways with weighty reasons, which he amplifies with respect to himself and the church, that Christ might be honoured in both: his love to the enjoyment…

However, with respect to the church, by his staying here in this mortal body he persuades himself, knowing the subtlety of false apostles, who would enter in as grievous wolves, Acts 20:29, it was necessary to strengthen them and other churches in the faith of Christ.

And having this confidence; viz. being persuaded of what went immediately before, how useful the continuance of his life, for a further time in this world, would be to the church of Christ, and particularly to them, he determines (as should seem) with more than probable conjecture; though, upon…

Here, in confidence of being again with them, and staying with them, he expresseth an admirable affection to them, that he can be content for a time to be deprived of the glorious sight of Christ, that he might see and serve them, and that under persecution; that they might, upon his return to…

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: q.d. In the mean time, whatever becomes of me, that which is for your part solely incumbent on you, who are brought into the fellowship of the gospel, is to demean yourselves truly agreeable to that state.

And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: the original word which the apostle useth, imports, they should not be appalled or affrighted, as men and horses are apt to be when furiously charged by their deadly enemies, but stoutly receive them, keeping their ground, Matt. 10:28, Luke 12:32.

For unto you it is given; he adds a further argument to move them unto that he had exhorted, from God’s freely bestowing, of his mere grace, what he had required of them.

And be heartened to partake with him in the like trials he sustained when amongst them, Acts 16:19–24, and which he now was enduring at Rome, Phil. 1:13; an example of suffering unto them, if they would but await the blessed issue of his agony.