Phil. 2 Phil. 2:1–2 Paul earnestly recommends to the Philippians mutual love and union, Phil. 2:3 lowliness of mind, Phil. 2:4–8 and that charitable condescension for the good of others, exemplified in the life and death of Christ, Phil. 2:9–11 for which God had exalted him to be Lord of all. Phil.

The apostle, reassuming his exhortation in the former chapter to unanimity, Phil. 1:27, doth here, by way of inference from what went immediately before, press them in a very affectionate manner, with a kind of rhetorical relation, and obtestation, as it were, adjure them.

Fulfil ye my joy; viz. the exercise of those graces he had been joyful for, which would be an addition to that joy he had for them, and the making of it much more abundant, contributing as much as the friends of the Bridegroom here can to the completing of it, John 3:29.

Here, the better to engage them to embrace what he had so pathetically exhorted them to, he doth dissuade them from animosity, an affectation of applause, and self-seeking; and direct them to modesty and self-denial.

Let; most translations do express the causal or rather illative Greek particle, which ours doth here omit as an expletive. However, the apostle doth urge them to the exercise of self-denial, mutual love, and a hearty condescension to one another, from the great example of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor.

Who, i.e. relative to Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of God by nature, very God extant with his Father before the beginning, John 1:1, Gal. 4:4, 1 Tim. 3:16, 1 Tim.

But; some expound this particle as a discretive, others an adversative, or redditive. Made himself of no reputation; i.e. most wittingly emptied himself, or abated himself, of the all fulness of glory he had equally with God the Father, that, considering the disproportion between the creature and…

To be found is a mere Hebraism, not unusual in the New Testament, not importing auy question of the thing, but only the thing certainly happening beyond expectation.

Wherefore; some take this particle illatively, connoting the consequent of Christ’s exaltation, upon his antecedent humiliation, as elsewhere, John 10:17, Acts 20:26, Heb. 3:7, 2 Pet. 1:10; the apostle showing the sequel of his sufferings to be glory, according to that of Luke 24:26.

At the name of Jesus; in the old translation by bishops in Queen Elizabeth’s time, (and some say in the manuscripts of this), it is in the name. However, in ours now, it is not appositively, at the name Jesus; but constructively, of Jesus, intimating, that the power, glory, and majesty of him who…

By tongue, not only every language, people, and nation is meant; because it is to be understood, as before particularized, of angels as well as men, for though angels properly, and by nature, want tongues, (as well as knees, which are both here joined, and must not be severed, in the worship given…

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed: having confirmed the example of Christ’s admirable condescension and affection from the glorious issue of it, he doth here reassume his exhortation, with a friendly compellation, commending their former sincere endeavours to obey the gospel (so Phil.

That they might not be negligent in working out their salvation with humility, from any conceit or carnal confidence any might have that they could believe and repent when they pleased, imagining their wills to be as pliable to good as evil; the apostle urgeth the effectual grace of God, as a…

Do all things without murmurings; the apostle here subjoins to his exhortation to condescension and humility, a dissuasive from the opposite vices, moving them to do all that was incumbent on them as Christians without private mutterings, secret whisperings, and complainings, which might argue…

That ye may be blameless and harmless; that ye behave yourselves so that none can justly reproach you, Luke 1:6 and though you cannot altogether put to silence foolish men, John 15:25, 1 Pet.

Holding forth the word of life; carefully bearing before you, and stedfastly showing, not only by your profession, but conversation, the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 John 1:1, whose gospel is the word of life, in that it is the power of God to salvation, Acts 13:26, Rom. 1:16.

Yea, and if I be offered: that he might further confirm and encourage them in their duty, he doth not here conclude the certainty of his death, at his first imprisonment, having expressed before some confidence of his surviving it, Phil. 1:19, Phil.

For the same cause also do ye joy; he expects the like affection and sympathy in every one of them, that upon the account of his sufferings they would the more readily, cheerfully, and courageously believe in and suffer for Christ: considering the difference between death threatened by man, for our…

But I trust in the Lord Jesus; diverting from his former exhortation, the more to comfort them, he expresseth his good hope (which in respect of the object we translate trust) in the Lord Jesus, exalted above every name, that he would be pleased, some way or other, to afford him such liberty,…

For I have no man likeminded; for which purpose I have designed Timothy, who joins with me in this Epistle, and is most of the same mind with myself, endued with the same Spirit, faith, and love; finding none of like soul to him with myself, in desiring your prosperity, and so have pitched upon…

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.

However others were found in some respects defective to the service of Christ, yet he appeals to their experience of the integrity and fidelity of Timothy in conjunction with himself, when he preached the gospel amongst them, and afterwards, Acts 16:1, Acts 17:15, Acts 18:5, Acts 19:22, Acts 20:4;…

Him therefore I hope to send presently; seeing the matter was thus, he thought not of any other to employ in the service of their faith, but hoped, i.e. in the Lord Jesus as Phil.

But I trust in the Lord; so he expresseth his strong persuasion, as the word we translate trust, being seldom used, but when the thing trusted imports the object. In the Lord; i.e. Jesus, whom he doth absolutely and eminently call Lord, being so highly exalted above all others, Phil.

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus; in the mean time he gives them an account why he esteemed it needful to send back Epaphroditus (whom some, but without sufficient warrant, would have to be the same with Epaphras, Col. 1:7, Col. 4:12, Philem.

For he longed after you all; he gives them the first reason of his present sending, not that Epaphroditus was unwilling to stay longer with him, but because he was greatly concerned for all of them of the church at Philippi, who had his heart, as they had Paul’s, Phil. 1:8, Phil. 4:1, Rom.

For indeed he was sick nigh unto death; by reason he was really taken with such a disease, as in its own nature was mortal, and in its tendency brought him even to death’s door, as Isa. 38:1.

I sent him therefore the more carefully; after his recovery, without delay, denying myself the comfort of his seciety, I have despatched him away to you.

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness: hereupon, having given his due character, he chargeth them all, officers and people, to entertain him as a servant of the Lord, (as Christ would have them receive his servants, Matt.

Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death; by reason he was so zealous about the work of the ministry in the general, or in special to carry on that service, as the church’s messenger, he was intrusted with, Phil.