Philippians 1:8–14

He calls God to witness that his deep affection for them may be understood. One who feels so deeply about something is ready to call God as his witness to underscore his feeling. Through this he inspires a corresponding love in them for himself. For it is in being loved that we feel love. He therefore loves all these partners not with a human desire but in the love of Christ, not merely with emotional affection but with spiritual affection. They share with him in the knowledge of the mystery of God and the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He calls not God to witness as though he should be doubted, but does this from his great affection, and his exceeding persuasion and confidence; for after saying that they had fellowship with him, he adds this also, "in the tender mercies of Christ," lest they should think that his longing for them was for this cause, and not simply for their own sake. And what mean these words, "in the tender mercies of Christ"? They stand for "according to Christ." Because ye are believers, because ye love Christ, because of the love that is according to Christ. He does not say "love," but uses a still warmer expression, "the tender mercies of Christ," as though he had said, "having become as a father to you through the relationship which is in Christ." For this imparts to us bowels warm and glowing. For He gives such bowels to His true servants. "In these bowels," saith He, as though one should say, "I love you with no natural bowels, but with warmer ones, namely, those of Christ." "How I long after you all." I long after all, since ye are all of this nature; I am unable in words to represent to you my longing; it is therefore impossible to tell. For this cause I leave it to God, whose range is in the heart, to know this. Now had he been flattering them, he would not have called God to witness, for this cannot be done without peril.

The Apostle calls God as his witness not because he feared distrust, but because he cannot express in words his great heartfelt affection, leaving this to God, who searches the hearts. And this is a clear proof of his sincerity. For if he were flattering them, he would not call God as his witness. He said: "with the love of Jesus Christ," that is, not for anything human, not because you sent what I needed, but with love for God's sake. Or, having become your father through faith in Christ, I love you not with a fleshly love, but with that love which Christ gives to His true servants who beget for Him children of the Gospel. I embrace all of you with great love, because all of you are such.

Having stated the reason for hope concerning the future, he now indicates the matters for which he makes supplication for them. First, he mentions his desire, which is shown to be very fervent; secondly, the matter of his prayer (1:9).

Since the heart's desire is known to God alone, he calls on God to witness that he prays for them with desire: "Behold, my witness," God, "is in heaven" (Job 16:19). How I yearn for you all, i.e., I, living with the affection of Christ Jesus. Or, how I long for you to be in it; as if to say: How I long after your salvation and participation in the merciful heart of Christ. "Through the tender mercy of our God" (Lk. 1:78): As if to say that the power of love reaches to the inmost depths of the heart. Or, I long for you to be in the heart of Jesus Christ, i.e., that you may love Him intimately, and that you may be loved by Him; for man's life consists in this.

He wishes, with God's assistance, to pour into them pure Christian doctrine, that their faith will be firm and that they will see clearly all the vast implications of their faith. He wants them to be able to distinguish what is useful from what is useless. He prays that they may adorn the teaching of the Lord with works of righteousness, producing the fruit of immortality to bring about an abundance of good things. This will be the glory of the apostle to the Gentiles.

The elements are worshipped,-the air by Diogenes, the water by Thales, the fire by Hippasus; and by those who suppose atoms to be the first principles of things, arrogating the name of philosophers, being wretched creatures devoted to pleasure. "Wherefore I pray," says the apostle, "that your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent." "Since, when we were children," says the same apostle, "we were kept in bondage under the rudiments of the world. And the child, though heir, differeth nothing from a servant, till the time appointed of the father." Philosophers, then, are children, unless they have been made men by Christ.

"And this," saith he, "I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more." For this is a good of which there is no satiety; for see, being so loved he wished to be loved still more, for he who loves the object of his love, is willing to stay at no point of love, for it is impossible there should be a measure of so noble a thing. Paul desires that the debt of love should always be owing; "Owe no man any thing, save to love one another." (Rom. xiii. 8.) The measure of love is, to stop nowhere; "that your love," says he, "may abound yet more and more." Consider the character of the expression, "that it may abound yet more and more," he says, "in knowledge and all discernment." He does not extol friendship merely, nor love merely, but such as comes of knowledge; that is, Ye should not apply the same love to all: for this comes not of love, but from want of feeling. What means he by "in knowledge"? He means, with judgment, with reason, with discrimination. There are who love without reason, simply and any how, whence it comes that such friendships are weak.

Though he is loved so much, he still desires to be loved even more, because it is the nature of love never to stand still. Pay attention to his turn of phrase, which he intensifies further when he says: "grew more and more." He says this so that they would love not him alone, but others as well.

That is, so that you would love not simply, but with discernment and confidence and examination, because there are many who love indiscriminately, which is why such love is never lasting. Or so that you would not love heretics.

Then when he says, and it is my prayer, he mentions his prayer. He asks three things: the first pertains to increasing charity within. For the interior affections are perfected by charity; therefore, if one lacks charity, he should desire to obtain it; if he has it, he should desire that it be made perfect. Hence he says, that your love may abound more and more. God is the one from whom an increase of charity should be sought, because God is the only one who works this in us: "God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work" (2 Cor. 9:8). Hence it is necessary that we pray for it, because "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 5:20).

The second request regards understanding; hence he says, with knowledge. But does knowledge arise from charity? It seems so, because it is stated in 1 John (2:27): "But the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie." Furthermore, charity is the Spirit, of whom it is said in John (16:13): "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth." The reason for this is that when a person has a habit, if that habit is right, then right judgment of things pertaining to that habit follows from it; but if it is corrupted, then false judgment follows. Thus, the temperate person has good judgment in regard to sex, but an intemperate person does not, having a false judgment. Now all things that are done by us must be informed with charity. Therefore, a person with charity has a correct judgment both in regard to things knowable; hence he says, with knowledge, by which one recognizes the truth and adheres to the truths of faith; and this is the knowledge of holy things mentioned in Wisdom (10:10); and in regard to things to be done; hence he says, and all discernment (sense), which is the faculty that deals with external objects. Its function is to judge correctly and quickly about the proper object of sense. As a result, this name has been transferred to the internal judgment of reason; hence, those who possess correct judgment in regard to what they should do are called sensible: "Think," i.e., sense, "of the Lord with uprightness" (Wis. 1:1): "To fix one's thought on," i.e., to sense, "her is perfect understanding" (Wis. 6:15).

He says, "in knowledge and all discernment, that ye may approve the things that are excellent," that is, the things that are profitable. This I say not for my own sake, says he, but for yours, for there is danger lest any one be spoiled by the love of the heretics; for all this he hints at, and see how he brings it in. Not for my own sake, says he, do I say this, but that ye may be sincere, that is, that ye receive no spurious doctrine under the pretence of love. How then, says he, "If it be possible, live peaceably with all men"? "Live peaceably" (Rom. xii. 18), he says, not, Love so as to be harmed by that friendship; for he says, "if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; that ye may be sincere" (Matt. v. 29), that is, before God, "and without offence," that is, before men, for many men's friendships are often a hurt to them. Even though it hurts thee not, says he, still another may stumble thereat. "Unto the day of Christ"; i.e. that ye may then be found pure, having caused no one to stumble.

Therefore, since the Jews still contend that the Christ is not yet come, whom we have in so many ways approved to be come, let the Jews recognise their own fate, -a fate which they were constantly foretold as destined to incur after the advent of the Christ, on account of the impiety with which they despised and slew Him.

That is, what is beneficial. If you love prudently and with discernment, then you can choose what is beneficial and distinguish who is worthy of love, that is, the faithful, and who is not worthy, that is, the unfaithful. But how then does he say in another place: "be at peace with all men" (Rom. 12:18)? First, he did not say this unconditionally, but with a qualification: "if it be possible, be at peace with all men." Then, it is one thing to be at peace, and another to love; the first means not to be hostile, but love requires a disposition of the soul and, as it were, a merging and identity of character, which should not be shown toward heretics. For "if your right eye offends you, pluck it out" (Matt. 5:29).

I say this not for my own benefit, but so that you do not, under the pretext of love, accept some false teaching. He said "pure" — this is before God, "without offense" — this is before people; because although friendship with a heretic does not harm you, it scandalizes another; and if you scandalize your brothers, then how will you appear pure in the day of Christ?

But this discernment should be able not only to recognize, but also to distinguish between, good and evil, and between good and better; hence he says, so that you may approve what is excellent: "Earnestly desire the higher gifts" (1 Cor. 12:31) and in (15:1): "Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts;" hence he says, what is excellent. The third request concerns behavior. First, he mentions immunity from evil, when he says that you may be pure. For there are two evils to be avoided: first, internal destruction, by which a man is destroyed in himself; and this is excluded by sincerity: "the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5:8). The other concerns our neighbor, namely, offenses; hence he says, and blameless: "Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do" (1 Cor. 10:32); "We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry" (2 Cor. 6:3). For the day of Christ, i.e., to the end of our lives: "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Mt. 24:13).

"Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are through Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God;" i.e. holding, together with true doctrine, an upright life.

And not merely upright, but "filled with the fruits of righteousness." For there is indeed a righteousness not according to Christ, as, for example, a moral life. "Which are through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." Seest thou that I speak not of mine own glory, but the righteousness of God; and oftentimes he calls mercy itself too righteousness; let not your love, he says, indirectly injure you, by hindering your perception of things profitable, and take heed lest you fall through your love to any one. For I would indeed that your love should be increased, but not so that ye should be injured by it. And I would not that it should be simply of prejudice, but upon proof whether I speak well or no. He says not, that ye may take up my opinion, but that ye may "prove" it. He does not say outright, join not yourself to this or that man, but, I would that your love should have respect to what is profitable, not that ye should be void of understanding. For it is a foolish thing if ye work not righteousness for Christ's sake and through Him. Mark the words, "through Him." Does he then use God as a mere assistant? Away with the thought. Not that I may receive praise, says he, but that God may be glorified.

Enjoy these gifts! Keep your faith uncontaminated! Present the fruit of righteousness to God, so that God will be celebrated by all.

That is, so that in accordance with the correctness of teaching you would also lead a blameless life. By righteousness the apostle means every virtue, or specifically mercy. I do not say that you should practice virtue or mercy imperfectly, but that you should be filled with them. And since the Greeks also thought to attribute virtue and mercy to themselves, he added "by Jesus Christ," since their deeds are not according to Christ, but for the sake of vainglory and people-pleasing. "To the glory of God," that is, and not to the glory of me, who teaches this; you must not hinder the glory of God. At the same time he also encourages them, as if saying that God will assist them in the work which they will perform to His glory.

As to the effects of grace he says, filled with the fruits of righteousness. Good works are the fruit: "The return (fruit) you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life" (Rom. 6:22). Or, the fruits of righteousness, i.e., the reward of justice, namely, the crown: "Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness" (2 Tim. 4:8); "For the fruit of good labors is renowned" (Wis. 3:15). This is obtained through Jesus Christ, because all that we do is good through Him. "Apart from me you can do nothing" (Jn. 15:5). Furthermore, these things must be done for this end, to the glory and praise of God, because God is glorified by the works of the saints, since they cause other people to break out in praise of God: "Praise God in his sanctuary (saints)" (Ps. 150:1); "And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them" (Jer. 33:9).

"Now I would have you know, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the progress of the Gospel, so that my bonds became manifest in Christ throughout the whole praetorian guard, and to all the rest."

It was likely they would grieve when they heard he was in bonds, and imagine that the preaching was at a stand. What then? He straightway destroys this suspicion. And this also shows his affection, that he declares the things which had happened to him, because they were anxious. What say you? you are in bonds! you are hindered! how then does the Gospel advance? He answers, "so that my bonds in Christ became manifest in all the praetorium." This thing not only did not silence the rest, nor affright them, but contrariwise rather encouraged them. If then they who were near the dangers were not only nothing hurt, but even received greater confidence, much more should you. Had he when in bonds taken it hardly, and held his peace, it were probable that they would be affected in like sort. But as he spoke more boldly when in bonds, he gave them more confidence than if he had not been bound. And how have his bonds "turned to the progress of the Gospel"? So God in His dispensation ordered, he means, that my bonds were not hid, my bonds which were "in" Christ, which were "for" Christ.

"In the whole praetorium." For up to that time they so called the palace. And in the whole city, says he.

In their great concern for Paul the Philippians had sent the blessed Epaphroditus to help him. For this reason he writes to comfort them in return. He wants to show that the chains that bind him have themselves become the instruments of salvation to many. By "the progress of the gospel" he means the multitude of believers.

Apparently, the Philippians, having learned that Paul was in chains, were worried that this might serve as an obstacle to the preaching of the Gospel. Therefore, in order to eliminate this suspicion, Paul says that his bonds not only did not hinder my preaching of the Gospel, but, on the contrary, served for its greater success.

When he says, I want you to know, brethren, he advises them in regard to the future. First, he gives examples to be followed and to be avoided; secondly, he concludes his moral exhortation (ch. 4). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he shows what should be imitated; secondly, what should be avoided (ch. 3). The first is divided into two parts: first, he urges them to imitate him; secondly, to imitate others (ch. 2). The first part is divided into three parts: first, he gives his own progress as an example; secondly, the joy he has in this progress (1:18); thirdly, the fruit of this progress (1:19). The first is again divided into two parts: first, he mentions his progress; secondly, the manner (1:13).

He says, therefore: I have urged you to make progress; and in order that you might have my progress as a pattern, I want you to know, brethren, that what has happened to me outwardly, namely, tribulations, did not change me inwardly, but has really served to advance the gospel, because the result was that the faith I preached made greater progress: "If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer" (2 Cor. 1:6).

His imprisonment for Christ's sake is becoming known. This is his distinctive honor. Now others who love him may rejoice with him.

Who are "all the rest"? The whole of Jewry, in addition to all the churches of the Gentiles. The former still has precedence, since to them the promise was first made.

Fit objects for admiration are the Stoics, who say that the soul is not affected by the body, either to vice by disease, or to virtue by health; but both these things, they say, are indifferent. And indeed Job, through exceeding continence, and excellence of faith, when from rich he became poor, from being held in honour dishonoured, from being comely unsightly, and sick from being healthy, is depicted as a good example, putting the Tempter to shame, blessing his Creator; bearing what came second, as the first, and most clearly teaching that it is possible for the gnostic to make an excellent use of all circumstances, And that ancient achievements are proposed as images for our correction, the apostle shows, when he says, "So that my bonds in Christ are become manifest in all the palace, and to all the rest; and several of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear,"-since martyrs' testimonies are examples of conversion gloriously sanctified. "For what things the Scripture speaks were written for our instruction, that we, through patience and the consolation of the Scriptures, might have the hope of consolation."

That is, although I am bound, I speak with even greater boldness and do not remain silent, but my preaching has reached even the praetorium itself, that is, the royal palace itself, and has spread throughout the entire city. And this was accomplished "in Christ," that is, this is not my doing, but Christ's. Or: "my bonds in Christ," that is, the bonds which I endure for Christ.

Then he shows his own progress; secondly, that of others (1:14). In regard to himself, of course, it was obvious that he suffered for Christ with constancy, so that it has become known that my imprisonment is for Christ. This redounds to Christ's glory: "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker; yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God" (1 Pet. 4:15). Throughout the whole praetorian guard, and in Caesar's court.

His constancy inspires others to be fearless in preaching. They are learning by the apostle's example that God is present to watch over those who love him. This itself has an effect upon the misguided brethren who have been preaching the Word of God as if from envy, prompted not by confidence or love of God but by competitiveness.

"And that most of the brethren in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word without fear."

This shows that they were of good courage even before, and spoke with boldness, but much more now. If others then, says he, are of good courage through my bonds, much more am I; if I am the cause of confidence to others, much more to myself. "And most of the brethren in the Lord." As it was a great thing to say, My bonds gave confidence to them, he therefore adds beforehand, "in the Lord." Do you see how, even when he sees himself constrained to speak great things, he departs not from moderation? "Are more abundantly bold," he says, "to speak the word without fear"; the words "more abundantly" show that they had already begun.

When (the apostle) mentions the several motives of those who were preaching the gospel, how that some, "waxing confident by his bonds, were more fearless in speaking the word," while others "preached Christ even out of envy and strife, and again others out of good-will" many also "out of love," and certain "out of contention," and some "in rivalry to himself," he had a favourable opportunity, no doubt, of taxing what they preached with a diversity of doctrine, as if it were no less than this which caused so great a variance in their tempers.

"My chains," he says in effect, "have themselves become the source of courage to the others. They can easily see that I bear adversity with joy. So they come to preach the divine gospel fearlessly."

And before they preached boldly, but now even more so, seeing me preaching boldly, even though I am in chains. For when they saw me in chains, they felt even greater zeal for preaching. And since it seemed too strong for Paul to say: I inspired them, he added: "in the Lord." So then, if those who are close to my chains are not troubled, but take on even greater boldness, then all the more fitting is this for you.

As for the progress of others, their faith has grown apace: most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear. "Like the magistrate of the people, so are his officials" (Si. 10:2); "The righteous are bold as a lion" (Prov. 28:1).