that this murmuring be understood as a murmuring against God.
There is rather here, as at ver. 12, a retrospective reference to those
deficiencies in the Philippians indicated at vers. 3, 4, and accord-
ingly it is their murmurings against one another that are here to be
understood. Comp. also Acts vi. 1. The SiaXoyianoi are, then, not
doubts, but disputations. Although the word does not generally
occur in the New Testament in this sense, it is still a common usage
with profane writers, and &aA,oyib/u at Mark ix. 33, 34, can be
taken only in this sense. I have yet to state as my principal reason
for the interpretation of vers. 12-14 given above, that I do not un-
derstand how the apostle, in an exhortation so directly dependent on
what precedes as is implied in the ware which introduces it, should
come to mention things quite apart from the foregoing exhortations.
Ver. 15. De Wette and Meyer, and also Tischendorf, in his
latest edition, adhere to the reading yevr^ade, according to Codd.
B.C.D.***E.**J.K., etc., instead of fire, which is supported by A.
D.*E.*F.G., the Vulgate, and church Fathers. They also prefer
ajuwjuT/To, to dfj,upa. Meaov is, however, the true reading, according
to Codd. A.B.C.D.*F.G., etc., and not ev jueaw. The apostle, at ver.
15, reminds his readers of their destination, to be blameless and
harmless. They can only become so however in the way pointed
out to them at ver. 14. But the apostle, while he sets this aim before
them, has especially in view that part of their vocation which con-
sists in their position relatively to the surrounding world. They
are to become a^^-nroi and dtcspaioi. "Afiefinro^ is one in whom there
is nothing to blame (iii. 6 ; Luke i. 6 ; 1 Thess. iii. 13 ; Heb. viii.
7); dicKpaiog (from Kepdvwfti), -properly unmixed, hence pure (Matth.
x. 16 ; Kom. xvi. 19); the former, as Meyer observes, denotes moral
integrity in its outward manifestation, the latter, in its intrinsic
nature. Further : the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation. They are already the sons of God
through the spirit of adoption ; ajuwjuT/ra, however, denotes what they
are still to become, viz., blameless and unrebukeable children of
God. This expression (occurring besides, only at 2 Pet. iii. 14)
sums up, by way of climax, the foregoing predicates, on account of
its being placed over against the following words JJ-KVOV, etc., irre-
proachable children of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse
generation. On ^KGOV, treated as a preposition, see Winer's Gr., 54,
6, p. 418. Teved rightly explained by Wahl, de astatis alicujus homi-
nibus. 2oAidf, properly crooked, used also by profane writers in
the sense of moral obliquity. Comp. Acts ii. 40. Atea-pa^evo? ,
2)erverse, comp. Matth. xvii IT ; Luke ix. 41, etc. In the desig-
410 PHILIPPIANS II. 16-18.
nation of the children of God by d/w^ra, as also in that of the
world, the apostle has had in his mind the passage in Dent, xxxii. 5,
only, that it is there said even of Israel VnVnsn v^y -ri. Among
whom ye appear as lights in the world. In these words the apostle
brings before them, not what they are to be begin to be, but what they
already are, in order that they may become what they still are not.
'Ev olf, with respect to the sense, to be referred to yeved. Qaiveode,
according to general usage, is not to be translated ye shine, give
light, as in this case the active is always used (also in a metaphor-
ical sense, John i. 5, v. 35); but ye appear. So also Meyer, 'fif
<f>wa-7ipe<; tv Koapu. The words lv noopu are not to be connected
with faiveade, but belong to 0<xm)pf ; nor is (fMtvovTcu to be supplied,
but (f)(M)arfjpeg KV KooiMft are to be construed together ; as luminaries
in the world, as stars on the earth do they stand, in the midst of a
perverse generation. Comp. Matth. v. 14. The light, however,
which they shed has not its source hi them, but only proceeds from
them in that they hold forth the word of life.
Ver. 16. Holding forth the word of life. On the connexion
between light and life, comp. John i. 5 ; the life was the light of
men. 'E7re#v cannot signify to attend to, for in this sense it is
joined with a dative. Comp. 1 Tim. iv. 16 ; Acts iii. 5. Others
render it, to hold fast (Hesychius, Kpa-ovv-E$), without any certain
grammatical analogy ; others, to possess. It appears to me most
suitable to keep by the common signification of the word, viz., to
hold forth, to offer as also many commentators do. The sense of
the words connected with <f>aiveade will then be, " You appear as
luminaries in the world, inasmuch as you (by being Christians) hold
up before the world the word of life." The fulfilment of this, their
high calling, is to be to the apostle for a rejoicing in the day of
Christ. Comp. our remarks on ch. i. 10. The cause of his rejoi-
cing is set forth in the words on, etc. E/f nevov means without fruit,
without success, 2 Cor. vi. 1 ; Gal. ii. 2 ; 1 Thess. iii. 5. "Edpanov, a
figurative representation of his apostolic work ; t/coTuaaa, the literal
representation of the same, with especial reference to the labour
which it implied.
Vers. 17 and 18 are not to be separated from the foregoing, and
joined to the following section, vers. 19-30, as De Wette has done.
According to De Wette, who in this follows Storr and Flatt, ver. 17
is to be connected with i. 26, and dA/ld forms an antithesis to i. 25 ;
i. 27 ii. 16 contains only a subordinate train of thought, and the
subject of the communications respecting the apostle's condition, as
a prisoner, is again resumed at ii. 17. To this it is to be objected,
that such a direct reference of dAAd back to i. 25 would be harsh in
the extreme, chiefly, however, that it is altogether wrong to say that
the apostle resumes at ii. 17 his communications about his own cir-
PHILIPPIANS II. 17, 18. 411
cumstances. Even in vers. 19-30, as we shall afterwards see, there
are no such communications. The true way is to regard vers. 17
and 18 as still belonging to this section, and ver. 19 as beginning a
new one. The whole exhortation from i. 27 onwards, presupposes
the hope expressed at vers. 25 and 26, that the apostle will abide
in- the flesh and again visit the church ; chiefly, however, as Meyer
has justly observed, does the hope that the apostle shall continue in
life, and see the fruit of his labour among the Philippians, lie be-
neath the words of ver. 16 ; for indeed ver. 15 is presupposed in ver.
16. In the aAA' el nai the apostle lays aside, for a moment, this
representation of what is to befall him, in order to say that in the
other case too, that, namely, of death, he joys and rejoices with them,
and they are to do the same. The joy which accrues to him as also
to them, from the fulfilment of his exhortation, is not conditionally
dependent on the continuance of his life. As the entire hortatory
passage from i. 27 onwards, originated in this, viz., how the true joy
of faith mentioned at ver. 25 was to be arrived at, so now too the
apostle, after having exhorted his readers, and as he hopes not in
vain, closes with I rejoice, and with the call addressed to the Philip-
pians, rejoice ye, even in the case of his hope of continuing in life
not being fulfilled. The connexion of the thought in ver. 17 can-
not, as I think, be apprehended from the antithetical reference to
ver. 16 alone ; we are not, however, therefore at liberty, with De
Wette, to place the aAAa in opposition to ver. 25. De Wette and
Meyer have already shewn that ver. 17 is not to be viewed as the
contrary supposition to the hope said to be expressed in ver. 16, that
he will live to see the corning of Christ.
Z-rrevdofiai as at 2 Tim. iv. 6, " I am poured out as a drink-offer-
ing," comp. Numb, xxviii. 7, xv. 4, seq., and also Winer, B.W.B.,
on Trankopfer. 'E-Trt is differently rendered, according as Qvaia is
taken to mean the sacrifice itself, or the act of sacrificing. The
former may, according to the general usage, be the more prob-
able, notwithstanding the following keirovpyia which Paul adds, in
order to describe this sacrifice as one offered by him. Thus i-ni will
signify " to," not "upon ;" because the drink-offering was not poured
upon the sacrifice. Meyer makes it " in," as he understands Qvaia
to describe the action. XT)? marea)^ vfi&v depends on Qvaia, as on
teiTovpyia. The figure is the following : The faith of the Philip-
pians is the sacrifice ; the apostle the priest who offers this sacrifice;
he himself is the drink-offering, inasmuch as his blood is poured out
to this sacrifice. A-etrovpyia, " priestly service," Luke i. 23 ; Heb.
viii. 6, etc. In this case, also, says the apostle, I joy and rejoice
with you all. Some suggest as the reason of this joy, that his death
will conduce to the advancement of the gospel ; others say, that his
being made an offering is to him a joyful thought. But both of
412 PHILIPPIANS II. 18, 19.
these views seem to me to withhold its proper force from dAA' el nai,
according to which, the sense can only be, that also in this case (viz.,
of his being offered up) something of the effect supposed to follow
in the other case will be brought about. It is the joy of faith spoken
of in i. 19, i. 25, and the condition of which (JJ.QVOV, ver. 27) is obe-
dience to the foregoing exhortation. The apostle's meaning then is,
that should the opposite event fall out, and he have to yield up his
life as a sacrifice for them, he yet rejoices. His death makes no
change in his joy. And I rejoice with you all; for then they too
shall have attained to the true joy of faith. Meyer and others main-
tain that ovyxaipu means " gratulor," a sense which it certainly has
in profane writers, but never in the New Testament, and especially
in the writings of the apostle.
Ver. 18. The word avyxaipu certainly implies that the apostle's
readers will rejoice also in the event of his being offered as a sacrifice.
And by how much the less suitable it might appear for them to rejoice
in this case, by so much the more reason has the apostle emphatic-
ally to exhort them to do this. Similarly Van Hengel, p. 187. To
otVo I render with De \Vette and others u in like manner." The
idea which Meyer 'expresses, that the Philippians are here called
upon to rejoice at the .apostle's being offered for them, finds nothing
to recommend it, at least in i. 22, 24, 25.
4. ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS INTENTION TO SEND TIMOTHY, AND
OF HIS HAVING SENT BACK EPAPHRODITUS.
(ii. 19-30.)
This section is not to be viewed as a return to the communica-
tions broken off at i. 26, but is rather to be connected with that
which immediately precedes. The apostle having exhorted the Phi-
lippians to a right conduct in the meantime, his return to them
being presupposed, now expresses what he further intends to do, in
his affectionate care of the church. He purposes to send Timothy
to them (why him, particularly, we are told at vers. 20-22), who is
to convey to them more special information concerning him ; still
the hope of returning again to them himself, expressed at i. 25, 26,
is not, therefore, given up, ver. 24. Further, he sends back to them
with this epistle, Epaphroditus their messenger (who had become
dear to him), in accordance with his own desire after his recovery
from sickness, whom the apostle recommends to their cordial recep-
tion and esteem (as he does all of his class), on account of the ser-
vice of love which he rendered to him, vers. 25-30.
Ver. 19. But I trust in the Lord Jesus. 'EA7rt'w, as at ver. 23,
PHILIPPIANS II. 20, 21. 413
since the execution of his purpose connects itself with a favourable
change in his own situation. This hope rests in the Lord Jesus,
and will, therefore, be fulfilled. On the relation of Timothy to the
church, see on i. 1, and afterwards on ver. 22. The ra^eug is ex-
plained by ver. 23. "?IMV, not the dat. comrn., but as Meyer explains,
"relation in general," comp. iv. 16. The object of the apostle is, to
get more particular information, through Timothy, concerning the
state of the church, so that his mind may thereby be set at rest.
E#0v#w, "I am of good comfort;" /cayw implies, "as you may be
of good comfort, in consequence of the information about me in this
epistle." Such passages as i. 27, iii. 1, seq., iv. 2, seq., inform us
what it was that caused the apostle uneasiness in thinking of them.
Vers. 20-22 mention the reason why he sends Timothy (and
even his going depends on contingencies), and no other. He has
besides him, no one like-minded (viz., with the apostle), who will
sincerely care for their state. "Gang, "of such a character as
will," etc. Tvrjaiug properly " genuinely," " sincerely," i. e., with
complete devotedness, in contrast with that which is merely seeming,
and behind which is a regard to selfish interest. Comp. ver. 21.
Mep^v^aei, properly in the future, with reference to the event of his
being sent.
Ver. 21. The ol trdvreg yap, K. r. A., corresponds to the ovSeva t^w
as its positive side, and from its reference to ov6sva } can only be
rendered " they all," they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus
Christ. To insert a wore, would be as improper as to take ol *ndv-
reg for ol -rroAAoi and the like. But there is certainly a restriction
of this expression in the context itself, as in the ovdiva and ol
rrdvreg only those can be included who might in general be eligible
for this mission. It is also not to be overlooked, how high the quali-
fication which the apostle looks for in those whom he would send, as
indicated in the word like-minded, with reference to his own affec-
tionate care for the church. This consideration ought to modify the
idea we might otherwise associate with what is said at ver. 21. So
much, however, must still be allowed, viz., that those here referred to,
did not place the things of Christ above every personal interest, as
the apostle did, comp. i. 16, seq. It is not to be supposed that they
were the same persons as are mentioned in i. 15, 17, for how could
these have come to be considered only in connexion with this mis-
sion ? On the contrary i. 14 contains a reference to such d(frA0ot as
were wanting in boldness for the preaching of the gospel. All that
can be gathered from history on this point is, that of those named
in the Epistle to the Colossians, and in that to Philemon, only
Aristarchus and Jesus Justus (ol t/c rrepjropfc, Col. iv. 11) with
Demas and Luke, could still have been with the apostle, it being
supposed that this epistle was written subsequently to these. When
414 PHILIPPIANS II. 22-30.
with reference to Demas we compare 2 Tim. iv. 10, and further, con-
sider that those first-named as being of the circumcision, would not
be thought so suitable for being sent to a church composed almost
entirely of Gentiles, only Luke will then remain. But with respect
to him, as he certainly had been with the apostle at Philippi (comp.
Acts xvi. 10, seq.) and yet no notice is taken of him throughout the
whole epistle, not even at iv. 21, the conjecture is well founded that
he was not present with the apostle when the epistle was written,
as also De Wette and Meyer suppose. This historical reference has
not indeed led us to any positive result, but it has at least proved
that the apostle's words, vers. 20, 21, do not apply to any of those
of his fellow-labourers in reference to whom they would have excited
our surprise.
Ver. 22. If in the others there is no complete devotedness to
be looked for, on the other hand, the proof of Timothy is known to
the Philippians, from their own experience. Acts xvi. 1, seq. Ttvuo-
Kere, regarded as the imperative, does not agree with what follows.
On SoKifi/i, indoles spectata, comp. Rom. v. 4 ; 2 Cor. ii. 9, ix. 18.
In what this proof consisted, we are told in the words that follow.
5ri } K. r. A., etc. The expression, as a son with the father, indicates
that quality of character by which Timothy had approved himself;
it implies, disinterested devotedness. Elg TO evayyiXiov is, " for the
cause of the gospel." On the oratio variata in narpi and avv tpoi,
comp. Winers Gr., 63, ii. 1, p. 509.
Ver. 23. This verse concludes what is said regarding Timothy,
and points back to ver. 19. The ro^ewf of ver. 19 is here explained,
as soon as I shall see how it will go with me. The apostle will only
wait to see how his future lot shall be determined. On the form
d^/'dw, see "Winer's Gr., 5, 1, d). 1)., p. 43. The word occurs also
in the Sept. at Jon. iv. 5, and signifies to " see from afar, wait for,"
prospicere.
Ver. 24. The apostle does not, however, give up the prospect of
his own arrival amongst them. The <5e corresponds to the HKV } ver.
23. On iv Kvpiu, comp. ii. 19. On the hope here expressed, i. 25,
26 ; Phil. 22.
Vers. 25-30. The sending back of Epaphroditus has nothing in
common with the object of Timothy's mission. So that, De Wette
does not give the true scope of the passage when he understands
the apostle to mean, " As it is not certain either that I shall see you
myself, or that I shall send Timothy, I have deemed it necessary,
etc." The reason of Epaphroditus being sent is represented in vers.
26 and 28 as arising out of merely personal circumstances. Noth-
ing further is known of Epaphroditus, beyond the notice that is here
taken of him. It cannot be proved with any certainty, that he is
the same person as the Epaphras named in Col i. 7, iv. 12 j PhiL
PHILIPPIANS II. 26-30. 415
23. Comp. Winer E. W. B. on Epaphras. There is nothing deci-
dedly against this conjecture in our epistle, as he might be the bearer
of the contribution to the support of the apostle from the Philip-
pians, without belonging to their church. In the following predi-
cates the apostle describes him, as well in his relation to him as
to them (jwou v\i&v 6e). These are his recommendation. The
first three form a climax brother (in the Lord) my companion in
labour in struggles and dangers. Phil. 2 ; 2 Tim. ii. 3, seq.
'Tfi&v 6e aTTooTohov. The expression in its general signification, viz.
" deputy," occurs at 2 Cor. viii. 23. How could he be called the
apostle of the Philippians ? Comp. 1 Cor. ix. 1-3. The word
vptiv standing foremost, as the antithesis to the preceding part of
the verse, extends to the foirovpybv rfjs xpeiag pov, as ver. 30 also
proves. Aeirovpyog as Aarovpyew, Rom. xv. 27, and hei-ovpyia, 2
Cor. ix. 12, and in a subsequent passage in this epistle, ii. 30, is
to be taken in its wider signification, viz., " servant." Xpeia means
" want," not, the thing wanted. The keirovpyov, K. r. A., explains
dnoaro^ov,
Ver. 26. This verse tells us why the apostle thought it neces-
sary to send back Epaphroditus, namely, because he (Epaphroditus)
longed after the Philippians, and was in heaviness because they had
heard that he was sick. On T\V with the participle, see Winer's
Gr., 45, 5, p. 311. 'A^ovwv, comp. Matth. xxvi. 37 ; Mark xiv.
33 (from ddeu to be satiated, to be disgusted with a thing).
Yer. 27. The apostle confirms the intelligence they had re-
ceived ; for indeed he was sick, nigh unto death, but God had mercy
on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have
sorrow upon sorrow. By the sorrow, to which a fresh sorrow would
have been added but for the recovery of Epaphroditus, the most of
expositors rightly understand his condition as a prisoner ; comp.
ver. 28, from which we see that the apostle has still sorrow although
it is not increased on account of Epaphroditus. Hapankriaiov may
be understood either, with Meyer, as an adverb of comparison, or
(which is more agreeable to ver. 30) as a prepositional adverb, sig-
nifying " near to." Comp. Winer's Gr., 54, 6, p. 418. That AVTTT/V
em AVTTTJV, and not AVTT^, is the true reading, is fully proved.
Ver. 28. In such circumstances he hastened the execution of
his purpose to send him back, in order that they seeing him again,
or rather, seeing him might again have joy, and he have less sorrow.
On Idovrec, which does not depend on %ap^re, comp. Winer's Gr.,
45, 1 ** p. 396. On TTO'/UV connected with xaprjre, see Meyer on
this passage. 'AXv-n-orepog, in so far as the anxiety of the Philippians
regarding Epaphroditus is sorrow to the apostle, it ceases so soon as
they again rejoice.
Vers. 29, 30. The recommendation of Epaphroditus to their
416 PHILIPPIANS II. 29, 30.
Christian reception. Keceive him then according to my intention
tV Kvpiy, as it becomes Christians, with every mark of joy, and
hold such men in honour. This general form which the apostle gives
to his injunction, may perhaps be regarded as bearing out what we
have remarked on the words ZTTIOKOTTOIS and diaicovoic, ch. i. 1. Comp.
also ii. 3. The tendency to overvalue self, has for its reverse side
the tendency to undervalue others. Ver. 30 represents as the ground
of such a recommendation, the service rendered by Epaphroditus to
the cause of Christ, for which the church owes him special thanks.
It has been much disputed whether Trapa{3ov)ievadnvo$ or napa(3oXev-
od(ivo$ is the true reading. Tischendorf has in his latest edition
again received into the text the former, according to Codd. C.I.G.,
and the Fathers ; whilst Griesbach, Lachmann, Scholz, Gosclien,
Matthies, Winer, De Wette, and Meyer, decide in favour of Trapa-
poXevadfifvos, which has the preponderating authority of A.B.D.E.F.G.,
etc. Neither the one nor the other is found in profane writers ; rra-
paQofavodfievoc, however, occurs in the Fathers, which may explain
how this reading has arisen out of the other, while the other can
only be regarded as an error of transcription (Van Hcngcl). The
formation of the word (napdftohov elvai) as Winer, Gr., 16, 1, p.
85, has shewn by other examples, argues nothing against it. In
profane writers Trapa(3dlteo6cu occurs in this sense, both with the
accusative, for example, tju^v V t % J ? v " * stake my life upon it," and
also, though more rarely, with the dative (as in this passage), which
then denotes " with regard to." Winer's Gr., 31, 5, p. 190. For
fixing the sense of this verse, it is chiefly necessary to keep in view
that clause which informs us that the danger to which Epaphroditus
exposed himself, was occasioned by the fulfilment of the commission
which he had received from the Philippians. In that clause, tva t
etc. (which must be connected with Trapa^o^Evadp.Evo^') rb vptiv VOTE-
pTjfia is to be rendered, " What was wanting on your part" tyuSv
being taken subjectively as at 2 Cor. viii. 14, ix. 12, xi. 9. Meyer
understands it as denoting that which was wanting, as in 1 Cor. xvi.
17, vperepov, which appears to me not to suit the following genitive.
He renders thus, " you have failed in rendering pecuniary assist-
ance." What was lacking on their part, may be seen by reference
to such passages as 1 Cor. xvi. 18 ; Phil. 13, namely, the personal
service, as Luther renders it, "that he might serve me in your
stead." It will not do to understand by variprjiia, the conveyance
of the gift, as that which was lacking on the part of the Philip-
pians, for this in itself cannot be considered as exposing the life to
danger. See Van Hengel in loc. The expression is more probably
to be understood as implying, on the part of Epaphroditus, a self-
forgetting, self-sacrificing zeal in the service of the apostle, which
occasioned the illness that brought him nigh unto death. Still
PHILIPPIANS III. 1. 417
nothing can "be said with certainty on the point. On the other
hand, there can be no doubt as to the sense of the words,/or the
work of Christ; in their connexion with Iva they can, primarily at
least, only be understood to signify that the service which he ren-
dered to the apostle, was undertaken for the work of Christ. That
Epaphroditus was also active in teaching, may be inferred from
ii. 25.
5. WARNING AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING LED AWAY.
(iii. 1 iv. 1.)
The apostle has already said what lay nearest to his heart. He
}w addresses himself to the conclusion, in which he once more calls
^pon them to rejoice, and specially to rejoice in the Lord; for he
has still to warn them against those who would deprive them of this
joy, and who would do so in a twofold way. On the one hand, dan-
ger threatens them from the Judaizing false teachers, on the other,
from the contaminating example of those whose conduct is im-
moral. The apostle warns them against the former in vers. 1-16,
against the latter in vers. 17-21, and then closes this section, ch. iv.
1, with the comprehensive exhortation to stand fast in the Lord, in
the way in which he has directed them. We proceed to the more