ARTICLE IV.

THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS.

By the late ROBERT PATTON, LL. D., Greek Professor in the University of New-York.

AFTER performing various missionary labours in different parts of Asia Minor, Paul and Silas, about the fifty-third year of the Christian era, in obedience to a heavenly vision, passed the Ægean, and, for the first time, preached the gospel in Macedonia. Their successful labours at Philippi, where they first unfolded the riches of Christ, are described in the sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Before the unto ward events which led to their departure from this city, the good seed had been sown in the hearts of many, and the foundation laid for a Christian church. About twelve years had now intervened since the Apostle first planted the standard of the cross among them. Like good soldiers of Jesus Christ, they had remained firm in their allegiance. They had been cited frequently by Paul himself, as an example to other churches. Particularly their active and efficient zeal in furthering the gospel by their timely assistance to the Apostle, had excited the admiration of the churches; and, if we mistake not, communicates a peculiar glow of tenderness to the present epistle. If the fire and energy of Paul did not now and then burst forth, we should suspect the epistle to have flowed from the pen and heart of the disciple whom Jesus loved. And when we call to mind the flourishing condition of this church; the self-denying and expansive benevolence so honourably mentioned again and again by the Apostle; the sacrifices they had cheerfully made for the promotion of his comfort and for the furtherance of the Gospel, and the comparatively pure doctrines of the church, we need not be surprised at the tenderness of this epistle, dictated by a catholic Christian affection, rendered more intense by his private gratitude and attachment.

We cannot here detail the arguments concerning the place

and time at which this epistle was written. The commonly received opinion that it was written from Rome during the imprisonment of Paul in that city, has been attacked, but never overthrown. The allusion in the epistle itself to the Prætorian guard (1: 13, comp. Acts 26: 16); the family or household of Cæsar (4: 22); the earnest entreaty of Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, to come to him at Rome, from which place that epistle is conceded to have been written; and the fact that Timothy was now with him and united with him in this letter to the Philippians; together with the tradition of the church from the earliest ages expressed in the notice at the end of the epistle; these circumstances, we say, furnish a preponderance of evidence in favour of the received opinion.

That this epistle was written also near the close of his imprisonment is highly probable. At his first answer all forsook him. At the time of writing to Timothy, acquainting him with his loneliness and distress, Luke alone was with him. At the time of writing this epistle to the Philippians, Timothy was comforting him by his presence. Some considerable time must therefore have elapsed since his first arrival at Rome. He expresses also his confident expectation of a speedy and successful termination of his bonds (1: 25, 2: 24). The Philippians had heard of his distress at Rome, had made a collection, and sent it by Epaphoditus, who remained some time sick at Rome. The Philippians had heard of the sickness of Epaphroditus, and Epaphroditus was aware that they had heard of it (2: 25, 28). All this supposes some considerable time to have elapsed since his first arrival at Rome. The evidence preponderates, therefore, in favour of its having been written from Rome, about A. D. 65, or near the close of his confinement.

Epaphroditus, who brought the contribution of the Philippians to Paul at Rome, was now about to return. Paul seizes the opportunity; writes an epistle glowing with grateful and affectionate acknowledgments of their uniform love to him and to the gospel ; adds such exhortations as were suggest

ed by his own situation, and the information he had received of their condition as a church; finds much to approve and but little to condemn ; affectionately advertises them of his own situation and prospects, and the success of the gospel; adverts to the dangerous influence of the Judaizing teachers, or of the Jewish converts, and warns the Gentile converts against the indulgence of superciliousness in view of their superior spiritual attainments, which might induce them to look down with contempt on their Jewish brethren, only partially delivered from the yoke of carnal ordinances, and labouring under inveterate prejudices in favour of the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic law.

To look, then, for some one definite object or design of the epistle, would be idle. He writes as a father to his affectionate children; the warnings, commendations and other items, are such as might not have called for a special letter from the Apostle; but are suggested rather by the circumstances than the opportunity sought on their account. Still, it is one of the richest of Paul's epistles; rich in tenderness, in doctrinal instruction, in exhortations to steadfastness in the Christian warfare, in incitements to condescension, spiritual mindedness, and increase in love and knowledge. The Christian can rise from it only to fall on his knees and imbibe through prayer the same spirit.

The epistle commences with the usual Christian salutation: "Grace unto you, and peace from God our Father,"

etc.

The Apostle frequently, at the very commencement of an epistle, expresses his gratitude to God for some particular grace in exercise in the church to which he writes. Coloss. 1:3, 4. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints. 1 Thess. 1: 2, 3. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope. 2 Thess. 1: 3. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because

your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of you all toward each other aboundeth. Philemon 4: 5, 7. I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints-for we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. For what then does he render thanks to God on behalf of the Philippians—for their steadfastness in the possession of the gospel in general, or for some particular exhibition of their faith and love? Our English translation runs thus (3, 5): I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Which is commonly understood to mean, I thank my God for your uniform and steadfast adherence to the faith and practice of the gospel, from your first reception of it until now. The original Greek stands thus : Ευχαριστώ τω Θεώ μου επι παση τη μνεία ύμων * * Επί τη κοινωνια ύμων εις το ευαγγέλιον από πρώτης ημερας αχρι του νυν. A diversity of opinion exists among translators and critics on the precise inport of the phrase κοινωνια εις το ευαγγέλιον, Does it mean participation, partnership, fellowship in, or communication, contribution unto, the gospel? We incline with increasing conviction, to the latter view of the passage.

Adopting the other translation, the whole portion (311), will read thus:-I thank my God on every recollection of you (always whenever I offer my prayers to God in behalf of you all, doing it with joy), eni zη xororia as to evarehuor, for your contributing to the furtherance of the gospel from your first reception of it until now. Feeling a confidence, that God, who has begun his noble work in you, will perform it effectually till the day of Christ. As it is meet I should feel these grateful emotions and this joy on your behalf, for you are deeply rooted in my affections, inasmuch as both when in bonds and when at liberty, defending and confirming the gospel, you are all labourers with me in my apostolic office. For I call God to witness, how strong is my love for you all in cordial Christian affection.

It has been objected, that Paul would scarcely be expected to thank God for the charitable assistance afforded to him by the Philippians, and to pray that this same assistance might be afforded in still greater abundance. But the Apostle thanks his God, (and who would not?) for the noble disposition the Philippians had uniformly manifested to afford timely assistance to him as an apostle, for the furtherance of the gospel, whose blessings they had tasted. Is this a narrowness of feeling unbecoming an apostle? Would to God there were more of it, and more occasion for it, in the Christian world. How could the sincerity of their profession, and their love of the gospel, evince itself in a more lovely manner, in those perilous times, than by contributing, to their power, nay, beyond their power, to the necessities of the servants of Christ, and to the poor saints? How feelingly he adverts to it again, toward the close of the epistle (4: 10): But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. And again (14): Notwithstanding, ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction-σvyκοινωνήσαντες μου τη θλίψει. Now ye Philippians, know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me-exoner Ho-concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not that I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all and abound. I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. What exultation of joy can be more strongly expressed than this? How exultingly he holds up to the view of the rich and noble Corinthians the example of the poor Philippians! 2 Cor. 8: 1, Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches. of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the

THIRD SERIES, VOL. II. NO. III.

31