12 I both know to be humbled by living in poverty, and I know to abound in riches. Every where, and on all occafions, I am well inftructed, both to bear fulness of bread, and to be hungry; both to abound in the conveniencies of life, and to be deprived of them, without being elated in the one cafe, or depreffed in the other. 13 In one word, I am able to bear all fituations through the affiftance of Christ who ftrengtheneth me. 14 Notwithstanding I am able through Chrift to bear every state, ye have done well when ye jointly com municated a fupply to me in my imprifonment. 15 Now to fhew you how feafonable your prefent was, and that I honoured you by accepting it, Know ye alfo O Philippians, that after I first preached the gospel to you, when I went forth in Macedonia to preach, no church communicated with me in the matter of giving me money, and of my receiving money from them, but ye only I received money from no church but yours. 2. Both to abound and to fuffer want. As the apoftle in the preceding claufe had mentioned food, we may fuppofe that in this he meant cloathing, lodging, &c. 2. Ver. 13. Through Jefus Chrifl who frengtheneth me. This is not arrogant boating. For the apoitle glories not in his own ftrength, but in the ftrength of another. The fathers, as Whitby informs us, obferved three things things on this paffage. 1. That the virtue of contentment requires much exercife, learning, and meditation. That it is as difficult to learn how to be full, as to be hungry; abundance having destroyed more men than penury, and expofed them to more pernicious lufts. 3. That our proficiency in this or in any other virtue, is to be afcribed, not to ourselves, but to the divine affistance. Ver. 14. Notwithstanding ye have done well. Here the apoftle teaches us that the fervants of Chrift are not to be neglected in their afflictions, because they have learned to bear them patiently. Ver. 15. When I went forth in Macedonia. Οτε εξήλθον απο Μακεδο In our bible this is tranflated, When I departed from Macedonia. VOL. III. 81069. Hh But 16 For even in Theffalo 16 Ότι και εν Θεσσα nica ye fent once and again λονικη και άπαξ και δις εις unto my neceffity. 17 Not because I defire a gift: But I defire fruit that may abound to your ac count. 18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were fent from you, an odour of a Tweet fmell, a facrifice acceptable, well-pleafing to God. την χρείαν μοι επεμψατε 18 Απεχω δε παντα, και περίσσευω· πέπληρωμαι, δεξαμενος παρα Επαφρόδιτε τα παρ ύμων, οσμην ευωδίας, θυσιαν δεκτην, ευαρεςον τῷ Θεω. But that translation is wrong, as appears from ver. 16. where the apostle faith, the Philippians fent once and again to his neceffity in Theffalonica. For, Theffalonica being the chief city of Macedonia, their communicating with him in the matter of giving and receiving, was not after he departed from Macedonia, but whilst he was in that country. Some are of opinion, that the tranflation fhould be, when I was departing, or about to depart from Macedonia. But although the Greek may bear this tranflation, it will not remove the difficulty. For, as the Philippians fent money twice to the apostle, their first prefent, at leaft, could not be received when he was departing. I there. fore think εξηλθον απο Μακεδονιας muft be tranflated, went forth in Macto donia, namely to preach; agreeably to the fignification of a,in the phrafe año pages, in part. See Eff. iv. 86. 2. Ver. 16. For even when I was in Theffalonica. Chryfoftom obferves, that the emphasis in this fentence, fhews how much the inhabitants of fo small a town as Philippi were to be commended, for contributing fo generously to the apoftle's maintenance while in Theffalonica the me tropolis of Macedonia, that the gofpel might be the more acceptable to the Theffalonians, being preached to them without any expence to them. Yet it must be remembered, that even in Theffalonica, the apostle maintained himself more by his own labour, than by the con tributions of the Philippians, 1 Theff. ii. 5.-9. 2 Theff. iii. 7 -9. Ver. 17. Not because I earnestly feek. So w properly fignifies The apostle's meaning, as Peirce expreffeth it, is, " Nor do I men ❝tion all this, because I am defirous of a gift from you now or at any "time, for the fake of the gift itself. But what I defire on all fuch "occafions is, that your religion may produce fuch good fruits as may "turn to account to you." Ver. 18. 16 For fuch was your love, that even when I was in Theffalonica, ye fent twice to fupply my neceffity; and F accepted your prefent, that I might make the gofpel free of expence to the Theffalonians. 17 I mention your repeated prefents, not because I earnestly defire a gift, but because I earnestly defire fruit among you, that may abound to your account at the day of judgment. For by my gratitude I wish to encourage you in doing good works. 18 Now 1 poffefs all things neceffary, and live in plenty: I am filled, fo as to wish for nothing more, having received from Epaphroditus the things fent by you: which work of charity, done to me the apostle of Chrift fuffering for the gospel, is a Smell of a fweet favour, even a facrifice acceptable and well pleafing to God. Here our Ver. 18.-1. Now I have all things. ATEX de TaYTA. tranflators have followed the Vulgate, Habeo autem omnia. — Estius obferves, that one of the meanings of aTeX is, to receive rent from lands, or wages for labour. If fo, the claufe might be translated, I have from you all things. And by ufing this word the apostle may have infinuated, that what he had received from the Philippians was due to him, on account of his having preached the gospel to them. 2. The things fent. Befides money, the Philippians may have fent to the apostle clothes and other neceffaries. 3. A fmell of a fweet favour, a facrifice acceptable, well pleafing to God. These were the epithets anciently given to all the kinds of fa crifices; not only to the peace and thank offerings, but to the burnt offerings and fin offerings. See Ephef. v. 2. note 2. Here they are given to the prefent which the Philippians fent to the apostle; not becaufe that prefent partook of the nature of any facrifice or offering whatever, as is plain from this, that it was offered immediately to the apostle, and not to God; but merely to fhew how acceptable to God that work of charity was, which the Philippians had performed to the fuffering apoftle of Chrift.-The fame obfervation may be applied to the exhortation, Heb. xiii. 16. But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with fuch facrifices God is well pleafed. See also 1 Pet. ii, 5. where the fpiritual facrifices of prayer and praise are mentioned. Hh 2 Ver. 19. I 19 But my God fhall fupply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Chrift Jefus. 2o Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Salute every faint in 19 Ο δε Θεος με πλη ρώσει πασαν χρείαν ύμων και τα τον πλετον αυτε, εν δόξη, εν Χρισώ Ιησε. 20 Τῳ δε Θεώ και παρ τρι ἡμων ἡ δοξα εις τες αι ωνας των αιώνων. Αμην. 21 Ασπάσασθε παντα Chrift Jefus. The brethren άγιον εν Χρισω Ιησε. Αστ which are with me greet you. 22 All the faints falute , you, chiefly they that are of Cafar's houfehold. 23 παζονται ὑμας οι συν εμοι αδελφοι. 22 Ασπάζονται ύμας παντες οἱ ἅγιοι, μαλιςα δε οἱ εκ της Καισαρος οικίας. 23 Ἡ χαρις τε Κυρια The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with ήμων Ιησε Χριςε μετά πάνω you all. Amen. των ύμων. Αμην. Ver. 19. According to his riches in glory. Beza thinks εν δόξη, here may be tranflated glorioufly. Ver. 20. To God even our Father. Θεω και πατρι ἡμων, may be rendered, To our God and Father. But the fenfe is the fame. Ver, 21. The brethren who are with me. As the brethren are diftinguished from the faints, ver. 22. they are fuppofed to be his fellow labourers in the gospel, mentioned in the end of his epistles to the Coloffians and to Philemon; namely, Ariftarchus, Mark, Jefus called Juftus, Epaphras, Luke, and Demas. Ver. 22. And effecially thofe of Cafar's houfehold. Καισας οικίας. This may fignify either the members of Cafar's family, or his houfehold fervants, or the officers of his court, or his guards. Some of the ancients pretend that Paul held an epiftolary correfpondence with Se neca Nero's preceptor. But there is no evidence of this.—Among the emperor's domeftics there were Jewish flaves, who having heard the apoftle, or fome other perfon preach the gofpel at Rome, had embraced the Chriftian faith. Alfo, there may have been in Nero's family natives of Rome, who being impreffed with the truth of the gofpel, had become Chriftians. Nay, the apoftle may have been favourably regarded by Poppea the emperor's wife. For Jofephus, who was introduced to her by foms of her Jewith flaves, (fee Philip. i. 13. note 1.) and was acquainted with her charaâter, tells us, Antiq. lib. xx, c. 7. θεοσεβής γαρ ην that he was a werfipper of the true God, ora Jewish profelyte of the gate. This fhe might be, though in other reípects 19 But though I can make no re'turn to you in kind, ye shall feel no want through your liberality to me. For God whom I ferve will fupply all your wants through Christ Jefus, according to the greatness of the power which Chrift, as governor of the world, exercifes in his glorious state of exaltation. 20 Wherefore let us join heartily in afcribing to God even our Father, who hath exceedingly loved us in Christ, the glory of infinite goodnefs; and let us do fo for ever and ever. Amen. 21 Wish health in my name to every one in your city, zuho profeffeth to believe and obey Chrift Fefus. The preachers of the gospel who are with me, avifh you health. 22 All the Chriftians in Rome wish you health, and especially the Chriftians in Cafar's family, who by this teftify their efteem of you, as on account of your faith, fo on account of your affection to me. 23 I now give you my apoftolical benediction: May that favour of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which he bestows on his faithful difciples, remain with all. Amen. you refpects fufficiently blameable. Here, Beza remarks, what else was this, but that God reigned in the midst of hell.-The falutation from the brethren in the emperor's family, must have been a great confolation to the Philippians. For when they heard that the gospel had got, footing in the palace, they would naturally prefage the farther progress of it in Rome. And the refpect which perfons, fuch as the Christians in Cæfar's house, expreffed for the Philippians, could not fail to fill them with joy. To conclude, though the apoftle hath not mentioned it in any of his letters, we may believe that not long after this epiftle was written, he obtained a fair hearing and an honourable release, through the good offices of the Chriftians in Nero's family, as well as on account of the justice of his caufe. |