Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Philippians 1:2

Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Grace be unto you, &c.] See, on the whole verse, the notes in this Series on Eph 1:2, where the wording is identical. “Grace,” as a Scriptural term, demands careful study. In its true idea, kindness is always present, with the special thought of entire and marked absence of obligation in the exercise of it. It is essentially unmerited and free. See e. g. Rom 11:6. In its normal application, the word denotes the action of Divine kindness either in the judicial acceptance of the believer “not according to his works,” for Christ’s sake (e.g. Rom 3:24), or in the gift and continuance of new life and power to the believer (e.g. 1Co 15:10). And, as the action is never apart from the Agent, we may say that grace in the first reference is “God for us” (Rom 8:1), in the second, “God in us” (below, Php 2:13). In the first reference grace is the antithesis to merit, in the second to nature.

our Father ] in the new birth and life, which is coextensive with union with Christ the Son. See below, on Php 2:15.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Grace be unto you … – See the note at Rom 1:7.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 2. Grace be unto you] See Clarke on Ro 1:7.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The evangelical salutation, as Rom 1:7; Eph 1:2; 2Pe 1:2; praying for the free and undeserved favour of God the Father to them, as the fountain, Jam 1:17 together with all inward and outward blessings, flowing thence through Christ the procurer of them.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. Grace . . . peaceThe veryform of this salutation implies the union of Jew, Greek, and Roman.The Greek salutation was “joy” (chairein), akin tothe Greek for “grace” (charis). The Roman was”health,” the intermediate term between grace andpeace. The Hebrew was “peace,” including bothtemporal and spiritual prosperity. Grace must come first if weare to have true peace.

from . . . fromOmitthe second “from”: as in the Greek, “God ourFather” and “the Lord Jesus Christ,” are most closelyconnected.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Grace be unto you,…. This form of salutation is used by the apostle in all his epistles; [See comments on Ro 1:7];

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Grace – peace. The combination of the Greek and Oriental salutations spiritualized : grace expressing God ‘s love to man, and peace the condition resulting therefrom.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “Grace be unto you, and peace” (charis humin kai eirene) “Grace to you all, let be, or may there be. Grace brings salvation to sinners that results in peace with God, in which Paul gloried, Tit 2:11; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 5:1.

2) “From God our Father” (apo theou patros hemon) “From (even the) Father of us.” In the plan of redemption, grace and peace came from the trinitarian God, even the Father, 1Pe 1:18-20.

3) “And from the Lord Jesus Christ” (kai kuriou iesou christou). “And (the) Lord Jesus Christ;” Both grace and peace in regeneration and Christian experience have their initiative source or origin of existence in the Lord Jesus Christ, Joh 1:17; Joh 14:6; Joh 8:32; Joh 8:36.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

[2.

Statement of St. Pauls condition at Rome (Php. 1:12-26).

(1) THE RAPID PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL through his bonds, and through the preaching of others, whether in strife or in goodwill (Php. 1:12-18).

(2)

HIS REJOICING THEREAT; his desire to depart and be with Christ, and his confidence, nevertheless, that he will abide in the flesh and see them again (Php. 1:19-26).]

(12-18) In these verses St. Paul, evidently anxious that the Philippians should not faint at his tribulations for them (comp. Eph. 3:13), points out that his imprisonment tended to further the gospel: first, directly, by the opportunity which it afforded him of preaching, and next, indirectly, by the stimulus which it gave to the preaching of others, whether of envy and strife or of good will.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

‘Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.’

‘Grace’ (charis) was a Gentile greeting and ‘peace’ a Jewish one. But on Paul’s pen we must not see them just as formal greetings. He had very much in mind the unmerited favour of God (grace) towards them (compare Eph 2:8-9; 2Co 12:9) and his hope for their spiritual well-being in the hands of God (peace, well-being – shalom), for he treasured them in his heart.

‘From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.’ The parallel descriptions bring out Paul’s high view of Jesus Christ. The Father is ‘God’, Jesus Christ is ‘the Lord’, which is the Septuagintal equivalent of ‘God’ (YHWH). Both are fully divine (compare 1Co 8:6), and both are involved in working in grace on behalf of God’s people, and in ensuring their well-being.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

XXIV

GOD’S PROVIDENCE IN PAUL’S LIFE

Phi 1:2-2:5 .

In the account of his prison condition (Phi 1:12-30 ) there are some expressions that need explanation. He says, “They, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel . . .” and he was. Whoever touched the fringe of the doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ to destroy it or to make light of it had Paul to fight. All over the world the spirit of Paul as a stalwart soldier stood between the pure, simple gospel of Jesus Christ and a Judaizing tendency that would have made Christianity merely a Jewish sect, and in the same way he stood against every other error. He loved the gospel. Every promise of it was dear to him and every doctrine was sacred. He would not yield the width of a hair on a principle. “Set for the defense of the gospel.” I know some who are set, but they are not set for the defense of the gospel. They are set in favor of every loose view of doctrine and polity.

Then his assurance of escaping death at this time: “For I know that this shall turn out to my salvation . . . And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and abide with you all.” This is not hope nor conjecture, but positive knowledge through inward assurance of the Holy Spirit as in Act 20:23 : “The Holy Spirit testifieth unto me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.” See another case of the reception of positive spiritual knowledge in Act 27:22-25 . Indeed, he expressly says that the means of his preservation are their prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

The context here seems to demand that “salvation,” (Greek, soteria ) as in some other instances, (see the Greek of Act 27:34 ) means bodily preservation or salvation from physical death. The “supply of the Spirit” means that overruling power exercised by the Spirit which wards off impendiny peril as in Act 18:9-10 ;. 2Co 1:9-10 . Mark that here the Holy Spirit is called the “Spirit of Christ” because he is Christ’s alter ego other self as in Joh 14:18 : “I will not leave you orphans; I will come unto you,” and yet this coming was in the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus, as well as the Father, sent as his vicar when he ascended to heaven. See Joh 15:26 .

This case of the efficacy of the Philippian prayers, instrumentally averting Paul’s death at this time, should sink deep into our hearts. They prayed that Paul might escape death. The supply of the Spirit comes as the means through which deliverance is effected. Seneca and Burrus, Nero’s advisers and delegates in examining State prisoners, are unconscious of supernatural interposition, and yet in his own strange way, the Holy Spirit brings it about that Paul is acquitted at this time.

Not that Paul’s death at that time would have frustrated the glory of his Lord, for he himself testified that Christ would be magnified by either his life or death, nor that extension of life to Paul would be a favor, for to him personally death would be a gain and life a continued crucifixion, but that his life just yet would be for the progress of the gospel and the confirmation of the saints.

Looking at the alternatives “To live is Christ, to die is gain” Paul personally was in “a strait betwixt the two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better for me: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” His own desire for rest and glory was to find gratification in death, which was but a door opening into heaven and the presence of the Lord, whereas to live was to go on suffering like his Lord. But when he saw that his living meant good to the cause, he unselfishly renounced the pleasure of death.

This is not the first time in his history of his suffering that for the sake of others he welcomed the pain of living. In the second letter to the Corinthians he says, “For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven. . . . For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. . . . Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight); we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and be at home with the Lord” (2Co 5:1-2 ; 2Co 5:4 ; 2Co 5:6-9 ).

Exhortation, part I, (Phi 1:27-2:4 ). This first part of the exhortation is directed to one great end: “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” The common version renders it “conversation” instead of “manner of life.” The author greatly prefers a more literal rendering than either: “Live your citizen life,” otherwise we miss the delicate allusion to the Roman citizenship enjoyed by the Philippian colony, and the higher allusion to Christian citizenship in the New Jerusalem. This harmonizes the passage with the context (Phi 3:20 ): “For our citizenship is in heaven, etc.,” and puts it in line with the great passage in Eph 2:11-19 , which treats of the “fellowcitizens with the saints.”

It is related of S. S. Prentiss that just after he had electrified the nation by his great speech before Congress in the contest for his seat in that body, in which he emphasized the thought that to deny him his seat was to disfranchise Mississippi and rob it of its most glorious heritage, he was invited by ardent admirers to deliver an address in New York City, on which occasion his only theme was his first words “Fellow Citizens.” Earth never heard a greater oration, and every man in the audience was lifted to a conception of American citizenship high as the shining stars. The sonorous roll of his magical voice in the mere prolonged pronunciation of the oft repeated word “Fellow Citizens” was compared to the archangel’s trumpet. He was greater than Cicero against Verres, who declared that earth’s highest honor was to be able to say, “I am a Roman citizen” and earth’s meanest tyrant and greatest robber was one who arbitrarily stripped an accused man of that privilege.

In Acts we see Paul himself, at this very Philippi, and again at Jerusalem (Act 16:37-38 ; Act 22:25 ), terrify his persecutors by his claim of Roman citizenship. All this goes to emphasize his one great exhortation: “Live your citizen life worthy of the gospel, whether I come to see you or be absent.” He then shows just how the exhortation may be carried out:

1. “Stand fast in one Spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of [i.e., the truth of] the gospel.” This is an exhortation to unity so marvelously elaborated in Eph 4:1-6 : “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.”

2. “In nothing terrified by your adversaries.” The exhortation is most timely because the Philippian Christians were persecuted at this time as Paul had been when with them. Indeed, they commenced their Christian life in a fiery furnace which had never cooled. We see Paul’s glorious tribute to them in a previous letter: “Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God which hath been given in the churches of Macedonia; how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For according to their power, I bear witness, yea, and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace and the fellowship in the ministering to the saints: and this, not as we had hoped) but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God” (2Co 8:1-5 ). To encourage them to follow the exhortation he assigns three reasons:

1. The infliction of the persecution was a token of the damnation of their persecutors.

2. Their endurance of the persecution was a God-given token of their salvation, echoing the beatitudes of our Lord: “Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you” (Mat 5:10-12 ).

3. This suffering therefore in behalf of Christ was a special privilege granted to favored saints. They had seen Paul endure the same conflict, and elsewhere he thus enumerates and glories in his afflictions: “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I more; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly in stripes above measure, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day have I been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of rivers, in perils of robbers, in perils from my countrymen, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, there is that which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is caused to stumble, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my weakness” (2Co 11:23-30 ); and, “And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2Co 12:9-10 ).

He then clinches the exhortation to unity and unselfishness by five other mighty considerations: (1) “If there be any comfort in Christ, (2) if there be any consolation of love, (3) if there be any fellowship of the Spirit, (4) if there be any tender mercies and compassions, (5) if you wish to fulfil my Joy, then seek after this unity, without faction, or vainglory, and in lowliness of mind.” This method of hypothetical statement has all the force of positive affirmation having no suggestion of doubt.

He then advances to a sixth reason grander than all the others the example of our Lord: “Let this mind be in you which was also in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Indeed, “If any man have not the Spirit of the Lord he is none of his.”

QUESTIONS

1. Explain “set for the defense of the gospel.”

2. How did Paul know that he would escape death as a result of his first Roman imprisonment, and what other examples of this knowledge?

3. What is the meaning of “salvation” (Greek, Soteria ) in this passage, and what other example of similar use of this word?

4. What is meant by “the supply of the Spirit” through which he would escape, and what other instances?

5. Why is the Holy Spirit called “the Spirit of Christ”?

6. To what, instrumentally, is this supply of the Spirit granted, and what the value of the lesson?

7. Who at this time were Nero’s advisers and delegates in examining prisoners of state?

8. Were they conscious of supernatural intervention in their acquittal of Paul?

9. Why would not Paul’s death at this time frustrate the glory of Christ, why was not the extension of his life a personal favor to him, and why then was he spared at this time?

10. Explain Paul’s “strait betwixt two,” why was the decision to live unselfish on his part, and what other instance of his life similar to this?

11. What the one great end of his exhortation in Phi 1:27-2:4 ?

12. Give the rendering of the passage in both common and revised versions, and why is the author’s suggestion a better rendering?

13. Cite a passage of similar meaning in Ephesians.

14. Relate the incident of S. S. Prentiss and of Cicero, illustrating.

15. In what two incidents is Paul an illustration?

16. How does he suggest the carrying out of his exhortation?

17. Show the timeliness of the exhortation.

18. Show from another letter Paul’s tribute to their endurance of afflictions, and where do we find his statement of his own case illustrating what he here enjoins?

19. What three encouragements does he give to enforce his exhortation?

20. In what other letter does he similarly use the word “token”?

21. How does he clinch his exhortation?

22. What is a sixth and greater reason?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible