Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Philippians 1:26
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
26. rejoicing ] Better, with R.V., glorying; not the same word as that just previous, nor akin to it. The Greek word is a favourite with St Paul, especially in the Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians. This fact is an item in the evidence for the time of writing of this Epistle. See Introduction, p. 14.
may be more abundant ] On the Greek word thus rendered we may make the same remark precisely as on “glorying”; see last note.
in Jesus Christ ] Read, with all the evidence, in Christ Jesus; and see note on Php 1:1 above. Observe here, as so often (see above, on Php 1:8), how the whole action of the Christian’s life is carried on “ in Christ.” This glad exultant pleasure, this “glorying,” was to be experienced as by men in vital union with their Lord by the Spirit.
for me ] Lit. and better, in me. Here, on the other hand, “ in ” bears its frequent meaning of “ in the case of,” “ on occasion of.” Cp. e.g. Gal 1:24 ( not Gal 1:16) and 2Th 1:4, a close parallel. This change of interpretation of the same preposition in one passage is not arbitrary. The phrase “ in Christ ” is, so to speak, stereotyped; not so this latter. St Paul was to be their occasion for “glorying,” as a living example of the Lord’s faithfulness and love, restoring him to the needing disciples.
by my coming to you ] R.V., “ through my presence with you.” Better, perhaps, through my coming to you. The word ( parousia) rendered “coming” is lit. “presence”; but by usage it very frequently means “coming to be present,” as especially in the case of the “Parousia” of the Lord at the Great Day.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ – Through the mercy and grace of Christ, If he was spared, his deliverance would be traced to Christ, and they would rejoice together in one who had so mercifully delivered him.
For me by my coming to you again – Their joy would not only be that he was delivered, but that he was permitted to see them again.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. That your rejoicing may be more abundant] Men rejoice more in recovering a thing that was lost, than they do in a continual possession of what is of much greater value.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Here, in confidence of being again with them, and staying with them, he expresseth an admirable affection to them, that he can be content for a time to be deprived of the glorious sight of Christ, that he might see and serve them, and that under persecution; that they might, upon his return to them, more abundantly glory together, not in themselves, but, Christian-like, in Christ Jesus, the author of that doctrine he had preached to them, the Captain of their salvation, and the common Head of Christianity.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. Translate, “That yourmatter of glorying (or rejoicing) may abound in Christ Jesusin me (that is, in my case; in respect to me, or for mewho have been granted to your prayers, Php1:19) through my presence again among you.” ALFORDmakes the “matter of glorying,” the possession of theGospel, received from Paul, which would abound, be assured andincreased, by his presence among them; thus, “in me,”implies that Paul is the worker of the material of abounding inChrist Jesus. But “my rejoicing over you” (Php2:16), answers plainly to “your rejoicing in respectto me” here.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That your rejoicing may be more abundant,…. They had rejoiced greatly on his account already, blessing God that ever they had seen his face, or heard his voice; as they had great reason to do, he being the happy instrument of first bringing the Gospel to them, and of their conversion; and now he hoped he should be delivered out of prison, and see them again, that their joy might be increased and abound yet more and more, upon his deliverance, they had so earnestly prayed and so much longed for, and at the sight of him they so dearly loved: and yet to show that this their joy was not looked upon by him as a carnal one, or as arising from a natural affection, he observes that it was
in Jesus Christ; though they rejoiced in him as an instrument, and therefore he adds,
for me; yet it was on account of Jesus Christ, the subject of his ministry; their joy did not centre in the apostle, but had Christ for its object, whose person, righteousness, and salvation were held forth by him to their view and comfort; and though they would still more and more rejoice should he return to them once more,
by my coming to you again; yet still it would he in Christ, and because of the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ, in which he should come to them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In Christ Jesus in me ( ). “In Christ Jesus” as the basis for the glorying (), “in me” as the instance in point.
Through my presence ( ). The word so often used of the second coming of Christ, but here in its ordinary sense as in Phil 2:12; 1Cor 16:17.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Rejoicing [] . The matter of rejoicing, wrought through your faith.
In Christ Jesus for me [ ] . Construe in Christ Jesus with may abound, not with rejoicing. Christ is conceived as the element in which the matter of rejoicing grows and abounds. For me, better, as Rev, in me. The conjunction of the two phrases in Christ, in me, is somewhat confusing Paul ‘s presence is the immediate cause of their christian joy; hence in me; but their rejoicing in Paul is in Christ – a joy evolved within the sphere of life in Christ, and peculiar to those only to whom to live is Christ.
Coming [] . Rev., better, presence.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “That your rejoicing” (hina to kauchema humon) “in order that the boasting, lauding, rejoicing, or extolling of you,” (Which I do), or the ground of their glorying may increase as they saw the sufficiency of Christ in meeting Paul’s prison needs, emotionally and spiritually, 2Co 3:6.
2) “May be more abundant in Jesus Christ” (perisseue en christo iesou en emoi) “May abound in Christ Jesus in me,” by which their faith should be confirmed and their joy increased. Jesus Christ is the person and sphere of Christian growth that pleases God, Php_3:13-14; Rom 15:13; 1Co 15:58; 2Co 1:5.
3) “For me by my coming to you again” (dia tes emes parousias palin pros humas) “Through my presence again with you.” Paul looked forward to joining the Philippian brethren again in Christian fellowship, person to person; For it is in church fellowship and worship that our Lord appears in a most comforting and revealing way, Mat 28:19-20; Mat 18:20; Joh 17:24.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
26 That your glorying. The expression which he employs, ἐν ἐμόι, I have rendered de me (as to me,) because the preposition is made use of twice, but in different senses. No one assuredly will deny that I have faithfully brought out Paul’s mind. The rendering given by some — per Christum , (through Christ,) I do not approve of. For in Christ is employed in place of Secundum Christum , (According to Christ,) or Christiane , (Christianly,) to intimate that it was a holy kind of glorying. For otherwise we are commanded to glory in God alone. (1Co 1:31.) Hence malevolent persons might meet Paul with the objection, How is it allowable for the Philippians to glory as to thee? He anticipates this calumny by saying that they will do this according to Christ — glorying in a servant of Christ, with a view to the glory of his Lord, and that with an eye to the doctrine rather than to the individual, and in opposition to the false apostles, just as David, by comparing himself with hypocrites, boasts of his righteousness. (Psa 7:8.)
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) That your rejoicing may be more abundant.The word translated rejoicing is that favourite word of St. Paul, which signifies a ground of boasting, or exultation. It is used both of blessing beyond strict necessity, and of service beyond legal duty; in both of which there is ground for joy and thankfulness. This is, perhaps, best seen in 1Co. 9:15-18, where he declares that the simple preaching of the gospel is nothing to boast of, but that the preaching it without cost is the boasting, of which he says that he would rather die than that any man should make it void. (Comp. also the use of the same word in Php. 2:16, and in Rom. 4:2; 1Co. 5:6; 2Co. 1:14; 2Co. 5:12; 2Co. 9:3.) Here, therefore, St. Paul speaks of them as having in him, and in their connection with him, a cause of boasting, or rejoicing, just as in 2Co. 1:14 (We are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours), and declares that this will become more abundant by his coming to them again.
In Jesus Christ for me.The original runs, in Christ Jesus in me. The parallelism is instructive: all Christian rejoicing, or confidence, is primarily in Christ Jesus, even if it be secondarily in His servants. The suggestion of this idea here softens the apparent self-consciousness of the previous words. Comp., in 2 Corinthians 11, 12, his declaration of reluctance and distaste for the boasting of his apostolic authority and work, which was forced upon him.
By my coming to you again.See in 1Ti. 1:3 the evidence of the fulfilment of this confident expectation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Affliction The explanation of the not sincerely is their thinking to add affliction to his bonds, making worse his condition, which was already bad enough. The precise nature of the affliction is not clear. Alford supposes it to be “trouble of spirit,” which hardly consists with Php 1:18. With Ellicott and others, we refer it to outward trouble, by exciting his enemies, either pagans or Jews, and perhaps both, against him, thus putting his life in greater peril, as is evident from his regarding his death (Php 1:20) as the possible result of their machinations. Critical texts invert the order of Php 1:16-17.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
26. That your rejoicing Such an increase of faith and joy because of his coming again, would be good ground for their abundant joy in fellowship with Christ, whose servant he was, whom they were permitted again to see and hear. The apostle, in saying “ I know,” should not be understood as assured by revelation or prophetic insight into his own future, but rather as expressing the deep persuasion and earnest hope of his own mind, because his liberation seemed to him so important for the Church. In Php 2:17, he seems less confident. There is no record of a visit to Philippi after this period, but the probability of such a visit depends upon the decision of the question whether he was released from his present imprisonment. See Introduction to 1 Timothy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘That your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.’
And his expectancy is that the result of his once again dwelling among them will be that they will be filled with exultation in their walk with Christ Jesus, an exultation which will abound more and more in Christ, because he is present with them again. That is at the very heart of what he desires. But note that their glorying is to be ‘in Christ Jesus’ because of what He has done in bringing Paul to them again, and not in Paul himself. Paul is only the earthen vessel which contains within it the glory of the Lord (as the earthenware jar contained the oil-fed wick). See 2Co 4:7.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
Ver. 26. That your rejoicing ] Gr. Your glorying or exulting in this, that God hath given me in, as an answer to your prayers. It is surely a sweet thing to bear from heaven. David often boasts of it, Psa 6:8-9 ; Psa 66:19-20 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26 .] that your matter of boasting (not, as Chr., ‘ mine in you :’ nor, as commonly rendered, ‘ your boasting ’ ( ). Their Christian matter of boasting in him was, the possession of the Gospel, which they had received from him, which would abound, be assured and increased, by his presence among them) may abound in Christ Jesus (its field, element of increase, it being a Christian matter of glorying) in me (its field, element, of abounding in Christ Jesus , I being the worker of that which furnishes this material) by means of my presence again with you .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Phi 1:26 . “In order that your ground of glorying may increase in Christ Jesus through me, by reason of my,” etc. Their is their knowledge and possession of the Gospel. Christ Jesus is the sphere in which this blessing is enjoyed. Cf. Sir 9:16 , . is defined by the following clause. Paul looks on his presence with them as an occasion of advance in their Christian calling. , which here denotes strictly the basis , may be translated “through”. This passage bears out the favourable turn which Paul’s affairs have taken. He looks forward to rejoining them.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
rejoicing. Greek. kauchema, See Rom 4:2.
fore = in App-104, to. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
26.] that your matter of boasting (not, as Chr., mine in you: nor, as commonly rendered, your boasting (). Their Christian matter of boasting in him was, the possession of the Gospel, which they had received from him, which would abound, be assured and increased, by his presence among them) may abound in Christ Jesus (its field, element of increase, it being a Christian matter of glorying) in me (its field, element, of abounding in Christ Jesus, I being the worker of that which furnishes this material) by means of my presence again with you.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Php 1:26. , your glorying [rejoicing]) concerning my restoration to you, who were praying for that very thing. It is correlative to the words, to my rejoicing [glorying over you], Php 2:16. Glory is joy, proceeding from virtue; glorying is the expression of joy, an affection full of joy: from virtue, either true or false; whence glorying is also true or false; comp. Isa 57:12, where righteousness is called, though it is falsely so called, righteousness.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Php 1:26
Php 1:26
that your glorying may abound-Should he be released, he looked forward to another visit to them. [The idea is that they may obtain a larger and richer increase of that which is their true glory, the possession of the gospel and of the privileges of the Christian life.]
in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.-The immediate occasion of the glorying would be Paul. The ground of glorying would attach especially to him as the representative of the cause which was the great matter of glorying. The ground of glorying was first and comprehensively in Christ; then in Paul as representing Christ; then in Paul’s personal presence with them, with his teaching and example and prayers would be the means for attaining the grace of Christ, and so he was able to add, in me. The rejoicing would be of what the Lord had done, and the help thereto would be Pauls continuance in the flesh.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Phi 2:16-18, Phi 3:1, Phi 3:3, Phi 4:4, Phi 4:10, Son 5:1, Joh 16:22, Joh 16:24, 2Co 1:14, 2Co 5:12, 2Co 7:6
Reciprocal: 2Co 1:15 – that 2Co 1:24 – are Eph 4:12 – perfecting Phi 1:24 – General Phi 2:2 – Fulfil Phi 2:24 – General Phm 1:22 – for I trust 1Jo 1:4 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
(Php 1:26.) -That your matter of boasting may abound in Jesus Christ in me. The introduces a further purpose, and is matter of boasting. Rom 4:2; 1Co 5:6; 1Co 9:15. We cannot, with Ellicott, regard this clause as merely a definite and concrete form of the previous abstract statement-for the furtherance and joy of your faith. It contains a concrete representation, but it also describes an ulterior purpose. It supposes the increase of their joy and faith, and expresses what this should effect. And the matter of boasting is not vaguely their Christian state, or their possession of the gospel, but the conscious result brought out in the last clause of the previous verse. That matter of boasting was to abound in Christ Jesus-He being the inner sphere of its abundance. The connection adopted by Rilliet is wrong, for he joins . . to , as if the meaning were, that their boasting was occasioned-par leur union avec Christ. The phrase , on the other hand, marks the outer element or sphere of this matter of boasting. We cannot agree with Alford in giving two senses in these two clauses, as if it described the field of increase, on its first occurrence, and were to be rendered by means of, on its second occurrence. We think that it bears the same signification in both instances- that in both it describes the sphere of abounding joy-first, higher and spiritual-in Christ; and secondly, lower and mediate-in the apostle. And in him for the following reason-
-on account of my coming again to you. While has marked one relation of this abounding joy to the apostle, points out another of a public or instrumental nature. In the occurrence of -, the primary force of the preposition is not lost. The return of the released prisoner to Philippi would be of incalculable benefit. It would furnish occasion for deeper and more extended lessons on Christianity, so as that their faith might make progress, and its joy might be resuscitated, and this possession of a faith conscious of progress and buoyant with gladness, would furnish matter of abundant boasting in Christ Jesus, through the apostle’s visit.
In the previous paragraph, the apostle makes no allusion to the Second Advent. Some, indeed, have held that originally he imagined that he was to survive till that period, but that afterwards he gradually and completely changed his mind; his belief being once, that Christ was coming to take him, but ultimately, that he must depart, in order to be with Christ. Now, it will not do to apply the dictum of Professor Jowett, that Providence does not teach men what they can teach themselves, for in Paul’s case he received the gospel by the revelation of Jesus Christ, and surely a doctrine so important must have been among the lessons supernaturally communicated, for it formed an essential portion of the truth. Nor will it suffice to say, with Alford, that as Jesus did not know the day himself, higher knowledge cannot be expected of His servant. Mar 13:32. Granting that this interpretation of Christ’s words is correct, yet surely the same ignorance could not be predicated of the exalted Saviour, whose Spirit dwelt in the apostle, for the delegation of all power to Him must ensure the possession of all knowledge. Besides, to say that the apostle did not know the period, is not a sufficient argument, for he does not admit his ignorance; nay, on the contrary, as these scholars hold, he taught that the Second Coming was an imminent event. He who says, in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians-then, that is, after the dead in Christ are raised, we which are alive and remain shall be caught up, if he meant to affirm that he and those to whom he wrote would survive till the Lord’s descent, must have very soon altered his belief, for in a letter written to the same church shortly afterwards, he bids them on no account, and under no teaching, whatever its pretensions, to entertain the notion that the day of Christ was at hand. Then he sketches a portentous form of spiritual tyranny and impiety, which must be developed and destroyed prior to the Second Coming, and yet, in the very same document, he prays God to direct the hearts of his readers into patient waiting for Christ. Could the apostle, after what he had written, still believe that Christ was coming in his own day, or did he suppose that himself was to witness the growth, maturity, and overthrow of the Man of Sin? In the Epistle to the Romans also, he describes the inbringing of the Jewish race, but at that time, this inbringing could be regarded as no event very soon to happen, for they were enemies so malignant, that he prays and asks the Roman Christians to pray with him, that he may be delivered from them. We cannot therefore believe, with such indications of his earliest sentiments before us, that the apostle, after waiting in vain for his Lord’s coming, changed or modified his view. Nor in the discourses recorded in the Acts do we find any tokens of such fluctuation. In his address at Athens, he refers to a day in which God will judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained, and as the resurrection precedes the judgment, that Man Himself calls this period of His wondrous power the last day. Joh 6:39-40. Nor can we for a moment admit to Jowett, that Jesus Himself shifts His ground in His various answers to questions as to the time of His coming, for the different replies indicate that the coming was by the questioners differently understood. Could the same Speaker understand His coming in the very same sense, when He speaks of Jerusalem compassed with armies, as one token of it, and yet affirms that the gospel must be preached to all nations before the end shall come? Can the words-I will come again and receive you unto myself-have the same fulfilment as these other words-When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations?
The declaration-I have a desire to depart-is by no means at variance with that other avowal-not for that we would be unclothed. 2Co 5:4. In the chapter where this last statement occurs, the apostle still says-Willing rather to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord -verse 8. The reluctance to be unclothed is natural, the spirit does not will to be unfleshed, but it submits to the intermediate process of divestment, only as a step toward ultimate and spiritual investiture – toward being finally clothed upon. Or the meaning may be-we would prefer to be at once clothed upon, without dying at all, that our mortal part may be swallowed up, absorbed and assimilated by life, as in the translation of Enoch and Elijah, and in the sudden transmutation which shall pass over living believers when the Saviour comes. But in this paragraph of Second Corinthians there is no allusion to such coming, as forming any part of the argument; the course of illustration being suggested and conditioned by the initial statement as to the dissolution of the earthly tabernacle.
The apostle has expressed himself very confidently as to his survival, liberation, and proposed visit to the Philippian church. He could scarcely have made a stronger asseveration-Having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all; that your rejoicing may be more abundant, by my coming to you again. Was the apostle’s confidence warranted? Or was his anticipation verified? According to the chronology adopted by some, only a brief period elapsed between the writing of this letter and the decapitation of the apostle, the epistle being written in 62 or 63 A.D., and the martyrdom taking place in 64. Others affirm that the apostle was released as he expected, and that he made another and a last missionary tour into Asia Minor, passing over to Macedonia, and being filled with the company of the church at Philippi. The question of a second imprisonment at Rome has been long and keenly agitated, but this is not the place to enter into any analysis of the conflicting evidence derived either from traditionary hints, or certain exegetical inferences in the pastoral epistles. Suffice it to say, that difficulties are great on either hypothesis, and that such men as Baronius, Tillemont, Usher, Pearson, Mosheim, Hug, Gieseler, Neander, Olshausen, and Alford are on one side; while Petavius, Lardner, Hemsen, De Wette, Winer, Wieseler, Davidson, Schaff, and Meyer are on the other, holding that there was only one imprisonment. The apostle’s assertion in the preceding paragraph is firm and decided; but we dare not argue upon it, because it comes into direct collision with an assertion as firm and decided, in Act 20:25-And now I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. If the apostle were imprisoned but once, the declaration written to the Philippians is not in accordance with fact; and if he were released, and allowed again to travel, then the previous declaration spoken to the Ephesian elders at Miletus was not in accordance with fact. So that in the discussion, no stress can be laid on the apostle’s own language-the of Php 1:25, which would favour a release and a second imprisonment, being balanced by the of Act 20:25, which would as certainly discountenance it. The announcement of Php 1:25 sprang from deep longing and affection, and is rather the outburst of emotion than the utterance of prophetic insight. For by the time the apostle comes to the middle of the second chapter, the impulse of the moment had passed away, his confidence had drooped, the shadow had fallen upon him, and he writes under a different forecasting-Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. Still different is his sentiment when he thus addresses Philemon-Withal prepare me also a lodging, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you. Amidst these alternations, perhaps this last saying expresses the real or prevailing state of the apostle’s mind-his hope that the prayers of the church might be heard for him, and that God, in gracious answer to them, might prolong his life and his usefulness. It seems therefore to be taught us, that the apostle had no revelations ordinarily as to his own personal future; and that, though he possessed the Holy Spirit when he expounded the gospel, and therefore expounded it without error or the possibility of it, he was unable to divine what was to befall himself in time to come, save in so far as it was formally communicated to him. Such revelations were not essential to the discharge of his duty, and were no portion of that truth which he was inspired to make known. Nay more, as if to show us that himself recognized such a distinction as we have been making, he says-And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; but he adds, that this ignorance was dissipated, though only in a general way- save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. Act 20:22-23. Inspiration for official labour was necessarily bestowed, and did not descend to the minor sphere of personal contingencies. It did not keep Paul from errors of opinion as to the course of his travels-We were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia-They assayed to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit suffered them not. Act 16:6-7. Nor did it preserve in him a perfect recollection of the past, for he could not tell at the moment how many persons he had baptized at Corinth. 1Co 1:16. We have thus endeavoured to meet the difficulty suggested by the text, and such a solution is surely better than with many to dilute the plain meaning of into probabiliter sperare, or to adopt the adventurous paraphrase of Peile-Of this I feel quite sure, that in the event of my continuing in the flesh, it will be for your furtherance and joy in the faith.
The apostle now passes from these more personal matters. As the hope of revisiting his Philippian converts, and gladdening them with his presence, rose up before him, he naturally, as if in anticipation of this result, and in preparation for it, asks them to live and act in the meantime in harmony with their profession, especially to cherish a true unity in defence of the gospel, and to exhibit a fearless courage in front of their antagonists. For their self-possession would be a token of perdition to such adversaries, but to themselves one of salvation. And this divine augury they were to accept and trust in, inasmuch as it was given them to suffer for Christ, as well as to believe in Him; faith being the means of salvation, and suffering its index. Then, and to inspirit them under such tribulation, the apostle likens their conflict to his own-such as they had seen it at Philippi, and now heard of it as still raging at Rome. The idea of unity recurs to his mind while he speaks of the conflict, for unity was indispensable to success, and he reverts to it in the beginning of next chapter. The joy which he anticipated on his visit depended on their cultivation of it, and it was essential also to that fellowship for the gospel by which they had been so eminently characterized, and for which he gave unceasing thanks to God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Php 1:26. Paul was made a prisoner in Rome two times (2Ti 4:16), and this epistle was written when he was there the first time. He was released and permitted to go out among the churches for a while. I shall quote from Smith’s Bible Dictionary as follows: “In this epistle [the one to the Philippians] Paul twice expresses a confident hope that before long he may be able to visit the Philippians in person. (Chapter 1:25; 2:24.) Whether this hope was fulfilled or not has been the occasion of much controversy. According to the general opinion the apostle was liberated from imprisonment at the end of two years, having been acquitted by Nero in A.D. 63, and left Rome soon after writing the letter to the Philippians.” The release of Paul would be regarded as an answer to the prayers of the church. This would cause their rejoicing to be more abundant. In Jesus Christ for me denotes their rejoicing would be in regard to Paul and his victory through Jesus Christ over his enemies.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Php 1:26. that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me. The noun here used, glorying, and its kindred verb, are favourite words with St. Paul. They signify primarily boasting, but like so many words which have been taken by the New Testament diction for its own, they have received a modification of meaning. The Christian man may boast, but it can never be of himself, but of what in mercy has been done for him, and such boasting becomes a glorification of his Lord. Hence the apostles sentence means that the Philippians may have more and more cause for such boasting in Christ Jesus for His grace bestowed, and so their glorying may be said to be in Christ Jesus. But St. Pauls own lessons and example and prayers will be a means for attaining the grace of Christ, and so he is able to add in me. The boasting will be of what the Lord hath done, and the help thereto will be Pauls continuance in the flesh.
through my presence with you again. We know from a later Epistle (1Ti 1:3) that the apostle did make another journey into Macedonia, and we cannot doubt that the visit to the Philippians here anticipated was paid.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
ARGUMENT 3
SECOND IMPRISONMENT
26. In order that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus, in me through my coming again unto you. I believe with Dean Alford and the abler critics, that Paul passed through two distinct imprisonments at Rome. All the Roman authorities in Judea, Lysias, Felix, and Agrippa, pronounced a verdict of innocence in behalf of Paul, certifying to his legal manumission so far as the criminal charges against him were concerned, as they consisted only in accusations of disharmony with Jewish laws and customs, which had no criminal signification in Roman jurisdiction. The only reason for which he was carried a prisoner to Rome, was because he had appealed to Caesar. This he did, not because he cared anything about Caesars tribunal, but that he might verify his long-cherished aspiration of preaching the gospel in the worlds capital and metropolis, that the light of Gods truth, radiating from the center, might shine out into every land. His rights as a Roman citizen entitled him to an appeal to Caesar, thus forcing his enemies to defray his traveling expenses all the way from Jerusalem to Rome, a journey at that time greater than the circumnavigation of the globe at the present day. When finally he stood at Caesars tribunal, as he was charged with nothing criminal in Roman law, they could but acquit him. This took place about A.D. 63 or 64; after which he returned to Asia, visiting the Churches the last time. Having crossed the Aegean Sea again, he lands in Greece, where he wrote the first letter to Timothy and Titus, expecting to spend the winter of A.D. 68 at Nicopolis, in Southern Macedonia. About that time a great fire sweeps over Rome, wrapping the city in an ocean of flame six days and seven nights. When I was there my guide showed me the old tower on which Nero sat during the conflagration, playing his fiddle, and singing the destruction of Troy.
Though all the people believed that the wicked emperor had ordered the conflagration, he charged the Christians with that dark iniquity, lighting on it as a pretext for issuing that bloody edict which caused them to bleed and burn three hundred years. Though Paul was not at Rome during the conflagration, when this high crime is saddled on the Christians, they have him arrested about Nicopolis in Greece, because he was a prominent leader of the Nazarenes. Upon his second arrest and transportation to Rome, he was incarcerated in that loathsome old Mamertine prison, not as a mere disturber of the Jewish religion, as in the first imprisonment, but as an evil doer. (2Ti 2:9.) Kakourgos, from kakos, evil, and ergos, work, is the word here applied to him in his second imprisonment. It is because they accused him of burning Rome, which was a crime of the darkest dye. From this prison led out, he was tried by Nero, and condemned to decapitation. This locates his martyrdom about A.D. 68.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
The idea contained in this verse is that Paul’s renewed ministry among the Philippians would give them reasons to be even more joyful. His ministry among them would enable them to appreciate the riches of their salvation more fully. "Proud confidence" (NASB, Gr. kauchema) means ground for joy. "Coming" (Gr. parousia) is the same word Paul used to describe the Lord’s return (1Th 3:13).
"In Classical Greek it referred to the pomp and pageantry that accompanied the arrival of a king or governor in a city. By using this special word Paul may indicate that he expects to receive a ’king’s welcome’ from the Philippians when he comes to their town (Beare)." [Note: Hawthorne, p. 53. Beare refers to F. W. Beare, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Philippians.]
The major value of this pericope (Php 1:19-26) is its revelation of Paul’s attitude toward life and death. When a person faces the possibility of dying soon, his or her real values often become obvious. Paul’s Christ-centered life is certainly a fine example for all Christians to emulate. He referred to Christ by name nine times in Php 1:13-26. Here he discerned what was best regarding his own desires and the Philippians’ spiritual progress (cf. Php 1:9). Paul’s desire to glorify Jesus Christ kept him pure (Php 1:10; cf. Php 1:17-18). This section provides a smooth transition from Paul’s thanksgiving and prayer into the body of the epistle.