Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Philippians 2:28
I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
28. I sent ] In an English letter it would run, I have sent, or I am sending.
carefully ] Better, with R.V. diligently; taking pains to arrange.
less sorrowful ] A beautiful touch of character. Among his sorrows, he intimates, was his being the unwilling cause of separating Epaphroditus from the Philippians, and bringing him into risks at Rome. To think of him as safely returned to Philippi would be a solace, though it would be a new separation for himself. Under the shadow of that last thought, perhaps, he says not “ happier ” but “ less sorrowful.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I send him therefore the more carefully – With more diligence, or speed; I was the more ready to send him.
That I may be the less sorrowful – That is, on account of my solicitude for you; that I may know that your minds are at ease, and that you rejoice in his being among you.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 28. The more carefully] . With the more haste or despatch; because, having suffered so much on account of his apprehended death, they could not be too soon comforted by seeing him alive and restored.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I sent him therefore the more carefully; after his recovery, without delay, denying myself the comfort of his seciety, I have despatched him away to you.
That, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice; to the end that he whom you looked upon as dead might seasonably appear among you in person, and cheer you up in your troubles for him and me.
And that I may be the less sorrowful; and that I, who, by reason of your kindness to me, have occasioned his absence from you, might upon his safe return to you have somewhat to alleviate my grief, 2Co 6:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I sent him therefore the more carefully,…. Or in greater haste, and as soon as possible:
that when ye see him again ye may rejoice; for this must greatly increase their joy, to see him again after he had been so long from them, and under such a disorder, which had made them to fear they should never see him more. The Syriac version renders it, “that when ye see him ye may rejoice again”; as they had done heretofore in his conversation and ministry, when among them:
and that I may be the less sorrowful; when he should hear of his safe arrival among them, and of their joyful reception of him to their mutual satisfaction, which would be an alleviation of the apostle’s sorrow in his present circumstances; for he did not expect to be wholly without sorrow while in this life.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ye may rejoice (). Second aorist passive subjunctive with in final clause of , to rejoice.
That I may be the less sorrowful ( ). Present subjunctive with and comparative of old compound adjective ( privative and , more free from grief). Beautiful expression of Paul’s feelings for the Philippians and for Epaphroditus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “I sent him therefore the more carefully” (spoudaioteros oun epempsa auton) “More eagerly therefore I sent him, as he was willing,” of a ready mind, 2Co 8:12.
2) “That, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice,” (hina idontes auton palin charete) “In order that seeing him again ye may all rejoice.” The joy and welfare of others was Paul’s mission spirit,” received from the Lord, even till death, Joh 15:11; Joh 16:33; 1Th 5:16; 2Ti 4:7-8.
3) “And that I may be the less sorrowful” (kago alupoteros ho) “And in order that I may be less grieved,” for your welfare, (for others) even as our Lord loved, cared for, ministered to, and prayed for his own through Gethsemane before death, and on the Mount of Olives in Bethany as he went away into heaven, Joh 17:1-26; Luk 24:50-51. Blessing and caring for others relieves ones personal griefs and often selfish-self -pitying sorrows, Rom 9:1-3; Rom 10:1-4; Rom 12:12-16; Gal 6:2; Isa 53:4; Mat 8:17; 1Pe 2:24.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
28 I have sent him the more carefully. The presence of Epaphroditus was no small consolation to him; yet to such a degree did he prefer the welfare of the Philippians to his own advantage, that he says that he rejoices on occasion of his departure, because it grieved him that, on his account, he was taken away from the flock that was intrusted to him, and was reluctant to avail himself of his services, though otherwise agreeable to him, when it was at the expense of loss to them. Hence he says, that he will feel more happiness in the joy of the Philippians.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
28. I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy: and hold such in honor: 30. because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.
Translation and Paraphrase
28. I am therefore sending him the more speedily (to you), so that (by) seeing him (safe and sound) you may rejoice again, and I (myself) may be less sorrowful (no longer being worried because I know you are worried.)
29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and regard such (men) as worthy of honor,
30. Because he came near unto death, risking his life for the sake of the work of Christ, so that he might fulfill that which is lacking in your service to me.
Notes
1.
Pauls returning Epaphroditus would accomplish two objectives: (1) It would cause the Philippians to rejoice upon seeing him again safe and sound. (2) It would make Paul himself less sorrowful, to know that the anxieties of the Philippians were relieved. The pain in their hearts hurt Pauls heart.
2.
The Philippians were to receive Epaphroditus with joy, not reluctantly as if he were a quitter or a failure. He was neither. Rather he was to be held in honor.
3.
We wish we knew all the details of Epaphroditus activities in Rome with Paul, so we could know just how he had risked his life to serve Paul. We can ask Paul or Epaphroditus about this in the New Heaven and Earth.
4.
There was a class of Christians in the ancient church called parabolani (a word meaning those who cast themselves aside in disregard of danger and risk). These people risked their lives going among the sick, and into the houses where the plague was rampant to minister and serve others.
A related word (paraboleuomai) is used to describe Epaphroditus deeds in Rome. He risked and hazarded his life to serve Paul. We do not know the details as to what risks he ran.
There are times when Christians must be willing to lay down their lives that others may be saved and served. Act. 20:24; Act. 15:26.
5.
The Preachers Homiletic Commentary gives the following outline, based on Php. 2:25-30, of Heroic Devotion to Christ:
(1)
It is wholly absorbed in the work of Christ; Php. 2:30.
(2)
It risks life in serving the cause of God.
(3)
It should be held in highest esteem; Php. 2:29.
(4)
It is fully of sympathy for the anxieties of people; Php. 2:26.
6.
Php. 2:30 suggests that the Philippians owed Paul a debt of service. Compare Phm. 1:13; Phm. 1:19. Converts do owe a debt of service to those who win them to Christ. The Philippians had sent one of their members, Epaphroditus, to Paul to help pay their debt to Paul.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(28) I sent him therefore the more carefully.That is, I was the more earnest and anxious to send him. In any case the Apostle would have been desirous to express his thanks and send news by Epaphroditus. But the circumstances of his illness increased that desire to greater earnestness.
I may be the less sorrowful.There is a peculiar pathos in this expression, as contrasted with the completeness of joy described above in Php. 2:17-18. Epaphroditus recovery and safe return would take away the sorrow upon sorrow; but the old sorrow of captivity, enforced inactivity, and anxiety for the condition of the gospel, would remain. The expression of perfect joy belongs to the spirit which was willing indeed; the hint of an unspoken sorrow marks the weakness of the flesh.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
28. More carefully More speedily. Whatever would cause them joy, would diminish his own trouble, so deep was his sympathy with them.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.’
It would appear that Paul’s fatherly heart had also been burdened because he had shared Epaphroditus’ burden (Php 2:26), and because of the grief of the Philippians, so that he was eager to send Epaphroditus personally in order that they could see for themselves that he was now well again, in order that they might thus be filled with rejoicing. It was constantly his desire that Christians should have cause to be joyful (something deeper and longer lasting than happiness) as part of their testimony.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Php 2:28. I sent him I have sent him. The Vulgate renders the word , which we translate the more carefully, by festinantius,the more speedily; which seems best to agree with the Apostle’s design: nor is it unreasonable to suppose that this word should respect time, since all its conjugates frequently do.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Phi 2:28 . The more urgently, therefore (in consequence of this sickness which he had had and recovered from, of which ye received tidings, Phi 2:26-27 ), I have brought about his return, which otherwise I would still have delayed.
] belongs to , as Paul usually places it before the verb, or, at least, makes it follow immediately after. See Gersdorf, Beitr . p. 491 f., and van Hengel. And the context affords no ground for departing from the usual mode, and for joining it with (Beza, Grotius, and others, also Baumgarten-Crusius and de Wette).
. ] , , Oecumenius. He is not , for he is in captivity and surrounded by adversaries; but the joy which he is aware is already prepared for his beloved Philippians by the return of Epaphroditus, lessens his . This tender interweaving of his own alleviation with the rejoicing of his readers is lost, if we refer . to the removal of the vexation of seeing the recovered one so full of longing and so uneasy (Hofmann), which, regarded as , would be sentimental. According to Weiss, Paul intends to say: still more , than I have already become in consequence of Epaphroditus’ recovery. An unsuitable idea, because the comparative necessarily presupposes a certain degree of the still remaining. In the consciousness of this Paul has written .; if it had been otherwise, he would perhaps have used, as in Phi 2:19 , or .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
Ver. 28. That when ye see him ] And receive him as risen from the dead. God knows how to commend his mercies to us, by threatening us with the loss of them; for Bona a tergo formosissima. We know best the worth of mercies by the lack of them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
28 .] most naturally, considering St. Paul’s habit of prefixing it to verbs, belongs to : and there is here no reason to depart from his usage and attach it to , as Beza, Grot., De W., all., have done. The is one of the Apostle’s delicate touches of affection. If they rejoiced in seeing Epaphroditus, his own trouble would be thereby lessened.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Phi 2:28 . . The more regular form is the inferior reading , which is due to some copyist. But that in – is also found in classical Greek. See W-Sch [11] . , p. 98. It is quite possible that we have here, as frequently in later popular Greek, a comparative with superlative force (see Blass, Gramm. , p. 33). “I sent him with all haste” (including the notion of anxiety and concern which belongs to ). . Epistolary aorist. . Their joy means the lifting of a burden from his heart. He sympathised with Epaphroditus’ yearning for home. He sympathised with the Philippians’ anxiety for their brother. Chr [12] . aptly quotes Paul’s own words in 2Co 11:29 , ; .
[11] Sch. Schmiedel’s Ed. of Winer.
[12] Chrysostom.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
carefully = diligently. see. App-133.
less sorrowful = more free from grief. Greek. alupoteros. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
28.] most naturally, considering St. Pauls habit of prefixing it to verbs, belongs to : and there is here no reason to depart from his usage and attach it to , as Beza, Grot., De W., all., have done. The is one of the Apostles delicate touches of affection. If they rejoiced in seeing Epaphroditus, his own trouble would be thereby lessened.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Php 2:28. , the more earnestly, anxiously [carefully]) sooner than Timothy, Php 2:19.-, ye may rejoice) Godly men may receive joy from all things.- , I may be the less sorrowful) when I know, that you rejoice.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Php 2:28
Php 2:28
I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.-He was the more careful, more delighted, to send him at once to them, that when they saw him, they might rejoice at his recovery, and it would lessen the sorrow of himself to know that they were relieved of anxiety for him.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
ye see: Phi 2:26, Gen 45:27, Gen 45:28, Gen 46:29, Gen 46:30, Gen 48:11, Joh 16:22, Act 20:38, 2Ti 1:4
and that: Phi 2:27, 2Co 2:3, 1Jo 1:3, 1Jo 1:4
Reciprocal: Rom 12:15 – Rejoice 1Co 16:18 – they 2Co 7:13 – we were Phi 2:19 – that I Col 4:8 – I have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
(Php 2:28.) -The more speedily therefore have I sent him, or in English idiom, as he carried the letter, I send. The force of the comparative is obvious. Winer, 35, 4. He would have detained him longer, if they had not received that intelligence of his sickness which greatly grieved Epaphroditus. It is not as Bengel put it-citius quam Timotheum-
– in order that having seen him ye may again rejoice, and I too be less sorrowful. Beza, Grotius, De Wette, with Knapp and other editors, join to -a connection which at first sight seems very natural. The Philippians would rejoice when they saw again their Epaphroditus. But the usage of the apostle is against this exposition, for he commonly places before the verb with which it is connected. Examples of this usage are numerous. Rom 11:23; Rom 15:10; Rom 15:12; 1Co 7:5; 2Co 1:16; 2Co 2:1; 2Co 5:12; 2Co 11:16; 2Co 12:19; 2Co 12:21; Gal 1:9; Gal 1:17; Gal 2:1; Gal 2:18; Gal 4:19; Gal 5:1; Php 4:4; Heb 1:6; Heb 4:7; Heb 5:12; Heb 6:1; Heb 6:6. There are, however, some exceptions, such as 2Co 10:7, where the emphatic position of throws behind the verb; Gal 4:9, where the form of the question produces the same result; and Gal 5:3, where the first reason may be again assigned. See Gersdorf’s Beitrge, p. 490. The meaning will be-that as they had been depressed when they heard of the alarming illness of Epaphroditus, so when they should see him they should rejoice again, or as heretofore, in his presence and labours; and while they rejoiced, he himself should be less sorrowful – (a word used only here); not without sorrow absolutely, for he had it through his imprisonment, but a weight would be taken off his mind, and in proportion as they rejoiced would his grief be lessened through his oneness of heart with them. The sorrow which should thus be mitigated is not cogitatio anxietatis vestroe, as van Hengel misunderstands it, for the apostle ascribes this feeling to Epaphroditus, not to himself.
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Php 2:28. To relieve the tension was another reason for sending Epaphroditus back to Philippi at this time, besides the one mentioned at verse 25. When the brethren saw their messenger in their midst again, recovered from his serious illness, they would have the load of anxiety lifted and all parties concerned would rejoice together.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Php 2:28. I have sent him therefore the more diligently. That is, because of his longing to return, and because I desired that he should be restored to health, for which result this was the surest means. Diligently indicates that St. Paul had allowed no time to elapse after the recovery of Epaphroditus before he sent him away. The whole language bespeaks the tenderness of the apostle both for the sick man and his friends at home. Though he found solace and help in his presence, he would keep him no moment longer than was needful.
that when ye see him again, ye may rejoice. The adverb is so placed that it seems as though it was meant to qualify the last verb as well as the first. Indeed, some have taken it with that verb rather than with the former. Ye may again have joy, which is fled from you since ye heard the tidings of his sickness.
and that I may be the leas sorrowful. For he could not be without sorrow as long as he knew of the anxious friends in Philippi. When their messenger was among them once more, the weight on the mind of St. Paul would be lightened.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Here, first, St. Paul assigns the reason why he was so careful to send back Epaphroditus to the Philippians, namely, to assuage his own grief, and to increase their joy, that when ye see him, ye might rejoice, and I be the less sorrowful.
Next, the apostle exhorts them to receive him with all joy and gladness, and to give him, and all such as he was, due honour, and deserved respect; and doubtless, the Philippians received him with inexpressible joy, as the minister of Christ risen from the dead, recovered from the grave; received to life and service, when all hopes of enjoying him were cut off.
O the folly and frailty of human nature! We prize our mercies more by the want, than by the worth of them.
Lastly, he assigns a special reason why he would have them receive him with such demonstrations of joy, namely, because it was in their and his service that he was brought to the very brink of the grave; For the work of Christ, he was nigh unto death: the work here meant is properly his journey to Rome, which was long and tedious; his watchings and pains-taking with and for the apostle there were very spending, he endeavoured to supply the absence and want of the whole church to St. Paul; his zeal for God, and his affection to St. Paul, carried him out beyond himself, beyond his strength, to the apparent prejudice both of his health and life.
Learn hence, 1. That to relieve the members, but especially the Ministers of Christ, in their necessities and wants, is the work of Christ. For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death. Ministers are not only engaged in the work of Christ when they preach, &c. but when they visit their flock, inquire into the wants of the poor, and administer to the necessities of the distressed; this is the work of Christ.
Learn, 2. That sickness may overtake, yea, death itself may meet, the faithful servants and ministers of Christ, when they are engaged in his own work: it was in the work of the Lord that Epaphroditus met with sickness; and had he met with death itself, he had been happy; for, Blessed are they that die in the work of the Lord; they shall rest from their labours, and their works shall follow them.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Php 2:28-30. I sent him therefore the more carefully Or, speedily, as here signifies; that seeing him again In a state of health, ye may rejoice May be comforted after your trouble; and that I may be the less sorrowful When I know you are rejoicing. Receive him therefore With affection and gratitude, being assured that his long absence was owing, not to want of love to you, but to bad health; and hold persons of such a character, whatever their station of life may be, in great estimation. Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death It appears from the last clause of this verse, that by the work of Christ here, the apostle partly meant his personal attendance on the apostle in his bonds, and the various services he performed for him, with his sundry journeys by land and sea on his account: but it is probable that he included also his labours in preaching the gospel in Rome, and in the neighbouring cities and villages, with his carrying the apostles messages and instructions to the disciples, his watching over them, visiting such of them as were sick, and other similar offices.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 28
I sent him–the more carefully; I was the more careful or anxious to send him.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
The concern of Epaphroditus and the Philippians for one another led Paul to send their messenger back to them at once. He may have done so earlier than he would have otherwise. This would lessen Paul’s concern about the Philippians knowing that Epaphroditus’ return would relieve his readers’ anxiety.