Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Philippians 1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;
9. I pray ] He takes up the words, Php 1:4, “in every request for you all.”
that ] Lit., by classical rules, “ in order that.” But in later Greek the phrase has lost its more precise necessary reference to purpose, and may convey (as here) the idea of purport, significance. So we say, “a message to this effect,” meaning, “in these terms.” In Joh 17:3 (where lit., “ in order to know, &c.”), the phrase conveys the kindred idea of equivalence, synonymous description; “life eternal” is, in effect, “to know God.”
your love ] Perhaps in its largest reference; Christian love, however directed, whether to God or man, to brethren or aliens. But the previous context surely favours a certain speciality of reference to St Paul; as if to say, “your Christian love, of which I have such warm evidence.” Still, this leaves a larger reference also quite free.
abound ] A favourite word with St Paul. In this Ep. it occurs again, Php 1:26, Php 4:12; Php 4:18. Cp. 1Th 4:1 for a near parallel here. Nothing short of spiritual growth ever satisfies St Paul. “The fire in the Apostle never says, Enough ” (Bengel).
in ] As a man “abounds in” e.g. “hope” (Rom 15:13). He prays that their love may richly possess knowledge and perception as its attendants and aids.
knowledge ] Greek, epignsis, more than gnsis. The structure of the word suggests developed, full knowledge; the N.T. usage limits the thought to spiritual knowledge. It is a frequent word with St Paul.
all judgment ] “All”: with reference to the manifold needs and occasions for its exercise; judgment developed, amplified to the full for full use. “Judgment”: lit. “ sensation, perception.” The word occurs here only in N.T., and cognates to it only Luk 9:45; Heb 5:14. R.V., “ discernment.” But the word “judgment” (in the sense e.g. of criticism of works of art, or of insight into character) is so fair an equivalent to the Greek that the A.V. may well stand. In application, the “judgment” would often appear as delicate perception, fine tact; a gift whose highest forms are nowhere so well seen as in some Christians, even poor Christians.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And this I pray – We pray for those whom we love, and whose welfare we seek. We desire their happiness; and there is no way more appropriate of expressing that desire than of going to God, and seeking it at his hand. Paul proceeds to enumerate the blessings which he sought for them; and it is worthy of observation that he did not ask riches, or worldly prosperity, but that his supplications were confined to spiritual blessings, and he sought these as the most desirable of all favors.
That your love may abound … – Love to God; love to one another; love to absent Christians; love to the world. This is an appropriate subject of prayer. We cannot wish and pray for a better thing for our Christian friends, than that they may abound in love. Nothing will promote their welfare like this; and we had better pray for this, than that they may obtain abundant riches, and share the honors and pleasures of the world.
In knowledge – The idea is, that he wished them to have intelligent affection. It should not be mere blind affection, but that intelligent love which is based on an enlarged view of divine things – on a just apprehension of the claims of God.
And in all judgment – Margin, sense; compare the notes at Heb 5:14. The word here means, the power of discerning; and the meaning is, that he wished that their love should be exercised with proper discrimination. It should be in proportion to the relative value of objects; and the meaning of the whole is, that the wished their religion to be intelligent and discriminating; to be based on knowledge, and a proper sense of the relative value of objects, as well as to be the tender affection of the heart.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Php 1:9
That your love abound yet more and more in all knowledge and in all Judgment
Pauls prayer
I.
Its subject matter–Your love.
II. Its burden–May abound, etc.
III. Its aim–That ye may approve, etc. (G. G. Ballard.)
Definiteness in prayer
1. Implies a deep consciousness of an intelligently apprehended need.
2. Is becoming when an intelligent being addresses the Divine Intelligence.
3. Is essential, from the very nature of prayer.
4. Affords a fixed ground for the exercise of faith.
5. Emboldens supplication.
6. Inspires hope of a definite response. (G. G. Ballard.)
Love
II. Gods love, embraced by faith into the inmost personality of man, is the central force of Christian life.
II. Christian love.
1. Receives its first impulse from Gods love.
2. Is sustained in activity by its power.
3. Moves in a refluent orbit of increasing circles which continuously grow (Rom 5:20).
III. Abounding love. As the river, although perfect, perpetuates itself only by its ever-onward flow, as the full ocean at spring tide aboundeth yet more and more, so love, in abounding, gathers that true freshness, vigour, and activity, whereby it has power to abound yet more and more. (G. G. Ballard.)
Loves spring tides
1. Roll to us immediately from the heart of God.
2. Are in harmony with His reign of grace.
3. Bring to us the fullest manifestation of His love.
4. Thrill us with holy excitement though performing monotonous duties, and inspire a holy daring though in view of the fiery trial.
5. Overleap in their impetuous progress every landmark of stern propriety set up by cold conventionalism.
6. Know no limits save knowledge and judgment (G. G. Ballard.)
Love and knowledge
Such passages as these have a peculiar value for serious Christians; for one of the great questions of Christian life is, What is it best to pray for? Here Paul gives us a regulating principle for many of our own most earnest prayers.
I. We see what St. Paul takes for granted as the underlying substance, the raw material of the divine life of the soul of man–Love.
1. He does not pray that their knowledge may abound more and more in love. Whenever knowledge and love are put in competition, the precedence is always given to love. As compared with knowledge love is intrinsically stronger, and worth more practically. To be knit to God by love is better than to speculate about Him. To enwrap other men in the flame of a passionate enthusiasm is better than to analyze rival systems of ethical, social, or political truth.
2. A personal affection for Jesus our Lord is the first step, the fundamental thing in real Christianity. What is it that provokes love?
(1) Beauty, and our Lords moral beauty acts upon the affections of a true soul just as the sun acts upon the petals of an unopened bud.
(2) One specific kind of moral beauty–generosity. The generosity of Jesus in giving Himself to die for us appeals even more powerfully than the faultless beauty of His character. The love of Christ constraineth us.
(3) It is a distinct endowment, an infused grace, shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost.
3. To love Christ is to love
(1) God; for God in Him is made apprehendible and approachable.
(2) Man, in Him the representative.
(3) Thus love to the Saviour is the common source of all that is not spiritual in religion, and most fruitful and creative in philanthropy.
II. St. Paul would have this love abound more and more in knowledge—-the higher knowledge.
1. There is a period in the growth of love when such knowledge is imperatively required. In its earliest stages the loving soul lives only in the warmth and light of its object. It asks no questions; it only loves. But from the nature of the case this period comes to an end, not because love grows cold but because it becomes more exacting. It cannot live apart from thought, and sooner or later must come to an understanding with it. It must know something accurately about its object, and begins to ask questions which must be wisely and truly answered, or in its deep disappointment it will sicken and die.
2. How repeatedly this truth is realized in the case of the sons of deeply religious people, and in people who have been deeply religious themselves, but have passed from fervent love to deep despair, because its training in knowledge has been neglected.
3. This law will explain what happened in the Early Church. At first love reigned alone, unenquiring, ecstatic. But when the Gentiles pressed into the fold questions could not be but asked. And so in Gods providence love had to, and did, grow more and more in knowledge. Each of the four groups of St. Pauls Epistles marks a distinct stage in the doctrinal insight of the Church. Each of the great Alexandrian teachers, Clement, Origen, Dionysius, Athanasius, and Cyril poured a flood of light upon the Christian conscience. The Church passed from the agonies of the Coliseum and the catacombs to define, and to recognize before she defined, the unchanging faith at Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon.
4. What has been said applies to education. This must begin with the heart. Until a pupils affections are won, the true groundwork of the process is not mastered. The repression of love will assuredly, sooner or later, avenge itself. Witness the case of J.S. Mill. (Canon Liddon.)
Love abounding through knowledge
This climax is unexpected. We should have thought in fervour, zeal, self-sacrifice. Instead of that the direction is upward from the heart to the head.
I. Knowledge reveals character and character draws out love. We can only love a person whom we know to be lovable. This holds especially true of our relations to God. Enmity comes of ignorance of Him. Hence, in Jesus He has given us a revelation of His heart, and to know Christ is to love God. My people is destroyed for lack of knowledge, is the epitaph written over the graves of scores of dead Christians. Neglecting the diligent study of the Scriptures they have no nutriment for their love, and it starves.
II. Knowledge of God brings us into communion with that Divine life which is the spring of all Divine love. If God is love, the more we come into fellowship with Himself the more we shall come into the exercise and experience of His love. But it is only through knowledge that we can come into this experience. (A. J. Gordon.)
Knowledge the basis of love
I. What are we to understand by Christians having the true knowledge of God. This cannot mean perfect knowledge. None but Deity can comprehend Deity. But we may have a true knowledge, and the difference between the two is that the former is a knowledge of all things that are true concerning God, and the latter of some things which are true. And what Christians know is as true as if they knew everything, They know, e.g., God to be self-existent, omnipotent, just, merciful, etc., although they do not know the ground of His self-existence, etc. No man knows everything about anything, but the little he knows is as true as though he knew all.
II. How Christians gain this true, though partial, knowledge of God.
1. By the light of nature, The invisible things, etc.
2. By Divine revelation. Though God cannot tell men in any language all things about Himself, He can tell some things in their language which they can understand.
III. Their true love for God is founded on their true knowledge of God. They do not love or worship an unknown God. Knowledge not ignorance is the mother of their devotion: which will appear if we consider–
1. That if Christians should love God for what is not true concerning Him, they would love a false character of God, which would not be true, but false love–the same as loving a false god, which is the essence of idolatry.
2. It is the knowledge which Christians have of the real and supreme excellency of God that lays them under moral obligation to love Him supremely. The more they know of God the more they feel themselves bound to love Him with all their heart.
Improvement: If Christians have some true knowledge of God from His works and Word, then–
1. They may have some true knowledge of every doctrine that God has revealed.
2. There is a propriety in preaching upon any doctrine that God has revealed.
3. Christians have no right to disbelieve any doctrine because there is something mysterious in it. If we disbelieve on this ground, we must disbelieve everything.
4. Those who have gained this certain knowledge ought to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.
5. There is no excuse for religious errors. (N. Emmons, D. D.)
The importance of Christian knowledge
I. The subjects which Christianity presents are the most important and sublime in the universe.
II. Just conceptions of the truth of God are indispensable to the possession of true holiness. What is holiness but obedience to truth; truth desired, loved, obeyed? But how is truth to be obeyed unless it is known? It is an unchanging law of our being that the heart is affected through the medium of the understanding.
III. Without the spirit of theological research it is impossible to make rapid advances in the divine life. Christians have much to learn of God that they may desire greater manifestations of His glory; of themselves, that they may be stimulated to greater attainments; of their obligations, that they may press after perfect holiness. There are, of course, instances in which growth in knowledge does not secure growth in grace; but that is because truth does not make its appropriate impression on the mind, and is opposed by sin. But the clearer our views of God the more fervent our love of Him; of sin, the more self-abasing our repentance; of Christ, the stronger our faith; of duty, the stronger our desires to perform it.
IV. The attainment of religious knowledge is the source of pure and elevated enjoyment. Of all the prospective emotions the desire of knowledge is the most exalted. The pleasures of intellect transcend those of sense. How much purer and higher the felicity consequent on advances in the knowledge of God. The veriest infant in the school of Christ finds his understanding satisfied, his heart filled with love at the discovery of every new principle in the Word of God.
V. Religious knowledge widens the sphere of Christian usefulness. A well-informed Christian possesses a weight of character and a power of moral feeling, which exert the best influence. Such a man is always ready for action. If the spirit of His master rests upon him in proportion to his intellectual attainments, he will instruct the ignorant, etc. The Church has sustained no small detriment from the ignorance of good men.
VI. The character of our age furnishes a reason for solicitude in relation to the doctrines of the Bible. There is a strange apathy to the truth. It is an age of business, and not of investigation. Conclusion:
1. Ministers ought not to be reproached for instructive preaching, and for not yielding to the demand for sensationalism.
2. The love of truth is the conclusive test of Christian character.
3. Rest not in intellectual attainments in religion. (Gardiner Spring, D. D.)
Knowledge and judgment
These are the limits which define the course of love, and thus deepen it.
I. Advanced knowledge is derived from–
1. Experience.
2. Attentive study of–
(1) The Divine perfections.
(2) The gospel mystery.
(3) The Divine claims.
(4) The principles of Christs teaching, which should pervade all Christian conduct.
II. Moral perception.
1. Results from the full exertion of every moral sense.
(1) There are many things in Christian life which cannot be formulated, but must be felt to be known.
(2) Grace awakens the moral senses. Love makes them delicately sensitive to spiritual things. Christian life appeals to them. Experience comes in the exercise of them.
(3) This experience produces a profounder knowledge and a deeper love by intensifying spiritual perceptions, because–
2. It is a medium of communication with the unseen and eternal.
3. As a medium of communication with God it makes the soul superior to, and independent of, the senses. When these close at eventide, the moral senses only open wider for the morning sun.
4. It robes the soul with a halo of light more assuring and glorious than the glory cloud emitted.
5. It imparts to the soul that delicate tact and instinct which almost instinctively perceives what is right, and almost unconsciously shrinks from what is wrong.
6. It is indestructible by death, and shall be an imperishable avenue for the souls perpetual advance in knowledge. (G. G. Ballard.)
Love inseparable from Christian life
Goethe says, We hear of a particular regulation in force in the British naval service. The whole cordage, from the strongest to the weakest, has a red thread moving throughout it, which cannot be twisted out with out undoing it all. In this way even the smallest parts are recognized as the property of the Crown. Love in the Christian character, we may say, is that which is woven into every part of it, is that which cannot be removed without destroying the whole, and is that which is enduring and indestructible evidence that the character is owned by Him who is King. (J. Hutchinson, D. D.)
Love: its critical function
Love abounding in all discernment distinguishes the wrong from the right, just as a good ear distinguishes a false and imperfect note from the true. (Webster and Wilkinson.)
The training of love
As we train the bodily senses of sight, and touch, and hearing to discriminate accurately, and bring them by exercise, voluntary or involuntary, to exquisite precision and almost unfailing accuracy, so our love must be trained to be itself a universal spiritual sense, at once the eye and the ear and the hand of the heart, seeing and hearing and touching in things Divine, with a sure and delicate feeling that seldom needs correction. (W. B. Pope, D. D.)
Regulated love
The chariot in ancient warfare had its two occupants, the warrior and the charioteer: the one could not engage the enemy unless the other held the reins and guided the course. So love, the true, the only commissioned soldier in that warfare whose every triumph is peace, can fight towards victory only when knowledge directs and controls every movement that is made. (J. Hutchinson, D. D.)
Advancement in knowledge must be constant
Spain once held both sides of the Mediterranean at the Straits of Gibraltar. So highly did she value her possessions, that she stamped on her coin the two Pillars of Hercules (as the promontories of rock were called); and on a scroll thrown over these were the words, ne plus ultra, no more beyond. But one day a bold spirit sailed far beyond these pillars, and found a new world of beauty. Then Spain, wisely convinced of ignorance, struck the word ne from the coin, and left plus ultra, more beyond. How many a man, whose conceit is great, thinks he has reached the limits of knowledge, when further investigation would open to him a continent of truth before unknown. (Bp. Simpson)
The excellence of love
We have many servants who regard their work as drudgery, and though they do their duties, they do them with no regard for our interests: but the old-fashioned servants were of another kind. If you have any such, you will prize one of such above a thousand others. They love their master, and they identify themselves with his interests. Old John did not want orders, he was a law to himself, he served from love. When his master one day spoke about their parting, he wanted to know where his master was going, for he had no idea of going himself: he was part and parcel of the household, and was worth his weight in diamonds. You may well say, I would give my eyes to get such a servant as that. I dare say you would. Our Lord Jesus gave Himself that He might make such servants out of us. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Love rich in purse
A poor widow contributed to the Dorpatian Branch of the Russian Bible Society a rouble; and, to the question whether that sum was not rather too much for one in her circumstances, she answered, Love is not afraid of giving too much.
Intelligent love
Blind love fails in any sphere of action. A true-hearted boy, who finds his mother suddenly made a widow, and his young sisters and himself fatherless, and sees want coming on with fierce visage and rapid steps like an armed man, is impelled by his love to the dear ones around him to rush at once into the midst of the struggle of life; and in the place, and with the weapons, of a full-grown man, give the enemy battle. The love and the zeal are most beautiful and admirable, yet those among the onlookers who have experience of the worlds difficulty cannot but fear that the young hero may soon be brought home from the battlefield wounded and bleeding and despondent. He needs training. His love must have the knowledge of men and things along with it, before it is likely to reach its aim. So with Christian love generally, going forth to do work for God and man in the world. Having talents entrusted to us by God to lay out for Him, we must strive–by the study of our powers and opportunities, temptations and dangers; by the consideration of present circumstances, and by cautious forecast; by carefully looking in and out, and at all things in the light of Gods Word–to become wise and successful spiritual traffickers. (R. Johnstone, LL. B.)
The love of God without knowledge
The affections of the human soul are certainly not devoid of heavenly aspirations; but what if they do not clearly know God? Then, like the vine stretching up its tendril fingers and finding no support, and so falling back again to creep upon the earth from which it sprung, the heart that fails to find God, only loves the world the more desperately and hopelessly. Blessed be God, therefore, for the Cross of Christ, that trellis for the hearts affection. It is this by which the soul learns to know the love of God; and upon it the renewed affections climb higher and higher; beneath it they strike their roots deeper and deeper; upon its arms they reach out farther and farther; ever-more increasing in love by increasing in knowledge. (A. J. Gordon.)
The knowledge of Christ the mainstay of brotherly love
Two burnished reflectors can radiate the brightness from one to the other if there be a light between them. But, if each only reflects from the other, there can be no illumination: because neither furnishes any supply of light. So two Christians, reciprocating each others affections, will make but a poor exhibit of brotherly love, unless they have Christ between them as the centre and source of their life. And there is just as little to admire in mutual fellowship among Christians, unless Christ be in the midst of them as the centre of that fellowship. To exhort one another, to comfort one another, and to love one another, are all most solemn duties. But where will be the profit in them unless Christ be the central theme, and His grace and glory be the central objects of our admiration and praise? The cherubim stood with their faces one toward another; but the mercy seat was between. And it was upon faces bending in eager gaze upon those things which the angels desire to look into, that the glory of God was reflected. If we get cheer and brightness from looking into each others faces, and communing with each other in the services of Gods house, it will be because Christ stands in the midst of us, the object of all our meditations and the fountain of all our joys. This is eternal life, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. (A. J. Gordon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Php 1:9-11
And this I pray
The recorded prayers of St.Paul
are eight in number.
I. For the Ephesians (Eph 1:17-23; Eph 3:14-21).
II. For the Colossians (Col 1:9-14).
III. For the Thessalonians (1Th 3:10-13; 1Th 1:11-12; 1Th 2:16-17; 1Th 3:16).
IV. For the Philippians (in loco). (G. G. Ballard.)
St. Pauls prayer for the Philippians
These words contain a petition for–
I. The enlargement of the affections by the improvement of the intellectual powers.
II. An increase of love in knowledge and judgment with reference to the improvement of the moral character. (C. Lawson.)
The prayer tells us that love should be–
I. Progressive.
II. Intelligent.
III. Discriminating.
IV. Sincere.
V. Without offence.
VI. Constant.
VII. Fruitful. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
I. The apostles action of praying. The Philippians abounded in love, etc., yet the apostle prayed that they might abound yet more and more. Whence observe–
1. The continual necessity of prayer. Whatsoever graces the Lord hath bestowed on us yet we have still need to pray that we may abound more and more in Him (1Th 5:17; Jam 1:5; 1Th 3:12). And the reason why we are continually so to pray is plain; for
(1) Such is our weakness through sin, that unto whatsoever measure of grace we have attained, yet stand therein we cannot unless God uphold us (Mat 14:31; Eph 6:20).
(2) In whatsoever grace we abound, yet therein we come so short of perfection that we have need to pray that we abound more and more.
(3) This, then, may serve to condemn our great slackness, negligence, coldness, and faintness, both in private and public prayer.
2. Christians are not to stand still, or be content with good beginnings, but to grow (Heb 6:1; Php 3:12). And how should any man think otherwise, considering what enemies hinder our perfection. These continually bid us such battle, that if either we stand or give back we must generally take the foil.
(1) Many which seemed to have begun in the spirit make an end in the flesh.
(2) Others pause, and, as if they were in danger in every step, move not a foot forward. Nay, not to go forward is to go backward, and not to increase in the graces of Gods Spirit is to decrease (Rev 3:16).
(3) Others are content to make a show of going forward for advantage and gain.
II. The things for which he prays.
1. That their love to God and one another might abound.
(1) Touching the love of God, how can we love Him enough who so loved us.
(2) Love one of another (1Th 3:12).
(3) Love towards poor saints and afflicted members of Christ (2Co 8:1-24; Deu 15:7-11); which serveth to condemn the cold love of Christians in our days (1Jn 4:20).
2. That they may abound more and more in knowledge, viz., of Gods will out of His Word (1Co 14:20; Heb 6:1). This then may teach us–
(1) To beware of their leaven who would have shut us up in ignorance, on the ground that it is the mother of devotion, and that the Scriptures are hard to be understood, and perilous to read. But what saith the Holy Ghost? (Joh 5:29; 2Pe 3:18; Col 3:16.)
(2) To give diligence unto the reading, hearing, and meditating upon the Scriptures that we may abound in knowledge and understanding. Very lamentable is it to see so many thousands who are as ignorant of Gods Word as when they sat in the darkness of Egypt.
3. That they may abound more and more in all judgment, i.e., in sound judgment, that having their wits exercised through long custom, they may discern both good and evil; and abound also in an experience of spiritual things in themselves, that they might spiritually feel in their hearts that which they knew out of the word (Psa 34:8). This should teach us to so observe the mercies and judgments of the Lord that we may have an experimental knowledge of them (Psa 34:6).
4. That their love might be grounded in sound knowledge and judgment, that each having help of other, and being furnished by other, they might the better discern things that differ. Though we have all knowledge and not love we are nothing. So, on the other hand, though we have all love and no knowledge, it is nothing. Which of these soever grows up without other, like Jonahs gourd, will quickly wither. Our care then must be that our love abound in knowledge, that we may know on whom our love ought principally to be set; and in all judgment, that knowing whom we ought to love we may love them as we ought (Gal 6:10). Otherwise our love may do more harm than good; as zeal without knowledge.
III. The ends wherefore he prays.
1. That they might discern things that differ one from another, virtue and vice, false and true prophets, corrupt and uncorrupt doctrine, and so might follow the good and fly the bad (Rom 2:18). Very justly, then, are they to be reproved that in seeking after knowledge even out of the Scriptures propose any other end.
(1) Such are they that, seeing the Church to lean on the Scriptures, do by their corruptions of the text, their false glosses and conclusions, labour to overthrow the truth and to build their own errors.
(2) Others there are whose end is only a vain ostentation, that men may think and speak of them as great rabbins (1Co 8:1). The end of others is information, so that they may not appear ignorant, but who show no fruits of their knowledge in a godly life.
2. That they might be pure from any leaven of corruption in doctrine, life, or manners as white wool never dyed, fine flour never leavened. For it is not enough to know the difference between purity and impurity (1Co 5:6-7; Mat 16:12; 1Ti 5:22).
3. That they might not stumble, but hold on a constant course without falling, slipping back, or standing at a stay (Gal 3:3; Luk 9:62).
4. That they might be fruitful in all good works.
(1) The measure of good works–filled; pressed down, shaken together.
(2) The definition of good works–fruits of righteousness.
(3) Their fountain Jesus Christ.
(4) Their end–the glory and praise of God.
IV. Observations for our instruction.
1. We are not only to do the things that are good, but to abound in them (Col 1:9-10; Joh 15:5-8; Act 9:36). Why?
(1) That we may please God (Col 1:10).
(2) That we may glorify the Father (Joh 15:8).
(3) That we may abide in Christ, and Christ in us (Joh 15:5).
2. Let this stir us up and forward to every good work. (H. Airay, D. D.)
I. Christian love in its proper growth and manifestation.
1. This love is not that specially which was cherished towards the apostle. From his point of view that was already much more than he had looked for. Nor is it brotherly love, or love to all men, or love towards God and Christ, or loving activity in Christian service. It is rather love in the absolute sense of the term–the inward state of the heart, which is also the motive power of the life.
2. It is no mere rhetorical accident which makes this grace the very essence of the renewed life. It is the life of the believers soul, and the soul of his life. It is with conscious design, therefore, and perfect propriety, that he who penned 1Co 13:1-13 should here specify love as the distinctive mark of the life hid with Christ in God.
3. This love, although the bond of perfectness, is itself never perfect on earth. Here there must be a persistent going on to perfection. The manifold outgoings of love need direction and control.
(1) It cannot live forever in a cell, apart from thought (Pro 1:4). We are therefore taught that the love of the renewed heart must live in the sphere of increasing spiritual knowledge.
(a) Of Christ–a clear perception of the Saviours person, character, and work, accompanied by a heart interest therein.
(b) Of the deep things of God.
(2) This abounding of love in knowledge is, consequently, also an abounding in all discernment, in every moral sense or feeling which almost intuitively perceives what is right, and almost unconsciously shrinks from what is wrong. It is spiritual discrimination, moral tact.
4. The function of love thus regulated is to approve the things that are excellent. Love has to prove and so approve things that differ (marg.) in being better. What are those excellent things? See Php 4:8-9.
5. A practical and much needed lesson lies in this. Love may set on foot many schemes of usefulness, and yet the issue may be failure, because the abounding love has not been in knowledge and discernment. It can never be right to cultivate one central grace to the neglect of the others.
II. The perfection of the Christian life thereby attained.
1. Sincere, i.e., spotless, pure, clear. Some see here a military figure, the result of dividing an army into several sections, so as to separate the more hardy and valiant, as Gideon set apart his three hundred. According to this the word means selected and so excellent. Others see an agricultural figure. Select, pure as corn that is purged by the winnowing fan or threshing roller. But the view that it means tested or judged by the sunbeam is the most probable. Christs people as here depicted, therefore, are like the gem held up to the sunlight, and found to be without a flaw; walking in the light of truth, and the white radiance of eternity.
2. It follows that they become in relation to others void of offence, giving no occasion for stumbling. A Christian who is consistent in his own character is also inoffensive in his conduct. His unconscious example, as well as words and deeds, is a power only for good.
3. This he does unto the day of Christ. (J. Hutchinson, D. D.)
In one word the apostle prayed that the Philippians might grow. Moral dwarfs never pray that others may become moral giants. A man cannot transcend himself. Only the firmament can embrace the stars. The apostle prays–
I. That love may abound in moral tact. True love is intelligent. We are to love God with all our mind. As knowledge is the basis of faith, so is it the first condition of love.
II. For an enlargement and quickening of the discriminating faculty, that they might distinguish between things that differ, that so they might elect the right. A man is known by his verdicts. The artist sees where the clown but looks. The more we love Christ the more shall we be qualified to perceive every charm in moral life. He who approves the excellent will defend it.
III. For their sincerity. The word has a double meaning.
1. In the Greek it signifies that which is proved in the sunlight. Christians are to be so true that the solar light of infinite rectitude cannot find any stain or derangement in their character.
2. In the Latin it means without wax; clarified honey, free from all admixture. The Christian life is to be so refined as to be thoroughly free from foreign elements.
IV. Being filled, etc. (verse 11). Paul, beginning at the centre, finds his way to the circumference; beginning with the spiritual, he culminates in the practical (Joh 15:1-5). See the connection between Christ and fruit. This call to practical life shows that Christianity is not a mocking pretence, a theological dream, or a speculative science, but a sublime, vital, and vitalizing reality. The doctrines acknowledged in this prayer are–
1. That Christian life is progressive.
2. That God is ready to cooperate with His people for their moral enrichment.
3. That the entire manhood is to bear fruit. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Let it be your earnest concern and prayer–
I. That your love may abound in all knowledge and judgment.
1. The love you should aspire after is Christian love.
(1) Such as proceeds from faith (Gal 5:6).
(2) Which has for its objects God and Christ, His cause, truths, ordinances, servants, and your fellow creatures.
(3) This is the fulfilling of the law, and inspires the soul with a cheerful disposition for and activity in keeping Gods commandments (Rom 13:10; 1Jn 5:3).
2. Your being Church members supposes that you are already partakers of this love in some prevailing degree, as Paul inferred in this case. Persons lacking this ought not to be Church members; for love is the great band of union and communion.
3. The prayer intimates that it is not perfect, but that you ought to seek further progress in it.
(1) There may be something lacking with respect to its disinterestedness, impartiality, and spirituality; or in respect to some instances and exercises of it; or in respect of its constancy, and the degrees of its fervour and activity.
(2) Keep before you a humbling sense of defect, and be earnest with God to invigorate and develope it.
4. The text suggests that it should be a judicious love. Light should kindle all your warmth. Without knowledge and judgment your love will be like a land flood, that overfloweth with a rapid stream, but hath no springs to maintain it, or banks to conduct it to a regular course. Take heed of an ignorant, ungovernable, and misjudged love of you know not what, or why.
II. That ye may approve, etc. (verse 10). We are to prove all things by the unerring touchstone of Gods Word, and by a spiritual taste according to it. The more acquaintance we have with the things of God the better they recommend themselves to us (Psa 34:8; 1Pe 2:2-3).
III. That ye may be sincere, etc. (verse 10). Some understand sincere as referring to God, and without offence as referring to man. But why should not each refer to both?
1. Sincerity is not so much a distinct grace as an essential quality running through all our graces and duties, distinguishing them from false appearances in their exercise towards God and man.
2. Without offence (Act 24:16).
IV. That ye may be filled, etc. (verse 11).
1. The nature of a man must be changed in its moral frame by regenerating grace before he can bear fruits of righteousness.
2. They are by Jesus Christ–
(1) As all virtue for producing them is derived from Him (Joh 15:5).
(2) As all their acceptance with God is through Him (1Pe 2:5).
(3) As the revenue of glory which arises from them passes to God through Him (1Pe 4:11). (J. Guyse, D. D.)
True Christian love
Our power to help and bless each other is primarily the power of prayer. Prayer directs and impels to services of love; secures the efficiency and success of all other ministrations; appeals to the foundation of good, and fills the channel of blessing sometimes to overflowing. And Paul knowing all this writes not merely, I preach, teach, warn, labour, but I pray. He prays in harmony with the words of the Lord Jesus that they may abound more and more in love. Some people seem to have enough religion, and very little that enough is. Pauls cry was ever for more–if he had light, if he felt himself unusually strong, if he felt his inner life enriched from Gods fulness, his cry still was more. So he prayed–not that the Philippians were marrow-minded, thin-souled, cold-hearted people.
I. There was love in the hearts of the saints at Philippi. This was the chief evidence of their being saints. The absence of this, no matter what had been present, would have cast a cloud on their Christian profession.
II. This love was manifested. It was not stagnant like the waters of a tarn, but flowed as a stream which, descending from the hills, runs through the valleys. Christian benevolence must not Sleep in the depths of your nature. What if Gods pity had slept in His! If it be there then make ways for it, so that the living water may reach a thirsty world.
III. The love of others may be affected by our prayers. Sometimes no other agency will succeed, as in the case of a crabbed professing Christian who is impervious to speech, example, and other acts of loving kindness. We can pray that God would expand that Harrow soul.
IV. The love of a true Christian is not a stationary principle: because life underlies it. (S. Martin.)
Love–the hearts eye
Love is a faculty of spiritual knowledge. Metaphysicians think the faculty of sight is to be found principally among the intellectual powers. As a power of sight Paul says five things about love.
I. It discerns spiritually, i.e., it sees those objects which belong to the spiritual sphere. Love sees as no other faculty can–
1. The truths of the gospel.
2. God Himself.
3. The precepts of the Saviour.
4. The promises.
5. Christian duty and responsibility.
II. It discriminates. Some people say that love is blind, which is true in a sense. But love has also widely open eyes. It separates right from wrong views of God, of human character, of Christian duty. Prejudice never discriminates, nor pride, vanity, cowardice, pugnacity, ambition.
III. It appreciates. Dislike and hatred depreciate; indifference values nothing; love approves what is excellent. You will see what is excellent in others in the degree of your love. If you have not Christian love you will fail to see much that is Christian in Gods Church.
IV. It prevents mistakes. It makes a man sincere and without offence. The sincere but unloving are sometimes most offensive. The deficient in love are often most insincere. The two things in social and Church life are often separated. You have the sincere and the loving as separate classes. But why should they not be brought together? The Christian is not obtrusive, obstinate, exacting, compromising.
V. It remains unimpaired to the end. The understanding may fail, and the memory, but love never. A beautiful illustration of this we sometimes see in old Christians. Conclusion: The day of Christ comes apace. In the fires of that day love only will survive. (S. Martin.)
Perseverance to the day of Christ
The day governs the whole petition. Let us mark the ascending order and cumulative force of the supplications–
1. For the steady increase of their love in the knowledge of truth and in the moral tact of its appreciation;
2. For their perfection internal and external of moral character; and–
3. For their final acceptance thus perfected in the testing day of Christ.
I. The regulating principle of Christian life.
1. The Philippians had been already taught of God to love Himself and one another. The apostle now prays for its abundant increase, not by arbitrary and absolute effusion into their hearts, but as the result of being fed by Divine truth and diligently practised.
2. Knowledge is the apprehension or arrangement of truth in the mind, but spiritual knowledge, partly as being bound up with our spiritual nature and needs, and chiefly as being imparted by the Holy Ghost.
(1) As love enlarges and strengthens the power of attaining religious knowledge, so increasing knowledge feeds love in return.
(2) All knowledge is summed up in knowing Christ. All truth is now as the truth is in Jesus.
3. Judgment is the faculty of spiritual discernment: that moral sensitiveness of the renewed mind which is quick to perceive the good and evil in every doctrine, practice, and contingency of daily life (Heb 5:14). As knowledge is truth stored up in the mind, so judgment is the mind itself applying that knowledge to the endless occasions which arise for distinguishing between what should be sought and what shunned.
4. The approval of things that are excellent is the operation of this knowledge and discrimination in the mind itself–the precious insight of love which, using its knowledge and its tact, distinguishes in every case what is more excellent and at once approves of it. It is the inward legislator that often tells us what is the commandment where outward legislation fails. The praise of charity in 1Co 13:1-13 is little more than the praise of its marvellous discrimination. Almost all that can look like, without being, religion is there condemned by the judge among the graces.
II. From the regulating principle the prayer now passes to the perfect character, as established in the world, under the guidance and control of enlightened love. Paul exhibits the whole compass of godliness under two aspects, inward and outward–first in their separation and then in their union.
1. Sincere signifies that flawless simplicity of heart which is able to endure every test. The last and most perfect test is the eye of God. What the sun is in nature the Great Detector is in religious life. Those whom God sees thus pure in heart have it as the reward of their purity that they see God. This sacred simplicity is a pearl of great price. Hence it is made a matter of prayer; such cleanness is the express creation of God; but not so as to exclude the consecration of our own effort and habitual watchfulness.
2. Without offence. The prayer asks for preservation through the blessing of God on the wise solicitude of charity, from doing anything that should hinder the salvation of any one. The Christians thoughtful charity must show its tact in this that his conduct shall at once rebuke the sin of others, and direct them to the beauty of holiness.
3. When the prayer proceeds to the fruit of righteousness it completes the picture of this perfection, at the same time that it explains more fully the meaning of sincere and without offence.
(1) Righteousness is neither that imputed nor that implanted alone, but that which comes through our union with Christ and unites in fruit.
(2) The fruit or produce of the new method of making us right in Christ is the entire compass of godliness in all its tempers and acts.
(3) Pilled, sounds out clearly the note of Christian perfection attainable because prayed for, prayed for because attainable. It leaves no room for the notion of any necessary defect in the religious life.
III. We must go back to that central word, the day of Christ, which completes the meaning of the prayer. Jesus the Judge will in that day acknowledge the purity which He now approves, and confirm and reward the righteousness He now creates. Christian integrity, sealed in one sense by death, is to be reexamined, and finally, with the whole universe as witness, ratified in the great day. Conclusion: Those who are tempted by their creed or indolence to rely on the supposed necessity that a salvation once begun must be finally accomplished are reminded by the tone and words of the prayer that without their inward and outward holiness that blessed issue shall not be attained. (W. B. Pope, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. This I pray] This is the substance of all my prayers for you, that your love to God, to one another, and to all mankind, may abound yet more and more, , that it may be like a river, perpetually fed with rain and fresh streams so that it continues to swell and increase till it fills all its banks, and floods the adjacent plains.
In knowledge] Of God’s nature, perfections, your own duty and interest, his work upon your souls, and his great designs in the Gospel.
And in all judgment] In all spiritual or moral feeling; that you may at once have the clearest perception and the fullest enjoyment of those things which concern your salvation; that ye may not only know but feel that you are of God, by the Spirit which he has given you; and that your feeling may become more exercised in Divine things, so that it may he increasingly sensible and refined.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And this I pray: having praised God for their attainments, he returns, {as Phi 1:4} in token of his love, to his great petition for them.
That your love may abound; viz. that their love both to God and man, showed in their bounty to him, might, as a rising stream from its springing fountain, yet further flow out, and more abundantly communicate itself in all Christian offices, and not abate, (as it seems it afterwards did among the Ephesians, Rev 2:4), as our Saviour foretold it would (to in some, Mat 24:12, {see 2Ti 1:13; 2Ti 4:10} but continue increasing to the end, 1Th 3:12.
Yet more and more in knowledge; being founded on a sound and saving understanding of the things of God, and ourselves, Joh 17:3; Rom 3:20; Eph 1:17, with Eph 4:13; 2Pe 3:18; and an acknowledgment of the truth which is after godliness, Tit 1:1.
And in all judgment; in the practical judgment, or internal sense, and particular experience, taste, and feeling the testimony of the Spirit in the heart concerning the grace of God, and adoption, Rom 5:1,5; 8:16,17; 14:17; when there is not only a right notion in the head, but a true sense and savour of spiritual things in the heart, Heb 5:14; which is when knowledge is not only an empty cloud in the air, but becomes effectual by falling down in a kindly shower upon the heart, warmed with the love of God, and the virtue of Christs resurrection, as he after gives his own experience, Phi 3:10, like Davids, Psa 34:8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. The subject of his prayer forthem (Php 1:4).
your loveto Christ,producing love not only to Paul, Christ’s minister, as it did, butalso to one another, which it did not altogether as much as it ought(Phi 2:2; Phi 4:2).
knowledgeof doctrinaland practical truth.
judgmentrather,”perception”; “perceptive sense.” Spiritualperceptiveness: spiritual sight, spiritual hearing, spiritualfeeling, spiritual taste. Christianity is a vigorous plant, not thehotbed growth of enthusiasm. “Knowledge” and “perception”guard love from being ill-judged.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more,…. As a proof of his great affection for them, he puts up this petition on their account; which supposes that they had love, as they must certainly have, since the good work of grace was begun in them; for wherever the work of the Spirit of God is, there is love, which is a fruit of the Spirit; and where there is not love, there cannot be that good work; for it signifies nothing what a man says, nor what he has, nor what he does, if love be wanting; but this grace was in these Philippians, they had love to God, to Christ, to one another, to all the saints, and to the ministers of the Gospel, and particularly to the apostle, of which they had lately given him a proof: and it also supposes, that this grace, which was implanted in them in regeneration, was in exercise, which is meant by its “abounding”; it was not only a principle in the heart, and expressed by the mouth, but it was in action; it lay not in word, and in tongue, but showed itself towards the objects of it in deed and in truth; and it was in a very larger and lively exercise; it abounded, it flowed and overflowed; it rose up out of the heart, as water out of a fountain; it was as grace is said to be, a well of living water, springing up, and spreading itself various ways; wherefore the apostle did not pray that they might have love, nor merely that their love might abound, but that it might abound “yet”, might continue to abound, that there might be no stop put to its flow and exercise, and so concerns the perseverance of it, and its actings; and that it might abound “more and more”; which regards the increase of it, and enlargement of its exercise. The Syriac version reads it, that it “may be multiplied and abound”; intimating, that spiritual love cannot be exceeded in; there is no going to an extreme in the exercise of it; natural love may, but not spiritual; God and Christ can never be loved too much, nor saints, as saints, though they may as men: wherefore let love abound ever so much to these objects, it is capable of abounding more and more, without any danger of excess; and it is to be wished for; for where it is ever so large and abundant in its actings, it is not perfect, nor will it be in this life; so that there is always room for such a petition; besides, the apostle knew how apt love is to grow cold, and saints to sink in their spiritual affections through the prevalence of sin, the cares of the world, and temptations of Satan: he adds,
in knowledge and [in] all judgment; that is, either with knowledge and judgment; and the sense be, that as their love abounded, so their knowledge might be increased, and their judgment in spiritual things be better informed and established. Some Christians are more affectionate, and less knowing; others are more knowing, and less affectionate; it is well when love and knowledge go and keep pace together: or it may be rendered “by knowledge”, suggesting, that love is increased thereby, which is true; for the more saints know of God and Christ, the more they love them; and the more they know of one another’s grace and experience, the more they love each other: by “knowledge” may be meant the knowledge of God; not that which is general, is by the light of nature, and is very obscure and insufficient to salvation; but that which is special, is of God in Christ, as a God gracious and merciful, as a covenant God and Father in him; and which at best is imperfect, and needs increasing: and also knowledge of Christ; not general, notional, and speculative, as that he is the Son of God, the Messiah, and Saviour of the world in common; but that which is special, spiritual, and saving; and which is a knowledge of approbation, whereby a soul approves of Christ above all others, as a Saviour; a fiducial one, whereby it trusts in him, and commits itself to him; an experimental and practical one, to which is joined a cheerful obedience to his commands and ordinances, and becomes an appropriating one; yet is in this life imperfect, and so needs increasing; and all means should be used in order thereunto: moreover, the knowledge of one another may be included; an increase of which is necessary to promote brotherly love, and make communion with one another delightful and profitable. By all “judgment”, or “sense”, as in the Greek text, is designed a spiritual apprehension, judgment, and sensation of things. The Syriac version renders it, “all spiritual understanding”, and may intend a spiritual perception, and sense of the love of God shed abroad in the heart, an enlarged experience of the grace of God, and particularly faith, which is expressed by all the live senses; as by “seeing” the Son, the glory, fulness, suitableness, and excellency of him, and the unseen glories of another world; by “hearing” the joyful sound, the voice of Christ in the Gospel, so as to understand and distinguish it; by “smelling” a sweet smell in the person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ, which are of a sweet smelling savour to faith, as are also the things of God, and of the Spirit of God; and by “tasting” how good the Lord is, how sweet is his word, and delicious his fruit; and by “feeling”, laying hold on Christ, embracing and handling him, the word of life: and now a believer having these his spiritual senses exercised, he is capable of discerning between good and evil, and so of approving things most excellent; which is the end of this petition, as appears from the following words.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Apostle’s Affection and Hope. | A. D. 62. |
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
These verses contain the prayers he put up for them. Paul often let his friends know what it was he begged of God for them, that they might know what to beg for themselves and be directed in their own prayers, and that they might be encouraged to hope they should receive from God the quickening, strengthening, everlasting, comforting grace, which so powerful an intercessor as Paul asked of God for them. It is an encouragement to us to know that we are prayed for by our friends, who, we have reason to think, have an interest at the throne of grace. It was intended likewise for their direction in their walk, and that they might labour to answer his prayers for them; for by this it would appear that God had answered them. Paul, in praying thus for them, expected good concerning them. It is an inducement to us to do our duty, that we may not disappoint the expectations of praying friends and ministers. He prayed, 1. That they might be a loving people, and that good affections might abound among them; That your love might abound yet more and more. He means it of their love to God, and one another, and all men. Love is the fulfilling both of the law and of the gospel. Observe, Those who abound much in any grace have still need to abound more and more, because there is still something wanting in it and we are imperfect in our best attainments. 2. That they might be a knowing and judicious people: that love might abound in knowledge and in all judgment. It is not a blind love that will recommend us to God, but a love grounded upon knowledge and judgment. We must love God because of his infinite excellence and loveliness, and love our brethren because of what we see of the image of God upon them. Strong passions, without knowledge and a settled judgment, will not make us complete in the will of God, and sometimes do more hurt than good. The Jews had a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, and were transported by it to violence and rage, Rom 10:2; Joh 16:2. 3. That they might be a discerning people. This would be the effect of their knowledge and judgment: That you may approve the things which are excellent (v. 10); or, as it is in the margin, Try the things which differ; eis to dokimazein humas ta diapheronta, that we may approve the things which are excellent upon the trial of them, and discern their difference from other things. Observe, The truths and laws of Christ are excellent things; and it is necessary that we every one approve them, and esteem them such. We only need to try them, to approve of them; and they will easily recommend themselves to any searching and discerning mind. 4. That they might be an honest upright-hearted people: That you may be sincere. Sincerity is our gospel perfection, that in which we should have our conversation in the world, and which is the glory of all our graces. When the eye is single, when we are inward with God in what we do, are really what we appear to be, and mean honestly, then we are sincere. 5. That they might be an inoffensive people: that you may be without offence until the day of Christ; not apt to take offence; and very careful not to give offence to God or their brethren, to live in all good conscience before God (Acts xxiii. 1), and to exercise ourselves to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men, Acts xxiv. 16. And we must continue to the end blameless, that we may be presented so at the day of Christ. He will present the church without spot or wrinkle (Eph. v. 27), and present believers faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude 24. 6. That they might be a fruitful useful people (v. 11): Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, &c. From God is our fruit found, and therefore from him it must be asked. The fruits of righteousness are the evidences and effects of our sanctification, the duties of holiness springing from a renewed heart, the root of the matter in us. Being filled with them. Observe, Those who do much good should still endeavour to do more. The fruits of righteousness, brought forth for the glory of God and edification of his church, should really fill us, and wholly take us up. Fear not being emptied by bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, for you will be filled with them. These fruits are by Jesus Christ, by his strength and grace, for without him we can do nothing. He is the root of the good olive, from which it derives its fatness. We are strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. ii. 1) and strengthened with might by his Spirit (Eph. iii. 16), and they are unto the glory and praise of God. We must not aim at our own glory in our fruitfulness, but at the praise and glory of God, that God may be glorified in all things (1 Peter iv. 11), and whatsoever we do we must do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x. 31. It is much for the honour of God, when Christians not only are good, but do good, and abound in good works.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
May abound (). Present active subjunctive of , may keep on overflowing, a perpetual flood of love, “yet more and more” ( ), but with necessary limitations (river banks), “in knowledge” ( , in full knowledge) “and all discernment” ( ). The delicate spiritual perception (, old word from , only here in N.T. as the verb only in Lu 9:45 in N.T.) can be cultivated as in (Heb 5:14)
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Judgment [] . Only here in the New Testament. Rev., better, discernment : sensitive moral perception. Used of the senses, as Xenophon : “perception of things sweet or pungent” (” Memorabilia, “1, 4, 5). Of hearing :” It is possible to go so far away as not to afford a hearing “(” Anabasis,” 4, 6, 13). The senses are called aijsqhseiv. See Plato, “Theaetetus,” 156. Plato uses it of visions of the gods (” Phaedo, ” 111). Compare aijsqhthria senses, Heb 5:14. Discernment selects, classifies, and applies what is furnished by knowledge.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And this I pray (kai touto proseuchomai) “And on behalf of this I pray,” or for this purpose I pray.
2) “That your love may abound yet more and more” (hina he agape humon eti mailon kai mallon perisseue) “in order that your love may abound more and more, referring to their love for one another since they had already expressed their love to Paul continuously. He desired that their love would “keep on keeping on” in its existence and manifestation toward one another in the Lord, 1Co 13:1-13; Rom 12:9; Rom 12:16; Rom 13:8; Rom 13:10.
3) “In knowledge and in all judgment” (en epignosei kai pase aisthesei) “in full knowledge and every perception,” or perception of all things properly.” 2Pe 3:18. This refers especially to a sensibility of moral and ethical values and judgment in ones’ behavior, tact, as in Heb 5:14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
9 This I pray that your love He returns to the prayer, which he had simply touched upon in one word in passing. He states, accordingly, the sum of those things which he asked from God in their behalf, that they also may learn to pray after his example, and may aspire at proficiency in those gifts. The view taken by some, as though the love of the Philippians denoted the Philippians themselves, as illiterate persons are accustomed very commonly to say, “Your reverence,” — “Your paternity,” is absurd. For no instance of such an expression occurs in the writings of Paul, nor had such fooleries come into use. Besides, the statement would be less complete, and, independently of this, the simple and natural meaning of the words suits admirably well. For the true attainments of Christians are when they make progress in knowledge, and understanding, and afterwards in love. Accordingly the particle in, according to the idiom of the Hebrew tongue, is taken here to mean with, as I have also rendered it, unless perhaps one should prefer to explain it as meaning by, so as to denote the instrument or formal cause. For, the greater proficiency we make in knowledge, so much the more ought our love to increase. The meaning in that case would be, “That your love may increase according to the measure of knowledge.” All knowledge, means what is full and complete — not a knowledge of all things. (48)
(48) “The word rendered judgment is capable of being rendered sense ( πάσὟ αἰσθήσει) in all sense. ‘I pray that you may have your spiritual senses in excerise — that you may have a judicious distinguishing sense.’ For what? Why, ‘that ye may approve things that are excellent,’ — so it follows, or, as the words there may be read, to ‘distinguish things that differ.’“ — Howe’s Works, (Lond. 1822,) vol. 5, p. 145. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
Php. 1:9. In knowledge and in all judgment.Perfect knowledge (as in Eph. 1:17; Eph. 4:13) and universal discernment. The one deals with general principles, the other is concerned with practical applications (Lightfoot).
Php. 1:10. That ye may approve things that are excellent.St. Paul would have his dear Philippians to be connoisseurs of whatever is morally and spiritually excellent. That ye may be sincere.Bearing a close scrutiny, in the strongest light, or according to another derivation of the word, perhaps more true if less beautiful, made pure by sifting. And without offence.Might be either without stumbling, as Act. 24:16, or not causing offence. Lightfoot prefers the former, Meyer the latter. Beet unites the two.
Php. 1:11. Fruits of righteousness.A harvest of righteousness. Which are through Jesus Christ.A more precise definition of fruits.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Php. 1:9-11
A Prayer for Christian Love
I. That it may be regulated by knowledge and discretion.And this I pray, that your love may abound in knowledge and in all judgment (Php. 1:9).
1. So as to test what is best.That ye may approve things that are excellent (Php. 1:10)test things that differ. Two faculties of the mind are to be brought into exerciseknowledge, the acquisitive faculty; and judgment, the perceptive faculty. Love is not a wild, ignorant enthusiasm, but the warm affection of a heart, guided by extensive and accurate knowledge, and by a clear, spiritual perception. From a number of good things we select and utilise the best.
2. So as to maintain a blameless life.That ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ (Php. 1:10). Be so transparent in heart and life as neither to give nor take offence, and when examined in the light of the day of Christ to be adjudged blameless. To live a useful and holy life we must both think and feel aright. Love will ever prompt us to the holiest conduct and to the best work. I once asked a distinguished artist, said Boree, what place he gave to labour in art. Labour is the beginning, the middle, and the end of art, was the answer. I turned to another and inquired, What do you consider as the great force in art? Love, was the reply. In these two answers I found but one truth.
II. That it may stimulate the growth of a high Christian character.
1. A high Christian character is the outcome of righteous principles. Being filled with the fruitsthe fruitof righteousness. All Christian virtues are from the one common root of the Spirit. It is He who plants them in the heart, fosters their growth, brings them to perfection, and fills the soul with them as the trees are laden with ripened fruit. The apostle prays for more love, because love impels us to act righteously in all things, even in the minor affairs of life. Just as the quality of life, says Maclaren, may be as perfect in the minutest animalcul, of which there may be millions in a cubic inch and generations may die in an hourjust as perfect in the smallest insect as in behemoth, biggest born of earth, so righteousness may be as completely embodied, as perfectly set forth, as fully operative in the tiniest action that I can do, as in the largest that an immortal spirit can be set to perform. The circle that is in a gnats eye is as true a circle as the one that holds within its sweep all the stars, and the sphere that a dewdrop makes is as perfect a sphere as that of the world. All duties are the same which are done from the same motives; all actions which are not so done are all alike sins.
2. A high Christian character honours God.Which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God (Php. 1:11). The righteousness which exalts man honours God. It is a practical manifestation of the grace communicated through Jesus Christ, and adorns the doctrine which is according to godliness. There are those who live soberly and righteously in this present world; but what about their duty to God? God is not in all their thoughts. That there has been no acceptance into their lives of Christwithout which acceptance God is a stranger to us and we strangers to God, no consecration to Christ, no referring to His will, no love to His person, and no zeal for His gloryof all this they are perfectly aware. And the thought of their heart is, that the omission is of no great consequence, and so long as they live soberly and righteously, it matters little or nothing whether they do or do not live godly. The power lacking is that for which the apostle praysthe power of love, whole-hearted love to Christ.
III. That it may be enjoyed in ever-increasing measure.And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more (Php. 1:9). Some time ago the public mind was filled with uneasiness in expectation of a high tide which was to visit our shores, and which it was feared would work great mischief. As the time drew near, the anxiety increased. At length the tide flowed in, rose to its highest point, and then retired, bearing with it the fears that had agitated the public mind. Why this alarm? Because all know the unmanageable, destructive power of water, when it once bursts its bounds. Love, unlike water, the more it abounds and overflows the greater the benefits it bestows. There is no fear that we shall love God too much; it is our shame and loss that we love Him so little. Love chafes against all limitations.
Lessons.
1. Love is the essence of Christianity.
2. Love should govern every part of the Christian life.
3. Love may be augmented by earnest prayer.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES
Php. 1:9-10. The Apostles Prayer for Abounding Love
I. In its application to the affections.That your love may abound yet more and more (Php. 1:9).
1. Love to God.
(1) Because of the supreme excellence of His character.
(2) Because of His generous interposition in the work of human redemption.
(3) Because of the benefits He is constantly bestowing.
2. Love to one another.Love promotes brotherly unityoneness of feeling, of aim, of effort. Unity promotes strength. To strength in its combined action victory is given.
3. Love to the unsaved.The law of Moses insisted, Thou shalt love thy neighbour; to which the Pharisees made this addition, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. Christ interprets the law of love in the command, I say unto you, Love your enemies.
II. In its application to the intellect.In knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent (Php. 1:9-10). Knowledge, the faculty to acquire information; judgment, the faculty to discern its value and use: the one leads to the sources of truth and appropriates its stores, the other selects and uses what is acquired. These two faculties necessary
1. In judging revealed truth.
2. In judging Christian experience.
3. In selecting what is best in all truths.
III. In its application to the conduct.That ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ (Php. 1:10).
1. An inward state.Sincerity, transparency of character.
2. An outward walk.Inoffensive ness of conduct. Not designedly giving offence; sacrificing everything but principle rather than grieve or mislead a weak brother.
3. Perseverance in an upright life.Till the day of Christ. This is the scorners day; the good are hated and despised; but the day of Christ is coming, and will rectify all wrongs. A day of blessing and honour to the good, of confusion and punishment to the wicked; of approval to the one, of condemnation to the other.
Php. 1:9. And this I pray. Definiteness in Prayer
I. Implies a deep consciousness of an intelligently apprehended need.
II. Becoming, when an intelligent being addresses the divine Intelligence.
III. Essential from the very nature of prayer.
IV. Affords a fixed ground from the exercise of faith.
V. Emboldens supplication.
VI. Inspires hope of a definite response.Lay Preacher.
Php. 1:10. That ye may approve things that are excellent. Spiritual Discrimination
I. Demands the exercise of the most intelligent and sensitive charity.
II. Commands a wide field of effortthe bad, the good, the better, the bestin character, life, doctrine, practice, enjoyment, attainment.
III. Implies the admission and use of a noble liberty of thought, judgment, and action.
IV. Involves a weighty and far-reaching responsibility.
V. Is essential to a pure and blameless life.Ibid.
That ye may be sincere. The Value of Sincerity in Youth.
There is a false sincerity which is a compound of ignorance and obstinacy. The heathen may be devout and sincere in his idolatry, but he is a heathen still. The Mahometan may be devout and sincere in his worship of the one God, but he rejects the Christ who is the source and substance of all true religion. The sceptic may be devout and earnest in his investigation of the facts of the universe; but he ignores the great moral truths on which he stumbles in the course of his inquiries, and refuses to accept and be influenced by them. There is no craze of the wildest fanatic that may not be adopted as an article of faith, if apparent sincerity is to be the test of its genuineness. The fact is, a man may be sincere, but grossly mistaken. A sincere heart is that through which the light of God shines, unimpeded by duplicity and sin, and is a condition of heart obtained only by living much in the presence and the light of God.
I. Be sincere in the search after truth.Truth must be sought for its own sake, and is revealed only to the humble and sincere seeker. It is of supreme importance to you to find the truth. Truth has but one direction and one goalit terminates in the radiant presence of a living personality. When you come into the presence of truth, you come into the presence of God. Truth has a living embodiment in Christ Jesus. If you desire a solution of the perplexing riddles of life, if you would understand the principles on which God governs the universe, if you wish to dissipate the doubts that becloud and harass the mind, if you desire rest and peace of conscience, and to obtain strength and inspiration to live a happy, useful, and noble lifethen seek the truth as it is in Jesus; and if you are really sincere, you shall not seek in vain.
II. Be sincere in your social intercourse with one another.
1. In your friendships.
2. In your promises.
III. Be sincere in the service of God.
IV. Be sincere in the cultivation of your own personal piety.
Christian Rectitude
I. Consists in internal sincerity.
1. This involves a concentratedness of heart upon one object.
2. A thoroughness of lifes uniformity to that one object.
3. An unostentatious but manifest integrity.
4. The completeness of that manifestation should be proportionate to the brightness of the testing light.
II. Consists in external blamelessness.
1. Without being found guilty of offence.
2. Without giving offence.
3. Without taking offence.
III. Consists in a present state of life, with a glorious future destination.That ye may be without offence till the day of Christ.
1. Then life shall be judged.
2. Life shall be made manifest.
3. Rectitude of life shall be approved.
4. Rectitude of life shall be rewarded.Lay Preacher.
Php. 1:11. Fruits of Righteousness.
I. The nature of righteousness.
1. Sometimes the term refers to the divine Being, and signifies the purity of His nature and the perfection of His works.
2. Here it signifies personal holiness.
II. The fruits of righteousness.
1. Christian righteousness is productive of gracious fruits. These fruits are internal in the heart, and external in the life.
2. The fruits of righteousness are abundant and progressive.Being filled with the fruits.
III. The Author of righteousness.Which are by Jesus Christ.
1. Righteousness is purchased by Christ as our Redeemer.
2. Is derived from Him as our Saviour.
IV. The results of righteousness.Unto the glory and praise of God.
1. Righteousness is to the glory and praise of God in the scheme of redemption.
2. In the subjects of redemption.
Lessons.
1. This subject should stimulate our desires.
2. Promote our devotion.
3. Inspire us with praise.Theological Sketch Book.
Spiritual Attainment.
I. Righteousness of heart precedes righteousness of life.
II. Righteousness of heart is self-disseminating.
1. Its fruit is living.
2. Of harmonious unity.
3. Luxuriant.
III. Righteousness of heart is the only thing that can fill the capacities of man.
IV. Fulness of righteousness is all divine.
1. In its source.
2. In its medium of communication. By Jesus Christ.
3. In its end. Unto the glory and praise of God. Glory before men: praise among men.Lay Preacher.
Divine Culture.
I.
The field.The loving heart.
II.
The seed.Righteousness.
III.
The fruit.Abundant.
IV.
The husbandman.Jesus Christ.
V.
The end.The glory and praise of God.Ibid.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(9) That your love may abound more and more in knowledge.The original verb here signifies to overflow, a sense which our word abound properly has, but has in general usage partially lost; and St. Pauls meaning clearly is that love shall not only primarily fill the heart, but overflow in secondary influence on the spiritual understanding. (1) The knowledge here spoken of is the knowledge gradually rising to perfection, so constantly alluded to in these Epistles. (See Eph. 1:17, and Note there.) Since it is clearly a personal knowledge of God in Christ, it may be gained, under His inspiration, by one of many processes, by thought, by practice, by love, by devotion, or, perhaps more properly, by some or all of these combined. Here St. Paul singles out the way of lovethe enthusiasm of love to God and man which he knew that the Philippians hadand prays that it may overflow from the emotional to the intellectual element of their nature, and become, as we constantly see that it does become in simple and loving characters, a means of spiritual insight, in knowledge and all judgment, or rather, all perception. (2) The word perception properly applies to the senses, and seems here to signify the insight which recognises a truth as the eye recognises an object. In the same sense (Heb. 5:14) Holy Scripture speaks of those who by use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. In fact, the perception here spoken of differs from knowledge in dealing not with general principles, but with concrete examples and questions. (3) Accordingly he connects with it, as a direct consequence, the power of approving or testing the things that are excellent. Now the word here translated excellent carries with it the idea of distinctive and relative excellence, conspicuous amidst what is either evil or defective. To test is obviously first to distinguish what is the best, and then by trial to prove its absolute goodness. Clearly the process may be applied either speculatively to truths or practically to duties. In Rom. 2:18, where exactly the same phrase is used, the latter application is made.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(9, 10) If we study carefully the opening thanksgivings and prayers of St. Pauls Epistles, we may note that he always thanks God for what is strong in the Church to which he writes, and prays God for the supply of that in which it is weak. Here he thanks God for the characteristic enthusiasm and large-heartedness of the Philippians; he prays for their advance in knowledge, perception, judgmentthe more intellectual and thoughtful side of the Christian characterin which they, and perhaps the Macedonian Churches generally, were less conspicuous. In the opposite case of the Corinthian Church (see 1Co. 1:4-10), he thanks God for their richness in all utterance and all knowledge, but he bids them wait for Him who shall establish them as blameless, and exhorts them to unity and humility.
(9-11) In this sentence, the original shows that there is not the three-fold parallelism which our version would suggest. St. Pauls immediate prayer is that their love may abound in knowledge and all judgment. To this is subjoined, as an immediate consequence, the proving the things that are excellent. The final result of the knowledge and judgment so applied, is that they may be sincere and without offence.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. This I pray The prayer (Php 1:9-11) is for their continual increase in love to Christ, his cause, and his people; that love which underlay their fellowship with the gospel, the subject of the thanksgiving, and also made them willing partakers with himself in suffering. Yet not in the love alone did he desire growth, but more in certain adjuncts which are always necessary to its best direction and most useful employment. Love may be very pure, honest, and full, and at the same time impulsive, misdirected, injudicious, and even injurious. So he prays for its increase in knowledge a full knowledge of the truths of the gospel, by which they would readily detect any perversion of, or addition to, them.
And in judgment Doubtless the moral judgment, or spiritual insight.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ,’
And it was because they were within the sphere of the tender mercies of Christ Jesus (compare Php 2:1) that he prayed that their love might abound more and more, both towards each other and towards their neighbours. But it was nevertheless to be a discerning love and a love that recognised the facts (it was to be ‘in knowledge’), for he wanted it to be a love that made them approve what was excellent, so that they might be genuine through and through. It was to be a love that would make them sincere (a love without any falsity in it) and void of offence (a love that was pure and blameless), with the Day of Christ in view. In Php 1:6 it was the good work of Jesus Christ within them that would make them ready for that Day, here it is the result of that good work as evidenced in their genuine and constant display of love for all. As John says, ‘we know that have passed from death to life because we love our brothers’ (1Jn 3:14). In other words we are to be seen as cooperating with Jesus Christ in His ‘good work’ within us (Php 1:6), because of what He has wrought within us.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians Paul begins many of his epistles with a prayer, a feature typical of ancient Greco-Roman epistles as well, [60] with each prayer reflecting the respective themes of these epistles. For example, Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving to the church at Rome (Rom 1:8-12) reflects the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in redeeming mankind. Paul’s prayer of thanks for the Corinthians (1Co 1:4-8) reflects the theme of the sanctification of believers so that the gifts of the Spirit can operate through them as mature believers walking in love. Paul’s prayer to the Corinthians of blessing to God for comforting them in their tribulations (2Co 1:3-7) reflects the theme of higher level of sanctification so that believers will bear the sufferings of Christ and partake of His consolation. Paul’s prayer to the Ephesians (Eph 1:15-22) reflects the theme of the believer’s participation in God the Father’s great plan of redemption, as they come to the revelation this divine plan in their lives. Paul’s prayer to the Philippians (Php 1:3-11) reflects the theme of the believer’s role of participating with those whom God the Father has called to minister redemption for mankind. Paul’s prayer to the Colossians (Col 1:9-16) reflects the theme of the Lordship of Jesus Christ over the life of every believer, as they walk worthy of Him in pleasing Him. Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving to the Thessalonians (1Th 1:2-4) reflects the theme of the role of the Holy Spirit in our complete sanctification, spirit, soul, and body. Paul’s second prayer of thanksgiving to the Thessalonians (2Th 1:3-4) reflects the theme of maturity in the believer’s sanctification.
[60] John Grassmick says many ancient Greek and Roman epistles open with a “health wish” and a prayer to their god in behalf of the recipient. See John D. Grassmick, “Epistolary Genre,” in Interpreting the New Testament Text, eds. Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2006), 232.
Paul basically prays that the believers at Philippi might abide in Christ and bear much fruit. We find this same teaching in Joh 15:1-8, where Jesus Christ teaches that He is the vine and we are the branches. Because the Philippians were in fellowship, or partnership, with Paul’s ministry, they were abiding in Christ’s love and bearing fruit for the kingdom of God. Since they had continued to take care of Paul’s needs from the beginning, Paul could promise them that God was going to take care of their needs until the end (Php 1:6). This church was bearing much fruit. Paul will refer to the fruit of his labours shortly in Php 1:22 since this is the topic being discussed in this passage of Scripture.
Php 1:22, “But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.”
In Php 1:9-11 Paul prays for the church at Philippi. It could be paraphrased, “As my love abounds towards you, I pray for your love to abound continuously as He gives you knowledge and insight into His divine ways (Php 1:9); for with this knowledge and insight into the ways of God you will be able to discern how to live a superior and better life that pleases God. This choice to live at a higher level of Christian service will produce within you sincerity and blamelessness when you stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment (Php 1:10). Your life will be certain to be fruitful both in this life as it brings much praise and glory and honor unto God, and this fruit of righteousness will bring great rewards in that Day (Php 1:11).”
Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Php 1:9
Php 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Php 1:10
Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Php 1:9. In knowledge, and in all judgment; The former of these is explained of speculative, the latter of practical knowledge; but the difference between the ideas suggested by the original would be much better preserved, by rendering the last word
, perception, or discernment. He wishes that they might not only know the principles which recommend candour and benevolence, but feel their influence on their hearts; which daily experience and observation shew, in some great pretenders to this kind of knowledge, is a very different thing.
Phi 1:9 . After having stated and discussed, in Phi 1:3-8 , the reason why he thanks God with respect to his readers, Paul now, till the end of Phi 1:11 , sets forth what it is that he asks in prayer for them. “Redit ad precationem, quam obiter tantum uno verbo attigerat (namely, Phi 1:4 ); exponit igitur summam eorum, quae illis petebat a Deo” (Calvin).
] the simple and , introducing the new part of, [54] and thus continuing, the discourse: And this (which follows) is what I pray , so that the object is placed first in the progress of the discourse; hence it is , and not . . . Hofmann’s explanation of the in the sense of also , and his attaching . . . to Phi 1:9 , are the necessary result of his perverse metamorphosis of the simple discourse, running on from in Phi 1:6 , into a lengthened protasis and apodosis, a construction in which the apodosis of the apodosis is supposed to begin with . . .; comp. on Phi 1:6 .
] introduces the contents of the prayer conceived of under the form of its design (Col 1:9 ; 1Th 1:10 ; Mat 24:20 ), and thus explains the preparatory . Comp. on Joh 6:29 . “ This I pray, that your love should more and more ,” etc.
], not love to Paul (van Hengel, following Chrysostom, Theophylact, Grotius, Bengel, and others), a reference which, especially in connection with . , would be all the more unsuitable on account of the apostle having just received a practical proof of the love of the Philippians. It would also be entirely inappropriate to the context which follows ( . . .). Nor is it their love generally , without specification of an object for it, as a proof of faith (Hofmann); but it is, in accordance with the context, the brotherly love of the Philippians one to another , the common disposition and feeling at the bottom of that ., for which Paul has given thanks in Phi 1:5 . [55] This previous thanksgiving of his was based on the confidence, . . ., Phi 1:6 , and the contents of his prayer now is in full harmony with that confidence. The connection is misapprehended by Calovius and Rheinwald, who explain it as love to God and Christ; also by Matthies (comp. Rilliet), who takes it as love to everything, that is truly Christian; comp. Wiesinger: love to the Lord, and to all that belongs to and serves Him; Weiss: zeal of love for the cause of the gospel, an interpretation which fails to define the necessary personal object of the , and to do justice to the idea of co-operative fellowship which is implied in the in Phi 1:5 .
] quite our: still more . Comp. Homer, Od . i. 322, xviii. 22; Herod. i. 94; Pind. Pyth . x. 88, Olymp . i. 175; Plat. Euthyd . p. 283 C; Xen. Anab . vi. 6. 35; Diog. L. ix. 10. 2. See instances of in Kypke, II. p. 307. With the reading note the sense of progressive development .
. ] constitutes that in which i.e. respecting which the love of his readers is to become more and more abundant. Comp. Rom 15:13 ; 2Co 3:9 ( Elz .), 2Co 8:7 ; Col 2:7 ; Sir 19:20 (24). Others take the as instrumental: through (Heinrichs, Flatt, Schinz, and others); or as local: in, i.e. in association with (Oecumenius, Calvin, Rheinwald, Hoelemann, and others),
. being supposed to stand absolutely (may be abundant ). But the sequel, which refers to the and , and not to the love, shows that Paul had in view not the growth in love , but the increase in and , which the love of the Philippians was more and more to attain. The less the love is deficient in knowledge and , it is the more deeply felt, more moral, effective, and lasting. If is the penetrating (see on 1Co 13:12 ; Eph 1:17 ) cognition of divine truth, both theoretical and practical, the true knowledge of salvation, [56] which is the source, motive power, and regulator of love (1Jn 4:7 ff.); (only occurring here in the New Testament), which denotes perception or feeling operating either through the bodily senses [57] (Xen. Mem . i. 4. 5, Anab . iv. 6. 13, and Krger in loc.; Plat. Theaet . p. 156 B), which are also called (Plat. Theaet . p. 156 B), or spiritually [58] (Plat. Tim . p. 43 C; Dem. 411. 19, 1417. 5), must be, according to the context which follows, the perception which takes place with the ethical senses , an activity of moral perception which apprehends and makes conscious of good and evil as such (comp. Heb 5:14 ). The opposite of this is the dulness and inaction of the inward sense of ethical feeling (Rom 11:8 ; Mat 13:15 , et al. ), the stagnation of the (Jer 4:19 ), whereby a moral unsusceptibility, incapacity of judgment, and indifference are brought about. Comp. LXX. Pro 1:7 ; Exo 28:5 ; Sir 20:17 , Rec. ( ); 4Ma 2:21 . Paul desires for his readers every ( ) , because their inner sense is in no given relation to remain without the corresponding moral activity of feeling, which may be very diversified according to the circumstances which form its ethical conditions. The relation between and is that of spontaneity to receptivity, and the former is the for the efficacy of the latter. In the contrast, however, mistaking and misapprehending are not correlative to the former, and deception to the latter (Hofmann); both contrast with both.
[54] The word , which now occurs, points to a new topic, the thanksgiving and its grounds having been previously spoken of. Therefore . . . is not to be attached, with Rilliet and Ewald, to the preceding verse: and (how I) pray this . Two different things would thus be joined. The former portion is concluded by the fervent and solemn ver. 8. Jatho also ( Br. an d. Phil ., Hildesh. 1857, p. 8) connects it with , namely thus: and how I pray for this , namely, to come to you, in order that I may edify you. But to extract for , out of , the notion: “my presence with you,” is much too harsh and arbitrary; for Paul’s words are not even , as in Rom 1:11 .
[55] The idea that “your love’ means the readers themselves (Bullinger), or that this passage gave rise to the mode of addressing the hearers that has obtained since the Fathers (very frequently, e.g . in Augustine) in the language of the church (Bengel), is purely fanciful.
[56] Not a mere knowledge of the divine will (Rheinwald), which leads to the right objects, aims, means, and proofs of love (Weiss; comp. Hofmann). This, as in Col 1:9 , would have been expressed by Paul. Neither can . be limited to the knowledge of men (Chrysostom, Erasmus, and others).
[57] “Nam etiam spiritualiter datur visus, auditus, olfactus, gustus, tactus, i. e. sensus investigativi et fruitivi” (Bengel).
[58] “Nam etiam spiritualiter datur visus, auditus, olfactus, gustus, tactus, i. e. sensus investigativi et fruitivi” (Bengel).
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Ver. 9. And in all judgment ] Or, sense. The soul also hath her senses as well as the body. And these must be exercised to discern good and evil, Heb 5:14 , those two learned senses especially (as Aristotle calleth them), the eye and the ear,Job 34:3Job 34:3 ; Jer 2:31 . Further, observe here, that knowledge and sense, or judgment, are two things. Young trees are more sappy, but old trees are more solid.
9 11 .] The substance of his prayer (already, Phi 1:4 , alluded to) for them . refers back to the of Phi 1:4 ; ‘and this is the purport of my prayer.’ At the same time this purport follows most naturally, after the expression of desire for them in the last verse.
There is an ellipsis in the sense between and , introducing the substance of the prayer, its aim . See, on with , note, 1Co 14:13 ; and Ellic. here.
. ] not, ‘ towards me ,’ as Chrys. ( ), Thl., Grot., all., nor towards God and Christ (Calov., al.), but either perfectly general, as Ellic., or, ‘towards one another:’ virtually identical with the of Php 1:5 In its existence is recognized; in ., its deficiency is hinted at. is not to be taken as if and were departments of Love, in which it was to increase: but they are rather elements, in whose increase in their characters Love is also, and as a separate thing, to increase: q.d. ‘that your love may increase, but not without an increase in and .’ For by these Love is guarded from being ill-judged and misplaced, which, separate from them, it would be: and accordingly, on the increase of these is all the subsequent stress laid.
is accurate knowledge of moral and practical truth: , perceptivity of the same, the power of apprehending it: “the contrary of that dulness and inactivity of the ( Jer 4:19 ), which brings about moral want of judgment, and indifference” (Meyer). De W. renders it well, moral tact .
Phi 1:9-11 . PRAYER FOR THEIR INCREASE IN CHRISTIAN DISCERNMENT.
Phi 1:9 . Zahn would put this clause under the government of in the preceding sentence. No strong argument can be used against this, but it is doubtful whether the explanation is necessary. In the use of here, “purport” (to adopt Ellicott’s expression) seems to be blended with “purpose”. There are certainly passages in which the full “ telic ” force of cannot be fairly asserted. This accords with the development of the later language. See Hatz., Einl (Hatzidakis, Einleitung in die Neugriech. Grammatik ), p. 214 ff. Possibly in this passage is rhetorically parallel to in Phi 1:10 . (See J. Weiss, Beitrge zur Paulin. Rhetorik , p. 9.) . can scarcely mean anything else than “your love towards one another”. This has been already exemplified in their with Paul. . In LXX, chiefly in Sirach. It is mainly in Paul’s writings that it reaches this derivative sense of “abound”. In the Synoptics it still means (usually), as in ordinary Greek, “to remain over”. Sola charitas non admittit excessum (Bacon, de Augm. Scient. , vii., 3, quoted by Gwynn). . . . . Apparently an eager and enthusiastic spirit prevailed in this Church. As so commonly, it might be accompanied by a slight want of discernment. That would lead, on the one hand, to misunderstandings over trifling matters ( cf. chap. Phi 4:2 ?), on the other, to giving heed to plausible teachers. As the Galatians combined enthusiasm and fickleness, perhaps, at Philippi, enthusiasm was apt to prevail over spiritual common sense. Is not Lft [1] mistaken in annotating “Love imparts a sensitiveness of touch,” etc.? This is not before Paul’s mind. His prayer is that the sensitiveness of touch may be added to love. . A favourite word in the Epistles of the imprisonment. A good example of its intensive force is 1Co 13:12 , , . Very frequent in Justin M., e.g. , a definition of ( Dial. , 221 A), , . Cf. Dial. , 220 [2] ; Apol. , ii. 10, 19. Here = a firm conception of those spiritual principles which would guide them in their relations with one another and the world. . Moral sensibility, quickness of ethical tact. Originally of sense-perception, but applicable to the inner world of sensibilities. Kl [3] quotes aptly from Hippocrates, de Off. Med. , 3, . A complete parallel is Heb 5:14 , where the writer defines the ( cf. Phi 3:12 ; Phi 3:15-16 ) as . . Probably “all kinds of”.
[1] Lightfoot.
[2] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.
[3] Klpper.
PHILIPPIANS
A COMPREHENSIVE PRAYER
Php 1:9-11 R.V..
What a blessed friendship is that of which the natural language is prayer! We have many ways, thank God, of showing our love and of helping one another, but the best way is by praying for one another. All that is selfish and low is purged out of our hearts in the act, suspicions and doubts fade away when we pray for those whom we love. Many an alienation would have melted like morning mists if it had been prayed about, added tenderness and delicacy come to our friendships so like the bloom on ripening grapes. We may test our loves by this simple criterion–Can we pray about them? If not, should we have them? Are they blessings to us or to others?
This prayer, like all those in Paul’s epistles, is wonderfully full. His deep affection for, and joy in, the Philippian church breathes in every word of it. Even his jealous watchfulness saw nothing in them to desire but progress in what they possessed. Such a desire is the highest that love can frame. We can wish nothing better for one another than growth in the love of God. Paul’s estimate of the highest good of those who were dearest to him was that they should be more and more completely filled with the love of God and with its fruits of holiness and purity, and what was his supreme desire for the Philippians is the highest purpose of the gospel for us all, and should be the aim of our effort and longing, dominating all others as some sovereign mountain peak towers above the valleys. Looking then at this prayer as containing an outline of true progress in the Christian life, we may note:
I. The growth in keenness of conscience founded on growth in love.
Paul does not merely desire that their love may abound, but that it may become more and more ‘rich in knowledge and all discernment.’ The former is perhaps accurate knowledge, and the latter the application of it. ‘Discernment’ literally means ‘sense,’ and here, of course, when employed about spiritual and moral things it means the power of apprehending good and bad as such. It is, I suppose, substantially equivalent to conscience, the moral tact or touch of the soul by which, in a manner analogous to bodily sense, it ascertains the moral character of things. This growth of love in the power of spiritual and moral discernment is desired in order to its exercise in ‘proving things that differ.’ It is a process of discrimination and testing that is meant, which is, I think, fairly represented by the more modern expression which I have used–keenness of conscience.
I need spend little time in remarking on the absolute need of such a process of discrimination. We are surrounded by temptations to evil, and live in a world where maxims and principles not in accordance with the gospel abound. Our own natures are but partially sanctified. The shows of things must be tested. Apparent good must be proved. The Christian life is not merely to unfold itself in peace and order, but through conflict. We are not merely to follow impulses, or to live as angels do, who are above sin, or as animals do who are beneath it. When false coin is current it is folly to accept any without a test. All around us there is glamour, and so within us there is need for careful watchfulness and quick discrimination.
This keenness of conscience follows on the growth of love. Nothing makes a man more sensitive to evil than a hearty love to God. Such a heart is keener to discern what is contrary to its love than any ethical maxims can make it. A man who lives in love will be delivered from the blinding influence of his own evil tastes, and a heart steadfast in love will not be swayed by lower temptations. Communion with God will, from its very familiarity with Him, instinctively discern the evil of evil, as a man coming out of pure air is conscious of vitiated atmosphere which those who dwell in it do not perceive. It used to be said that Venice glass would shiver into fragments if poison were poured into the cup. As evil spirits were supposed to be cast out by the presence of an innocent child or a pure virgin, so the ugly shapes that sometimes tempt us by assuming fair disguises will be shown in their native hideousness when confronted with a heart filled with the love of God.
Such keenness of judgment is capable of indefinite increase. Our consciences should become more and more sensitive: we should always be advancing in our discovery of our own evils, and be more conscious of our sins, the fewer we have of them. Twilight in a chamber may reveal some foul things, and the growing light will disclose more. ‘Secret faults’ will cease to be secret when our love abounds more and more in knowledge, and in all discernment.
II. The purity and completeness of character flowing from this keenness of conscience.
The Apostle desires that the knowledge which he asks for his Philippian friends may pass over into character, and he describes the sort of men which he desires them to be in two clauses, ‘sincere and void of offence’ being the one, ‘filled with the fruits of righteousness’ being the other. The former is perhaps predominantly negative, the latter positive. That which is sincere is so because when held up to the light it shows no flaws, and that which is without offence is so because the stones in the path have been cleared away by the power of discrimination, so that there is no stumbling. The life which discerns keenly will bring forth the fruit which consists of righteousness, and that fruit is to fill the whole nature so that no part shall be without it.
Nothing lower than this is the lofty standard towards which each Christian life is to aim, and to which it can indefinitely approximate. It is not enough to aim at the negative virtue of sincerity so that the most searching scrutiny of the web of our lives shall detect no flaws in the weaving, and no threads dropped or broken. There must also be the actual presence of positive righteousness filling life in all its parts. That lofty standard is pressed upon us by a solemn motive, ‘unto the day of Christ.’ We are ever to keep before us the thought that in that coming day all our works will be made manifest, and that all of them should be done, so that when we have to give account of them we shall not be ashamed.
The Apostle takes it for granted here that if the Philippian Christians know what is right and what is wrong, they will immediately choose and do the right. Is he forgetting the great gulf between knowledge and practice? Not so, but he is strong in the faith that love needs only to know in order to do. The love which abounds more and more in knowledge and in all discernment will be the soul of obedience, and will delight in fulfilling the law which it has delighted in beholding. Other knowledge has no tendency to lead to practice, but this knowledge which is the fruit of love has for its fruit righteousness.
III. The great Name in which this completeness is secured.
The Apostle’s prayer dwells not only on the way by which a Christian life may increase itself, but in its close reaches the yet deeper thought that all that growth comes ‘through Jesus Christ.’ He is the Giver of it all, so that we are not so much called to a painful toil as to a glad reception. Our love fills us with the fruits of righteousness, because it takes all these from His hands. It is from His gift that conscience derives its sensitiveness. It is by His inspiration that conscience becomes strong enough to determine action, and that even our dull hearts are quickened into a glow of desiring to have in our lives, the law of the spirit of life, that was in Christ Jesus, and to make our own all that we see in Him of ‘things that are lovely and of good report.’
The prayer closes with a reference to the highest end of all our perfecting–the glory and praise of God; the former referring rather to the transcendent majesty of God in itself, and the latter to the exaltation of it by men. The highest glory of God comes from the gradual increase in redeemed men’s likeness to Him. They are ‘the secretaries of His praise,’ and some portion of that great honour and responsibility lies on each of us. If all Christian men were what they all might be and should be, swift and sure in their condemnation of evil and loyal fidelity to conscience, and if their lives were richly hung with ripened clusters of the fruits of righteousness, the glory of God would be more resplendent in the world, and new tongues would break into praise of Him who had made men so like Himself.
pray. App-134.
that. Greek. hina. Generally denoting a purpose, but here only the subject of the prayer.
love. App-136.
knowledge. App-132.
judgment. App-177.
9-11.] The substance of his prayer (already, Php 1:4, alluded to) for them. refers back to the of Php 1:4; and this is the purport of my prayer. At the same time this purport follows most naturally, after the expression of desire for them in the last verse.
There is an ellipsis in the sense between and ,- introducing the substance of the prayer, its aim. See, on with , note, 1Co 14:13; and Ellic. here.
.] not, towards me, as Chrys. ( ), Thl., Grot., all.,-nor towards God and Christ (Calov., al.), but either perfectly general, as Ellic., or, towards one another: virtually identical with the of Php 1:5 In its existence is recognized; in ., its deficiency is hinted at. is not to be taken as if and were departments of Love, in which it was to increase: but they are rather elements, in whose increase in their characters Love is also, and as a separate thing, to increase: q.d. that your love may increase, but not without an increase in and . For by these Love is guarded from being ill-judged and misplaced, which, separate from them, it would be: and accordingly, on the increase of these is all the subsequent stress laid.
is accurate knowledge of moral and practical truth: , perceptivity of the same, the power of apprehending it: the contrary of that dulness and inactivity of the (Jer 4:19), which brings about moral want of judgment, and indifference (Meyer). De W. renders it well, moral tact.
Php 1:9. , and this) He declared, from Php 1:3 and onward, that he prayed for them; he now shows what was his prayer in their behalf.- , love) Love makes men docile and [spiritually] sagacious, 2Pe 1:7-8. Hence arose the form used formerly in the assemblies of the Church,[4] and which is vernacular among us: Caritas vestra, your love (charity), in a wider sense.-, your) Correlative to the love of Paul, Php 1:7-8. A previous [anticipatory] allusion to the love which they had shown to him; ch. Php 4:10; Php 4:18.- , yet more) The fire in the apostles mind never says, It is sufficient [past and present attainments are enough].- , in all knowledge and perception [judgment]) Knowledge is a very noble species, as sight is in the body: , perception, is the genus; for we have also [included under it] spiritual sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, i.e. the senses for investigation, and those for enjoyment,[5] as they are called. So part of the perception [sense] is joy, frequently mentioned in this epistle. And all is an indication that it is the genus; 2Co 8:7, note. In philosophy, the Peripatetics referred all things only to knowledge [which is the principal fault of the modern philosophers also, when they come upon spiritual subjects.-V. g.] The Platonists referred all things to the remaining word, sense, or perception; for example, in lamblicus. Regard is to be had to both in Christianity: each is met with in the Cross, and renders men fit to approve. Here, after love, expressly mentioned, he describes faith and hope in the following verse. Paul everywhere describes Christianity as something vigorous; wherefore the doctrine of the Mystics on Privation is so to be received, as not to be in any respect injurious to that practical ardour of mind.
[4] Or else in sermons.
[5] Senss investigativi et fruitivi.
Php 1:9
Php 1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;-He prays for an increase, a growth in their love, by knowing more and more of the will of God. Their growth in the knowledge of Gods will, and discerning his work, increased his love to God and man, and fitted them more and more to cherish the same love for man that God cherishes. Through knowing Gods will we come to more fully understand him, we more faithfully obey him, walk in closer union with him, partake more fully of the presence and blessings of his Spirit, and come to take more fully of his character.
this: Phi 1:4
your: Phi 3:15, Phi 3:16, Job 17:9, Pro 4:18, Mat 13:31-33, 2Co 8:7, 1Th 3:12, 1Th 4:1, 1Th 4:9, 1Th 4:10, 2Th 1:3, Phm 1:6, 1Pe 1:22
in knowledge: 1Co 14:20, Eph 5:17, Col 1:9, Col 3:10, 2Pe 1:5, 2Pe 1:6, 2Pe 3:18
judgment: or, sense, Heb 5:14,*Gr.
Reciprocal: 1Ch 29:18 – keep Psa 71:14 – praise Psa 103:1 – all that Psa 112:5 – discretion Psa 119:66 – Teach me Pro 19:2 – that the Ecc 8:5 – a wise Son 4:16 – the spices Son 7:4 – thy nose Isa 7:15 – know Isa 11:3 – understanding Mat 13:33 – till Mar 4:28 – first Luk 7:47 – she Luk 13:21 – till Joh 15:2 – and Act 6:4 – prayer Rom 1:9 – I make Rom 10:2 – but not Rom 16:19 – yet 1Co 1:5 – and in 1Co 13:13 – the greatest 1Co 15:58 – abounding 2Co 7:3 – ye 2Co 13:7 – I pray Eph 4:16 – edifying Col 1:3 – praying 2Th 1:11 – we pray 2Th 3:13 – ye Heb 6:11 – we desire Heb 10:24 – love 2Pe 1:8 – and abound Rev 2:4 – because Rev 3:15 – that
THE INTELLECT AND THE HEART
This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all discernment.
Php 1:9
In the school of God, the heart is even more important than the head. But the intellect is important also; and we must not forget that another text had long ago asserted the converse truthnot contradictory but conversewhen it said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind. Thus Moses announces that the intellect is a help to love; and St. Paul declares that love returns the debt, helps the intellect, abounds in knowledge and discernment.
Granting that the love of God should be a practical guide to us, do we ask, How is it qualified to play such a part? It is not hard to answer.
I. Love ponders character: it knows the mind of its beloved: it has a surprising tact. An affectionate child is not only more willing to obey its mother than one who is more clever with a colder heart; he is more wise to do so, because no selfish pleasure nor desire is strong enough to mislead his impulse or to warp his judgment. So, if any man wills to do Gods will, he shall know of the teaching.
II. As the mother of such a child will make her wishes known to him, not only when it is her duty, when if need be she must command, but freely, for the sheer joy of seeing his glad compliance with her slightest wish, so is the secret of the Lord with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. And, on the other hand, since the Spirit of God is the Spirit of knowledge and wisdom, it is inevitable that men who grieve the Spirit, who do not like to retain God in their knowledge, should be given over to a reprobate mind, and their foolish hearts be hardened.
III. Not only does love discern a character and read its wishes; it assumes that character itself; the wishes of the beloved become its own. No two characters ever drew very close together, but the stronger gave something of its very self to the weaker; as a metal beside a magnet becomes magnetic: as all magnets feel the influence of that mightiest magnet of all, the earth itself.
Bishop G. A. Chadwick.
Illustration
It is quite possible that St. Paul had the mutual love of Christians for each other partly in mind when he prayed that their love might increase in knowledge and discernment. But while the mutual love of Christian men for each other may have had some place in the Apostles thought, it is quite certain that in such a prayer, in the prologue of such an epistle, it was love to God which he had most in view. Their love of the Father should abound more and more in knowledge and discernment.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
FROM LOVE TO KNOWLEDGE
The text reveals a great law in the Divine economy and treatment of Christian souls.
I. The understanding of Gods treatment of us, the understanding of the inner teaching of Gods Word written, the appreciation of the various means of grace, the grace of Sacraments, the blessings of prayer, of communion with God, the uses of temptation, and all such likeall this knowledge or discernment of spiritual things is not a thing to be expected as the provision for the outset of the Christian life, but is the gift of God to those who persevere in the Christian life. It is not the preparation for Christian living, but comes as Gods reward or blessing to those who live the Christian life in the right spirit. It is a thing which Christian men reach unto, but do not begin with. And it is a thing which God gives and which they could not get by their own natural power. You see this from St. Pauls prayer on behalf of the Philippians. He prays that their love may abound more and more in all knowledge. Thus they already have love, i.e. they already have that loveor charitywhich is of the essence of Christianity; and having this love he prays that now, in the next place, they may also abound in knowledge. Love first, knowledge afterwards.
II. This is a very broad and sweeping principle, and it is one which, in days like these, when men insist on knowing the reason why about everything to a degree which perhaps they never did before, it is especially important that we should insist upon. For, if it is true, it necessarily underlies all Christian progress whatsoever. It shows us what is our part in Christian progress and what is Gods part. Our Christian progress, the Christianising of our whole being, head, heart, and life, is a joint work, partly Gods, partly our own. We have our part to do in it, but we cannot do that part which God has chosen to keep for Himself to do. Our part is to set about the work of religion in the right temper. Gods part is to teach us the knowledge of Himself and of His ways as we advance.
III. And this is a truth, too, which may need the more insisting on because this is a day in whichblessed be Godwe see many men coming in to the appreciation of the reality of religion, who have not in their earlier years enjoyed the advantage of a true Christian training. I do not necessarily mean men who have led vicious lives in every gross sense, but men who have simply left religion out, and lived much as respectable heathens might, except that, being in a Christian country, they have had a kind of external head knowledge of the Christian doctrine, and gone to church like other people. Now, when such a man is by any circumstances led to turn over a new leaf, and set about being a Christian in good earnest, and not only as a part of social respectability, he has a good many real difficulties in his way.
IV. It is precisely in your bearing of these difficulties in the spirit of faithful patience that God discerns that you are one of those righteous to whom the sound wisdom, the full understanding is ultimately to be vouchsafed. And why so? Because this is the exact test or criterion whether your repentance is that of a real faith.
Illustration
The whole of this Epistle bears one stamp upon it. St. Paul expresses his confidence that God will not suffer the perseverance of his flock to fail, but that as their religion was Gods doing in its onset, so God will take care it shall be brought to a happy completion in the end. The day of Jesus Christ is uppermost in St. Pauls mind: and his anxiety is that it may not find his converts unprepared.
(Php 1:9.) The apostle had shown them what kind desires he felt towards them, and what joyous anticipations he cherished for them. He had also intimated that he uniformly prayed for them, and he now proceeds to tell them the substance of his prayer.
-And this I pray that. The may look back to Php 1:4, or it may be regarded simply as connecting the two statements-his opinion about them, and his prayer for them. There is no ground for Rilliet’s and Mller’s idea that depends on , as does . Quite a new sentiment is started, and the preceding verse winds up and corroborates the ardent expressions which go before it. The accusative gives emphasis to the theme of petition in itself, and that petition, viewed in its purpose, is preceded by , as often occurs. There is little doubt that the contents of the prayer are also so far indicated by the conjunction. To pray for this end is not very different from to pray for this thing.
His prayer was on this wise-
-that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. Love existed among them, but yet it was deficient, if not in itself, yet in some endowments. The precise nature of this love has been variously understood. Strange is the freak of Bullinger and others, that is, as in old ecclesiastical language, the abstract used for a concrete, and simply a form of address-I pray, beloved, that ye may grow yet more and more. Suicer, sub voce.
1. Some take it for love to the apostle himself, as do the Greek fathers, with Grotius and van Hengel. But the epithets which follow could not apply to a mere personal attachment.
2. Nor can we, with Calovius and others, take it as love to God and Christ, as that is not specially the grace in question.
3. Neither can we, with others, regard it as love to God and men-Christian love in its high and comprehensive essence and form, for we think that the context specifies its province and mode of operation. Alford and Meyer are right in referring it to ; but as they restrict the meaning of this word to mutual accord, so they regard as only signifying love to one another. We give a more extensive meaning, and consider as its root and sustaining power. It is love for Christ’s image and Christ’s work-for all that represents Him on earth-His people and His cause; that holy affection which, while it unites all in whom it dwells, impels them to sympathize with all suffering, and co-operate with all effort, in connection with the defence and confirmation of the gospel. Such is generally also the view of Ellicott and Wiesinger. The apostle prayed that their love might grow-
. The two substantives are not synonymous, as Rheinwald and Matthies hold. There is no ground for Bisping’s distinction of them, that the first signifies more theoretical, and the other more practical knowledge. The first substantive denotes accurate knowledge. See under Eph 1:17. The second, which occurs only here, means power of perception. Physically, it denotes perception by the senses, especially that of touch; and in the plural, it signifies the organs of such perception-the senses themselves. The transition to a spiritual meaning such as that of apprehension is obvious. See under Col 1:9. It might be rendered ethical tact, that faculty of moral discernment which is quick and unerring in its judgment, and by a peculiar insight arrives easily and surely at its conclusions. It is not experimental or practical knowledge, as some have thought; but that faculty of discernment which works as if from an inner sense. A similar allusion is made by the apostle in Heb 5:14, where he describes such as have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil- . The apostle adds , all discernment. We regard as intensive, and cannot agree with those who seem to deny that it rarely, if ever, has such a meaning. In these two elements, the apostle prayed that their love should grow yet more and more – . Pindar, Pyth. 10, 88; Raphel. in loc. The does not signify through, as Heinrichs and Schinz take it, nor does it mean along with, as Rheinwald and Hoelemann suppose. Winer. 50, 5. For following usually points out that in which the increase consists. 1Co 15:58; 2Co 3:9; 2Co 8:7; Col 2:7. Their love was to increase in these qualities, knowledge and insight. De Wette takes as denoting manner and way. But in only one of the instances adduced by him does this verb occur (Eph 1:8), and there the connection is doubtful. The apostle’s desire was that the love of the Philippians might acquire a profounder knowledge, and not be tempted to misplace itself, and that it might attain a sharper and clearer discernment, and so be prevented from being squandered on unworthy subjects, or directed to courses of conduct which had the semblance but not the reality of Christian rectitude and utility. If love grew in mere capacity, and without the increase of these safeguards, it was in hazard of forming unworthy and profitless attachments. Passion, without such guides or feelers, is but blind predilection. Fellowship for the gospel is still the thought in the apostle’s mind, and that love which had led them to it, needed for its stability a deeper knowledge of the truths which characterized the gospel, and required for its development a clearer faculty of apprehending the character of the men best qualified, and the measures best adapted to its defence and confirmation. One purpose was-
Php 1:9. A meaningless love would be of no avail for any persons concerned. Paul wishes the love of his brethren to grow according to knowledge. Judgment means discernment or recognition of what is morally proper. The apostle prayed for such progress to be made by the brethren, and he wrote this epistle as a help along that line.
Php 1:10
Php 1:10. Approve means to try or test (by the scriptural standard of right and wrong). Excellent denotes things that differ from others for the better. The complete thought is that they may be able to recognize what is better after making the lawful test. Such a course would prove them to be sincere, which would also keep them approved by Christ until he came again.
Php 1:9. And this I pray. Hitherto we have heard nothing of the subject of the apostles prayer. The mention of the joy with which he made his supplication turned his thoughts aside, and so far he has dwelt only on the reason for that joy, the constancy of the Philippians in the faith, the certainty of Gods aid to them, and his own affection. Now we come to that for which he prays.
that your love may abound yet more and more. He asks for them the highest Christian grace, the greatest of these is love, and that it may be ever growing within them. And this Christian love, to express which the Greek word seems to have been specially conserved, and only applied by the heathen to that kind of affection which involved self-sacrifice, is to be exhibited towards all men. It is not for himself that St. Paul asks it, but that it may extend and embrace every one who may be, or become, a brother in Christ.
In knowledge. This is not the simple word for knowledge which in St. Peters list of Christian graces (2Pe 1:5) is part of the series of which love forms the culminating-point; but implies that process of adding ever more and more to the spiritual insight which comes from a diligent prosecution of all that is already known. It is a knowledge which increaseth more and more unto the perfect day.
and all discernment. The Christian is placed amid circumstances which constantly call upon him to make a choice. The apostle supplicates for the Philippians that they may be able to do this rightly. The word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, and by the two nouns the apostle seems to intend to express spiritual insight, the inner growth of heavenly light; and wisdom in the worlds concerns, of such a kind as may keep men from an evil choice in any of its ways.
After salutations given by St. Paul to his beloved Philippians, he next pours out his soul in fervent prayer and supplication for them; and the mercy which he prays for is observable, first, namely, growth and proficiency in grace: This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge,and in all judgment; that their love to God, their love to him, and their love one to another, may yet more and more abound.
Love is the root-grace from which most graces spring; therefore he prays for the strengthening of that grace in particular, and that there may be found with them judgment, as well as affection, in the exercise of it: we ought to love judiciously, as well as affectionately.
The more judicious a saint grows in his Christian course, and the more understanding and judgment is found with him in the way of his duty; the stronger his grace is, and the more glory will he bring to God.
The understanding and judgment being the guiding and leading faculties in man, there can be no more acceptable holiness in the will, than there is knowledge in the understanding.
I can hate sin, and love God, no more than I know of the evil of sin, and of the perfections that are in God: the more judicious then a Christian grows, the more his holiness grows; and accordingly St. Paul’s prayer is, that they may grow more and more in knowledge in all judgment.
Observe, 2. The great ends mentioned by the apostle for which he did so earnestly desire their proficiency in knowledge and judgment, and their growth in love, and every other grace; namely,
1. That they might approve things that are excellent, that is, all such things as the gospel requires: implying, that the things prescribed to us in the gospel, are things excellent and good for us, things worthy to be prescribed by God, and things reasonable to be practised by us; and that the approbation of these things, by a steadiness in judgment and practice, is every Christian’s duty, and ought to be their great endeavour.
2. That they might be sincere in their holy profession, incorrupt and pure both in doctrine and manners.
3. That they might be without offence, unblameable in conversation, and be kept from being occasions of stumbling unto others, even to the end of their days.
4. He prays that they may not only be inoffensive persons, but fruitful Christians: Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God; that is, that they may abound in good works, undertaken in Christ’s strength, and with an eye at God’s glory.
Learn hence, 1. That a negative holiness is not sufficient to salvation: it is not enough that Christians be harmless and inoffensive towards others, but they must labour after an holy fruitfulness in good works: they must be filled with all the fruits of righteousness.
Learn, 2. That our works be truly good, and fruits of righteousness, it is necessary that they be done by Christ’s strength and assistance, and with an eye at the glory and praise of God, in order to their acceptance: Filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Learn, 3. That no shorter time ought to be assigned for our inoffensive walking, and fruitfulness in conversation, than the day of our death: Unto the death of Christ, says our apostle, that is, till the great reckoning-day, when Christ will render to us our complete reward: if we be faithful and fruitful to the death, we shall then receive the crown of life.
Paul’s Prayer for the Philippian Church
Paul did not want their love to be misdirected, so he further prayed their love would grow in knowledge of God’s will. Their knowledge needed to develop so they could understand the difference between right and wrong ( Php 1:8-9 ). All Christians should grow in knowledge so that they can teach others. The Hebrew writer was concerned because those brethren had not grown into teaching. They were still like babies feeding on the milk of the word. “For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” ( Heb 5:12-14 ).
Paul also prayed the brethren at Philippi would follow only those things that would keep them in a right relationship to God. His hope was that they would applaud, or encourage, righteous conduct ( 1Th 5:21 ). He wanted them to be without any offense which might prevent them from entering heaven. Thus, he prayed they would be fruitful through Jesus ( Php 1:10-11 ; Gal 5:22-25 ).
Php 1:12-14
Opportunities Found In Imprisonment
Knowledge of Paul’s imprisonment was widespread and gave people cause to question as to why. Such questions gave Paul numerous chances to tell about Christ. They could bind the minister, but not his message. As he told Timothy, “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained ( 2Ti 2:8-9 ). Paul, in chains, was able to tell Caesar’s elite that he was in bonds for Christ ( Php 1:13 ).
Paul’s bondage was also used by God to embolden some brethren. His willingness to die for the preaching of Jesus stood as a great example for those around him who may have formerly been fearful ( Php 1:14 ). Paul’s words to the Ephesian elders may very well have given them more courage to carry out God’s work. He told them he did not know what would happen in Jerusalem, except that the Holy Spirit had revealed he would be put in chains and suffer through tribulations. Then, he said, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” ( Act 20:22-24 ; compare 21:13.)
Php 1:9-11. This I pray, that your love To God and one another, and all mankind which you have already shown; may abound yet more and more The fire which burned in the apostles breast never says, It is enough; in knowledge Arising from, and attended with, a more perfect knowledge of God, of Christ, and of spiritual things in general; and in all judgment Or rather, in all sense, or feeling, as signifies: that is, That you may have a spiritual sense and taste, or an experimental knowledge and feeling of Gods love in Christ to you. Our love must not only be rational, but it must be also experimental: we must not only understand and approve the reasons why we should love God and one another; but we must know and feel that we do so; that ye may approve Greek, , that ye may try, or prove by experience; things that are excellent Not only that are good, but the very best; the superior excellence of which is hardly discerned but by the adult Christian. The original expression, , is, literally, the things that differ: that you may discern the real difference which there is in things, namely, in matters of doctrine, experience, and practice; how truth differs from, and how much it excels error; how much fervency of spirit, a life of entire devotedness to God, and continual, persevering diligence in the work of faith, patience of hope, and labour of love, differs from and excels lukewarmness of heart, negligence of life, sloth, indolence, and the being weary of well-doing; that ye may be sincere Upright before God, truly desiring to know and to do his will in all things; and having always a pure intention, or a single eye to his glory, in the choice and pursuit of the best things; and a pure affection, giving him an undivided heart. The original word, , from , the shining, or splendour, of the sun, and , to judge, properly signifies such things as, being examined in a bright light, are found pure, and without fault. Applied, as here, to believers, it refers both to their spirit and conduct, and is represented as the proper and natural fruit of that abounding love which the apostle had asked for them in the preceding verse. And without offence Chargeable with no disposition, word, or action, at which others can justly take offence; but holy and unblameable. The expression properly signifies, giving no occasion of stumbling, namely, to others; and may imply also not stumbling ourselves at the real or supposed failings or faults of others; unto the day of Christ The day of death, when the time of your trial will be ended. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness All holy dispositions, words, and actions toward God, our fellow-creatures, and ourselves; which are by Jesus Christ Through union with him, and grace derived from him, to the glory and praise of God To whom they are rendered acceptable through Christs sacrifice and intercession. Observe, reader, here are three properties of that sincerity which is acceptable to God. 1st, It must bear fruits, all inward and outward holiness, all goodness, righteousness, and truth, Eph 5:9; (see also Gal 5:22;) and that so abundantly, that we may be filled with them, or all our powers of body and mind, our time and talents, occupied therein. 2d, The branch and the fruits must derive both their virtue and their very being from the all-supporting, all-supplying root, Jesus Christ. 3d, As all these flow from the grace of Christ, so they must issue in the glory and praise of God.
1:9 {3} And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;
(3) He shows what thing we ought to chiefly desire, that is, first of all that we may increase in the true knowledge of God (so that we may be able to discern things that differ from one another), and also in charity, that even to the end we may give ourselves to truly good works, to the glory of God by Jesus Christ.
B. Prayer 1:9-11
Paul had already written that he prayed for the Philippians (Php 1:3-4). Now he explained what he prayed so his readers would know specifically what the apostle was asking God to do for them. In response to God’s working in them (Php 1:6) it was imperative that they continue to grow in the virtues identified here, specifically, intelligent and discerning love. Note the balance of divine sovereignty and human responsibility in this pericope.
By praying Paul acknowledged the importance of asking God to work (cf. Jas 4:2). We may not be able to explain fully why God has ordained prayer as a vehicle whereby He works in the world or how prayer works. Nevertheless Scripture is unmistakably clear that prayer does effect objective change. [Note: See John Munro, "Prayer to a Sovereign God," Interest 56:2 (February 1990):20-21, and Thomas L. Constable, "What Prayer Will and Will Not Change," in Essays in Honor of J. Dwight Pentecost, pp. 99-113.] Consequently we should make use of this great privilege as Paul did.
Paul’s petition was three-fold. He prayed that his readers would be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ (Php 1:10 b). In order for them to be that he prayed that they would approve excellent things (Php 1:10 a). To do that he prayed that their love would abound even more (Php 1:9). Self-sacrificing love (Gr. agape) should be the motive behind partnership (Gr. koinonia) in the gospel. Paul illustrated the importance of this shortly with examples of preachers who demonstrated improper and proper motives (Php 1:15-18).
The Philippians had already given evidence of possessing the love that God alone can produce (1Co 13:1-3; Gal 5:22) in their dealings with the apostle. Paul asked God that that love might increase even more. He did not limit the objects of that love in this verse. They probably included God, Paul, other believers, and all people.
However, he did qualify that love as resting on real knowledge and all discernment. It should arise from an intelligent appraisal of reality. It should also rest on spiritual sensitivity to truth as God has revealed it in His Word and not on mere sentimentality.
"We grow in proportion as we know. . . . To grow as a Christian is to grow in one’s grasp of the truth, in breadth and in depth. Ignorance is a root cause of stunted growth." [Note: Motyer, p. 57.]
God’s revelation and His Spirit were to guide their loving. This kind of loving becomes apparent when a Christian values highly the things that God loves and turns away from situations and influences that God hates. In the context this discernment applies primarily to what will advance the gospel best (cf. Php 1:12-26).
". . . the most effective way to influence another is to pray for him, and if a word of rebuke or correction has to be spoken let it be prayed over first, and then spoken in love." [Note: Martin, p. 65.]
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)