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Text File | 1996-06-12 | 21KB | 373 lines

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** The Philippians felt a very deep interest for the apostle.
The scope of the epistle is to confirm them in the faith, to
encourage them to walk as becomes the gospel of Christ, to
caution them against judaizing teachers, and to express
gratitude for their Christian bounty. This epistle is the only
one, among those written by St. Paul, in which no censures are
implied or expressed. Full commendation and confidence are in
every part, and the Philippians are addressed with a peculiar
affection, which every serious reader will perceive.

* The apostle offers up thanksgivings and prayers, for the good
work of grace in the Philippians. (1-7) He expresses affection,
and prays for them. (8-11) Fortifies them against being cast
down at his sufferings. (12-20) He stood prepared for glorifying
Christ by life, or death. (21-26) Exhortations to zeal, and
constancy in professing the gospel. (27-30)

#1-7 The highest honour of the most eminent ministers is, to be
servants of Christ. And those who are not really saints on
earth, never will be saints in heaven. Out of Christ, the best
saints are sinners, and unable to stand before God. There is no
peace without grace. Inward peace springs from a sense of Divine
favour. And there is no grace and peace but from God our Father,
the fountain and origin of all blessings. At Philippi the
apostle was evil entreated, and saw little fruit of his labour;
yet he remembers Philippi with joy. We must thank our God for
the graces and comforts, gifts and usefulness of others, as we
receive the benefit, and God receives the glory. The work of
grace will never be perfected till the day of Jesus Christ, the
day of his appearance. But we may always be confident God will
perform his good work, in every soul wherein he has really begun
it by regeneration; though we must not trust in outward
appearances, nor in any thing but a new creation to holiness.
People are dear to their ministers, when they receive benefit by
their ministry. Fellow-sufferers in the cause of God should be
dear one to another.

#8-11 Shall not we pity and love those souls whom Christ loves
and pities? Those who abound in any grace, need to abound more.
Try things which differ; that we may approve the things which
are excellent. The truths and laws of Christ are excellent; and
they recommend themselves as such to any attentive mind.
Sincerity is that in which we should have our conversation in
the world, and it is the glory of all our graces. Christians
should not be apt to take offence, and should be very careful
not to offend God or the brethren. The things which most honour
God will most benefit us. Let us not leave it doubtful whether
any good fruit is found in us or not. A small measure of
Christian love, knowledge, and fruitfulness should not satisfy
any.

#12-20 The apostle was a prisoner at Rome; and to take off the
offence of the cross, he shows the wisdom and goodness of God in
his sufferings. These things made him known, where he would
never have otherwise been known; and led some to inquire after
the gospel. He suffered from false friends, as well as from
enemies. How wretched the temper of those who preached Christ
out of envy and contention, and to add affliction to the bonds
that oppressed this best of men! The apostle was easy in the
midst of all. Since our troubles may tend to the good of many,
we ought to rejoice. Whatever turns to our salvation, is by the
Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of seeking
for it. Our earnest expectation and hope should not be to be
honoured of men, or to escape the cross, but to be upheld amidst
temptation, contempt, and affliction. Let us leave it to Christ,
which way he will make us serviceable to his glory, whether by
labour or suffering, by diligence or patience, by living to his
honour in working for him, or dying to his honour in suffering
for him.

#21-26 Death is a great loss to a carnal, worldly man, for he
loses all his earthly comforts and all his hopes; but to a true
believer it is gain, for it is the end of all his weakness and
misery. It delivers him from all the evils of life, and brings
him to possess the chief good. The apostle's difficulty was not
between living in this world and living in heaven; between these
two there is no comparison; but between serving Christ in this
world and enjoying him in another. Not between two evil things,
but between two good things; living to Christ and being with
him. See the power of faith and of Divine grace; it can make us
willing to die. In this world we are compassed with sin; but
when with Christ, we shall escape sin and temptation, sorrow and
death, for ever. But those who have most reason to desire to
depart, should be willing to remain in the world as long as God
has any work for them to do. And the more unexpected mercies are
before they come, the more of God will be seen in them.

#27-30 Those who profess the gospel of Christ, should live as
becomes those who believe gospel truths, submit to gospel laws,
and depend upon gospel promises. The original word
"conversation" denotes the conduct of citizens who seek the
credit, safety, peace, and prosperity of their city. There is
that in the faith of the gospel, which is worth striving for;
there is much opposition, and there is need of striving. A man
may sleep and go to hell; but he who would go to heaven, must
look about him and be diligent. There may be oneness of heart
and affection among Christians, where there is diversity of
judgment about many things. Faith is God's gift on the behalf of
Christ; the ability and disposition to believe are from God. And
if we suffer reproach and loss for Christ, we are to reckon them
a gift, and prize them accordingly. Yet salvation must not be
ascribed to bodily afflictions, as though afflictions and
worldly persecutions deserved it; but from God only is
salvation: faith and patience are his gifts.
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* Exhortations to a kind, humble spirit and behaviour. (1-4) The
example of Christ. (5-11) Diligence in the affairs of salvation,
and to be examples to the world. (12-18) The apostle's purpose
of visiting Philippi. (19-30)

#1-4 Here are further exhortations to Christian duties; to
like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, according to the example
of the Lord Jesus. Kindness is the law of Christ's kingdom, the
lesson of his school, the livery of his family. Several motives
to brotherly love are mentioned. If you expect or experience the
benefit of God's compassions to yourselves, be compassionate one
to another. It is the joy of ministers to see people
like-minded. Christ came to humble us, let there not be among us
a spirit of pride. We must be severe upon our own faults, and
quick in observing our own defects, but ready to make favourable
allowances for others. We must kindly care for others, but not
be busy-bodies in other men's matters. Neither inward nor
outward peace can be enjoyed, without lowliness of mind.

#5-11 The example of our Lord Jesus Christ is set before us. We
must resemble him in his life, if we would have the benefit of
his death. Notice the two natures of Christ; his Divine nature,
and human nature. Who being in the form of God, partaking the
Divine nature, as the eternal and only-begotten Son of God, #Joh
1:1|, had not thought it a robbery to be equal with God, and to
receive Divine worship from men. His human nature; herein he
became like us in all things except sin. Thus low, of his own
will, he stooped from the glory he had with the Father before
the world was. Christ's two states, of humiliation and
exaltation, are noticed. Christ not only took upon him the
likeness and fashion, or form of a man, but of one in a low
state; not appearing in splendour. His whole life was a life of
poverty and suffering. But the lowest step was his dying the
death of the cross, the death of a malefactor and a slave;
exposed to public hatred and scorn. The exaltation was of
Christ's human nature, in union with the Divine. At the name of
Jesus, not the mere sound of the wor