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it a matter of personal study".
THE EPISTLE
TO THE
PHILIPPIANS
BY
ROBERT RAINY, D.D.
PRINCIPAL OF NEW COLLEGE, EDINBURGH
NEW YORK:
FUNK & WAGNALLS COMPANY,
LAFAYETTE PLACE.
1900.
PREFATORY NOTE.
Not much need be said by way of preface, in addition to what is
suggested in the introductory chapter.
It may be observed, however, that the Apostle's teaching repeatedly
touches on the question, How the problem of practical human life on this
earth is to be conceived and dealt with under the light and the
influences of Christianity? The thought occurred that some expository
passages might be superseded by an appendix summing up in one view the
principles conceived to underlie the Apostle's way of dealing with such
topics, which could be referred to on each separate occasion: and such a
statement was prepared. It was, however, finally judged more suitable to
the nature of an exposition to keep as close as possible to the
Apostle's turn of thought in each of the cases in which he approaches
the subject, rather than to try to secure brevity by a more summary
treatment.
A few sentences have been transferred from a lecture on the Apostle
Paul, published some years ago.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
INTRODUCTORY: THE SALUTATION 3
CHAPTER II.
THE APOSTLE'S MIND ABOUT THE PHILIPPIANS 19
CHAPTER III.
HOW THE PHILIPPIANS SHOULD THINK OF PAUL AT ROME 45
CHAPTER IV.
THE CHOICE BETWEEN LIVING AND DYING 65
CHAPTER V.
UNDAUNTED AND UNITED STEADFASTNESS 77
CHAPTER VI.
THE MIND OF CHRIST 95
CHAPTER VII.
THE MIND OF CHRIST (_continued_) 111
CHAPTER VIII.
WORKING AND SHINING 131
CHAPTER IX.
TIMOTHY AND EPAPHRODITUS 157
CHAPTER X.
NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH 171
CHAPTER XI.
THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST 199
CHAPTER XII.
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH 217
CHAPTER XIII.
RESURRECTION LIFE AND DAILY DYING 237
CHAPTER XIV.
CHRISTIAN LIFE A RACE 259
CHAPTER XV.
ENEMIES OF THE CROSS 281
CHAPTER XVI.
OUR CITY AND OUR COMING KING 299
CHAPTER XVII.
PEACE AND JOY 317
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE THINGS TO FIX UPON 337
CHAPTER XIX.
GIFTS AND SACRIFICES 353
_INTRODUCTORY. THE SALUTATION._
"Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in
Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ."--PHIL. i. 1, 2 (R.V.).
CHAPTER 1.
_INTRODUCTORY. THE SALUTATION._
The sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles contains the account
of the Apostle Paul's first intercourse with the Philippians, and of the
"beginning of the gospel" there. The date may be fixed as A.D. 51. After
the council at Jerusalem (Acts xv.), and after the dissension between
Paul and Barnabas (ver. 39), the Apostle of the Gentiles, accompanied by
Silas, took his journey through Syria and Cilicia. "Confirming the
Churches," he went over a good deal of ground which he had traversed
before. At Lystra he assumed Timothy as an additional companion and
assistant; and he passed on, guided in a very special manner by the Holy
Spirit, until he arrived at Troas. Here a Divine warning, in a dream,
determined him to break ground in a new field. The little company, to
which Luke was now added, passed on to Macedonia, and, having landed at
Neapolis, where they do not seem to have made any stay or found any
opportunity of preaching, they came to Philippi. This therefore was the
first city in Europe in which, so far as we have any distinct
intimation, the gospel of the grace of God was declared.
Philippi was a city of some importance, and had the position and
privileges of a Roman colony. It was situated in a fruitful district,
was near to gold mines, and was also near enough to the sea to serve as
a depôt for a good deal of Asiatic commerce.
It is hardly necessary to remind readers of the Scripture how Lydia and
others received the word; how the preachers were followed by the damsel
with the spirit of divination; how, when that damsel had been silenced
by Paul, her masters raised a tumult against Paul and Silas, and got
them scourged and cast into prison; how the earthquake, which followed
during the night, resulted in the conversion of the jailor, and in Paul
and Silas being sent forth from the city with honour. Perhaps Luke and
Timothy remained behind at Philippi, and continued to edify the
believers. At any rate, Paul himself had by this time continued there
"many days." Two short visits of the Apostle to Philippi at a subsequent
time are known to us (Acts xx. 2, 6).
The Church thus founded proved to be an interesting one, for it
possessed much of the simplicity and earnestness of true Christianity.
Both in the Epistles to the Corinthians and in this Epistle, the
Philippians are singled out, above all Churches, for their cordiality of
feeling towards the Apostle who had brought to them the knowledge of the
truth. They made liberal contributions for the furtherance of his work
in other regions, beginning shortly after he left Philippi, and
repeating them from time to time afterwards. They seem to have been
remarkably free from some of the defects incidental to those early
Churches, and to the Churches at all periods. The Apostle's
commendations of them are peculiarly warm and glowing; and scarcely
anything had to be noticed in the way of special warning, except a
tendency to disagreement among some of their members. It does not appear
that there was any great number of Jews at Philippi, and we find no
trace of a synagogue. This may account in some measure for their freedom
from the Judaising tendency: for we find the Philippians exhorted,
indeed, to beware of that evil, but not reprehended as if it had taken
any strong hold among them. On the other hand, they seem to have
remained in a good measure free from evils to which Gentile Churches
were most exposed, and which, at Corinth for example, produced much that
was disheartening and perplexing.
Eleven years, probably, had now passed since Paul had brought to
Philippi the knowledge of Christ Jesus. During that time he had
undergone many vicissitudes, and now he had been for some time a
prisoner at Rome. Probably he had already written the Epistles to the
Ephesians, the Colossians, and to Philemon. Comparing these with our
Epistle, we may conclude that his prospects as a prisoner had not
improved, but rather darkened, since the date of those letters. At this
time, then, Epaphroditus arrived, apparently after a dangerous journey,
bearing with him a supply for the Apostle's wants, bringing tidings of
the state of the Philippian Church, and assuring him of their sympathy
and their prayers on his behalf. It is no wonder that, in these
circumstances, the Epistle bears marks of having been written by the
Apostle with a special flow of tenderness and of affection.
The scope of the letter may be briefly stated. After the usual
inscription and salutation, the Apostle expresses (as he does so often
in his Epistles) his thankfulness for what the Philippians had attained,
and his desire that they might grow to yet higher things. He goes on to
tell them how matters stood with himself, and opens up, as to those whom
he reckons trusted friends, the manner in which his mind was exercised
under these providences. Returning to the Philippians, and aiming at
this, that they and he might have growing fellowship in all Christian
grace, he goes on to set before them Christ, specially in His lowliness
and self-sacrifice. This is the grand end; attainment to His likeness is
work for all their lives. Paul sets forth how earnestly his heart is set
on this object, and what means he is taking to advance it. After a brief
digression relating to his circumstances and theirs, he returns again to
the same point. In order that defects may be removed, dangers avoided,
progress made, Christ must be their joy, their trust, their aim, their
very life. They, like the Apostle himself, must press on, never content
till the consummate salvation is attained (iii. 21). If this should be
so, his desires for them would be fulfilled. So he closes (iv. 2) with
directions rising out of this central view, and with renewed expression
of the comfort he had derived from their affectionate remembrance. Their
goodwill to the cause in which his life was spent, and to himself, had
cheered his heart. And he took it as God's blessing to him and to them.
Such is a brief outline of the course of thought. But the Epistle, while
perfect in the unity of its feeling and of its point of view, is
remarkable for the way in which it alternates between matters proper to
the Philippians, including the instruction Paul saw fit to impress upon
them, and matters personal to himself. The Apostle seems to feel sure of
affectionate sympathy in both regions, and in both equally; therefore in
both his heart utters itself without difficulty and without restraint.
Ch. i. 3-11, i. 27--ii. 16, iii. 1--iv. 9, are occupied with the one
theme, and i. 12-26, ii. 17-30, iv. 10-21, with the other. In short,
more than any other Epistle, if we except, perhaps, that to Philemon,
the Epistle to the Philippians has the character of an outpouring. The
official aims and obligations of the Christian instructor are fused, as
it were, in the glowing affection of the personal friend. He is sure of
his place in the hearts of his correspondents, and he knows how glad
they will be to be assured of the place they hold in his.
Let us now attend to the inscription and salutation. Those who send the
Epistle are Paul and Timothy. Yet plainly we are not to regard it as a
joint Epistle proceeding from both equally; for it is Paul who speaks
throughout, in his own name and by his own authority. Timothy only
joins, as Sosthenes and Silas do in other cases, in heartily commending
to the Church at Philippi whatever the Epistle contains. As there was
harmony between the two labourers when they laid the foundation at
Philippi, so there is also in the building up. Timothy is joined in the
love and care; but the authority is Paul's. Both alike are called
"servants of Jesus Christ"; for to this Church no further commendation
and no rehearsal of a special right to speak and teach are needed. And
yet, to understanding hearts, what commendation could be more weighty?
If these two men are called and allowed by Christ to be His servants, if
they are loyal and faithful servants, if they come on an errand on which
Christ has sent them, if they deliver His message and do His work, what
more need be said? This is honour and authority enough--to be, in our
degree, Christ's servants. But the word is stronger: it means
bondservants, or slaves,--such as are the master's property, or are at
his absolute disposal. So Paul felt; for we are not to reckon this to
be, on his part, a mere phrase. Already, in this word, we recognise the
sense of entire consecration to his Master and Lord; in which, as we
shall see, he felt he could count upon the hearty sympathy of his
Philippian friends.
Those who are addressed are, in the first place, "all the saints in
Christ Jesus who are at Philippi." The saints, or holy ones, is a common
expression in the Scriptures. The word "sanctify" is applied both to
persons and to things. Bible-readers will have noticed that the term
seems to vibrate or vacillate between two meanings,--signifying on the
one hand the production of personal intrinsic holiness, and on the other
merely consecration, or setting apart of anything to God's service. Now
the connection of both meanings will appear, if we mark how both meet in
the word as it is applied to the children of God. For such are
separated, set apart for God from sin and from the world; not, however,
by a mere outward destination, devoting them to a certain use and
service, but by an internal hallowing, which makes the man really in his
inward nature holy, fit for God's service and God's fellowship. This is
done by the regeneration of the Spirit, and by His indwelling
thereafter. Hence, to distinguish this consecration from the mere
outward ceremonial sanctification, which was so temporary and shadowy,
we find the Apostle Peter (i. 2) saying that God's children are chosen
"by sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus." For the ancient Israel was sanctified to obedience in
another manner (Exod. xxiv. 6).
Now because this real consecration takes place when we are grafted into
Christ by faith, because the Spirit comes to us and abides in us as the
Spirit of Christ, because whatever the Spirit does, as our Sanctifier,
has its rise from Christ's redeeming work, because He unites us to
Christ and enables us to cleave to Christ and hold fellowship with Him,
therefore those who are thus sanctified are called saints _in_ Jesus
Christ. It is the Spirit who sanctifies; but He does so inasmuch as He
roots us _in_ Christ and builds us up in Christ. Therefore saints are
sanctified _by_, or _of_, the Spirit; but they are sanctified (or holy)
_in_ Christ Jesus.
This expression, "saints," or some phrase that is equivalent, occurs
commonly in the Epistles as the designation of the parties addressed.
And two things are to be observed in connection with it. _First_, when
the Apostle addresses "all the saints," in any Epistle, he is not
shutting out any professed members of the Church, any professed
believers in the Lord. He never speaks at the outset of an Epistle as if
he meant to make deliberate distinction between two several classes of
members of the Church: as who should say, "I write now to some part of
the Church, viz., the saints; as for the rest, I do not now address
them." Hence we find the term used as equivalent to the Church--"to the
Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all
Achaia," and again "to them ... that are called to be saints." We shall
see presently the lesson which this is fitted to teach. But, _secondly_,
on the other hand, the Apostle's use of the word makes it clear that he
uses it in the full sense which we have explained, of a real saintship.
He does not restrain the sense to some merely external saintship, as if
his meaning were "professing Christians whether they are real or not."
The word stands, in the inscriptions, as equivalent to "sanctified in
Christ Jesus," "faithful in Christ Jesus," "beloved of God"; or as in 2
Peter i., "them that have obtained like precious faith with us," and in
1 Peter, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God unto obedience."
Thus then we are to take it:--The Apostle wrote to the visible, or the
professed and accepted followers of the Lord, on the understanding that
they were what they professed to be. He was not to question it: he
assumed that they were saints of God, for to profess the faith of Christ
is to claim that character. He rejoiced to hope that it would prove to
be so, and gladly took note of everything which tended to assure him
that their holiness was real. He proclaims to them, in the character of
saints, the privileges and the obligations that pertain to saints. It
was the business of every man to look well to the reality of his faith,
and to try the grounds on which he took his place with those addressed
as beloved of God and called to be saints. There might be some who had
but a name to live (2 Cor. xiii. 5). If so, it was not the Apostle's
part, writing to the Church, to allow that possibility to confuse or
lower the style of his address to Christ's Church. He wrote to all the
saints in Christ Jesus who were at Philippi.
This is evident from the strain of all the Pauline Epistles, and it is
important to observe it and apply it. Otherwise we shall readily fall
into this way of reasoning,--"Since there must have been some in these
Churches who were only nominally and not really believers, the word
_saints_ must include such; therefore it can imply only an outward
separation of men, apart from any determination of their inward state."
If we do so, then everything the Apostle says to saints, their standing,
their privileges, their obligations, and their hopes, will come to be
strained and lowered in the interpretation, so as to mean only that such
privileges and blessings are somehow attainable, and if attained may
also on certain terms be secured. The interpretation of the Apostle's
teaching on these subjects will, in short, be what it _must_ be, if it
is taken to apply at once, in his intention, to those who are indeed
saints and to those who are not. This line, in point of fact, has been
taken, in the interpretation of the Epistles, so as to resolve
everything the Apostle says about the eternal life of saved men, as
actually theirs, from their election downwards, into a mere matter of
outward privileges. This view, no doubt, involves a straining of plain
words. Yet it will always seem to force itself upon us, unless we hold
fast (what is indeed demonstrably true) that when the Apostle speaks to
saints, he says what should be said to those who are indeed saints, and
on the understanding that those whom he addresses are such.
In like manner, on the other side, we have a lesson to learn from the
unhesitating way in which the Apostle writes to the saints, and sends
the letter to the members of a Christian Church as the parties
intended. He may have some things to reprehend; he may even have to
express fears, when things have gone amiss, that some in the Church may
yet prove to be no saints. Yet writing to the Church, he writes to
saints. Let us learn from this what those lay claim to who become
members of Christ's Church, and what responsibilities they take on. They
claim, in Christ, the salvation which makes men saints--_i.e._, persons
set apart under the influence of the Holy Spirit to enjoy Christ's
forgiveness and to walk in His ways. Christ does this for us, if He does
a Saviour's work. It is a thing incongruous, a thing, in the Apostle's
view, not to be taken for granted, that any one shall hold his place in
Christ's Church who is worldly, earthly, unholy. There may be such, but
Paul will not assume it; he will not measure the Christianity of
Christ's Church by any such standard. Neither will he go about to
determine whether perhaps it is so or not in the case of any who are
professing Christ in the ordinary way. _If_ any have entered Christ's
Church who are content to continue in worldliness and sin, not seeking
in Christ the grace which saves, that is solely their own personal sin,
and in it they lie unto the Lord. But not for that will the Apostle come
down to speak to Christ's Church as if it should be thought of as a
company to which holy and unholy may equally well belong. If any be
there who are in no vital sense saints, their intrusion will not hinder
Paul from speaking to the Church of God in its own proper character and
according to its calling.
But let it be remarked at the same time, that this same fact shows us
that the Apostle was wont to judge of men and Churches charitably; yes,
with a very large charity. We may be very sure that there was a good
deal in all those Churches, and a great deal in some, that needed to be
judged charitably. They were not all clear, eminent, conspicuous saints;
so far from that, there might well be some whole Churches in which
saintship was, so far as man's inspection could perceive, faint and
questionable. But the Apostle was far from thinking of shutting out the
man whose faith was weak, whose attainments were small, whose regard to
Christ was but a struggling and germinating thing. Far from being
disposed to shut him out, no doubt the Apostle's whole desire was to
shut such an one in, among the saints in Jesus Christ.
To be accepted in the Beloved, to be sanctified in Christ Jesus, is a
very great thing. No less than this great thing Christ offers, and no
less we humbly claim in faith. Also it is no less than this that Christ
bestows on those who come to Him. Let Christians, on the one hand, look
to Christ, as able and willing to do no less than this even for them; on
the other hand, let them look to themselves, that they neither deceive
themselves with false pretences, nor trifle idly with so great a gospel.
And in the case of others, let hasty and needless adverse judgments be
avoided. Let us be glad to think that Christ may see His own, where our
dim sight can find but scanty tokens of His work.
Along with the saints the letter specifies, in particular, the bishops
and deacons. The former were the officers who took the oversight, as the
word implies; the deacons those who rendered service, especially in the
Church's outward and pecuniary concerns. These two standing orders are
recognised by the Apostle. It is obvious that this does not suggest
diocesan Episcopacy, for that implies three orders, the highest being a
single bishop, to the exclusion of others assuming the office in that
place.
It is more important to observe that the Epistle is not directed to the
bishops primarily, or as if they were entitled to come between the
people and the message. It is directed to all the saints. To them the
Epistle, to them all the Scriptures belong, as their own inheritance,
which no man may take from them. In so far as the bishops and deacons
are distinguished from other saints, the Scriptures pertain to them that
they may learn their own duty, and also may help the people in the use
and enjoyment of that which is already theirs.
Now follows the salutation--Grace be unto you and peace. This is the
ordinary salutation, varied and amplified in a few of the Epistles. It
may be said to express the sum of all Christian well-being in this life.
Grace is, first of all, the word which expresses the free favour of God,
manifested towards the unworthy in Christ Jesus. But it is further
extended in meaning to that which is the fruit of this favour, to the
principles and dispositions in the mind which result from grace, which
recognise grace, which in their nature correspond to the nature of
grace. In this sense it is said "grow in grace." Peace is the
well-grounded tranquillity and sense of well-being which arises from the
sight of God's grace in Christ, from faith in it, and experience of it.
Grace and peace are the forerunners of glory. That is a blessed company
to which so great a fulness of good is commended, as ordinarily theirs.
And from whom is this good expected to proceed? From God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father who loved us, the Son who charged
Himself with the burden of our salvation, impart a grace and a peace
fragrant with that Divine love and charged with the efficacy of that
blessed mediation. If any one wonders why the Holy Spirit is left out, a
reason may be given for it. For if we look to the substance of the
blessings, what are this grace and peace but the Holy Spirit Himself
dwelling in us, revealing to us the Father and the Son from whom He
comes, and enabling us to continue in the Son and in the Father?
_THE APOSTLE'S MIND ABOUT THE PHILIPPIANS._
"I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in every
supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication
with joy, for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the
first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He
which began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of
Jesus Christ: even as it is right for me to be thus minded on
behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as,
both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel,
ye all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how I
long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. And this
I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge
and all discernment; so that ye may approve the things that are
excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day
of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are
through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."--PHIL. i.
3-11 (R.V.).