The importance of a contented and peaceful habit of soul. "Do all things without murmurings and disputings." I. THE CHARACTER AND INFLUENCE OF AN UNMURMURING AND PEACEFUL SPIRIT . 1 . Murmur ing is here meant against God. It may arise 2 . The disputings here meant point to those dissensions which war the peace of the Church. We ought to avoid disputings, because II. THE OBJECT AND AIM OF SUCH A SPIRIT . "That ye may be blameless and... read more
Church activity. "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the Word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain." The Church is essentially as active society. An inactive Church is a solecism. Activity is not only the condition of its health,... read more
The Christian life: its effect upon the world. I. How THIS EFFECT MAY BE OBSCURED . By murmurings ( i.e. active rebellions against the will of God) and disputings ( i.e. efforts of the intellect to persuade ourselves that God's voice is not speaking to us). II. HOW IT IS MANIFESTED . Where God's will is accepted, it will render our lives blameless towards him and harmless towards our fellow-men. Thus are we manifested as the sons of God, being partakers of... read more
The salvation of the Philippians the apostle's joy. I. THEIR OBEDIENCE MUST BE THE READY OBEDIENCE OF LOVE . Christ died for them, God worketh within them. They have the great gift of reconciliation with God through the precious blood of Christ; they have the indwelling presence of God the Holy Ghost. Therefore: 1 . It is their duty to be cheerful , to render to God a loving service. A Christian who knows that the Son of God loved him and gave himself for him,... read more
Inspired to be blameless sons. Having seen the great responsibility of personal inspiration, as brought out in the previous verses, we have next to notice what the inspiration contemplates. It is, in fact, to produce such a sense of sonship in all hearts as will ensure unity of spirit, blamelessness of life, and consequent usefulness in the world. Paul wished the Philippian Christians to be of use to their heathen neighbors; unless they were so, he would regard himself as having run in... read more
Holding forth the word of life . Holding out to others. Meyer translates "possessing," and others, as Bengel, "holding fast. This clause should be taken with the first clause of Philippians 2:15 , "That ye may be blameless," etc., he the words, "among whom," etc.. he being parenthetical. That I may rejoice in the day of Christ ; literally, for matter of boasting to me against the day of Christ. He boasts or glories in their salvation. "The day of Christ," says Bishop Lightfoot, "is a... read more
Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith . He again compares the advantages of life and death, as in Philippians 1:20-25 . In the last verse he was speaking of the possibility of looking back from the day of Christ upon a life of prolonged labor. Here he supposes the other alternative. The form of the sentence, the particles used ( λειτουργία ), and the indicative verb, all imply that the apostle looked forward to a martyr's death as the probable end of his... read more
The apostle's readings to sacrifice his life for the Philippians. "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me." I. MARK THE APOSTLE 'S DEEP AFFECTION FOR THE PHILIPPIANS AND HIS INTENSE INTEREST IN THEIR SPIRITUAL WELL - BEING . He considered not his life too dear a sacrifice to be made on their behalf. II. MARK THE IMPORTANCE ... read more
Christly love. "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me." There are different kinds of love. Christly love is love in the highest form, the love which is the inspiration of all human activities, approved of God, and spiritually useful to man. Two remarks are here suggested concerning this love. I. IT IS SELF - CONSECRATING . It was so: 1 . In the conduct... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Philippians 2:12-18
Exhortations. I. PERSONAL WORK FOR THE PHILIPPIANS . 1 . How he exhorts them he with pleasure. "So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence." The exaltation of Christ, which is the subject of the three foregoing verses, is specially fitted to be an encouragement to the duty of humility. It is not this, however, that he now specifies, in descending from the sublime Example. He rather lays hold on that... read more