Verses 19-24
IV. SECTION THIRD
The conduct of the companions and assistants of the Apostle
Timothy and his approaching mission to them
19But I trust [hope]9 in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. 20For I have no man like minded, who will naturally [sincerely] care for your state. 21For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. 22But ye know the proof of him, that as a son [child] with the [a] father, he hath served with me in [for] the gospel. 23Him therefore I hope to send presently [immediately]10 so soon as I shall see11 how it will go with me. 24But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Philippians 2:19. But I hope (ἐλπίζω δέ) in spite of the martyrdom, (σπενδέσθαι, Philippians 2:17) which he apprehends. He regards a favorable result as possible, but only because he hopes in the Lord Jesus (ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ) who is the ground of his hope (1 Corinthians 15:19), so that he is confident of being able to dispense with Timothy, and to send him shortly to them (Τιμόθεον ταχέως πέμψαι ὑμῖν). This also took place, since the second epistle was written to him after this. Ταχέως is limited by Philippians 2:23. The simple dative ὑμῖν is stronger than πρὸς ὑμᾶς, not merely equivalent (Van Hengel), for the latter is only local, while the former marks his longing for the Philippians—their attachment to each other.—That I also may be of good comfort, gives the purpose (ἵνα) of the mission; κἀγώ, found only here, refers to the effect of the letter in allaying the anxiety of the church concerning Paul, who also needed the same alleviation with respect to them (εὐψυχῶ, also found only here), for the church is exposed to many dangers (Philippians 1:27-30; Philippians 3:1-21; Philippians 4:2).—When I know your state. Γνούς indicates definite knowledge, the object of which is τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν. He needs and expects to receive through Timothy good news as well as certain information. He ascribes special importance to Timothy’s communications, for not only had Epaphroditus been a long time away from Philippi (Philippians 2:25-30), but he wished also to learn the effect of this present letter, and Timothy understood him perfectly, and was aware of all that concerned and interested the Apostle.
Philippians 2:20. For I have no man like-minded, οὐδένα γὰρ ἔχω ἰσόψυχιν. [The comparison here is between Timothy and other persons, not between him and Paul; since the object of the remark clearly is to state why the Apostle sends Timothy rather than any one else.—H.]. This last reason alone he makes prominent, and hence unfolds it still further.—Who will sincerely care for your state. Ὅστις describes the character of Timothy: such a one as that, etc., and ἰσόψυχος (found only in this place in the New Testament), referring through ἔχω to the Apostle, is more closely defined in its mode of action, entirely like φίλος ἴσος τῇ ψυχῇ μου (Deuteronomy 13:6). Γνησίως marks the uprightness and purity, the freedom from false, self-seeking arts, by which he will show his solicitude for them (τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει) when he comes. The sympathy with which he will enter into their relations and circumstances (τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, not τὰ ὑμῶν, 2 Corinthians 12:14), your estate, your possessions. [The verb is future with reference to the concern for them which Timothy would manifest on his arrival among them.—H.]
Philippians 2:21. For all (οἱ πάντες γάρ) answers to οὐδένα. The article merely denotes a limitation. Those only are referred to who, from their situation being in the Apostle’s immediate circle at the time, would be compared with the like-minded (ἰσόψυχος) Timothy.—Seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s (τὰ ἑαυτῶν ζητοῦσιν, οὐ τὰ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ), hence do not act sincerely (γνησίωζ.) Comp. Philippians 2:4. We are not to think of the hardships of the journey to which they preferred their own comfort (the Greeks), or that οἱ πάντες is equivalent to “many,” “the most” (Grotius, et al.), or that they are Philippensibus cogniti (Van Hengel), or that the word ‘more’ is to be understood with ζητεῖν, (Erasmus), although self-seeking has its gradations. No reference is made to those designated in Philippians 1:15; Philippians 1:17. It would not have occurred to Paul to send any of them. Those spoken of in Philippians 1:14, might be of the number. Of those mentioned in Colossians 4:10-14; Philem. Philippians 2:24, Demas probably is the only one who was with him. This view seems to be confirmed by the fact that the Apostle cannot send Timothy away immediately (Philippians 2:19; Philippians 2:23).
Philippians 2:22. But ye know the proof of him (τὴν δὲ δοκιμὴν αὐτοῦ γινώσκετε). Timothy was indeed known to the Philippians, and had been with them (Acts 16:1; Acts 16:13; Acts 17:14); hence the verb is indicative, not imperative (Vulg., cognoscite). On δοκιμήν, indoles spectata, see Romans 5:4; 2 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 9:13.—The proof consists in this: That as a child with a father, he hath served with me, ὅτι ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐδούλευσεν. Instead of saying simply ἐμοί, he proceeds with σὺν ἐμοί in a variatio structuræ (Winer’s Gram., pp. 422, 577), in order to indicate that he is speaking of a service shared with himself, which is more nearly defined by the additional clause: for the gospel (εἰς εὐαγγέλιον), its advancement, (comp. Philippians 1:5).
Philippians 2:23. [By μέν here Paul opposes his sending of Timothy to his own coming as he hopes (δέ, next verse).—Οὖν, therefore, since the Apostle would be thus relieved (εὐψυχῶ, Philippians 2:19), and Timothy (τοῦτον) had such qualifications for the service. Both grounds of the inference should be recognized.—H]. What follows here defines more closely the ταχέως in Philippians 2:19. [The “shortly,” “speedily” there, is relative with reference to the result of the crisis of which he now speaks as near at hand.—H].—Him therefore I hope to send immediately, (τοῦτον μὲν οὖν ε̇λπίζω πέμψαι). Τοῦτον sums up the characteristics mentioned in Philippians 2:20; Philippians 2:22.—So coon as I shall see how it will go with me, (ὡς ἄν ). For the form ἀφίδω instead of ἀπίδώ, see Winer’s Gram. p. 45. It is like ἀφελπίζοντες in Luke 6:35. The verb, according to its signification, points to the distance (prospicere), to see forward to the issue; it indicates his tender anxiety to send Timothy as soon as possible. Ὡς, as, in point of time, and with ἀν, as soon as ever his relations change, or there is a definite prospect of the issue, one or the other of them will come.—Ἐξαυτῆς sc. ὥρας (Acts 10:33; Acts 11:11; Acts 21:32; Acts 23:30), emphatic limitation of πέμψαι. [He would send Timothy at once on being able to make him the bearer of good tidings. As Lightfoot remarks ὡς ἄν. … ἐξαυτῆς is=at once when.—H.]
Philippians 2:24. But I trust in the Lord (πέποιθα δὲ ἐν κυρίῳ). Δέ answers to μέν in Philippians 2:23. Although he hopes he will be able to send Timothy, yet he has confidence in the Lord (Philippians 2:19): That I also myself shall come shortly (ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς ταχέως ἐλεύσομαι); thus not merely Timothy, but he himself will come to them. Comp. Philippians 1:25-26; Philem. Philippians 2:22. [The Apostle expects not only to be set at liberty as Timothy will be sent to inform them, but to be able to use his own liberty for the purpose of coming to them.—H.] Here also there is an alternative, a presentiment of death and a hope of freedom, a wavering between martyrdom and a restored, free activity.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. Friends should maintain fellowship with each other even when they are far apart in body. This is essential to the true welfare of each.2. Letters and messengers are the means of communication, but in each case truth is our ultimate reliance as in personal intercourse, and this is found in its full extent only where there is a deep interest in the cause of Christ, and where selfishness does not reign.3. Greater than the sorrow for weak and false brethren should be the joy over one true friend.
4. Even the apostolic church and the apostles had to suffer from the selfishness which hindered their complete prosperity: perfection is not reached at the beginning but only at the end.5. Hope and confidence are to be based only upon the Lord, and are justifiable even in time of trouble, even when our hopes are not realized in the form that we expected, when indeed the future is shaped for us in exact opposition to our ideas.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
Where love for the brethren is founded on faith in the Lord—the basis of true fellowship—there will a lively hope in Him as the Ruler of the world manifest itself, giving confidence that the course of events shall result in the welfare of the church and of the individual. We see this illustrated in the case of Paul imprisoned at Rome, who, though of a melancholy, choleric temperament, was always hopeful. Candor in judging persons and things is as great as it is rare. It is based on perfect purity. Even the subtlest selfishness pales before it. A teacher in the church, a minister of the word of Christ, has especially to guard himself from selfishness, both in its most refined and its noblest forms.—Hope in the Lord, and hope all that thy heart desires, if it find pleasure in the Lord, but reckon not upon thy heart or thy hope.
Starke:—Not our own, not our humors, not our desires, but what is Christ’s will, the advancement of His kingdom, must we seek as paramount in ourselves and in others, if we would be saved.—Since there is so many ‘a slip between the cup and the lip,’ we ought to speak cautiously of future events, saying: l hope so, if God will, etc. See James 4:13 ff.
Schleiermacher:—All special love of one person for another, so far as it is truly brotherly, must be purely Christian.
Menken:—Such a man as Paul, in his holy, heavenly disposition, in the quiet, true greatness of his character, in the earnestness, purity and majesty of his life, his willing and his working, could not have many equals.
Heubner:—True friendship is rare; for a friendship such as makes two hearts one, requires not merely a similarity of certain general principles in duty and religion, but a similarity of inclinations, sentiments, and of essential principles. No one has more false friends than Jesus. Thus how rare, even among Christ’s servants, is an entirely pure, unselfish mind! The coarsely selfish serve their belly, Mammon; the more refined their honor, their system, their school.
Footnotes:
Philippians 2:19; Philippians 2:19. [Our English Version often confuses the renderings of ἐλπίζω and πέποιθα with each other. See the notes on Philem. Philippians 2:23, p. 23 (Lange’s Series).—H.].
Philippians 2:23; Philippians 2:23. [“Presently,” by an old English usages “immediately,” as in 1 Samuel 2:16; Matthew 26:53. See Eastwood and Weight’s Bible Word Book, p. 38. This change in the meaning of the English word conceals from the reader the relation in which “shortly” (ταχέως) in Philippians 2:19, and “immediately” here (ἐξαυτῆς) stand to each other.—H.].
[11]Ibid. [On the form ἀφίδω, see the Exegetical Notes below.—H.].
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