17. By lion, nobody doubts but that Paul meant the emperor Nero, who had then begun to assume the character of a brutal tyrant.* But even in his presence the apostle seems to have spoken with so much courage, that several persons in the emperor's own household were favourably impressed with respect to Christianity.

22. Not Christ, in person; but he wishes that the thought of Christ, and of his gospel, might be ever present to his mind, and that thence he might derive consolation and courage in his faithful and laborious services.

The

No person can read these salutations from, and to particular persons, without being satisfied that this is a genuine epistle, written as other epistles of that age were. circumstance of the cloak, and other minute particulars, give us, however, no idea of his writing from inspiration, because we cannot imagine any want of it to such a man as Paul, in writing such an epistle as this. But that such a letter as this should be written by him, in the circumstances in which he then was, is a very important consideration in favour of the truth of Christianity, because the writing of such a letter cannot be accounted for without supposing the truth of the leading facts in the gospel history. And this epistle being written so near the time of the apostle's death, after a long course of laborious and painful services, sufficiently proves that he had no worldly views in his preaching, but that his object was faithfully to serve God by promoting the spirit of the gospel in this life, in the firm belief, which we may well conclude he would not take up and suffer so much for without good evidence of that future life to which Christ would raise him at his second coming.

PHILIPPIANS.

THE Christian church at Philippi was the first that was planted on the continent of Europe. There it was [Acts xvi. 18,] that Paul, accompanied by Silas, cured a woman who was disordered in her mind, and who brought her master much gain by telling fortunes, in consequence of which they were cast

Yet Jerome says, "Necdum Neronis imperium roborato, nec in tanta erumpente scelera quanta de eo narrant historiæ. (Nero's government not being then quite degenerated, nor disgraced by the horrible wickedness which historians speak of.)" Lardner, V. p. 45; VI. p. 351. See Harwood, supra, p. 249, Note *.

into prison, but being soon released, left the place. was eleven years before the writing of this epistle.*

This

The Christians at Philippi were probably wealthy, and they were proportionably generous, as they contributed largely to the apostle's support in other places, with respect to which some churches had been too negligent, and they had not been unmindful of the apostle now that he was a prisoner at Rome, but had sent Epaphroditus, one of their body, with a contribution for his relief. This he gratefully acknowledges in this epistle, which is thought to have been written after Paul had been more than a year in Rome, A. D. 62. In his epistle from this place to Timothy, the apostle had urged him to come to him; but at the time of his writing this epistle he was with him, and joins in the salutations to the church.

One principal object of this epistle, as of many others of this apostle, is to exhort Christians to persevere in the purity of the gospel, and to resist the attempts of the Judaizing teachers to sow divisions among them; and especially to recommend their profession by a suitable life and conversation. The manner in which the apostle speaks of his own situation, and the satisfaction which he appears to have had in all that he had done and suffered for the sake of the gospel, is highly edifying. He appears at this time to have had the hope of being set at liberty; but says, that, as to himself, it was a matter of perfect indifference whether he lived or died, provided his dying might be subservient, as he was confident that either of them would be, to the propagation of the gospel.

CHAP. I. 1. By bishops the apostle could only mean the elders or presbyters of the church, to all of whom, as to those of the church of Ephesus, he gives the title of bishops or Overseers. There could be no such thing in that age as a bishop of one church having a superintendence over the ministers of other churches.† Whether diocesan episcopacy be an useful institution or not, there is nothing to countenance it in the Scriptures; and the history of the church in later ages shews how liable it is to the grossest abuses, making the church of Christ to resemble the kingdoms of this world, by feeding the pride and ignorance of some churches and bishops, to the degradation and oppression of others.

See Lardner, VI. pp. 875—877; Doddridge's Introd. V. p. 226; Michaelis's Introd. Leet. (Sect. cxl. cxli.), pp. 306–308.

↑ See Whitby in Doddridge; Lord King's Enquiry, in Vol. II. p. SS9, Note.

3*-5.† The apostle here expresses the satisfaction that he had in having such persons as those of whom the church at Philippi consisted, for his fellow-christians.

6. He was persuaded, from their stedfast faith in the gospel, that they would persevere in the profession and practice of it, so as to appear to advantage at the coming of Christ to judgment. This he ascribes to God, as the author of the gospel and of all good.

7. That is, I consider you and myself as having one common interest, and that your sympathy for me is such, that, whatever merit there may be in my sufferings for Christianity, and my labours in the propagation of it, you share in it along with me.‡

8. My affection for you is equal to yours for me. I have that intense affection for you which Christ has for us all.§

9. I pray that your attachment to the gospel may increase and shew itself by your knowledge of its principles, and your feeling of its influence; for such is more properly the meaning of the word which is here rendered judgment. It implies perception and feeling. ||

10. Thus the apostle prays for this church, that the members of it might distinguish themselves by every Christian virtue, till the second coming of Christ; the principles of all virtue being inculcated in the gospel of Christ, the author of which is God, who is glorified by it.

12. The Philippians would naturally be concerned for Paul's sufferings, but he observes that every thing that had befallen him had contributed to the spread of the gospel.

13.** His sufferings for the gospel were the subject of general conversation, and led many persons to inquire concerning it, in consequence of which many converts were made.tt

Every remembrance, or mention, that is made of you by others." Hallett, I. p. 67. See Locke; Bowyer.

+ The first day of my entering your city. See Le Clerc.

1 See Peirce and Paley in Impr. Vers. See Le Clerc; Blackwall (S.C.), I. p. 16, "In omni sensu." Vulg. On vers. 9-11, see Hallett, 1. pp. 68, 69; Doddridge. That ye may approve, &c. "That ye may try the things that differ." Harwood, N. T. Gr.

** In all the palace. "Dans toute le Prétoire.'-Le camp de la garde Prétorienne,

qui étoit hors de la ville, et figurément les cohortes Prétoriennes elles-mêmes. Ce dernier seus paroît le plus conforme à l'usage de ce tems là. Le soldat, qui étoit enchainé avec S. Paul, le mena apparemment parmi les soldats de ce camp, et le leur fit connoitre; outre qu'en se défendant devant Neron, dont le palais étoit gardé par ces mêmes soldats, il put venir à leur connoissance." Le Clerc.

"Mr. Peirce would render it, so that it is manifest, both in the Prætorium and elsewhere, that my bonds are for Christ; that is, that I suffer only for the sake of Christianity, and not for any real crime:' and he argues from the order of the words." Doddridge.

tt Transpose vers. 16, 17. See Impr. Vers.

18. The friends of Paul were encouraged, by his firmness, to preach the gospel with the greatest boldness; and others, who were probably Judaizing teachers, of whom, as appears by Paul's epistle to the Romans, there were many in that metropolis, preached it in such a manner as tended to disparage the apostle, thinking perhaps to mortify him, by preaching independently of him and undervaluing him, and also preaching many doctrines that he did not approve, especially the universal obligation to adhere to the laws of Moses. Paul, however, rejoiced in this preaching of the gospel, for hereby converts would be made to it, and the evil that might be occasioned by the preaching of his enemies would in time be rectified.

19. He would so behave upon the occasion as that this, and every thing else, would turn out to its advantage.

20. † He was determined so to behave, that, whether he lived or died, the gospel of Christ, with which the best interests of mankind are connected, should be advanced. May this be the aim of all ministers of the gospel!

21. My life is devoted to this one object, the preaching of the gospel; and death, come when it will, will be au advantage to me, and therefore a thing desirable.

22. While I live I am employed in a laborious and useful service, so that I hardly know what to wish.

23-25. I am strongly drawn two different ways, § by a desire to come to the close of this laborious life, in consequence of which I shall soon find myself with Christ, at his second coming, which, with respect to myself, is certainly the more desirable of the two. But my continuing here is more to your advantage. And I am persuaded that on this account I shall be continued with you some time longer.{}

* «This extraordinary assistance was promised, in imminent danger; and for which the apostle had occasion in his defence before Nero." Harwood, N. T. Gr. Turn to my salvation. "Ceux qui auront crû à l'évangile s'intéressant pour moi." Le Clerc.. "Mr. Peirce explains salvation, as signifying deliverance from prison." Doddridge.

+ Earnest expectation; "signifying to expect a thing with intense and ardent solicitude. See Sophoclis Antiq. 467." Harwood, N. T.

"Je ne vis que pour Jésus-Christ; et en mourant je gagnerai des gens à l'évangile." Le Clerc. "Christ is gain to me, living or dying." Peirce in Doddridge. “Literally, ‘Christ is my life, and death my gain.'" Harwood, N. T. Gr. See Impr. Vers.

"The original seems to be an allusion to a ship stationed at a particular place, and riding at anchor, and at the same time likely to be forced to sea by the violence of the winds." Doddridge.

"Probably, as Mr. Howe conjectures, (II. p. 89,) he had some particular revelation, to ground this confidence upon. I can by no means think, he refers to any intimation from the palace, how it was likely to go with him. He must have known little of princes and courtiers (especially in Nero's reign) to build so confidently on such a foundation." Doddridge.

Nothing can be inferred from this text in favour of an intermediate state between death and the resurrection: for the apostle, considering his own situation, would naturally connect the end of this life with the commencement of another and a better, as he would have no perception of any interval between them. That the apostle had no view to any state short of the coming of Christ to judgment, is evident from the phrase that he makes use of, viz. being with Christ, which can only take place at his second coming. For Christ himself has said that he would come again, and that he would take his disciples to himself, which clearly implies that they were not to be with him before that time.

Accordingly, for many centuries after the notion of an intermediate state was advanced; a notion which has been the foundation of the doctrine of purgatory, and many other absurd and mischievous opinions and practices in the Church of Rome, and of no good whatever; it was never imagined that the departed souls were to be with Christ, but only in a place under ground, called Hades, where they were to wait till the resurrection of their bodies; at which time, and not before, it was supposed that they would be with Christ. The opinion of the soul going immediately to heaven was not advanced, with any degree of confidence, by any Christians, except the Gnostics who believed in no resurrection at all, till about a thousand years after Christ.

27-30. This is a noble and animating strain of exhortation. We are to rejoice even in our sufferings for the sake of the gospel, and to consider all trials of this kind as a special mark of favour, having thereby an occasion given us of distinguishing ourselves more than others, and, consequently, of obtaining a more distinguished reward.

II. In this part of the epistle the apostle continues to urge the practice of Christian virtues, especially that of humility, in opposition to the spirit of faction, which shewed itself in several of the primitive churches, owing at first to the interference of the Judaizing teachers, and then to that of the Gnostics. This virtue he presses upon them by the example of Christ, who was distinguished as much by his condescension and humility, as he was by the extraordinary power with which God had endued him, and who, on this account, was advanced to the most distinguished honour.

Ver. 28. See Harwood, II. p. 340, Note §; Theol. Repos. IV. p. 241. Ver. 29. In the behalf of Christ. "I take the words to signify the being (or to be) for Christ. See the end of the verse." Hallett, I. p. 70. ↑ See Theol. Repos. IV. pp. 241, 243.