PHILIPPIANS I. 12-20. 12 BUT I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which concern me have come rather to the furtherance 13 of the Gospel; so that my bonds became manifest in Christ 14 in all the (prætorian) camp and to all others; and that most of the brethren in the Lord, trusting to my bonds, are much 15 more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed even from a motive of envy and strife, and some also from a motive 16 of good will, proclaim Christ: the one from love1, knowing 17 that I am set for the defence of the Gospel; but the others from a factious spirit announce Christ, not purely, thinking 18 to stir up affliction for my bonds. For what [is it]? Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is announced; and in this I rejoice, yea, and will 19 rejoice. For I know that this will result to me in salvation through your supplication and the supply of the Spirit of 20 Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that in all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by means of life or by means of death. 1 The text here followed inverts the order of the Authorized Version in verses 16, 17. LECTURE III PHILIPPIANS I. 20. Christ shall be magnified in my body. WE have heard of St Paul's feeling towards his beloved Church at Philippi in absence, and of his prayers for them, that love might abound yet more and more in deeper knowledge and in a more discriminating judgment. In the passage which comes before us this morning the Apostle turns rather to himself. And yet to himself in no sentimental and in no selfish spirit; but entirely as Christ's minister, as one whose personal life is swallowed up and lost in Christ alone. We resume the brief comment at the 12th verse. But I would ye should understand, brethren. Per- Verse 12. haps there had been contrary rumours. Perhaps the Philippians had thought, as it was natural to think, that the imprisonment of the Apostle must be a great hindrance to the cause of Christ. He is anxious to correct that impression. He is anxious to shew them Matt. xxviii. 18. that Christ has indeed all power in heaven and in earth, and can turn even the most opposite influences to His own glory. That the things which concern me, the events which have befallen me, dangers, persecutions, and now at last a long detention as a prisoner in the great city of Rome, have come rather to the furtherance of the Gospel than to its hindrance; have resulted rather in the advancement than in the injury Gen. 1. 28. of the cause of Christ. God has turned into good that which His enemies designed for evil. Verse 13. Acts xxviii. 16. So that my bonds became manifest in Christ, under the guiding and controlling hand of Christ, in all the palace. The word more properly denotes the camp of the Prætorian guards at Rome; a body of nine or ten thousand men, who were stationed there in a strongly fortified camp for the protection of the capital and of the person of the Emperor. In all the prætorian camp, and in all other places; or rather, and to all others; that is, not only among the soldiers of that camp, but among the population of Rome generally. You will remember the description given in the Acts of the Apostles of the arrival of St Paul at Rome. When we came to Rome, the centurion, to whose custody he had been committed at Cæsarea, delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, that is, to the commander of the Prætorian guards: but Paul was permitted to dwell by xxviii. 20. himself with the soldier that kept him. The hand of the prisoner was fastened by a chain to the hand of the soldier that kept him. This is that chain to which St Paul alludes in discourses and letters. For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain. Acts ...The mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an am- Eph.vi. 20. bassador in bonds: literally, in a chain....He oft re- 2 Tim.i.16. freshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. We can well understand therefore how St Paul's imprisonment and its cause should become known throughout the Prætorian camp. Every change of guard would send back into the camp a soldier whose strange lot it had been to remain for a time. actually bound by the hand to this extraordinary prisoner; a witness of necessity to every word which he spoke for Christ, and to every prayer which he breathed to God. Was it possible that a strong and wide impression should not thus be produced? And that many of the brethren in the Lord. The Verse 14. word in the original language is still stronger: most of the brethren; the brethren in the Lord generally. Brethren: that is what Christians are to each other: brothers and sisters. In the Lord: as being all members, component parts, of the same Lord. Waxing confident by my bonds: literally, trusting to my bonds: emboldened by the sight of my constancy, my safety and my success. Are much more bold to speak the word without fear. So far from being daunted or |