New Testament Commentary - Philippians 1

by Don R. Hender

Paul writes to the saints of Philipi from the Roman prison near the end of his ministry. Thus this epistle has a flavor of a farewell. His epistle is taken to the Philippians by Epaphroditus who came from Philippi to minister unto Paul, but he himself becomes invalided and carried back home to Philippi. Paul is at the end of his mission in the prison of Rome and is there in the contemplation of departing this world. He expresses graditude for the faithful saints at Philippi, one of the very first and earliest churches established by Paul.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

CHAPTER 1
All that happened to Paul furthered the gospel cause—Our conduct should be as becometh the gospel.

1 PAUL and Timotheus, the ^aservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the ^bbishops and deacons:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you^a,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
3^a I thank God upon every remembrance of you Paul joys in the Philippian saints.

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will ^aperform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
7 Even as it is ^ameet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and ^bconfirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my ^cgrace.
8 For God is my ^arecord, how greatly I long after you all in the ^bbowels of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your ^alove may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
10 That ye may ^aapprove things that are excellent; that ye may be ^bsincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
11 Being filled with the fruits of ^arighteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have ^afallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the ^apalace, and in all other places;
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without ^afear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and ^astrife; and some also of good will:
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your ^aprayer, and the supply of the ^bSpirit of Jesus Christ,
20 According to my earnest expectation and my ^ahope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be ^bmagnified in my body, **whether it be by life, or by death^a.
20^a whether it be by life, or by death Paul sits in the prison in Rome in anticipation of his final fate, that being put to death. Like Joseph Smith in the Carthage Jail, Paul considers that he will not leave this current situation alive and is but a lamb brought forth to the slaughter to be a sacrifical witness to the truth of the Gospel of Christ which he has preached to the world.

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I ^awot not.
23 For I am ^ain a strait betwixt two^a, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
23^a I am in a strait betwixt two** This imagery set forth by Paul is that between Heaven and earth there is a passage way, a strait between life and death. And to this end does Paul speak. He sits in anticipation of death but with the positive attitude to continue to live. But to Paul Christ is life and gain even in death, for Paul knows of the surity of the resurrection and that life does not end but does continue on in Christ in the world to come.

24 Nevertheless to ^aabide in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
Showing forth that unconquerable spirit unto life and to live, Paul speaks of coming to the saints of Philippi again in the flesh. But Paul has also already stated his consideration and anticipation of death. And by this example unto life, Paul has set forth the proper attitude for all those who face such afflictions as Paul is experiencing in the prision at Rome, and that is to continue to look unto life to continue on to live even in the face of death.

27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye ^astand fast in one spirit, with ^bone ^cmind ^dstriving together for the faith of the gospel;
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: ^awhich is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to ^asuffer for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 1 All that happened to Paul furthered the gospel cause—Our conduct should be as becometh the gospel.
1 PAUL and Timotheus, the ^aservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the ^bbishops and deacons: 2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you^a, 4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;	3^a I thank God upon every remembrance of you Paul joys in the Philippian saints.
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will ^aperform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 Even as it is ^ameet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and ^bconfirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my ^cgrace. 8 For God is my ^arecord, how greatly I long after you all in the ^bbowels of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your ^alove may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may ^aapprove things that are excellent; that ye may be ^bsincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11 Being filled with the fruits of ^arighteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have ^afallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; 13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the ^apalace, and in all other places; 14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without ^afear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and ^astrife; and some also of good will: 16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. 19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your ^aprayer, and the supply of the ^bSpirit of Jesus Christ, 20 According to my earnest expectation and my ^ahope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be ^bmagnified in my body, *whether it be* by life, or by death^a**.	*20^a whether it be* by life, or by death** Paul sits in the prison in Rome in anticipation of his final fate, that being put to death. Like Joseph Smith in the Carthage Jail, Paul considers that he will not leave this current situation alive and is but a lamb brought forth to the slaughter to be a sacrifical witness to the truth of the Gospel of Christ which he has preached to the world.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I ^awot not. 23 For I am ^ain a strait betwixt two^a, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:	23^a I am in a strait betwixt two This imagery set forth by Paul is that between Heaven and earth there is a passage way, a strait between life and death. And to this end does Paul speak. He sits in anticipation of death but with the positive attitude to continue to live. But to Paul Christ is life and gain even in death, for Paul knows of the surity of the resurrection and that life does not end but does continue on in Christ in the world to come.
24 Nevertheless to ^aabide in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.	Showing forth that unconquerable spirit unto life and to live, Paul speaks of coming to the saints of Philippi again in the flesh. But Paul has also already stated his consideration and anticipation of death. And by this example unto life, Paul has set forth the proper attitude for all those who face such afflictions as Paul is experiencing in the prision at Rome, and that is to continue to look unto life to continue on to live even in the face of death.
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye ^astand fast in one spirit, with ^bone ^cmind ^dstriving together for the faith of the gospel; 28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: ^awhich is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to ^asuffer for his sake; 30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.