Philippians 1:17

But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:12-20 The apostle was a prisoner at Rome; and to take off the offence of the cross, he shows the wisdom and goodness of God in his sufferings. These things made him known, where he would never have otherwise been known; and led some to inquire after the gospel. He suffered from false friends, as well as from enemies. How wretched the temper of those who preached Christ out of envy and contention, and to add affliction to the bonds that oppressed this best of men! The apostle was easy in the midst of all. Since our troubles may tend to the good of many, we ought to rejoice. Whatever turns to our salvation, is by the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of seeking for it. Our earnest expectation and hope should not be to be honoured of men, or to escape the cross, but to be upheld amidst temptation, contempt, and affliction. Let us leave it to Christ, which way he will make us serviceable to his glory, whether by labour or suffering, by diligence or patience, by living to his honour in working for him, or dying to his honour in suffering for him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But the other of love - From pure motives, and from sincere affection to me.

Knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel - They believe that I am an ambassador from God. They regard me as unjustly imprisoned, and while I am disabled, they are willing to aid me in the great cause to which my life is devoted. To alleviate his sorrows, and to carry forward the great cause to defend which he was particularly appointed, they engaged in the work which he could not now do, and went forth to vindicate the gospel, and to make its claims better known. Coverdale renders this: "for they know that I lie here for the defense of the gospel." So Piscator, Michaelis, and Endius render it: supposing that the meaning is, that he lay in prison for the defense of the gospel, or as a consequence of his efforts to defend it. But this is not in accordance with the usual meaning of the Greek word κεἶμαι keimai. It means to lie, and, in the perfect passive, to be laid, set, placed. If the apostle had referred to his being in prison, he would have added that fact to the statement made. The sense is, that he was appointed to be a defender of the gospel, and that they being well convinced of this, went forth to promulgate and defend the truth. That fact was one of Paul's chief consolations while he was thus in confinement.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16, 17. The oldest manuscripts transpose these verses, and read, "These (last) indeed out of love (to Christ and me), knowing (the opposite of 'thinking' below) that I am set (that is, appointed by God, 1Th 3:3) for the defense of the Gospel (Php 1:7, not on my own account). But the others out of contention (or rather, 'a factious spirit'; 'cabal'; a spirit of intrigue, using unscrupulous means to compass their end; 'self-seeking' [Alford]) proclaim (the Greek is not the same as that for 'preach,' but, 'announce') Christ, not sincerely (answering to 'but of a spirit of intrigue,' or 'self-seeking'). Literally, 'not purely'; not with a pure intention; the Jewish leaven they tried to introduce was in order to glorify themselves (Ga 6:12, 13; however, see on [2380]Php 1:18), thinking (but in vain) to raise up (so the oldest manuscripts read) tribulation to my bonds." Their thought was, that taking the opportunity of my being laid aside, they would exalt themselves by their Judaizing preaching, and depreciate me and my preaching, and so cause me trouble of spirit in my bonds; they thought that I, like themselves, sought my own glory, and so would be mortified at their success over mine. But they are utterly mistaken; "I rejoice" at it (Php 1:18), so far am I from being troubled at it.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Then intimating the genuine principle and good end of the better sort, who were moved from a prevailing affection to God, the edification and salvation of souls; cordially joining with Paul in carrying on the same design that he did, who was appointed of God, Acts 23:11 1 Thessalonians 3:3; both by doctrine and obedience, active and passive, to defend the gospel, unto which he was admirably called to be a minister, yea, and here a patron, Romans 1:1 Ephesians 3:7 with 1 Corinthians 1:1; and, as it were, to tread the devil under foot (as Tertullian speaks) in his own house. Intimating from all this, that however the former did with an ill mind, in man’s judgment, as circumstances then were with Paul, (some of which we are ignorant of), the latter with a pious desire, preach the gospel; yet the event proved, by the good hand of God, beneficial to promote the gospel: and so it may happen still, when some false brethren, moved by blind ambition and intemperate zeal, may snatch a weapon out of the gospel to vex good and godly pastors in their promulgation of it.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But the other of love,.... Those that were truly brethren in the Lord, who had received the grace of God in truth, to whom the Gospel was come in power, and who had a spiritual and experimental knowledge of Christ, and of the mysteries of his grace; these preached Christ of love, "out of the love of him", as the Ethiopic version reads; that is, out of love to Christ, who to them was exceeding precious, altogether lovely, the chiefest among ten thousands, and their hearts being hot and burning with love to him, they therefore spoke of him with their tongues; and out of love to the Gospel of Christ, which with them was the pearl of great price, and every truth of it more valuable than gold, silver, and precious stones; and out of love to the church of Christ and the members of it, that their souls might be fed and nourished with the wholesome words of Christ, might be comforted with the doctrines of grace, and be established and built up in their most holy faith; and out of love to the souls of others, knowing their miserable estate by nature, and the danger they were in, and therefore preached Christ as the only way of salvation, whereby they could escape the wrath to come; and out of love to the apostle likewise, which the following clause shows,

knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel; meaning either that they knew he was a chosen vessel, to bear the name of Christ, and preach his Gospel in the world; that he was ordained and appointed a minister of it before the world was; separated to it from his mother's womb, and was called unto, and sent to preach it by Christ, and was set apart for it by the church; and was in a very eminent manner qualified to defend it, by preaching, disputing, writing, and suffering: or that they knew that he was laid, or lay, as the words may rendered, in prison, for defending the Gospel of Christ; yea, they knew that his lying in prison was in defence of the Gospel; and therefore, out of love to him, they joined issue with him to defend the Gospel; as he by suffering for it, so they by preaching it, which they knew full well would be matter of great joy to him.

Geneva Study Bible

But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Php 1:17. ἐξ ἐριθείας. Here virtually = “selfishness” (rather than “factiousness”). Originally, the character of a worker for pay. Now that which degraded the hired worker, in the estimation of antiquity, was his labouring wholly for his own interests, while it was a sign of the noble to devote himself to the common weal. This sense suits all N.T. passages (Romans 2:8, 2 Corinthians 12:20, Galatians 5:20, Jam 3:14; Jam 3:16). See Hpt[37]’s valuable note from which the above is condensed.—τὸν Χ. It is hard to say whether τόν ought to be retained. It would easily be accounted for as an assimilation to τὸν Χ. in Php 1:15.—καταγγ. A distinction has been drawn between καταγγ. as confined to those sent by Christ and κηρύσς. as applying to all preachers, including our Lord Himself. Probably they are quite synonymous here. Cf. an excellent note in Westcott (on 1 John 1:5) on the special signification of καταγγ. among compounds of ἀγγέλλω = “proclaim with authority, as commissioned to spread the tidings throughout those who hear them”.—οὐχ ἁγν. “With mixed motives.” Cf. Pind., Ol., iii., 37, μεγάλων ἀέθλων ἁγνὰν κρίσιν (quoted by Alf[38]).—οἰόμενοι. “Purposing.” So frequently in later Greek. Schmid (Atticismus, i., 128) quotes from Dio Chrys., Aristides and Philostratus. Cf. Phryn. (ed. Lobeck), 190, βιβλίον … ὅπερ οἴεται δηλοῦν. There is a sharp contrast between εἰδότες in Php 1:16 and οἰόμενοι here.—θλίψιν ἐγείρειν τ. δεσμ. μ. The balance of authority is in favour of ἐγείρειν. ἐπιφέρειν is probably an ancient gloss, which may have crept into some text from the margin. The phrase apparently means “to stir up vexation for me in my imprisonment”. They attributed their own jealous feelings to the Apostle, and could not conceive a greater worry to him than that he should hear of their success in preaching.

[37] Haupt.

[38] Alford’s Greek Testament.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. I am set] Lit., “I lie.” But the A.V. and R.V. are right. See the same verb clearly in the same sense, Luke 2:34; 1 Thessalonians 3:3. The thought is as of a soldier posted, a line of defence laid down. Still, there may be also an allusion in the word, used in this context, to the fact of his literal fixture in one spot.

defence] Lit., “apology,” apologia; vindication. See on Php 1:7 above.—Perhaps the point of the word here is that the loyal Christians recognized in their freedom a call to move about as active evangelists; in St Paul’s captivity, a call to him rather to clear up the difficulties and develope the intelligent faith of enquirers brought in by them. The “men of faction” might affect to see in St Paul’s chain a sign of Divine prohibition and displeasure; the “men of love” would recognize in it a sign of designation to a special and noble work.

Bengel's Gnomen

Php 1:17. Ἐξ ἀγάπης, from love) towards Christ and me.—εἰδότες, knowing) An antithesis to thinking.—εἰς ἀπολογίαν, for the defence) not on my own account.—κεῖμαι, I am laid, set) in one place. Lying [laid aside in imprisonment], or running, Paul still made advancement, 2 Timothy 2:9. He abode at Rome, as an ambassador does in any place on account of a somewhat lengthened negotiation.

Philippians 1:17

Vincent's Word Studies

I am set (κεῖμαι)

Or appointed. See on Luke 2:34. Compare 1 Thessalonians 3:3. Some, instead of rendering the one (or some) preach Christ of contention - but the other of love, join οἱ μὲν some, οἱ δὲ others, in each instance with the succeeding word, making one phrase, thus: "they who are of love do so knowing that I am set, etc.: they who are of faction proclaim Christ not sincerely, etc. The phrase those who are of faction occurs Romans 2:8; and a similar phrase, him who is of faith, Romans 3:26. There seems no sufficient reason for altering A.V. and Rev.