Philippians 1:2

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

[2.Statement of St. Paul’s condition at Rome (Philippians 1:12-26).

(1) THE RAPID PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL through his bonds, and through the preaching of others, whether in strife or in goodwill (Philippians 1:12-18).

(2) HIS REJOICING THEREAT; his desire to depart and be with Christ, and his confidence, nevertheless, that he will abide in the flesh and see them again (Philippians 1:19-26).]

(12-18) In these verses St. Paul, evidently anxious that the Philippians should not “faint at his tribulations for them” (comp. Ephesians 3:13), points out that his imprisonment tended to further the gospel: first, directly, by the opportunity which it afforded him of preaching, and next, indirectly, by the stimulus which it gave to the preaching of others, whether “of envy and strife” or “of good will.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-7 The highest honour of the most eminent ministers is, to be servants of Christ. And those who are not really saints on earth, never will be saints in heaven. Out of Christ, the best saints are sinners, and unable to stand before God. There is no peace without grace. Inward peace springs from a sense of Divine favour. And there is no grace and peace but from God our Father, the fountain and origin of all blessings. At Philippi the apostle was evil entreated, and saw little fruit of his labour; yet he remembers Philippi with joy. We must thank our God for the graces and comforts, gifts and usefulness of others, as we receive the benefit, and God receives the glory. The work of grace will never be perfected till the day of Jesus Christ, the day of his appearance. But we may always be confident God will perform his good work, in every soul wherein he has really begun it by regeneration; though we must not trust in outward appearances, nor in any thing but a new creation to holiness. People are dear to their ministers, when they receive benefit by their ministry. Fellow-sufferers in the cause of God should be dear one to another.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Grace be unto you ... - See the note at Romans 1:7.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. Grace … peace—The very form of this salutation implies the union of Jew, Greek, and Roman. The Greek salutation was "joy" (chairein), akin to the Greek for "grace" (charis). The Roman was "health," the intermediate term between grace and peace. The Hebrew was "peace," including both temporal and spiritual prosperity. Grace must come first if we are to have true peace.

from … from—Omit the second "from": as in the Greek, "God our Father" and "the Lord Jesus Christ," are most closely connected.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The evangelical salutation, as Romans 1:7 Ephesians 1:2 2 Peter 1:2; praying for the free and undeserved favour of God the Father to them, as the fountain, Jam 1:17 together with all inward and outward blessings, flowing thence through Christ the procurer of them.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Grace be unto you,.... This form of salutation is used by the apostle in all his epistles; See Gill on Romans 1:7;

Geneva Study Bible

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Php 1:2. Paul feels that the ordinary Greek salutation χαίρειν or the Eastern εἰρήνη σοι is too meagre for Christian intercourse. But closely connected with χαίρειν is his own great watchword χάρις, a word which, perhaps, above all others, shows the powerful remoulding of terms by Christian thought and feeling. χάρις for Paul is the central revelation of the fatherly heart of God in the redemption which Christ has accomplished for unworthy sinners. And its direct result is εἰρήνη, the harmony and health of that life which is reconciled to God through Jesus Christ; see an interesting discussion of the Apostolic greeting by F. Zimmer, Luthardt’s Zeitschr., 1886, p. 443 ff. Of course ἀπό governs Κυρίου. The Socinian exegesis which makes Κ. depend on πατρός is impossible in view of Titus 1:4 (so Gw[26] ad loc.).—Κυρίου. The favourite designation of Jesus Christ in the early Church. See on chap. Php 2:11 infr. Cf. the extraordinary frequency of the term δεσπότης as applied to God in Apostolic Fathers, etc. On the whole subject see Harnack, Dogmen-Geschichte, i., pp. 153–158.

[26] Gwynn.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. Grace be unto you, &c.] See, on the whole verse, the notes in this Series on Ephesians 1:2, where the wording is identical.—“Grace,” as a Scriptural term, demands careful study. In its true idea, kindness is always present, with the special thought of entire and marked absence of obligation in the exercise of it. It is essentially unmerited and free. See e. g. Romans 11:6. In its normal application, the word denotes the action of Divine kindness either in the judicial acceptance of the believer “not according to his works,” for Christ’s sake (e.g. Romans 3:24), or in the gift and continuance of new life and power to the believer (e.g. 1 Corinthians 15:10). And, as the action is never apart from the Agent, we may say that grace in the first reference is “God for us” (Romans 8:1), in the second, “God in us” (below, Php 2:13).—In the first reference grace is the antithesis to merit, in the second to nature.

our Father] in the new birth and life, which is coextensive with union with Christ the Son. See below, on Php 2:15.

Bengel's Gnomen

Php 1:2. Εὐχαριστῶ, I give thanks) In this place we shall give a synopsis of the epistle. We have in it—

  I.  The Inscription, Php 1:1-2.

  II.  Thanksgiving and Prayers for the flourishing spiritual state of the Philippians, , Php 1:3-4; Php 1:9-10.

  III.  Paul mentions his present state, and good hope for the future, , Php 1:12-13; Php 1:18-19.

  Whence he exhorts the Philippians:—

  1.  Since he is to continue to live, that they should walk worthily of the Gospel, , Php 1:25 to Php 2:16.

  2.  Although he should be put to death, that they should rejoice with him, , Php 1:17-18; and promises that he will very soon give them all information by Timothy, , Php 1:19-20; and in the meantime sends Epaphroditus, , Php 1:25-26.

  IV.  He Exhorts them to rejoice, Php 3:1, admonishing them to avoid false teachers of righteousness, and to follow the true, Php 3:2-3; and commending peace and harmony, Php 4:1-3. In like manner he exhorts them to joy, accompanied with gentleness and calmness of mind, Php 4:4-7, and to do all things that are excellent, Php 4:8-9.

  V.  He accepts warmly the Liberality of the Philippians, Php 4:10-20.

  VI.  The Conclusion, Php 4:21-23.

Ἐπὶ, upon) The mention, the remembrance is the occasion of thanksgiving.—πάσῃ, every) Paul’s heart was large: comp. the following verse, where it occurs thrice.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Grace be unto you, and peace. This combination of the Greek and Hebrew salutations is the common form in St. Paul's earlier Epistles; in the pastoral Epistles "mercy" is added. Grace is the favor of God, free and sovereign, which rests on the faithful Christian, and brings the gift of peace; which is, first, reconciliation with God and, secondly, the childlike confidence and trustful hope which result from faith in Christ's atonement. From God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father is the first Author of our salvation; God the Son, the Word made flesh, brought the message of peace from heaven, and reconciled us to God. Philippians 1:2

Vincent's Word Studies

Grace - peace

The combination of the Greek and Oriental salutations spiritualized: grace expressing God's love to man, and peace the condition resulting therefrom.