An Exposition, With Practical
Observations, of
THE
EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS
Philippi
was a chief city of the western part of Macedonia, proµteµ
teµs meridos teµs Makedonias polis,
Acts 16:12. It took its name from Philip, the famous king of Macedon, who
repaired and beautified it, and it was afterwards made a Roman colony. Near
this place were the Campi Philippici, remarkable for the famous battles
between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great, and that between Augustus and
Antony on one side and Cassius and Brutus on the other. But it is most
remarkable among Christians for this epistle, which was written when Paul was a
prisoner at Rome, A.D. 62. Paul seems to have had a very particular kindness
for the church at Philippi, which he himself had been instrumental in planting;
and, though he had the care of all the churches, he had, upon that
account, a particular fatherly tender care of this. To those to whom God has
employed us to do any good we should look upon ourselves both as encouraged and
engaged to study to do more good. He looked upon them as his children, and,
having begotten them by the gospel, he was desirous by the same gospel
to nourish and nurse them up. I. He was called in an extraordinary manner to
preach the gospel at Philippi, Acts 16:9. A vision appeared to Paul in the
night: There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over
into Macedonia, and help us. He saw God going before him, and was encouraged
to use all means for carrying on the good work which was begun among them, and
building upon the foundation which was laid. II. At Philippi he suffered hard
things; he was scourged, and put into the stocks (Acts 16:23, 24); yet he had
not the less kindness for the place for the hard usage he met with there. We
must never love our friends the less for the ill treatment which our enemies
give us. III. The beginnings of that church were very small; Lydia was
converted there, and the jailer, and a few more: yet that did not discourage
him. If good be not done at first, it may be done afterwards, and the last
works may be more abundant. We must not be discouraged by small beginnings. IV.
It seems, by many passages in this epistle, that this church at Philippi grew
into a flourishing church, and particularly that the brethren were very kind to
Paul. He had reaped of their temporal things, and he made a return in spiritual
things. He acknowledges the receipt of a present they had sent him (4:18), and
this when no other church communicated with him as concerning giving and
receiving (v. 15); and he gives them a prophet’s, an apostle’s reward, in this
epistle, which is of more value than thousands of gold and silver.
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
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