*1:1 Paul gives recognition to his junior partner.
†1:1 That is right, slaves.
‡1:1 Paul goes back and forth between “Jesus Christ” and “Christ Jesus” with apparently no difference in meaning.
§1:1 This term is often translated ‘bishop’; along with ‘elder’ and ‘pastor’ it refers to a single office in the church. Note that there is a plurality of both overseers and deacons.
*1:6 Amen!
†1:7 That is what the Text says, ‘the’ grace. They identified with Paul and what he was doing.
‡1:9 The compound noun, επιγνωσις, is often rendered as ‘full knowledge’, but I consider that ‘real knowledge’ comes closer.
§1:9 We have all heard that ‘love is blind’, but agape love is just the opposite. Lamentably, I cannot think of a single church that could be said to have “full discernment”, and many appear to have none at all.
*1:10 Yes indeed, “the things that really matter”—the point of identifying them is to concentrate our attention and energy on them.
†1:10 In verse 6 the emphasis is on God's sovereignty, here it is on our responsibility. “The Day of Christ” is of special relevance to Christians, and the particular aspect in view here is the accounting (see Romans 14:12,14).
‡1:11 “Having been filled”—that is what the Text says. Since the righteousness of Christ is imputed (we cannot earn it), God gives us the best possible start; as it says in 2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness”. What we do with it is up to us (see 2:12 below).
§1:11 The glory of God is the ultimate purpose of all creation (Isaiah 43:7).
*1:13 Paul did not hide his light ‘under a bushel’.
†1:16 Just a minute: how does insincere preaching (by others) add to his affliction? I suppose we all know ‘Christian workers’ who are motivated by selfish ambition, and any such would want to ‘make hay’ while free from Paul's ‘shadow’, as it were. Judging Paul by themselves, they would think he would be bothered by seeing them gaining prominence at his expense.
‡1:17 Even in prison Paul did not lose sight of the job God had given him. Some 10% of the Greek manuscripts transpose verses 16 and 17 (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).
§1:18 The Bible is clear to the effect that the means, not just the end, must be appropriate to God's character, so this statement seems a bit strange. Within the community of faith deviations can be treated quite severely, but perhaps for what we might term ‘pre-evangelism’, getting people who have never heard of Him before to start thinking about Christ, there may be some leeway. Further, Matthew 20:1-16 makes clear that God is prepared to use a variety of types of worker.
*1:19 This is presumably a reference to the Holy Spirit (see John 16:13-15).
†1:20 Although it appears that Paul actually hoped to be freed from prison, he is prepared to die. His main concern is not to do anything that will shame his Master.
‡1:21 How can death be a gain? Only if you live for Christ.
§1:23 This is one of a few passages that lead us to believe that when a true believer dies his spirit goes directly to be with Christ in Heaven, not to the good side of Hades/Sheol (the ‘bosom of Abraham’) as with the Old Testament saints.
*1:24 His commitment to the Cause is more important than his personal desire.
†1:26 Evidently Paul had a sincere hope that he would be released from prison.
‡1:28 How shall we understand this? What is the effect of our boldness in the face of opposition—do the opponents consider that we are sealing our own fate, or do they suspect that they may be on the wrong side? Perhaps both.
§1:28 Our confidence in God assures us of deliverance, one way or another: by life or by death.
*1:29 The Text never has “believe ‘in’ Jesus”; we must believe into Him. Being on the outside we must change location. This involves commitment and a change of worldview or value system.
†1:29 If you were taught to expect a ‘bed of roses’, you had a bad teacher.
‡1:30 They had seen him suffer when he first visited Philippi, and he was presently suffering in prison.