COMMENTARY ON PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11
The following translation was done by Qwen
Phil 2:1: "If therefore there is any consolation in Christ…"
Paul continues, having already established the fellowship of his grace—both in his chains and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel—he now proceeds to draw from this wholesome moral exhortations. Thus, from four conditions of fellow believers, he derives an admonition, as if he had said more explicitly: "I have proposed and declared that I consider you partners in my grace; and so, if we are truly partners, if the conditions of partnership are fulfilled among us, then 'fulfill my joy,' so that you may do these things," etc.
The Four Conditions of Fellowship from Which Wholesome Admonitions Are Drawn:
The first condition of partners is written in verse 2: "consolation in Christ." This directly concerns those who suffer or have suffered. "If therefore there is among us any consolation in Christ," by the common experience both of suffering and of being consoled…
"If any comfort of love" (Latin: solatium charitatis). The translator commonly uses "charity" for "love." Among partners who suffer for Christ, there exists both mutual consolation in Christ and mutual love toward one another, which provides great comfort on both sides. And therefore he adds: "if there is among us, as partners, any comfort of love."
"If any fellowship of the Spirit." The reality in which this fellowship consists is explained: it is spirit. It is not a fellowship of merchandise, nor of military service, nor of political rule, but a fellowship of the Spirit. For partners in Christ share spiritual goods with one another, and in this their fellowship consists. And therefore he says: "if there is among us any communion of the Spirit," that is, of spiritual grace flowing in us from the one common Spirit of Christ, our Head, who gives us life.
"If any tender mercies and compassions" (Latin: viscera miserationis), that is, "if any bowels and mercies." These are nominative cases: "bowels" and "mercies." The sense is: if anyone is so disposed as to be affected not merely superficially, but inwardly after the manner of "bowels" (deep affection) and outwardly after the manner of "mercies" (acts of compassion). For the fourth condition of spiritual fellowship is described with reference to the internal and external disposition toward sharing in another's suffering.
[Observation: If you examine carefully, the first and fourth conditions of fellowship concern evils—"consolation" regarding past sufferings, "bowels and mercies" regarding present sufferings—while the middle two concern the good of delight and of the thing itself. And all are presented in the form of a solemn adjuration.]
Phil 2:2 "Fulfill my joy…"
All the aforementioned adjurations tend toward this end. Earlier, Paul had stated that he prayed with joy over the Philippians' partnership; and so now he says: "fulfill my joy, which has already begun."
"That you be of the same mind" (Latin: ut idem sapiatis, literally "that you sense/feel the same")
He begins to explain the admonitions. The first thing he requests pertains to the intellect: namely, "to be of the same judgment," undoubtedly in mind. And he is speaking of matters pertaining to evangelical truth, so that they may not hold different opinions, but the same.
"Having the same love"
Just as in the intellect he exhorts them to "think the same," so in the will he exhorts them to "love the same." For this is what it means to have the same love: that they agree both in the same object understood and in the same object loved. For we are commanded to believe and to love one and the same thing; nor is there a different evangelical truth to be held by different Christians, nor a different reality to be loved by different Christians, but one and the same—namely, God for His own sake, etc.
"Being of one accord, of one mind"** (Latin: unanimes, idipsum sentientes)
The third thing he admonishes pertains to moral action and embraces both aspects: that which belongs to affection, by saying "being of one soul" (unanimes), and that which belongs to reason, by saying "thinking the same thing" (idipsum sentientes), so that they may agree in action, harmonizing both in unity of heart and in understanding of one and the same thing. For it is necessary that those who are partners in action both agree in heart and ultimately resolve their reasoning toward the same conclusion.
Phil 2:3: "Do nothing through strife or vain glory…"
To the three affirmative statements, he adds two negations of those things which usually disturb common unity in the three affirmations just given. For both external contention and the internal appetite for vain glory are accustomed either to impede the unity of a common conclusion or at least to disturb the manner of reaching agreement.
"But in humility, let each esteem others better than themselves"** (Latin: sed in humilitate superiores sibi invicem arbitrantes)
That is: "but in humility, let each consider others superior to themselves." And he is speaking of humility as a virtue of the soul opposed to pride; and he directly adds, by way of contrast, the root of vain glory. Now, the act of humility is to esteem others as superior, insofar as in each person there is something by which he excels me; for in every Christian there is Christ, at least according to which every Christian is absolutely superior to me. And nevertheless, in each person there is also something—whether of talent or of virtue—by which he excels me, who lack that good.
Phil 2:4: "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
He admonishes two things: First, the humility of esteeming others superior; second, the love whereby each person considers not his own affairs but those of others.
[Note: If this clause is understood formally as "consideration" in the literal sense, it contains no new admonition but gives the reason for the preceding one; for the reason why one should esteem each person as superior is that each should consider not his own goods but those of others—for thus he will truly esteem each as superior to himself. But if "consideration" is understood as "care," as we explained earlier, then it contains a new admonition of charity: that each should care not for his own affairs but for those of others—that is, that he prefer common goods to private ones, the spiritual goods of others to his own bodily goods, and the things that pertain to the salvation of others' souls to those that pertain to his own dignity. Either sense fits what follows.]
Phil 2:5: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…"
The third person ("let this mind be") refers back to the relative clause "each one" (quisque): "for let each one among you have this mind."
He gives the reason for both admonitions—namely, of humility and of love—from the example of Jesus Christ: "which was also in Christ Jesus" (supply: fuit, "was").
Phil 2:6: "Who, being in the form of God…"
Note: "to be in the form of God" is to be God; for the form of God is not distinct from God, but is God Himself entirely. The same is true of God, since God is pure act.
He is speaking of Jesus Christ, who is true God and man; and he clearly says of Him: "when He was in the form of God," signifying His divine nature before He assumed human nature.
"Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped"** (Latin: non rapinam arbitratus est esse se æqualem Deo)
He explains that Christ's equality with God, before He assumed human nature, was not "rapine" (something seized unlawfully). In which statement the Christian faith concerning the divinity of Christ and His equality with God is manifestly confirmed: for if He had not been true God, His equality with God would undoubtedly have been rapine. Therefore, the Arian error is manifestly refuted here.
Moreover, Paul introduces this assertion about Christ's judgment in order to show the cause of the Son of God's self-emptying. For he intends to say that Christ did not make Himself lesser than God because He considered His equality with God to be rapine; but rather, although He knew that He was equal to God without rapine, He nevertheless made Himself lesser than God. For this he adds next:
Phil 2:7: "But emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant…"
He emptied Himself of the purity of equality with God by taking the form of a servant; although He was absolutely and simply equal to God, He "emptied Himself" of such purity by making Himself lesser, by assuming a servant's nature.
[Observation: Hence Christ is now both equal to and lesser than God, whereas previously He was simply equal. And this is because He did not consider "the things that were His"—that is, ours. This is the example of supreme humility, having very few imitators. For we consider and defend those things which pertain to our dignity and authority, nor are we moved by any argument to impose upon ourselves things which diminish our authority. Nowhere is a bishop found who, being a bishop, diminishes his own title; and similarly for any other prince—indeed, for any other person in his own sphere.]
"Made in the likeness of men"**
He had said in general terms "taking the form of a servant"; to explain that from being equal to God He did not make Himself merely lesser, but a servant, he now specifies whose servant's form He took. Explaining "of men" in distinction from angels, he says "in the likeness of men," which he explains according to the quality of substantial nature by the very conjunction of words: "in the likeness of men." And he says "made," because He was truly made in the likeness of men—not from human seed, but by divine efficient power.
"And being found in appearance as a man"** (Latin: et habitu inventus ut homo)
He referred "likeness" to the soul, but "appearance/figure" to the body. For he explains both: that He was made in soul like the souls of other men, and that He was "found" in body as a man. For "figure" properly belongs to a thing having quantity, specifically quantity of mass. And what he says "being found" signifies the experience of bodily actions and passions: eating, drinking, laboring, suffering, and the like. Moreover, he says "man" expressively, to indicate a body like the bodies of other men.
Phil 2:8: "He humbled Himself…"
In that God became man, God the Son not only considered but made the Father greater than Himself, by making Himself lesser.
In that, having become man, He humbled Himself, He showed even greater humility and love for us: by placing Himself under the Law, under parents, under the governor Pilate.
"Becoming obedient unto death"**
Obedience first regards God, from whom He had received the command, insofar as He was man, to carry out the mystery of human redemption—by preaching, by acting, and finally by dying. Nevertheless, this obedience also regards His parents, to whom He was subject in childhood; and it regards Pilate, to whom He submitted Himself and from whom He accepted the sentence of death as from a superior.
"Even the death of the cross"**
He heightens the obedience by reference to the ignominious nature of the death.
Phil 2:9: "Therefore God also highly exalted Him…"
The Greek word translated "highly exalted" signifies more: it means "exalted exceedingly"—by the resurrection to immortal life, and by the exaltation to the heavens to reign at the right hand of the Father, and by universal power over the whole universe. For these things Christ the man merited on account of such obedience.
"And bestowed on Him the name which is above every name"**
Not only did God exalt Him in Himself, but with regard to glory, He bestowed on Him a name.
He speaks properly and formally, nor is it necessary to make an exception for God: for since God, considered in Himself, is without a name, as being unnameable, therefore the name given to Christ is simply and absolutely "above every name," because it is above every nameable thing.
Phil 2:10: "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…"
So that you may understand that he is speaking of Christ insofar as He is man, he specifies His proper name insofar as He is man, saying "Jesus." For this name was imposed on Him when He was circumcised.
"Of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth"** (Latin: cœlestium, terrestrium, et infernorum/subterraneorum)
The word order is: "every knee of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth should bow"—that is, should worship.
[Note: Observe that from the word "under the earth" the question about the location of hell is resolved. For since "subterranean" things are described, rational creatures that are "subterranean" are described as bowing the knee; for only rational creatures can bow the knee in the name of Jesus.]
Phil 2:11: "And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
"Confess that" (Latin: confiteatur quia). The phrase "to the glory" (in gloriam) is used.
The word "is" is superfluous without a verb—Paul speaks elliptically—and he undoubtedly signifies that the lordship of Jesus Christ is to be confessed by every tongue. For a pause should be made after "Lord": "Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord"—not of these or those things, not of heaven or earth merely, but simply and absolutely Lord.
Moreover, this lordship is not to the emulation or diminishment of God the Father, but to the glory of God the Father.
[Final observation: These things, however, are to be fulfilled in the age to come.]
CONTINUE
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