Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
CHAPTER 2
and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
25. Porro necessarium existimavi Epaphroditum, fratrem et cooperarium, et commilitonem meum, Apostolum autem vestrum, et ministrum necessitatis meae mittere ad vos.
26. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
26. Quandoquidem desiderabat vos omnes, et erat anxius animi, propterea quod audieratis ipsum infirmatum fuisse.
27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
27. Et certe infirmatus fuit, ut esset morti vicinus, sed Deus misertus est illius: neque illius solum, sed etiam mei; ut ne tristitiam super tristitiam haberem.
28. I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
28. Studiosius itaque misi illum, ut eo viso rursus gaudeatis, et ego magis vacem dolore.
29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:
29. Excipite ergo illum in Domino cum omni gaudio: et qui tales sunt, in pretio habete:
30. Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
30. Quia propter opus Christi usque ad mortem accessit, exponens periculo animam, ut sufficeret quod deerat vestro erga me ministerio, (vel, officio.)
25 I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus. After having encouraged them by the promise of his own coming and that of Timothy, he fortifies them also for the present, by sending previously Epaphroditus, that in the mean time, while he waited the issue of his own affairs, (for this was the cause of his delay,) they might not be in want of a pastor who should take care that matters were properly managed. Now, he recommends Epaphroditus by many distinctions --- that he is his brother, and helper in the affairs of the gospel --- that he is his fellow-soldier, by which term he intimates what is the condition of the ministers of the gospel; that they are engaged in an incessant warfare, for Satan will not allow them to promote the gospel without maintaining a conflict. Let those, then, who prepare themselves for edifying the Church, know that war is denounced against them, and prepared. This, indeed, is common to all Christians --- to be soldiers in the camp of Christ, 321 for Satan is the enemy of all. It is, however, more particularly applicable to the ministers of the word, who go before the army and bear the standard. Paul, however, more especially might boast of his military service, 322 inasmuch as he was exercised to a very miracle
321"De batailler sous l'enseigne de Christ;" — "To fight under Christ's banner." 322"S. Paul pouuoit se vanter plus que pas on des autres, que sa condition estoit semblable