Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
John Calvin thoughtful and steady persons. To prevent this danger, Paul sends Tychicus, from whom the Ephesians would receive full information. The holy solicitude which Paul felt about the interests of religion, or, to use his own language, ``the care of all the churches,'' (2 Corinthians 11:28,) was thus strikingly evinced. When death stood constantly before his eyes, neither the dread of death, nor anxiety about himself, prevented him from making provision for the most distant churches. Another man would have said, ``My own affairs require all the attention I can give. It would be more reasonable that all should run to my assistance, than that they should expect from me the smallest relief.'' But Paul acts a different part, and sends in every direction to strengthen the churches which he had founded.
Tychicus is commended, that his statements may be more fully believed. A faithful minister in the Lord. It is not easy to say, whether this refers to the public ministry of the church, or to the private attentions which Paul had received from Tychicus. This uncertainty arises from these two expressions being connected, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord. The former refers to Paul, to whom the second may be supposed also to apply. I am more inclined, however, to understand it as denoting the public ministry; for I do not think it probable that Paul would have sent any man who did not hold such a rank in the church, as would secure the respectful attention of the Ephesians.
23. Peace be to the brethren. I consider the word peace, as in the salutations of the Epistles, to mean prosperity. Yet if the reader shall prefer to view it as signifying harmony, because, immediately afterwards, Paul mentions love, I do not object to that interpretation, or rather, it agrees better with the context. He wishes the Ephesians to be peaceable and quiet among themselves; and this, he presently adds, may be obtained by brotherly love and by agreement in faith From this prayer we learn that faith and love, as well as peace itself, are gifts of God bestowed upon us through Christ, --- that they come equally from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24. Grace be with all. The meaning is, ``May God continue to bestow his favor on all who love Jesus Christ with a pure conscience!'' The Greek word, which I follow Erasmus in translating sincerity, ({ἐν} {ἀφθαρσίᾳ},) signifies literally uncorruptedness, which deserves attention on account of the beauty of the metaphor. Paul intended to state indirectly, that, when the heart of man is free from all hypocrisy, it will be free from all corruption. This prayer conveys to us the instruction, that the only way of enjoying the light of the Divine countenance is to love sincerely God's own Son, in whom his love toward us has been declared and confirmed. But let there be no hypocrisy; for most men, while they are not unwilling to make some professions of religion, entertain exceedingly low notions of Christ, and worship him with pretended homage. I wish there were not so many instances in the present day to prove that Paul's admonition, to love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity is as necessary as ever.
END OF THE COMMENTARIES ON THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS.
Philippians
Philippians: The Argument
THE ARGUMENT
ON THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE PHILIPPIANS It is generally known that PHILIPPI was a city of Macedonia, situated on the confines of Thrace, on the plains of which Pompey was conquered by Caesar; 185 and Brutus and Cassius were afterwards conquered by Antony and Octavius. 186 Thus Roman insurrections rendered this place illustrious by two memorable engagements. When PAUL was called into Macedonia by an express revelation, 187 he first founded a Church in that city, (as is related by LUKE in Acts 16:12,) which did not merely persevere steadfastly in the faith, but was also, in process of time, as this Epistle bears evidence, enlarged both in the number of individuals, and in their proficiency in respect of attainments.
The occasion of Paul's writing to the Philippians was this, --- As they had sent to him by Epaphroditus, their pastor, such things as were needed by him when in prison, for sustaining life, and for other more than ordinary expenses, there can be no doubt that Epaphroditus explained to him at the same time the entire condition of the Church, and acted the part of an adviser in suggesting those things, respecting which they required to be admonished. It appears, however, that attempts had been made upon them by false apostles, 188 who wandered hither and thither, with the view of spreading corruptions of sound doctrine; but as they had remained steadfast in the truth, the Apostle commends their steadfastness. Keeping, however, in mind human frailty, and having, perhaps, been instructed by Epaphroditus that they required to be seasonably confirmed, lest they should in process of time fall away, he subjoins such admonitions as he knew to be suitable to them.
And having, first of all, with the view of securing their confidence, declared the pious attachment of his mind towards them, he proceeds to treat of himself
185Caesar's celebrated victory over Pompey took place on the plains of Pharsalia, in Thessaly, with which Philippi in Macedonia is sometimes confounded by the poets. (See Virg. G. I. 490, Juvenal, 8:242.) Their being sometimes confounded with each other appears to have arisen from the circumstance that there was near Pharsalos, in Thessaly, a town named Philippi, the original name of which was Thebae, distinguished from Thebae in Bœotia by its being called Thebae Thessaliae, or Phthioticae, but having fallen under the power of Philip, King of Macedon, was in honor of the conqueror called Philippi, or Philippopolis. — Ed.
186The decisive engagement referred to was, as Dio Cassius observes, the most important of all that were fought during the civil wars, as it determined the fate of Roman liberty, so that the contest thenceforward was not for freedom, but — what master the Romans should serve. From its having been fought on the plains of Philippi, it is called by Suetonius Philippense bellum, (the battle of Philippi,) Suet. Aug. 13; and by Pliny, Philippense praelium, (the engagement at Philippi.) — Ed.
187"Vne vision enuoyee de Dieu;" — "A vision sent from God." 188"Auoyent essayer les esbranler;" — "Had attempted to shake them."
PHILIPPIANS: THE ARGUMENT
and of his bonds, lest they should feel dismayed on seeing him a prisoner, and in danger of his life. He shews them, accordingly, that the glory of the gospel is so far from being lessened by this means, that it is rather an argument in confirmation of its truth, and he at the same time stirs them up by his own example to be prepared for every event. 189 He at length concludes the First Chapter with a short exhortation to unity and patience.
As, however, ambition is almost invariably the mother of dissensions, and comes, on this account, to open a door for new and strange doctrines, he, in the commencement of the Second Chapter, entreats them, with great earnestness, to hold nothing more highly in esteem than humility and modesty. With this view he makes use of various arguments. And that he may the better retain them, 190 he promises to send Timothy to them shortly, nay more, he expresses a hope of being able to visit them himself. He afterwards assigns a reason for delay on the part of Epaphroditus. 191
In the Third Chapter he inveighs against the false apostles, and sets aside both their empty boastings and the doctrine of circumcision, which they eagerly maintained. 192 To all their contrivances he opposes the simple doctrine of Christ. To their arrogance 193 he opposes his former life and present course of conduct, in which a true image of Christian piety shone forth. He shews, also, that the summit of perfection, at which we must aim during our whole life, is this --- to have fellowship with Christ in his death and resurrection; and this he establishes by his own example.
He begins the Fourth Chapter with particular admonitions, but proceeds afterwards to those of a general nature. He concludes the Epistle with a declaration of his gratitude to the PHILIPPIANS, that they may not think that what they had laid out for relieving his necessities had been ill bestowed.
189"De s'apprestre a tout ce qu'il plaira a Dieu leur enuoyer;" — "To be prepared for everything that it shall please God to send upon them."
190"Et pour leur donner courage, afin qu'ils ne se laissent cependant abuser;" — "And with the view of encouraging them, that they may not allow themselves in the meantime to go astray."
191"Il excuse Epaphrodite de ce qu'il auoit tant demeuré sans retourner vers eux;" — "He excuses Epaphroditus for having remained so long, instead of returning to them."
192"Pour laquelle ils debatoyent, voulans qu'elle fust obseruee;" — "For which they contended, being desirous that it should be observed."
193"Arrogance et vanterie;" — "Arrogance and boasting."