1. The Gospel Advances inside and outside Prison(1:12-14)
II. PAUL'S "AFFAIRS" — REFLECTIONS ON IMPRISONMENT (1:12-26)
What follows the thanksgiving and prayer-report is a commonplace in letters of friendship:1 the writer informs the recipient(s) about his or her own situation — often with the very words Paul uses here.2 This material is usually brief, and sometimes comprises the whole of a (very brief) letter. In this case, however, it is quite long (vv. 12-26), and as with so much else in Paul's letters, is thoroughly transformed by the gospel. What begins, typically for such material, as a word to relieve the Philippians of anxiety (v. 12) thus evolves into a word about the current spread of the gospel (vv. 13-18a), followed in turn (vv. 18b-26) by a reflection on his desires and expectations regarding his forthcoming tribunal — again focusing altogether on Christ.3
Common as a word like this is for Greco-Roman letters, however, this passage is striking for its uniqueness in the Pauline corpus.4 There is simply nothing else quite like it, where he reflects at such length on "his affairs." Granted, as will be pointed out, that the section also functions in a semi-paradigmatic way — and is thus in part for the Philippians' sakes as well — nonetheless, Paul begins by responding at once to their interest in him, which had been evidenced by their recent gift.
A number of significant linguistic ties link this section to what has preceded and to what follows. Thus Paul begins (v. 12) by picking up a major motif in the thanksgiving, the advance of the gospel (vv. 5, 7). Similarly, his being in "chains" (vv. 13, 14, 17) and his being so "for the defense of the gospel" (v. 16) repeats the language of v. 7, while the motivation of "love" in v. 16 echoes his prayer for them in v. 9. Going the other direction, "good will" (v. 15), "love" (v. 16), and "selfish ambition" (v. 17) are echoed again at significant points in the ensuing exhortation (2:13, 2, and 3 respectively). The section itself is framed by the word "advance, progress." In v. 12 Paul speaks of the "advance of the gospel"·, in v. 25 his concern is for their "progress."5
Very likely, therefore, more is going on here than at first meets the eye, especially in light of 1:27-2:18. There Paul urges the Philippians to stand firm for the gospel in the midst of their own present difficulties, both external and internal. In v. 30, regarding these difficulties, he writes: "you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have." Since he and they are currently both experiencing opposition from the same source (Rome), and since he also is experiencing less-than-loving attitudes from some within the Christian community in Rome, this passage, besides offering a reflection on his imprisonment, is probably also intended as a paradigm: how the believers in Philippi should respond to such difficulties.6
In any case, one can scarcely miss the focus of Paul's concern, here and always: Christ and the gospel. His present imprisonment has ultimately been to the advantage of the gospel, which is cause for joy (vv. 12-18); his singular longing regarding his trial is that Christ will be magnified, whether through life or death (vv. 19-20); if it were to result in death (execution), that means he finally reaches the goal of his life — Christ himself — and if choice were his, he would go this route (vv. 20-23); but most likely the outcome will be life (freedom), which will cause their own "boasting" to "abound in Christ Jesus" (vv. 24-26).
A. THE PRESENT — FOR THE ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL (l:12-18a)
Common to letters of friendship, Paul first offers information about his present circumstances, mention of which serves as a kind of structural signal for the first half of the letter.7 Thus when he turns to exhortation in v. 27, Paul begins with a desire to hear (more) about their affairs. In 2:19-24 he brings these two themes together in terms of "what's next" regarding his and their relationship.
Most remarkable about this opening reflection (vv. 12-18a) is how little it says about Paul personally — in spite of the frequency of first person singular verbs and pronouns. Two things account for this. First, the Philippians already know about his imprisonment, evidenced by their recent gift. Thus his present focus is not so much on himself — he probably expects Epaphrodi-tus to fill them in on personal matters8 — as it is on how he views what has happened to him, very likely with an eye toward them. Since he has just thanked God for their partnership with him in the gospel, it is natural for him to contemplate his imprisonment in these terms. Second, Paul's personal life is so completely taken up with his calling that to reflect on how his imprisonment has furthered the gospel is to reflect on his life!
The present reflection falls out into two closely related parts (vv. 12-14, 15-18a). Paul begins by turning their attention immediately to "the progress of the gospel." His confinement has furthered the gospel in two ways: his captors and guards have been made aware of Christ (v. 13); and believers in Rome are more actively proclaiming Christ (v. 14).
Although this second matter is a cause for joy, it has not been without some personal wounds, which leads to the second part: a sub-paragraph flowing out of v. 14, in which he reflects on the twofold motivation — envy and goodwill — behind this renewed activity (v. 15). Verses 16-17 reiterate these in reverse order, in terms of love and selfish ambition directed toward him. But v. 18, where he expresses his response to this activity, is the obvious concern of the whole passage: Christ is being proclaimed, and in that Paul rejoices. Whatever else, although suffering, Paul is scarcely languishing in prison.
1. The Gospel Advances inside and outside Prison (1:12-14)
12Now I want you to know, brothers [and sisters],9 that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. I3A.V a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guarda and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers {and sisters} in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God10 more courageously and fearlessly.
äOr whole palace
This first paragraph is a single sentence in Greek, composed of an informational clause (v. 12), plus a compound result clause (vv. 13, 14), indicating the two ways the gospel has been advanced — within prison and without. Thus Paul informs his Philippian friends, probably contrary to their expectations, that his imprisonment has fallen out to do the very thing they should have desired — to further the gospel. Given how this section concludes with emphasis on the Philippians' "advance" (vv. 25-26), very likely even these opening words are in part for their sake: here is how one for whom Christ and the gospel are uppermost responds to adversity.
12 The transition from the proemium to the body of the letter is marked in three ways: by the de ("now"), which in this case is a "transitional particle, pure and simple";11 by the vocative, "brothers and sisters," which is often used by Paul in transitional sentences;12 and by the formula "I want you to know that . . . ," which occurs only here in the Pauline corpus,13 but is often found as the first matter in letters of friendship.14
The language "brothers and sisters" is one of the more significant Pauline images for the church. Although not unique to Christians,15 this usage was taken up by them to express their understanding of relationships within the believing community: They are "brothers and sisters" because first they are God's "sons" through the Son, whose Spirit cries out from within them in the language of the Son ("Abba") as the sure evidence of "adoption" (Gal 4:4-6);16 their ultimate end is conformity to the likeness of the Son, the Firstborn among many brothers [and sisters] (Rom 8:29). Thus in this letter, besides the vocatives which refer to the Philippians, Paul uses this appellation to denote fellow believers in Rome (1:14) and to his present companions (4:21). Whatever else, believers in Christ Jesus are God's children, hence "brothers and sisters" in Christ.
What Paul wants the Philippians to know is that "what has happened to me17 has really served to advance the gospel." The thrice-repeated phrase "my chains" (vv. 13, 14, 17; cf. v. 7) attests that he is referring to his imprisonment. They are to understand that its effect has been quite the reverse of what they might have expected. It has "really18 served," he explains, "to19 advance20 the gospel." Here is Paul's obvious concern. He wants them not to be anxious about him, because his circumstances, rather than being a "hindrance" (proskopë)21 to the gospel, as they might well believe, have in fact led to its "advance" (prokopē). "To advance the gospel" has been his lifelong passion; he has thus ordered his life so that nothing will hinder, and everything advance, the message about Christ.22
For Paul, of course, this is the language of evangelism.23 In a world of religious pluralism, where evangelism has become something of a dirty word, one must not thereby recreate Paul in one's own image, which downplays this dimension of his life in Christ.24 Evangelism was his "meat and potatoes" (or "rice," in the case of Asian Christians), since he believed not only that the gospel is God's "message of truth" (Gal 2:5, 14), but that it thereby contains the only good news for a fallen, broken world.
Paul will eventually reflect on his own feelings as to his imprisonment (vv. 20-23), but his first concern is to make sure that his friends in Philippi have a clear understanding as to how it has affected the gospel. To his delight, and perhaps their surprise, it has advanced it. The next clause (vv. 13-14) spells out how so.
13 The "so that" (NIV, "as a result") with which this clause begins offers the twofold evidence for the assertion of v. 12. First Paul reveals the effect of his confinement on unbelievers — "in25 the whole Praetorium and to everyone else." What all have come to know is that (literally) "my chains26 have become manifest27 in Christ28." Although awkward in its expression, Paul's overall intent seems plain enough: it has become clear to all who have had any association with him that his imprisonment has to do with his Christian faith, with his "gospel." This at least means that they have come to know that it is a religious matter; but for Paul it surely means as well that he has tried to evangelize "the palace guard" itself.
The awkwardness of the clause results from the phrase "in Christ." The difficulty in this case lies first with the word order and second with its nuance.29 That it follows "manifest" emphasizes minimally that the various pagans who have contact with him have become well aware that his imprisonment is neither for crime nor for politics, but with his being "in Christ" (= a follower of Christ). The whole clause therefore probably means first of all what the NIV suggests: "that I am in chains for Christ." That is, his imprisonment has to do with his Christian faith.30 But since he does not use the preposition hyper ("on behalf of"), but en ("in"), and because of the close relationship of this phrase to "my chains," very likely he is saying something more, something about his understanding of the nature of disciple-ship, that it means to "participate in Christ's sufferings" (3:10). Thus, he probably means something like, "it has become clear that I am in chains because I am a man in Christ, and that my chains are in part a manifestation of my discipleship as one who is thereby participating in the sufferings of Christ himself."31 As Paul says in this letter and everywhere else, his life finds its meaning "in Christ" (1:21), even as he himself is "in Christ" and thus lives "for Christ" in the sense of making him known to others.
The term translated "palace guard" (praetorium) is one of the cruxes of this letter and impinges on the question of Paul's location at the time of writing.32 At issue is whether he is referring to a place or to a group of soldiers, and where it was/they were located. The word originated to denote "the general's tent" or "the headquarters within a camp," evolving over time to refer to a governor's palace.33 But by the first Christian century it was frequently used also to denote the Praetorian Guard, the emperor's own elite troops, stationed in Rome.34 If Paul is in Rome, as is most likely, then he is referring to this guard, since there was no Praetorium (= "governor's palace") there. Although they would have guarded Paul around the clock, they would also have given him access to visitors, to the writing of letters, and to other routine matters. Since they would rotate on a basically four-hour shift, Paul would have had access to several — or many — of them, from whom eventually "the whole35 guard" would have known the reason for his bonds.
That Paul was "in chains for Christ" also became known "to everyone else."36 This refers to another group of people outside the Praetorian Guard, most likely to others who had dealings with imperial affairs.37 Thus anyone in Rome who had occasion to know about Paul's confinement had also come to learn that it had to do with his being the propagator of the nascent Christian religion.
One should not miss Paul's obvious delight in this mild "triumph" regarding his arrest, the same kind one senses at the end of the letter when he sends greetings from "all the saints, especially those who belong to Caesar's household" (4:22). While this might be interpreted as a kind of "one-upmanship," Paul's concern would be to encourage the Philippians in their own current suffering, resulting in part from their lack of loyalty to the emperor. To the world — and especially to the citizens of a Roman colony — Caesar may be "lord"; but to Paul and to the believers in Philippi, only Jesus is Lord (2:11), and his lordship over Caesar is already making itself felt through the penetration of the gospel into the heart of Roman political life.38
14 From the effects of his imprisonment on his captors and others, Paul turns to its effects on the Christian community in Rome.39 Again he emphasizes "my chains." His "chains," which have resulted in Christ's becoming known among his captors, have also served as the immediate cause of newfound boldness among the "brothers and sisters" in Rome. What is remarkable is how Paul reflects on this matter. Though he would surely prefer freedom himself to evangelize, he recognizes that God has used his curtailment to prod others. The rejoicing that ensues (v. 18) must be taken seriously. Here is one for whom the gospel is bigger than his personal role in making it known.40
But the sentence has some inherent ambiguities; therefore, a more wooden rendering will make the following comments easier to follow: "and [so that] the majority of brothers and sisters, having become confident41 in the Lord by my chains, have been so much the more42 emboldened fearlessly to speak the word."
"Most of the brothers and sisters" refers to the Christian community43 in the location of his imprisonment — Rome in our view. That Paul is not referring to believers in other churches44 seems certain, since as loyal partners of his in the advance of the gospel, the Philippians would have been among the first of his churches to have been so spurred on, yet he feels the need to inform them about this recent development. Thus, it is not "brothers and sister" in Corinth, Thessalonica, and elsewhere, but in Rome, who have been emboldened by his imprisonment. Moreover, "most" in this case probably means simply that the church as a whole has been largely affected in this way by his imprisonment.45
That he refers to them all as "brothers and sisters" needs especially to be kept in mind when we come to the next sentence (v. 15). For even though he smarts from knowing that some are trying to inflict further pain on him, he clearly intends them to be included among the "brothers and sisters" of this sentence.46
Moreover, despite the NIV,47 Paul does not refer to them as "brothers and sisters in the Lord," Such a redundancy quite misses Pauline usage, not to mention the emphases of this sentence.48 First, Paul regularly uses the phrase "in the Lord" to qualify the verb "being confident."49 Second, all the other modifiers in this clause also stand in the emphatic first position. He thus intends, "have become confident in the Lord." Its emphatic position reveals Paul's perspective: their present "persuasion/confidence" does not stem ultimately from his imprisonment but from the prior work of the Lord in their lives. The phrase "in the Lord," therefore, refers to the ground of their confidence, while the following phrase, "by my chains," is instrumental (= the means God has used).50 Thus his "chains" have served to make them all the more "confident in the Lord" so as to proclaim Christ more boldly.
The actual response of the Roman church to Paul's imprisonment is described with two emphatic adverbs, "so much the more" and "fearlessly," which respectively modify the two final verb forms in the sentence. First, they have taken on an extraordinary boldness51 to witness for Christ as the result of their newfound confidence in the Lord brought on by Paul's imprisonment. This probably reflects the historical situation in Rome in the early 60s, when Nero's madness was peaking and the church there had begun to fall under suspicion, as Nero's pogrom against them just a couple of years later bears witness. The present situation in Rome for the followers of Christ had perhaps (understandably) led them to a more quiescent form of evangelism than was usual for early Christians. For good reason, then, Paul joyfully explains to the Philippian believers that the net effect of his own imprisonment has been to give their Roman brothers and sisters extraordinary courage to proclaim Christ, at the heart of the empire itself, where storm clouds are brewing.
Second, their boldness has led them "fearlessly to speak forth the word." This absolute use of "the word"52 occurs frequently in Paul to describe the gospel, the message about Christ.53 That it does so here is confirmed by vv. 15-16, where "speaking forth the word" becomes "preaching Christ." A part of the reason for Paul's present joy, therefore, is that his arrest has somehow helped stem fear among the believers in Rome; they are not only proclaiming Christ all the more, but are doing so "fearlessly."
Thus the furtherance of the gospel is everything for Paul. That his imprisonment, curtailment though it means for him, has been a means used by God to further the gospel is a source of genuine joy (v. 18). But before that, he offers an aside, since his joy is tempered by another reality: emboldened by Paul's imprisonment though they are, the motive of some is less out of love for the gospel than it is out of a desire to rub salt in his wound.
1. On Philippians as a letter of friendship, see the Introduction, pp. 2-7. On the possibility that Paul is also reflecting some features of ancient rhetoric, see Bloomquist (Function, 119-57), whose analysis disregards Paul's own structural signals (see n. 17 below) and the fact that all of 1:12-26 is a first person singular narrative, while 1:27-2:18 is second person plural and functions as exhortation; cf. the critique in the Introduction, pp. 14-16.
2. Paul begins, γινώσκειν δέ ύμάς βούλομαι, αδελφοί, ότι. Among the letters collected by Hunt and Edgar (Select Papyri), see, e.g., pp. 303, 317, 327, 329, 342. Thus, a certain Apollinarius writes to his mother (2nd c. CE): "Apollinarius to Taesis, his mother and lady, many greetings. Before all I pray for your health. I myself am well and make supplication for you before the gods of this place. I wish you to know, mother, that [γινώσκειν σε θέλω, μήτηρ, ότι] I arrived in Rome in good health on the 25th of the month Pachon and was posted to Misenum, etc." (p. 303) Or this one from an Isis to her mother (3rd c. CE): "Isis to Thermouthion her mother very many greetings. I make supplication for you every day before the lord Sarapis and his fellow gods. 1 wish you to know that [γινώσκειν σε θέλω δτι] I have arrived in Alexandria safe and sound in four days, etc." (p. 341) For an earlier study of this phenomenon as a "form" see T. Y. Mullins, "Disclosure," who calls it a "disclosure formula"; cf. also J. L. White, Form.
3. These two sections are divided by Paul's use of the present and future of χαίρω in v. 18 (καί έν τούτω χαίρω. Αλλά xαί χαρήσομαι; "and in this I rejoice. But I shall also rejoice . . ."), which Martin, 70, calls "the centre of gravity" for this section. The failure to note this clear rhetorical device and to observe the shift from reflection on the present to anticipation of the future marks Bloomquist's handling of this section as altogether suspect (see n. 1 above). See the discussion on v. 18b below.
4. Most noticeable is the large number of first person pronouns and verbs that occur in these verses (23 in all). In v. 24 a shift begins toward the second person plural, which just as noticeably dominates 1:27-2:18. Galatians, to be sure, begins with a considerable narrative regarding Paul's calling and commission as an apostle, but that is apologia (pace G. Lyons, Pauline Autobiography, 75-176). Nowhere else is there anything like this — reflection on his own present and future circumstances.
5. Noted also by Garland, "Defense," 331 ; Peterman, "Giving," 124; et al. (usually after the fact at v. 25).
6. Silva, 66, sees the reason as more directly related to their gift ("supporting Paul
. . . they have a 'right' to find out about his affairs"). But the suggestion made here not only fits well with the whole of the letter (esp. the recurring "imitation" motif), it also gives a satisfactory reason for vv. 15-17.
7. See n. 17 below; cf. the Introduction, p. 3.
8. For evidence of this expectation from the bearer of his letters, see esp. Col 4:7-8; cf. Eph. 6:21-22.
9. That the vocative αδελφοί means "brothers and sisters" in the Pauline letters is made plain from Phil 4:1 and 2, where Paul uses this vocative and then specifically addresses two women.
10. Although the genitive modifier τοũ θεοũ ("of God") is found in most of the early and best MSS (N A B [D*] Ρ Ψ 33 81 104 326 365 629 1175 1241* 2464 lat syPh** co Clement; F G read κυρίου; it is missing in P4 6 1 739 MajT r Marcion), it is highly suspect as an addition by a later hand (so Lohmeyer, Gnilka, Houlden, Hawthorne, Metzger [Textual Commentary]). Two matters make one think so: (1) Although Paul at times refers to the message of the gospel with the absolute "the word" (1 Thess 1:6; Gal 6:6; Col 4:3; 2 Tim 4:3), more often he adds a genitive qualifier (either "of God," "of the Lord," "of Christ," "of truth"). In light of Pauline usage elsewhere, the scribal tradition would more likely have added such words than they would have omitted them. That is especially true in this case where the absolute use of "the word" seems to cry out for a genitive qualifier. (2) Although the reading of F G could easily be a corruption of τοũ θεοΰ, the more likely explanation for the two variations is that we have here two different ways of "emending" Paul's own text.
11. This is the language of BAGD, 2.
12. See 3:1, 17; 4:1, 8; cf. the more personal αγαπητοί μου ( "my beloved friends") in 2:12 and 4:1. Thus these vocatives usually appear at the beginning of a new section, but sometimes elsewhere, as in 3:13, to emphasize a point, or as in 1 Cor 15:58, to bring an argument to conclusion.
13. A somewhat similar formula does occur twice at the beginning of new sections of an argument (1 Cor 11:3; Col 2:1: θέλω δε υμάς είδέναι); cf. "I do not want you to be 'not knowing' " in 1 Thess 4:13; 1 Cor 10:1; Rom 1:13; 11:25.
14. See n. 2 above. What is striking in this formula is that it appears so often with the same words and in the same word order. It should be noted that the formula also occurs in other forms of client-patron relationships, where the "client" begins the letter by informing the "patron" of present circumstances. See the example in Kennedy, 422.
15. On this matter, see BAGD; cf. M-M, 8-9; J. Beutler, EDNT, 1.29.
16. For the significance of this passage to Pauline theology, see Fee, Presence, 398-412.
17. Although "what has happened to me" (cf. NRSV) catches the sense of Paul's language, it also tends to obscure the structural tie of this verse with v. 27 (τα xατ' έμέ = "my circumstances/affairs"; τα περί ύμών = "your circumstances/affairs"). On this as the sense of τά xατ' έμέ, see BAGD, κατά II,6. Cf. esp. the usage in Col 4:7 (τά xατ' έμέ πάντα γνωρίσει ύμΐν Τύχικος, "Tychicus will make known to you all about my affairs"); cf. the parallel in Eph 6:21, where τά xατ' έμέ, in a slightly rearranged sentence, has become τά περί ήμων ! On the use of this formula in letters of friendship, see the Introduction, p. 3. Collange's suggestion (53) that the phrase here refers to a specific recent event, viz., Paul's revealing of his Roman citizenship so as to be set free, is not only purely speculative, but fails to recognize these parallels and this usage in letters of friendship.
18. This is good colloquial English for Paul's μάλλον ("rather"). Some (e.g.,Kennedy, 423; Collange, 9, 51-52) have suggested that this word implies that a change in Paul's circumstances had occurred. But as Omanson ("Philippians 1.12") has correctly pointed out, here μάλλον announces that the reverse of what they might have expected has come true; cf. Lightfoot, 87; Vincent, 16; Plummer, 19; Collange, 53; O'Brien, 90. There is no need, therefore, to postulate that Paul is trying to counteract rumors that are floating about (as Hawthorne, 34). More recently B. J. Capper ("Dispute," 208-9) has suggested that the μάλλον indicates a "rift" between Paul and the Philippians. But this represents "mirror-reading" of a most unfortunate kind (see the Introduction, pp. 7-8; cf. the critique of this view in n. 4 on 4:14-17).
19. Gk. είς; for this kind of telic use of this preposition see v. 5 (cf. vv. 15, 19, 25).
20. Gk. προκοπή; for this usage in Greek philosophy, see Stählin, TDNT, 6.704-7, where it refers to the "progress" toward wisdom (cf. Sir 51:17). Paul here reflects its nontechnical sense found frequently in the papyri, where it refers simply to making progress, in a good sense (see M-M, 542; cf. New Docs 2,95; 4,36). For an illustration of the present usage, where something impersonal "advances," or "makes progress," see Jos. Ant. 4.59: a sedition "progresses from bad to worse." Closer to Paul's sense is 2 Macc 8:8, referring to the beginnings of the campaign of Judas Maccabeus against the Syrians: "When Philip saw that the man [Judas] was making progress [είς προκοπήν] little by little."
21. This is the word Paul uses in 2 Cor 6:3; in 1 Cor 9:12 he uses the cognate έγκοπή.
22. As noted in the introduction to this section, this word occurs again in v. 25, regarding the Philippians, as to why Paul expects to be released from prison: It would be for their own "progress and joy regarding the faith." Thus the word functions as a kind of inclusio for the section.
23. See the discussion on v. 5; for the concerns articulated here, see 1 Cor 9:3-18, esp. vv. 12, 16, 18, which in vv. 19-23 is stated explicitly, "that I might win some."
24. Indeed, those who rather thoroughly dislike Paul for this passion understand him far better than others, especially among scholars, who profess love for the apostle, but are embarrassed by his fashioning his whole life around this singular concern — to know Christ and to make him known.
25. Gk. έν, which as in Rom 1:19 is locative, expressing not what is clear to them (as NEB, NJB), although that is certainly implied, but the extent to which it has been manifested, namely, throughout the entire Praetorian Guard (but all 9,000 of them? and in any case, how could he know its actual extent?). This is conventional hyperbole, where "the whole" stresses the considerable breadth to which this has become known. On the other hand, even as hyperbole, this phrase tends to cut the ground from under hypotheses of either an Ephesian or Caesarean provenance for this letter, since (1) the guard cannot be demonstrated ever to have existed in Ephesus and (2) Herod's praetorium in Caesarea was scarcely of a size to call for this emphasis. See the Introduction, pp. 34-36.
26. On this expression see the discussion on v. 7.
27. Gk. φανερούς, which means "plain for all to see"; in Paul cf. Rom 1:19; Gal 5:19.
28. Gk. έν Χριστώ; see also 2:1 (cf. έν Χριστώ 'Ιησοũ in 1:26; 2:5; 3:3, 14; 4:17, 19, 21; and έν κυρίω in 1:14; 2:19, 24, 29; 3:1; 4:1, 2, 4, 10). On this phrase in Paul, which has had a long history of interpretation, see the discussion by M. A. Seifrid in DPL, 433-36, and the bibliography there.
29. Some (e.g., Plummer) have taken it adverbially ("in the power of Christ"); cf. F. Neugebauer (In Christus), who likewise takes it adverbially, but as referring to Christ's saving activity, by which Paul's life is forever determined. While this phrase may ultimately point in that direction, it is doubtful whether it can be so overloaded in the present clause. Others (e.g., Ellicott, Michael), who recognize that it goes with φανερούς, suggest that it does not stress the cause of his imprisonment being revealed but the spirit in which he endured it. This seems overly subtle. The best solution is to see the sentence as somewhat elliptical here; thus, "so that my chains have been manifest [as being] in Christ."
30. So most interpreters; cf. Beare's paraphrase: "it has come to be recognized by the whole Praetorian Guard . . . that if I am in fetters, it is because of my activities as a Christian."
31. So also Bruce, 41; Silva, 68; O'Brien, 92.
32. Cf. the Introduction, pp. 34-36.
33. As in Mark 15:16 and Acts 23:35, where the palace is called "the Praetorium." Hence the marginal note in the NIV, which indicates the possibility that Paul is referring to the palace itself, not to the guard. The usage in Acts 23:35 is the source of the theory that this letter was penned in Caesarea. But against this is (a) that Paul is clearly referring to a body of people, and (b) that there is no lexical evidence that this word was ever used to denote the people associated with a governor's residence (cf. Reicke, "Caesarea," 283).
34. See esp. Lightfoot, 99-104, whose arguments on this matter have never been overturned. A further view, however, was offered by W. Ramsay (borrowing [incorrectly, it appears] from Mommsen), to the effect that it refers to "persons connected with the imperial court." But no hard evidence for this view was ever forthcoming.
35. Gk. δλω τω πραιτωρίφ; on its size and the difficulty this phrase creates for other than a Roman imprisonment, see n. 25.
36. Gk. xαί τοις λοιποΐς πάσιν, lit. "all the rest"; cf. 2 Cor 13:2. Some earlier interpreters (Chrysostom, Calvin) suggest "in all other places" (KJV; cf. Moffatt). But that is against all analogy, and in this case is nearly impossible. Paul may not always be tidy, but neither would he be so obscure when such an idea could be stated easily and unambiguously.
37. Cf. Bruce ("St. Paul in Macedonia," 265), who suggests, "those who were in any way concerned with the arrangements for the eventual hearing of his case."
38. Cf. Houlden, 58: "In getting himself put in prison, in Rome above all, he has acted the Trojan horse, entering into the very heart of the Gentile world to which Christ had despatched him as an apostle."
39. This clause is joined to v. 13 with a xαί ("and"), and thus concludes the sentence that began in v. 12. The "nuts and bolts" of his sentence thus runs: "What has happened to me has served to advance the gospel, so that (1) the whole Praetorian Guard and all the rest know that my imprisonment is for Christ, and (2) the brothers and sisters here have been emboldened to speak the message fearlessly."
40. My own experience is that not all are so generous, including the writer of this commentary. Does this man always sing in prison?
41. Gk. πεποιθότας; the NIV's "have been encouraged" is foreign to any known nuance of this verb, which means to "persuade," and in the perfect, as here, takes on the nuance of "being convinced or confident" (cf. Paul's "persuasion/confidence" about the Philippians' sure future in v. 6, and of his release from prison in v. 25).
42. Gk. περισσοτερως, an adverb whose cognate verb (περρισεύω, "to abound or overflow") appears in v. 9. The translation is that suggested by BAGD.
43. Michael, 37, observes (correctly) that Paul is speaking of all believers, not just about those in leadership (ministers, e.g.); cf. O'Brien, 94, contra Silva, 69, who is more cautious. Ε. E. Ellis proposes that "brothers" at times becomes a quasi-technical term for Paul's "co-workers," or at least for "leaders in ministry" (see Prophecy, 6-15). But in view of Paul's usage elsewhere, and especially in view of his use of the vocative to address the entire community of believers to whom he writes (e.g., Phil 1:12; 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1), one seems hard pressed to make that work here.
44. But see Martin, 72, who leans this way. Schmithals's view {Paul, 75) that Paul is referring to the situation in Philippi has nothing in the text to commend it and everything against it (cf. Bruce, 45: an "extraordinary argument").
45. See also Bruce, 42. As with the case of the "whole Praetorian Guard" (see n. 25), Paul has not counted noses so as to know that well over half of the individuals in the churches are now evangelizing. This is more popular language to refer to the way the whole of the Roman church has been affected by his being imprisoned there.
46. Although see n. 5 on 1:15-18a for interpreters who in an earlier time challenged this.
47. And a few others (KJV, NASB. Alford, Kennedy, Lohmeyer, Beare, Houlden, Bruce; cf. Moule, Idiom Book, 108
48. One wonders how one escapes the conclusion that to qualify "brothers and sisters" in this way implies another option, brothers and sisters who are not in the Lord. The appeal frequently made to Col 1:2 is not relevant, since in that case the whole phrase modifies, and thereby more narrowly defines, "those who are in Colosse" to whom he writes; they are the "holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ," which unpacked means, "those in Colosse who are in Christ, and who are thereby both brothers and sisters [with all other believers in Christ] and likewise with them God's holy and faithful children."
49. Thus, in 2:24 he is "confident in the Lord" (NIV) that he will see them soon; cf. Gal 5:10; Rom 14:14.
50. So also Vincent, 17; O'Brien, 95.
51. Cf. NEB, "with extraordinary courage."
52. On this usage and the textual question involved see n. 10 above.
53. See 1 Thess 1:6; Gal 6:6; Col 4:3; 2 Tim 4:2. Elsewhere, depending on whether the emphasis is on its source or its content, he refers either to "the word of God" (= the message that comes from God; see 1 Thess 2:13; 1 Cor 14:36; 2 Cor 2:17; 4:2; Col 1:25;2 Tim 2:9; Titus 2:5) or "the word of the Lord/Christ" (= the message about Christ; 1 Thess 1:8; 2 Thess 3:1; Col 3:16). Note also his use of "the word of truth" (= the message containing the truth from God) in 2 Cor 6:7; Col 1:5; Eph 1:13; 2 Tim 2:18.