Additional Notes §3
A transition from the thanksgiving of verses 3–6 to the intercession of verses 9–11 is provided by these personal words in which Paul addresses the Philippians directly and speaks of his deep affection for them.
1:7 / They have shown themselves so much at one with him that “it is only natural” (Moffatt) that he should feel about them as he does. The grace of apostolic ministry had been divinely granted to Paul (cf. Rom. 1:5), but he rejoices when his converts share it with him. Their “partnership” in his gospel witness meant much to him when he was free to move around; it meant, if anything, even more to him now that he was in chains. It should not be inferred from the NIV rendering that his opportunity for defending and confirming the gospel was greater when he was at liberty than in his present restricted situation. He had come to accept that the interests of the gospel required him to be where he was right then: while he was under house arrest he knew himself to be at the post of divinely appointed duty “for the defense of the gospel” (v. 16) and he looked forward to the rare opportunity of defending and confirming it before the highest officers of state when his case came up for hearing shortly. So long as he was in the place where God intended him to be, the ministry with which he had been entrusted would prosper. This assurance was strengthened in him by the steadfastness with which his Philippian friends showed themselves to be his partners in his imprisonment and in his continued gospel witness.
1:8 / In moments of intense emotion Paul was prone to invoke God as his witness (NIV, God can testify; cf. Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 11:11, 31; 1 Thess. 2:5). Here the emotion is deep affection. The calling of God to testify does not suggest that some of the Philippians needed to be assured of this; Paul is never reticent about his love for his converts (cf. 2 Cor. 12:15; Gal. 4:19; 1 Thess. 2:8). But the terms he uses in addressing the Philippians “show a depth not plumbed elsewhere” (O’Brien, p. 29). He longs for all of them with the affection of Christ Jesus—it is an utterly selfless affection. “As it is not Paul, but Jesus Christ, that lives in Paul, so it is not by Paul’s heart, but by the heart of Jesus Christ, that Paul is moved” (Bengel, ad loc.).
The unity of the Philippian church in its relations with Paul is emphasized; they all shared in his ministry and they were all embraced in his heart’s affection.
1:7 / I have you in my heart (Gk. dia to echein me en tē kardia hymas) might equally well be rendered “you have me in your heart” (cf. NEB: “because you hold me in such affection”). Either rendering fits the context; perhaps the word order slightly favors the former.
The grace (Gk. charis) granted to Paul is mentioned again in 1 Cor. 15:10; Gal. 2:9; Eph. 3:7, 8, 9 (“this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery”).
The words defending and confirming the gospel (Gk. en tē apologia kai bebaiōsei tou euangeliou) might have a forensic connotation, in view of Paul’s impending appearance in court.
1:8 / The phrase how I long for all of you represents the verb epipotheō, which Paul uses repeatedly of longing to see his friends, as in Rom 1:11, 1 Thess. 3:6, 2 Tim. 1:4 (the noun epipothia is used in the same way in Rom. 15:23); cf. Phil. 2:26 (of Epaphroditus’s longing to see his Philippian friends); 2 Cor. 5:2 (of Christians’ “longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling”). Here, however, it is used, without a dependent infinitive, of Paul’s affectionate yearning for his friends (cf. 2 Cor. 9:14, of the deep love which, as Paul hopes, the Jerusalem church will conceive for his Gentile converts at the reception of their gift; also 2 Cor. 7:7, 11, where the noun epipothēsis is used of the Corinthian Christians’ feeling for Paul). See C. Spicq, “Epipothein. Désirer ou chérir?” RB 64 (1957), pp. 184–95; Notes de Lexicographie Néo-Testamentaire, 1 (Fribourg: Editions Universitaires, 1978), pp. 277–79.
With the affection of Christ Jesus, lit. “in the bowels of Christ Jesus,” the bowels (Gk. splanchna) being used, as frequently, of the seat of the emotions (like “heart” in v. 7); cf. 2:1.