Philippians 1:15

15. Some indeed] Here he refers to members of that Judaistic party, or school, within the Church, which followed him with persistent opposition, especially since the crisis (Acts 15) when a decisive victory over their main principle was obtained by St Paul in the Church-council at Jerusalem. Their distinctive idea was that while the Gospel was the goal of the Mosaic institutions, those institutions were to be permanently, and for each individual convert, the fence or hedge of the Gospel. Only through personal entrance into the covenant of circumcision could the man attain the blessings of the covenant of baptism. Such a tenet would not necessarily preclude, in its teacher, a true belief in and proclamation of the Person and the central Work of the true Christ, however much it might (as it did, in the course of history) tend to a lowered and distorted view even of His Person (see further, Appendix D.). St Paul was thus able to rejoice in the work of these preachers, so far as it was a true conveyance to Pagan hearers at Rome of the primary Fact of the Gospel—Jesus Christ. The same Apostle who warns the Galatian and Philippian (Php_3:2) Christians against the distinctive teaching of this school, as a teaching pregnant with spiritual disaster, can here without inconsistency rejoice in the thought of their undistinctive teaching among non-Christians at Rome.

For allusions to the same class of opponents see Act_15:1-31; Act_20:30 (perhaps), Act_21:20-25; and particularly the Ep. to the Galatians at large. The passages in which St Paul asserts his authority with special emphasis, as against an implied opposition, or again asserts his truthfulness as against implied personal charges, very probably point in the same direction.

Not that the Judaizer of the Pharisaic type was his only adversary within the Church. He had also, very probably, to face an opposition of a “libertine” type, a distortion of his own doctrine of free grace (Rom_6:1, &c., and below, Php_3:18-19); and again an opposition of the mystic, or gnostic, type, in which Jewish elements of observance were blent with an alien theosophy and angelology (see the Ep. to the Colossians). But ch. Php_3:1-9 fixes the reference here to Christians of the type of Act_15:1.

even of envy] A mournful paradox, but abundantly verifiable.—Render (or paraphrase) here, some actually for envy and strife, while others as truly for goodwill.

good will] The Greek word, eudokia, in N.T. usually means “good pleasure,” in the sense of choice of what is “good” in the chooser’s eyes. See Mat_11:26; Luk_10:21; Eph_1:5; Eph_1:9; below, Php_2:13. But in the few remaining passages the idea of benevolence appears; Luk_2:14; Rom_10:1; and perhaps 2Th_1:11. Both meanings appear in the use of the word in the LXX, and in Ecclesiasticus. There it often denotes the favour of God; Heb. râtsôn. The idea here is strictly cognate; what in a lord is the goodwill of favour is in a servant the goodwill of loyalty.

D. EBIONITE CHRISTOLOGY. (Ch. Php_1:15)

The allusion in our note to “lowered and distorted views” of the Person of our Lord on the part of later Judaizers more or less Christian, has regard mainly to Ebionism, a heresy first named by Irenæus (cent. 2) but which seems to have been the direct descendant of the school which specially opposed St Paul. It lingered on till cent. 5.

It appears to have had two phases; the Pharisaic and the Essene. As regards the doctrine of Christ’s Person, the Pharisaic Ebionites held that Jesus was born in the ordinary course of nature, but that at His Baptism He was “anointed by election, and became Christ” (Justin Martyr, Dial., c. xlix.); receiving power to fulfil His mission as Messiah, but still remaining man. He had neither pre-existence nor Divinity. The Essene Ebionites, who were in fact Gnostics, held (at least in many instances) that Christ was a super-angelic created Spirit, incarnate at many successive periods in various men (for instance, in Adam), and finally in Jesus. At what point in the existence of Jesus the Christ entered into union with Him was not defined.

See Smith’s Dict. of Christian Biography, &c., art. Ebionism.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Php_1:15

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife

Observe

I.

A good act may be prompted by a bad motive.

II. The good remains though the object fails. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

Motives

I. Vary widely.

II. Do not affect the nature but the moral quality of an action.

III. Determine not the result but the reward. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The text suggests--

I. Diverse developement of human disposition.

II. The possibility of doing a good deed through a bad motive.

III. The impossibility of entirely concealing motives.

IV. The action of self-seekers turned into the good mans source of joy.

V. Man is never so diabolized as when making a good cause the means of grieving and tormenting the Church.

VI. The mere fact that a man preaches Christ is not a proof of his personal salvation: and if this can be affirmed of preaching, how much more may it be affirmed of learning. (J. Parker, D. D.)

Two voices on the same subject

I. The voice of selfishness.

II. The voice of love. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The real and counterfeit in the Christian ministry

I. Where they correspond.

1. Both adopt the Christian name.

2. Both utter the same shibboleth.

3. Both are active in preaching Christ.

II. Where they differ.

1. In heart. Contention moves the one; love reigns in the other.

2. In spirit. Envy and strife move the one; goodwill actuates the other.

3. In source of strength. Love of party animates the one; confidence in the Lord emboldens the other.

4. In aim. That of the one is to advance, it may be, a lifeless Church; that of the other to propel the gospel of Christ.

5. The depth and accuracy of conviction. The one supposing to rid, etc. (Php_1:16); the other knowing that, etc. (Php_1:17). (G. G. Ballard.)

A spurious ministry

I. The elements formative of it.

1. An imperfect apprehension of Christs mission.

2. A total absence of Christs Spirit.

3. Thought and sympathy, narrowed by early prejudice and preconceived ideas.

4. Christ made subservient to the doctrines, ritual, and history of a system.

II. The results inseparable from it.

1. The cross degraded into a rallying point for party strife.

2. The basest spirit indulged under the pretence of fulfilling a sacred office.

(1) Envy--displeasure at anothers good.

(2) Strife--selfish rivalry which seeks to gain the good belonging to another. Christ preached merely to advance a party.

4. Zeal for propagating a creed, greater than to save a lost world.

III. The germ of it.

1. May exist in those who zealously preach Christ.

2. Consists in a moral contradiction between the heart of the preacher and the theme of his discourse--contentiousness and Christ.

3. Produces impurity of motive in Christian work--not sincerely.

4. Biases the judgment to expect results which are never realized--supposing.

5. Inspires aims which are unchristian--to add affliction. (G. G. Ballard.)

The preaching of Christ

I. The theme. His person and work--His grace and power--His gifts and promises--His example and requirements.

II. The motive. Sometimes impure; as sectarian, mercenary, ambitious--sometimes sincere; from love to God and man.

III. The result. Some good every way--Christ is exalted--the faithful rejoice, (J. Lyth, D. D.)

I. The preaching of Christ. No preaching can bear this designation which does not constitute Him the grand object of it. From the first the holy men who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit pointed to Him. All the Scriptures lead, remotely, perhaps, but certainly, to the Cross of Christ. He is to be preached as the only object of faith, and the sole source of salvation. Opposition must not hinder, nor heresy divert this.

II. The scale on which Christ is to be preached.

1. To all peoples--Philippians and Romans, Europeans and Africans.

2. By men of all views and denominations, Jewish and Gentile Christians; Roman Catholics and Protestants; Anglicans and Dissenters, etc.

III. The spirit in which this should be received. There are two classes interested.

1. Ministers should rejoice when they see the gospel spreading on all sides and among all denominations. Let it not be said of them, Ye know not what spirit ye are off. No jealous or envious feeling at others successes should be cherished by them.

2. Congregations while loyal to their own Church should put a generous construction on the work of others.

IV. The glorious results arising out of this.

1. In time.

2. In eternity. (W. B. Collyer, D. D.)

Toleration

I. We see here the true ground of Christian toleration.

1. Negatively.

(1) Toleration is not an enforced forbearance with men who teach error. Some keep their hands off errorists because they cannot touch them; like boys who will not pluck ripe fruit because there is a high wall in the way.

(2) Nor is it a recognition of the right of men to freedom of thought and experience, which is only part of it.

(3) Still less is it indifference to error. There are men who do not care whether you teach God or Jupiter, heathen mythology or Christian theology.

2. Positively. It is a generous confidence in the vitality of truth and its ultimate victory, born of hope, nursed by courage, adopted by love.

II. If Pauls spirit be right then we need to amend our view of social and moral responsibility. He saw bad men taking his place yet he let them go on, rejoiced in their work, though not in the motive of it. Had he lived in our day he would have been told, You cannot afford to sit in a Church where these men teach or you will be responsible for their teaching. He would have replied, Who made you a judge; to their own master they stand or fall. Every man is responsible for bin own conduct and belief to God. If I please to work with men who are heretical on some points of theology, but who are right in the point in which I work with them (Unitarian temperance reformers, e.g.), I am not responsible for their wrong beliefs, but only for that part which I take. Paul was grieved at the amount of error that was in these men, but the small amount of truth he saw pleased him more.

III. This Christian toleration founded in faith and love, leads to the real and only real union possible to the Christian church. External formulas are not unimportant, but there never will be Christian union in this world until men feel that the invisible, spiritual elements of truth, the interior experience of soul, are transcendently more important than the idea forms, or the government forms, or the worship forms of the Church. Humanity is our common bond outside; why should not Christianity be within? Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (H. W. Beecher.)

Love of Christ and the brethren the essential qualification for preaching Christ

I. It gives impulse to all true motive power. From this sprung their goodwill.

II. It is keen in perceiving, even in chains, the will of God. Knowing that I am set.

III. It is quick in cooperating to accomplish the will of God when known.

IV. It binds the heart in sympathy to all who suffer in the defence of the gospel.

V. It is the mightiest force that men can wield for the gospels triumph. (G. G. Ballard.)

The preaching of Christ a reason for joy and holy exultation

I. Let us inquire what the apostle intended by the preaching of Christ.

1. The exhibition of Jesus as the Messiah sent to save a guilty world.

(1) Such a messenger had been set forth by prophecy and types from the beginning.

(2) He was exhibited as truly human, sinless, Divine.

2. The publication of His great work, and ultimate design in visiting this world.

(1) To atone for sin.

(2) To confer eternal life.

3. The assertion of His claims on all mankind.

(1) To their love.

(2) To their obedience.

II. Glorious as this theme is, yet many preach it from corrupt motives.

1. Some for gain--money, position, influence.

2. Some for victory in a controversial battle.

3. Yet if Christ is really preached, whatever may be the condemnation of the preacher, Christs end will he secured.

III. The reasons why the preaching of Christ, under any circumstances, is a just occasion for holy joy.

1. By this means the enemies of Christ are made to bear unequivocal testimony to His dignity and glory, and to promote the interests of truth without intending it: as the heathen writers quoted by Paul, and the devils confession of Christ.

2. As the world can only be renovated by the preaching of Christ, so even His enemies who preach Him contribute to this event. Think of the heathen world; the acceptance of Christ in any sense and from any hands cannot but better it.

3. We may be assured that God will certainly overrule the preaching of Christ, even by wicked men, to accomplish His purpose of mercy. In much inferior matters God controls the movements of bad men for His own glory. He did so in the case of Judas. Is it not then correct to argue that if God sub ordinates the malignity, ambition, and haughtiness of men to the accomplishment of His providential purposes, He will also overrule them to serve His designs of mercy? Witness the Reformation under Henry VIII.

Application:

1. Our cause for rejoicing is exceedingly great. Notwithstanding there are many parts where the gospel is imperfectly preached, yet there are thousands of holy men who preach Christ from the purest motives.

2. Let us manifest our gratitude to Him who is preached by a more lively zeal in His cause.

3. Let us who love Christ draw into closer union with one another. If we allow bickering and strife while Christs cause may prosper we shall be ruined.

4. Let the despondent be encouraged--anyhow Christ is preached. The gospel is advancing in spite of our fears. (Isaac Mann, M. A.)

Allowable contention

God grant that we may contend with other Churches as the vine with the olive--which of us shall bear the best fruit; but not as the briar with the thistle, which of us will be the most unprofitable. (Lord Bacon.)

An imprisoned preachers thoughts

Paul was imprisoned for preaching the gospel, and was persecuted by them who but for him would not have had a gospel to preach.

1. The apostle had, by nature, a temper that could not bear very much being abused. He was naturally sensitive and aggressive. In prison and helpless no doubt there were slight heavings of the old volcano at the conduct of his opponents. Moreover his conscience was an inspired one, and he must have felt, Who is a judge of orthodoxy if I am not? Did he then rouse the alarm and denounce these preachers of envy and strife? No, he rejoiced where few could have rejoiced, viz., in prison, and at what few could have rejoiced, viz., that his enemies were doing good.

2. Paul might have felt that his life was thrown away, that God had need of him. Many feel that everything must be done, and that there is none to do it hut themselves. Paul had a right to feel so if any man had. But the thought never seems to have occurred to him. No doubt he felt the cowardliness and the cruelty of these men, but the feeling was swallowed up in the reflection that they were doing his work when he could not do it himself.

3. Paul held that so precious is this truth of Jesus that no man can present even a particle of it that is not worth presenting. You cannot preach Christ so that it is not worth while to have preached Him thus. It is better that He should be preached by bad men for bad purposes than not preached at all.

4. It would have been enough in Paul to have said less than he did, such as I trust all will be for the best. I hope it will do some good, but I fear it will do much harm. Of course I cannot associate with them. On the contrary he exults over the certain good of the issue. The hounds of love are better than the hounds of theology to hunt heretics with. How painful not to know the difference between conscience and combativeness.

5. Consider in a few deductions the temptations to which men who are working for religious ends are liable.

I. The danger of substituting activity for the loving graces. The bee that goes buzzing about the flowers in the spring is very useful; but, after all, I think the flowers, that never stir or buzz, are full as interesting and far more important. The buzzing bee gets a good deal of honey, but he would not get a particle if it were not for the silent flowers which contain it all. There is a great peril of an external rattling activity leaving the heart cold, mechanical, and even malevolent.

II. The danger of arrogance.

1. There are a great many people who say that all Churches must be constituted, work, and believe as their own.

2. Many of us have got beyond that, but how many of us can rejoice in the Church whose services has swallowed up ours. But all that Paul wanted was that work should be done, whoever did it; and even rejoiced that others would have the credit for the work he did. Conclusion: From the beginning until today the power of preaching has been and henceforth mill be, not in ideas but in disposition. (H. W. Beecher.)

The motives of Pauls enemies

I. It may be that the enemies of the apostle hoped that their preaching would irritate Nero and his officers against Christianity, and that, offended at this new increase which this doctrine had received, they would quickly discharge their anger upon a prisoner, who was the principal support of this growing religion, either by putting him to death suddenly or by condemning him to some more grievous trouble than his present prison.

II. It may be that envy had inspired them with the thought, that by labouring in preaching the Gospel they should obtain a part of the apostles glory, and that by making good use of the time of his imprisonment, to establish themselves in the minds of the disciples, they should by degrees take away the credit and authority which he possessed; and judging of him by themselves, they imagined that it would be an immense increase to his affliction to see them thus enriched and decorated with his spoils. Such or such like were the thoughts of these wretched men. Judge by this what is the nature of vice, and how horrible its impudence in daring thus to profane the most sacred things, and to abuse them so vilely for, its own ungodly purpose. Thus Satan sometimes clothes himself as an angel of light to further the works of darkness. From which you see that it is not enough that Our actions be good and praiseworthy, if our intentions are not pure and upright. It is to profane the good to do it with a bad end in view.

2. See how the thoughts of vice are not only impudent, but even foolish and vain. These deceivers, judging of St. Paul by themselves, believed that their preaching would vex him. Poor creatures! how little you knew of this high-minded man, to imagine that so small a thing could trouble him! (J. Daille.)

Christ preached by love

I once asked a distinguished artist what place he gave to labour in art. Labour, he said, in effect, is the beginning, the middle, and the end of art. Turning then to another--And you, I inquired, what do you consider the great force in art: Love, he replied. In their two answers I found but one truth. (Boree.)

Evangelical congratulation

How Paul would have rejoiced had he been living now. The ministry at Rome must have been on a comparatively insignificant scale. But for every man who preached the gospel then thousands are preaching it now. Why should there have been such rejoicing in connection with the preaching of Christ crucified.

I. Because thereby the renovation of fallen man is intelligently proposed.

1. High time, by common consent, something was done in that direction, and many are the projects suggested for it.

(1) Give the people a sound secular education.

(2) Give them remunerative employment.

(3) Confer upon them honourable enfranchisement.

(4) Take care to raise them into better and more civilized habits by better dwellings, food, etc.

(5) Educate their tastes, open museums and art galleries.

2. Can you look at these laudable secondary considerations without marking their fatal defect? They deal with man externally and say not a word about his internal renovation. If you leave a mans heart untouched there is that there which will laugh all your culture to scorn. If his heart be right all will be right, but not otherwise.

3. The gospel aims at making the heart right, and succeeds wherever it is accepted.

II. Because thereby the renovation is graciously guaranteed.

1. With the preaching of Christ God has formally connected the exertion of His power. With God all things are possible. The preacher is a fellow worker with God.

2. With this preaching God has been pleased to associate the accomplishment of His purposes.

3. He has identified with preaching the manifestation of His sympathies. (W. Brock, D. D.)

Goodwill--

Goodwill the spirit common to the brotherhood of the Christian ministry

I. It is God-like.

1. The spirit characteristic of all Gods will towards men.

2. The spirit manifested by His Son.

3. The spirit of the gospel message.

II. It is yielded to an honoured brother.

1. To him as a man--his character, aims, and life.

2. To his labours in the cause of Christ.

3. To his future success. (G. G. Ballard.)

The defence of the gospel

I. Is necessary. It has many powerful, malignant enemies.

II. Is imperative upon its professors, whether ministers or people.

III. Must be maintained in love to the truth, its advocates, and even its opponents. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

Observe

I. The cause to be defended.

II. The opposition to which it is exposed.

III. The means of its defence.

IV. The persons who ought to defend it. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

The opponents of St. Paul

In the Corinthian Church there was a party that said, I am of Cephas--followers of the apostle of the circumcision, and hostile to those who named themselves from Paul. It is very probable that this Petrine party held high views about the law; but there is no hint in the Epistle to the Corinthians that they either held or taught such mischievous errors as were propagated in Galatia. Minor matters of ceremonial seem rather to have occupied them (1Co_8:10). But there is no question that the apostles authority was impugned in Corinth, and in all likelihood by the Petrine party, because he had not been personally called by Jesus as Simon had been; and by the same party his right to pecuniary support from the Churches seems to have been denied or disputed. While therefore there was comparative purity in the section that took Peter for its head and watchword; there was also keen and resolute opposition to the person and prerogative of the Apostle to the Gentiles. To meet all the requirements of the case before us we have only to suppose that such a party was formed at Rome, and Rom_14:1-23. seems to indicate their existence. If there was a company of believing Jews, who held the essential doctrines of the gospel, but was combative on points of inferior value, and in connection with the social institutions of their people, and who at the same time were bitter and unscrupulous antagonists of the apostle, from such an impression of his opinions as is indicated by James in Act_21:20-21, then such a party might preach Christ, and yet cherish towards St. Paul all those feelings of envy and ill will he ascribes to them. Chrysostom touches the truth when he says they were jealous of the apostle. Calvin writes feelingly, Paul says nothing here which I myself have not experienced. For there are men living now who have preached the gospel with no other design than to gratify the rage of the wicked by persecuting pious pastors. (Professor Eadie.)

Pauls joy in the preaching of his enemies

Pauls example is a rebuke to the excessive ecclesiastical spirit. He saw something good in the worst men who preached. Modern precisionists see the worst in the best men. Paul looked on the good side. Modern orthodoxy is disposed always to look on the bad side. If a vase was cracked, Paul turned it round and looked upon the side where it was not cracked. If a vase is cracked, we are disposed to turn it round and look on the side where the crack comes. Paul would certainly rather have men preach Christ that loved Christ; but rather than that Christ should not be preached he was willing that those who did not love Him should preach. (H. W. Beecher.)

Christ really though inadequately preached

The rising sun in the morning brings ten thousand noxious insects to life, brings miasma from the morass, and sets disease flying through the land; nevertheless, in spite of malaria, and in spite of all venemous insects that then begin to move, and in spite of all mischiefs which waking men begin to perform, it is infinitely better that the sun should rise, and that these evils should take place, than that it should be everlastingly dark. It was better to have Christ preached by bad men than not at all. It was better to have the gospel imperfectly delivered than not to have it made known in any way, or only to a limited extent. The truth preached with manifold and manifest error is a thousand times better than none at all. While the full and symmetrical truth as it is in Jesus will do far more good, and good of a far higher type, than any fragmentary views, yet such is the vitality and power of Christian truth, that its very fragments are potent for good. One may stand before an ample glass, long and broad, which reflects the whole figure, and the whole room, giving every part in proportion and in relation. Break that mirror into a thousand fragments, and each one of these pieces will give back to you your face; and though the amplitude of view and the relations of objects are gone, yet the smallest fragment, in its nature and uses, is a mirror still, and you can see your face withal. A full Christ reflects men, time, and immortality; but let error shatter the celestial glass, and its fragments, reduced in value, do in part some of that work which the whole did; and they are precious. (H. W. Beecher.)

The preaching of Christ by whatever lips a source of satisfaction to Christians

You (Scotch commissioners and Presbyterian clergy after Dunbar) say that you have just cause to regret that men of civil employments should usurp the calling of the ministry to the scandal of the Reformed Kirks. Are you troubled that Christ is preached? Is preaching so exclusively your function? I thought the covenant and those professors of it could have been willing that any should speak good of the name of Christ; if not it is no covenant of Gods approving. (Oliver Cromwell.)

Power of the Bible even in faulty versions

A railway man asked for a genuine Catholic Bible, as he was not allowed to read a heretical version like Luthers. Here is the book you want, said the colporteur, handing him a Van Ess copy. Yes; that is the book, said the man, after looking at it well. That happened a few weeks ago, and now Jesus is his All, and he finds the same grand truths about Him, whether he takes Luthers translation or Van Esss. Gods Word shall not return void to Him. (Anstera.)

Power of Christ preached

The surest way of turning a person from one pleasure is to give him a greater pleasure on the opposite side. A weeping willow planted by a pond in a pleasure garden turns all to one side in its growth, and that the side on which the water lies. No dealing with its roots or with its branches will avail to change its attitude; but place a larger expanse of water on the opposite side, and the tree will turn spontaneously and hang the other way. So must mans heart be won. (William Arnot.)

The influence of the gospel

This is the weapon that has won victories over hearts of every kind, in every quarter of the globe. Greenlanders, Africans, South Sea Islanders, Hindoos, and Chinese, have all alike felt its power. Just as that huge iron tube, which crosses the Menai Straits, is more affected and bent by half an hours sunshine than by all the dead weight that can be placed in it, so in like manner the hearts of savages have melted before the Cross when every other argument seemed to move them no more than if they had been stones. (Bp. Ryle.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Php 1:15-17. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy — Envying my success, or envying me that esteem and reputation which I have in the church, and seeking to gain it to themselves; and strife — Striving to draw people off from approving me to applaud themselves, and being desirous to maintain in the church a party that shall oppose me, and willing to add as many abetters to it as they possibly can. It is probable, as Whitby and many others have observed, that “these were the Judaizing Christians, who, with the gospel, taught the necessity of circumcision, and of the observation of the ceremonial law; for from these arose εριδες και διχοστασιαι, strife and dissensions, 1Co 1:11; and 1Co 3:2; zeal, animosities, and contentions, 2Co 12:20; and that on the account of this apostle, whom they would scarce own as an apostle of Christ, 2Co 7:2, but rather looked upon as one that walked according to the flesh, chap. 2Co 10:2, and would have excluded him from the churches, Gal 4:16-17. And yet, at their preaching Christ, though not sincerely, the apostle may be supposed to have rejoiced, because he knew the time was near when the hay and stubble which they built on the foundation should be revealed, and the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, would sufficiently confute their vain additions to the faith.” Some also out of good-will — Faithfully intending to promote the glory of God, the success of the true gospel, and the salvation of mankind, and thereby to give me comfort. The one preach Christ of contention — Or, they who are of contention, as οι εξ εριθειας may be rendered, preach Christ not sincerely — With a holy design of advancing his cause, and of glorifying God; but supposing (though they were disappointed) thereby to add affliction to my bonds — To increase the calamity of my imprisonment, by grieving my mind through their adulterations of, or additions to, the gospel, or their exciting my persecutors to greater virulence against me. But the other of love — To Christ, his gospel, and me; knowing, not barely supposing, that I am set — Placed here at Rome, the metropolis of the empire, a place of the greatest resort, and from whence intelligence of whatever is transacted of importance is soon communicated to the most distant provinces: or, κειμαι, I lie, namely in bonds, for the defence of the gospel — For the confirmation of it by my sufferings. They who preached Christ with a pure intention, knew certainly that the apostle was sent to Rome to defend the gospel by suffering for it. For by voluntarily persisting to preach the gospel, although he was, and knew he still should be, exposed to various and great sufferings for preaching it, he gave full proof of his knowledge of its truth and great importance to the salvation of mankind.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:15-18 some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry: They evidently were believers who were critical of Paul (cp. 2 Cor 10–13; Gal 4:12-20; 5:7-12). Even so, the message about Christ was being preached, so Paul rejoiced.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Php 1:15. [8] ΤΙΝῈς ΜῈΝ—ΤΙΝῈς ΔῈ, some indeed—and some) A separation [Sejugatio; see Append.]: for two clauses are laid down, which are afterwards more fully treated.—διʼ εὐδοκίαν) of good-will: εὐδοκία often corresponds to the Hebrew word רצון.

[8] Τὸν λόγον, the word) which, he says, I preach.—V. g.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Php_1:15. This is not indeed the case with all, that they ἐν κυρίῳ πεποιθότες τοῖς δεσμ. μου περισσοτ. τολμ. κ.τ.λ. No, some in Rome preach with an improper feeling and design; but some also with a good intention. (Both parties are described in further detail in Php_1:16-17.) In either case

Christ is preached, wherein I rejoice and will rejoice (Php_1:18).

τινὲς μὲν καὶ διὰ φθόνον κ. ἔριν] These do not form a part of those described in Php_1:14 (Ambrosiaster, Erasmus, Calvin, and others, also Weiss, Hofmann, and Hinsch), for these latter are characterized by ἐν κυρίῳ πεποιθ. τοῖς δεσμ. μου quite otherwise, and indeed in a way which excludes the idea of envy and contention (comp. also Huther, l.c.), and appear as the majority to which these τινές stand in contrast as exceptions; but they are the anti-Pauline party, Judaizing preachers, who must have pursued their practices in Rome, as in Asia and Greece, and exercised an immoral, hostile opposition to the apostle and his gospel.[65] We have no details on the subject, but from Romans 14 we see that there was a fruitful field on which this tendency might find a footing and extend its influence in Rome. The idea that it refers to certain members of the Pauline school, who nevertheless hated the apostle personally (Wiesinger, comp. Flatt), or were envious of his high reputation, and impugned his mode of action (Weiss), is at variance with the previous ἐν κυρίῳ, assumes a state of things which is in itself improbable, and is not required by the utterance of Php_1:18 (see the remark after Php_1:18). See also Schneckenburger, p. 301 f.

ΚΑΊ] indicates that, whilst the majority were actuated by a good disposition (Php_1:14), an evil motive also existed in several,expresses, therefore, the accession of something else in other subjects, but certainly not the accession of a subordinate co-operating motive in a portion of the same persons designated in Php_1:14 (Hofmann).

διὰ φθόνον κ. ἔριν] on account of envy and strife, that is, for the sake of satisfying the strivings of their jealousy in respect to my influence, and of their contentious disposition towards me. Comp. Php_1:17. On διὰ φθόνον, comp. Mat_27:18; Mar_15:10; Plat. Rep. p. 586 D: φθόνῳ διὰ φιλοτιμίαν.

ΤΙΝῈς ΔῈ ΚΑΊ] But some also; there also are not wanting such as, etc. Observe that the δὲ καί joins itself with ΤΙΝΈς, whereas in ΜῈΝ ΚΑΊ previously the ΚΑΊ is attached to the following ΔΙᾺ ΦΘΌΝΟΝ. The ΤΙΝΈς here are they who in Php_1:14 were described as ΠΛΕΊΟΝΕς, but are now brought forward as, in contrast to the ΤΙΝῈς ΜΈΝ, the other portion of the preachers, without any renewed reference to their preponderance in numbers, which had been already intimated.[66]

διʼ εὐδοκίαν] on account of goodwill, that is, because they entertain a feeling of goodwill towards me. This interpretation is demanded by the context, both in the antithesis διὰ φθόνον κ. ἔριν, and also in Php_1:16 : ἘΞ ἈΓΆΠΗς. As to the linguistic use of ΕὐΔΟΚΊΑ in this sense (Php_2:13), see Fritzsche, ad Rom. II. p. 372. Comp. on Rom_10:1. Others take it, contrary to the context, as: ex benevolentia, qua desiderant hominum salutem (Estius, comp. already Pelagius); or, quod ipsi id probarent, from conviction (Grotius, Heinrichs, and others), from taking delight in the matter generally (Huther), or in the cause of the apostle (de Wette), or in his preaching (Weiss).

[65] For the person to whom individually their φθόνος and ἔρις (as likewise the subsequent εὐδοκία) had reference was self-evident to the readers, and Paul, moreover, announces it to them in ver. 16 f. Without due reason Hinsch finds in this the mark of a later period, when the guarding of the apostles personal position alone was concerned. See against this, Hilgenfeld in his Zeitschr. 1873, p. 180 f.

[66] Van Hengel has not taken this into account, when he assumes that in τινὲς δὲ καί Paul had in view only a portion of those designated in ver. 14. It is an objection to this idea, that what is said subsequently in ver. 16 of the τινὲς δὲ καί completely harmonizes with that, whereby the πλείονες generally, and not merely a portion of them, were characterized in ver. 14 (ἐν κυρ. πεπ. τ. δεσμ.). This applies also in opposition to Hofmann, according to whom the two τινές, ver. 15 f., belong to the πλείονες of ver. 14, whom they divide into two classes. Hofmanns objection to our view, viz. that the apostle does not say that the one party preach solely out of envy and strife, and the other solely out of goodwill, is irrelevant. He could not, indeed, have desired to say this, and does not say it; but he could describe in general, as he has done, the ethical antitheses which characterized the two parties. Moreover, ἔρις means everywhere in the N. T., and especially here in its conjunction with φθόνος (comp. Rom_1:29; 1Ti_6:4), not rivalrythe weaker sense assigned to it here, without a shadow of justification from the context, by Hofmann (they wish to outdo him)but strife, contention. Just as little is ἐριθεία to be reduced to the general notion of egotism, as is done by Hofmann; see on ver. 17.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Phi 1:15-18 . THE RESULT OF HIS MORE FAVOURABLE CIRCUMSTANCES: CHRIST PREACHED, WHETHER OF SPITE OR GOODWILL.

Phi 1:15 . τινές . Are these included in the πλείονες of Phi 1:14 or not? We prefer to believe (so also Weizs., Jahrb. f. deutsche Theol. , 1876, p. 294 ff.) that the Apostle has changed his point of view. For is it conceivable that those who “had confidence” in his bonds should, on the other hand, “raise affliction” (Phi 1:17 ) for those bonds? He thinks now not so much of the emboldening of his Christian brethren as of the fact that the Gospel is being preached with great vigour over a wide area. Accordingly τινές may be taken by itself. Probably καί goes with φθόνον . “Some preach … actually from envy and rivalry.” ἔριν = “rivalry” (not “strife”), as often. Cf. Thuc., vi., 31, 4; Æsch., Eumen . (ed. Paley), 933 (where used in a good sense). To whom does Paul refer? It has usually been taken for granted that it must be to his un-wearying opponents, the Judaisers. So Myr [29] , Alf [30] , Lft [31] , Franke (esp [32] SK [33] , 1895, p. 772), Duchesne and others. But, as Hpt [34] clearly shows, we have no grounds for assuming the existence of a definitely anti-Pauline Jewish-Christian party at Rome (so also Hort, Judaistic Christianity , pp. 112 113). At the same time this jealousy of the Apostle, a matter of personal feeling, may well have arisen in the Jewish wing of the Roman Church. They would naturally be roused to some bitterness by Paul’s emphasis on the universality of the Gospel and his neglect of its specially Jewish setting. But it is unreasonable to divide all the Christians of the Apostolic Age into Gentile-Christians and Judaisers. There would be many Jewish-Christians who never favoured the extreme methods or even doctrines of the latter. ( Cf. M‘Giffert’s instructive discussion, Apost. Age , pp. 393 395, and Pfl [35] , Urchrist. , pp. 147, 151.) It is indeed quite possible that those referred to here are Pauline Christians who for some reason have a personal pique at the Apostle. ( Cf. Ws [36] , Amer. J. of Theol. , i., 2, pp. 388 389, who throws out the interesting suggestion that they may have been old teachers of the Church who had become jealous of Paul’s high position, and so wished to outstrip him and destroy his popularity.) “Paul says nothing here which I have not experienced” (Calv.). τινὲς δὲ καί . Although not explicitly, these, of course, belong to the πλείονες of Phi 1:14 . καί marks the contrast with the preceding clause. διʼ εὐδοκίαν . The word can mean nothing else here than “goodwill”. For it is placed in antithesis to φθόνος and ἔρις , and resumed by ἀγάπη below. Cf. Sir 9:12 , μὴ εὐδοκήσῃς ἐν εὐδοκίᾳ ἀσεβῶν .

[29] Meyer.

[30] Alford’s Greek Testament .

[31] Lightfoot.

[32] especially.

[33] Studien und Kritiken .

[34] Haupt.

[35] Pfleiderer.

[36] Weiss.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. τινὲς μὲν καὶ διὰ φθόνον καὶ ἔριν. “Some actually for envy and strife, while others, (as) actually, for goodwill.” Here he refers to that Judaistic school within the Church which followed him with persistent opposition, especially since the crisis when, in council, he won a decisive victory over their main principle (Acts 15). They held that the Gospel was indeed the crown of the Law, but that the Law was also the permanent fence of the Gospel; the blessings of the baptismal covenant could be reached only through that of circumcision. Such a tenet would not necessarily preclude a true teaching of the Person and central Work of Christ, however much it might (as in time it did) tend to a beclouded view even of His Person (see Appendix D). Thus St Paul could on the one hand rejoice that such teachers were conveying to pagan hearers the primary Fact of salvation, Jesus Christ; on the other hand he could urgently warn Christians (see the Ep. to the Galatians, and below, Php 3:2) against their distinctive teaching, as pregnant with spiritual disaster.

For allusions to this class of opponents see Act 15:1-31; Act 20:30 (perhaps), Act 21:20-25; and the Ep. to the Galatians at large. The passages where he asserts with a special emphasis his authority, or his veracity, very probably point towards their untiring opposition and ill-will.

Not that the Judaizer of this type was his only adversary within the Church, He had also to face an opposition of a “libertine” type, a distortion of his own doctrine of free grace (Rom 6:1, &c., and below, Php 3:18-19); and again, of the mystic or gnostic type (see the Ep. to the Colossians). But Php 3:1-9 fixes the reference here to Christians of the type of Act 15:1.

διʼ εὐδοκίαν. Εὐδοκία in N. T. usually means “good-pleasure,” the choice of what “seems good” to the chooser. See Mat 11:26; Luk 10:21; Eph 1:5; Eph 1:9; below, Php 2:13. But the idea of “good-will” occurs Luk 2:14; Rom 10:1; and perhaps 2Th 1:11. Both meanings appear in O. T. Greek (e.g. Psalms 51 (LXX., 50):19; 145 (LXX., 144):17; and see Sir 29:26).—The “good-will” here was that of loving loyalty to the Lord and His afflicted messenger.

D. EBIONITE CHRISTOLOGY. (CH. Php 1:15)

THE allusion in our note to “lowered and distorted views” of the Person of our Lord on the part of later Judaizers more or less Christian, has regard mainly to Ebionism, a heresy first named by Irenæus (cent. ii.) but which seems to have been the direct descendant of the school which specially opposed St Paul. It lingered on till cent. v.

It appears to have had two phases; the Pharisaic and the Essene. As regards the doctrine of Christ’s Person, the Pharisaic Ebionites held that Jesus was born in the ordinary course of nature, but that at His Baptism He was “anointed by election, and became Christ” (Justin Martyr, Dial., c. xlix.); receiving power to fulfil His mission as Messiah, but still remaining man. He had neither pre-existence nor Divinity. The Essene Ebionites, who were in fact Gnostics, held (at least in many instances) that Christ was a super-angelic created Spirit, incarnate at many successive periods in various men (for instance, in Adam), and finally in Jesus. At what point in the existence of Jesus the Christ entered into union with Him was not defined.

See Smith’s Dict. of Christian Biography, &c., art. Ebionism.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

"Some indeed are preaching Christ even for envy, that is, to carry out the envy which they felt towards Paul, on account of the success of the Gospel in the capital of the world, owing to his steadfastness in his imprisonment; they wished through envy to transfer the credit of its progress from him to themselves. Probably Judaizing teachers (Rom. 14:1-23; Co1 3:10-15; Co1 9:1, &c.; Co2 11:1-4).

some also of--rather, "for"

good will--answering to "the brethren" (Phi 1:14); some being well disposed to him.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. Some - preach Christ even of envy and strife] These must have been the Judaizing teachers, who insisted on the necessity of connecting the Mosaic rites with the Christian institutions; and, probably, denounced Paul to the Jews dwelling at Rome as not only an enemy to the law and the prophets, but also as a very imperfect Christian, because he declared strongly against the doctrine of circumcision, c. and no doubt endeavoured to prejudice him with the heathen Romans.

The word preach is not to be taken here as implying that the different persons mentioned were what we call preachers of the Gospel: all that we can understand from St. Paul's use of the word is, that they proclaimed Christ as the promised Messiah, espoused the Christian cause, and contended, whether in public or private, that this Jesus was the Christ; but nothing of this kind appears to have been intended in reference to the conversion of sinners.

Some also of good will.] Some, through mere benevolence to the apostle, both espoused his doctrine and vindicated his cause.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15 Some indeed. Here is another fruit of Paul’s bonds, that not only were the brethren stirred up to confidence by his example — some by maintaining their position, others by becoming more eager to teach — but even those who wished him evil were on another account stirred up to publish the gospel.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(15) Of envy and strife.—Explained below as of “contention,” or, more properly (as in Php_2:3, and in Rom_2:8; 2Co_12:20; Gal_5:20), of factiousness, or “party spirit.” It seems impossible to doubt that this refers to the Judaising party, St. Paul’s old antagonists. The whole tenor of the Epistle to the Romans shows how strong a Judaic element there was in Roman Christianity. Even in approaching Rome, we may gather from Act_28:15, that the Apostle had felt doubtful of his reception there by the Church. His formal renunciation of the obstinate Jews, and proclamation that the Gentiles would hear what they had rejected, might excite against him not only the unbelieving Jews, but the Jewish and still more the Judaising Christians. The party “of Cephas” and the party “of Paul” might be placed in strong antagonism more easily than even at Corinth.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Some, indeed, preach Christ,.... That is, some of them, as the Arabic version reads; some of the brethren, that were only so in profession; wherefore these could not be the unbelieving Jews, who preached the Messiah in general, but did not believe Jesus of Nazareth to be he, and opened the prophecies of the Old Testament relating to him, to the Gentiles; at which the apostle is by some thought to rejoice; inasmuch as this might be a means of giving light to them that were without any knowledge of the Messiah, and of leading them into an inquiry concerning him, whereby they might come to know the true Messiah, and believe in him: for these men were brethren, were members of the church, and whom the apostle owned as brethren in the ministry; neither of which could have been admitted had they been unbelievers to Jesus being the Messiah; nor would the apostle have rejoiced in their ministry; and besides, they preached the same Christ as other Gospel ministers, only on different principles and with different views; they preached the pure Gospel of Christ, they did not preach themselves, or any doctrines of their own, but Christ, nor the doctrines of other men; nor did they read lectures of mere morality, as the Gentiles did; nor were they legalists, as the Jews; they did not insist on the doctrine of works, or preach up justification and salvation by the works of the law, a doctrine the apostle always militated against, nor would he ever express any pleasure and satisfaction in it; nor did they preach a mixed Gospel, partly of grace and partly of works; they were not such as joined Moses and Christ, the law and Gospel, works and grace, together in men's salvation; nor did they corrupt and adulterate the word of God, or blend it with their own, or other men's inventions, but they preached Christ clearly and fully; he was the sum and substance of their ministry; they preached up his person as the true God, the Son of God equal with the Father, and possessed of all divine perfections; as truly man, having assumed a true body and a reasonable soul, and as God and man in one person; they preached him in all his offices, as prophet, priest, and King; justification by his righteousness alone, pardon through his blood, atonement and satisfaction by his sacrifice and salvation alone by him; they directed souls to him for all grace, and every supply of it; and assured them that though he died, he rose again from the dead, is ascended on high, is set down at the right hand of God, is an advocate with the Father, and ever lives to make intercession for his people; and when he has gathered them all in, he will come a second time to judge the world in righteousness, and take then, to himself, that they may be ever with him: and yet all this they did,

even of envy and strife; not of "envy" to Christ, whom they preached, but of envy to the apostle; they envied his gifts, his usefulness and success in the ministry; and he being now in bonds, they thought it a proper opportunity to exert themselves, and set up preaching Christ as he had done, in the clearest manner; hoping they should meet with the same success, and gain great honour and applause in the church, and even be able to transfer to themselves that glory which belonged to the apostle: as for their "strife" and "contention", of which they also preached Christ; it was not with other faithful ministers of the word, about the doctrines of the Gospel; for in these they were agreed with them, at least, in appearance and profession, and in their ministry ever did they raise strifes and contentions about words, from which comes envying among the brethren; for this would not have answered their ends, which were vain glory and popular applause; but they strove and contended one with another, who should preach Christ best and clearest, or with the apostle to get his glory and honour from him; they strove to out vie one another, and particularly him in preaching Christ: but there were others of the brethren who were truly such, who preached Christ as well as they, and upon better principles, and with better views,

and some also of good will; or "willingly" and "freely", as the Arabic version renders it; without any selfish end or sinister view of vain glory; not moved unto it by envy or ambition; not doing it in a contentious manner, and with an ill design; but of pure "good will" to the Gospel, having a real liking of it, an hearty love for it, a sincere desire to spread it, and promote the interest of a Redeemer, and the good of souls by it; having in a spiritual and experimental manner felt the power, and tasted the sweetness of it themselves: and so were inwardly affected and truly disposed to preach it, clear of all external motives and ambitious views; and as having a good will to the apostle himself, whose heart they knew was in the Gospel, though he was now hindered from the ministry of it; and therefore to the best of their abilities were desirous of supplying his place without the least injury to his character.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

Ver. 15. Some indeed preach Christ] Such self-seekers there are today not a few. Two things make a good Christian, good actions and good aims. Though a good aim doth not make a bad action good, as we see in Uzzah, yet a bad aim makes a good action bad, as in these preachers. They preached Christ, so did the devil, who yet was silenced by Christ, Mar 1:24-25.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife - What was the ground of this “envy and strife” the apostle does not mention. It would seem, however, that even in Rome there was a party which was jealous of the influence of Paul, and which supposed that this was a good opportunity to diminish his influence, and to strengthen their own cause. He was not now at large so as to be able: to meet and confute them. They had access to the mass of the people. It was easy, under plausible pretences, to insinuate hints about the ambitious aims, or improper influence of Paul, or to take strong ground against him and in favor of their own views, and they availed themselves of this opportunity. It would seem most probable, though this is not mentioned, that these persons were Judaizing teachers, professing Christianity, and who supposed that Paul’s views were derogatory to the honor of Moses and the Law.

And some also of good will - From pure motives, having no party aims to accomplish, and not intending in any way to give me trouble.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Some...out of envy and contention publish and preach Christ, thinking perhaps that this would displease me, or exasperate any persecutors against me; but whatever their motive be, if they preach the true doctrine of Christ, I rejoice. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He doth here tacitly answer an exception which might be made; It were better some of them were silent, than preach so boldly as to procure him hatred, and lessen his reputation;

1. By granting there was somewhat in the allegation, yet it did not conclude against this, that his suffering was advantageous to promote the gospel.

2. By distinguishing of those who were hollow-hearted and false, from an envious principle, designing to disparage this excellent person, who having done much in the lesser Asia and Greece, did now, in the head city of the world, when in prison, also gain proselytes, courtiers and others, for the receiving of Christ; and those were sincere and true-hearted brethren, joining with him in the cause of Christ, and assisting him from true love to Christ, and him his apostle, to get the truth of Christianity entertained in the love of it. The former were evil works, both as to their principle and end, Phi 3:2; the latter acted sincerely in both respects, 2Co 2:17.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. Some indeed preach—The next three verses show a painful contrast between two classes of Christian preachers at Rome. Both preached Christ; but one class, different from those just mentioned, are moved by envy toward the apostle; the other by love for him. The latter, the brethren described in Php_1:14, work under the conviction that he is divinely set for the defence of the gospel; the former are animated by party spirit, here called contention, as against the apostle.

Not sincerely—Their intentions were not pure, as the next words show. Respecting this anti-Pauline faction at Rome we are largely left to conjecture. They were not Jews, or Judaizers, for Paul held and denounced them as subverting the gospel, which he does not do here. On the other hand, he rejoices in the result of their work—

Christ is preached—while he complains of their self-seeking spirit and improper motives. On the whole, we think the key is supplied by the epistle to this same Roman Church, (Romans 14, where see notes,) written five years earlier, where we learn of the existence among them of an Oriental asceticism, enjoining abstinence from animal food and wine, and imposing its injunctions as laws of Christian piety. Still adhering to their petty heresy, and magnifying it to a test of what they think orthodoxy, notwithstanding its pointed condemnation by the apostle, its advocates now in their turn refuse to recognise him as God’s appointed defender of the gospel. They would propagate their mongrel system with personal detractions of the apostle, but still calling themselves Christians, and as such preaching Christ, though in pretence and insincerity.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife. The Judaizing party, whom St. Paul censures in Php_3:2, preached Christ, but not from pure motives. Like the writers of the pseudo-Clementines, they envied St. Paul, and in the wicked madness of the odium theologicum, they wished to distress St. Paul, to depreciate his preaching, and to exalt their own. And some also of good will. The word generally means God"s good pleasure, as in Php_2:13, but here simply good will, benevolence towards St. Paul.

Vers. 15-18. A significant difference among the apostle"s brethren.

They were all actively engaged in preaching the gospel, but they were not actuated by the same motives.

I THE DIFFERENT SPIRIT OF THE TWO CLASSES OF PREACHERS. "Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will." The one class were actuated by a genuine good will to Christ and his apostle. The other class were actuated by envy and discord. They envied the popularity of the apostle among the Gentile Churches, and showed a disagreeably quarrelsome temper. They were evidently Judaists who could little brook the overthrow of the Mosaic institute and Jewish commonwealth which seemed to be involved in the triumph of the apostle"s gospel. Yet they preached Christ.

II THE MOTIVES OF THE TWO CLASSES. "The one do it of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel; but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds." Notice:

1. The pure motive of one class love which ought to be the spring of all gospel action. Love to Christ, love to the truth, love to the souls of men, ought to be the abiding motive of all preachers. These brethren had special regard for the apostle on account of his destined place in the evangelization of the world.

2. The impure motive of the other class a base partisanship designed to make the apostles bonds more galling. There are allusions to this fierce party spirit among the Judaists in most of the apostle"s writings, aggravated as it often was by intense bitterness to the apostle.

3. Yet both classes preached Christ. The language of the apostle is applied to both classes. It is sad to think of men preaching Christ from bad motives, especially where Erich motives may imply a tinge of doctrinal imperfection in the method of preaching him. Yet the Lord accepts the services of weak, imperfect, sinful men in his vineyard.

III THE JOY OF THE APOSTLE AT THIS WIDESPREAD ACTIVITY OF THE TWO CLASSES.

1. It might appear more natural for him to denounce these Judaists with words of sharp rebuke. Perhaps his own enforced inactivity as a preacher may have led him to rejoice in the Christian labors of men who knew Christ "only after the flesh.

2. His joy shows a large and.forgiving nature. "What then? only that in every way, whether with masked design or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and therein I rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." The conduct of the apostle teaches us:

(1) That the preaching of Christ is higher truth than the secondary questions of polity and worship which often cause dissension among Christians.

(2) That Christians ought to rejoice in the successes of other Christians who follow different methods of doctrine or polity.

(3) That it is right to condemn the base motives or unworthy insincerities that sometimes mingle with good work.

(4) That we ought to show special consideration to those who preach Christ of good will, and eschew all sorts of by-ends and manoeuvres. T.C.

Vers. 15-18. The spirit of faction.

I WHAT IT IS. Like nearly all human errors, it has its origin in a good trait in our nature which has become corrupted by the introduction of evil motives. It springs from the desire men have to act in common. The Christian development of this desire is the communion of saints. The ideal of redeemed mankind is that it is the body of Christ, which is not a fortuitous concourse of atoms, but a living organism, each part necessary to the whole. Faction corrupts this grand idea and breaks up men into fragments, each of which is indwelt, not by the Spirit of Christ, but by the spirit of envy.

II WHAT IT MAY BECOME. A corrupter of religion; using the subject-matter of the gospel, not as a means for building up souls into Christ, but of magnifying self.

III HOW IT MAY BE DEALT WITH. St. Paul is ever hopeful of human nature. He sees even in its degradation elements of better things. Just as men"s well-meant actions never do all the good they anticipate, so their evil deeds do not do all the harm they appear calculated to do. The mixture of human motives and the insufficiency of human powers have their blessings as well as their curse.

IV HOW TO BE FREE FROM THIS SPIRIT OF FACTION. St. Paul evidently was free from it. He longs (Ver. 20) not that Christ should magnify him, or that he should magnify Christ, but that Christ should be magnified in him; i.e. that Christ should use him as he wills, exalting him or humiliating him, making him serviceable or discarding him, just as it may prove most to his glory. VW.H.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Some indeed preach Christ out of contention - Envying St. Paul's success, and striving to hurt him thereby. Not sincerely - From a real desire to glorify God. But supposing - Though they were disappointed. To add more affliction to my bonds - By enraging the Roman against me.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Our apostle had declared in the foregoing verses, that several of his brethren in the work of the ministry, through his constancy in suffering, were emboldened to preach Jesus Christ with more resolution than before. But here he discovers, that there was a vast difference between those preachers: all did not preach Christ alike, with the same mind, from the same motives, for the same sincere ends.

Some, alas! preach Christ out of envy and strife; that is, envying the success of the apostle’s ministry, and endeavouring to draw people off from approving him, to applaud them, hoping to grieve and gall him thereby: but others preached the gospel of Christ of good-will, with a purity of intention, and sincerity of affection, both towards Christ and towards himself, who, for the defence of the gospel, now lay in prison. However, seeing Christ was preached and made known by both, by some in pretence, by others in truth, the apostle rejoiced at it, and took comfort in it.

Learn hence, 1. That such ministers of the gospel are gladly and joyfully to be heard, who preach Christ and his pure word soundly and truly, with what mind soever, from what motive soever, and for what end soever, they preach Christ and his holy gospel. The word is his which they bring, how vicious soever the person, and how bad soever the intention be of him that brings it; and, if the message be his, it is our duty to receive it without prejudice, be the principle what it will in him that delivers it. Many preach in Christ’s name, who perish in his wrath; for Christ takes notice of the inward intention, as well as of the outward action, and observes not only the matter which ministers preach, but the end for which, and the motives from which, they preach, whether from love and good will, or from envy and strife.

Learn, 2. That such Christians who find their hearts inflamed with zeal for the glory of Christ, and the salvation of souls, do and will rejoice exceedingly that Christ is preached, whoever the person is, or whatever the principle may be in him that preaches: If Christ be preached, says St. Paul, I therein rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15–18. Some, indeed, preach Christ even of envy. The motives of all preachers are not pure. Some still preach Christ, full of envy for other preachers, and some from a love of strife. Those envious of Paul were probably Judaizing Christians. See next verse.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Some indeed even proclaim Christ

"Some people preach the good news about Christ"

out of envy and strife

"because they do not want people listening to me, and they want to cause trouble"

and also others out of good will

"but other people do it because they are kind and they want to help"

The latter

"Those who proclaim Christ out of good will"

I am put here for the defense of the gospel

This can be stated in active form. Possible meanings are 1) "God chose me to defend the gospel" or 2) "I am in prison because I defend the gospel." (See: Active or Passive)

for the defense of the gospel

"to teach everyone that the message of Jesus is true"

But the former

"But the others" or "But the ones who proclaim Christ out of envy and strife"

while I am in chains

Here the phrase "in chains" is a metonym for imprisonment. AT: "while I am imprisoned" or "while I am in prison" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

preach

Christ

strife

afflicted

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

15.] The two classes mentioned here are not subdivisions of the ἀδελφοὶ ἐν κυρίῳ above, who would more naturally be οἱ μέν and οἱ δέ, but the first (καί) are a new class, over and beyond those ἀδελφοί, and the second (in which clause the καί refers to the first) are identical with the ἀδελφοί above. The first were the anti-pauline Christians, of whom we hear so often in the Epistles (see Rom_14.; 1Co 3:10 ff.; 1Co 4:15; 1Co 9:1 ff.; 2Co 10:1 ff.; 2Co 11:1 ff. &c.).

καί, besides those mentioned ver. 14. But this does not imply that the καί is to be referred to τινες, as Ellic. represents me;—it introduces a new motive, διὰ κ.τ.λ., and consequently, in my view, a new class of persons.

διὰ, not strictly ‘for the sake of,’ so that they set envy (of me) and strife before them as their object—but ‘in pursuance of,’—so on account of,—to forward and carry out: see reff.

καί (2nd)—besides the hostile ones: introducing (see above) another motive again, differing from that last mentioned.

διʼ εὐδοκίαν—on account of, in pursuance of, good will (towards me).

16,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15-17. But all those who preach Christ are not actuated by equally pure motives. While some are moved by love and by sympathy with me as a defender of the gospel, others, in a spirit of envy, contention, and partisanship, proclaim Christ insincerely, seeking to add to the affliction of my captivity.

15. τινὲς μὲν καὶ διὰ φθόνον καὶ ἔριν: ‘some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife.’ These words are independent of the preceding clause, and introduce a new feature of the condition of the gospel in Rome. The words τὸν λόγ. τ. θε. λαλ. open to the apostle the general subject of the preaching of the gospel in the metropolis. Much wearisome discussion has arisen on the question whether Paul includes those who preach Christ of envy and strife in the πλείονας of vs. 14, or treats them as a distinct class. It seems apparent on its face that the motives of envy and strife which attach to the τινὲς μὲν cannot be reconciled with the ἐν κυρίῳ πεποιθ., nor with the sympathetic consciousness that Paul is set for the defence of the gospel. (See Weiss’ novel effort to reconcile these.) Moreover, the καὶ has its familiar contrasting force, and introduces another and a different class, and not the same class with the addition of a subordinate and baser motive. Thus the τινὲς μὲν are set over against the πλείονας.

But who are meant by these τινὲς μὲν? Some of the Fathers, as Chrys., Œc., Theoph., explained of unbelievers who proclaimed Christianity in order to awaken the hatred of Paul’s enemies; others, as Grot., of Jews, who brought the gospel and its evidences into controversy in order to injure or refute it. Since Beng. the view has prevailed that they were Judaising Christians (so Lightf., Lips., Dw., Mey., Beet, Ellic., Lum., Nedr., Weizs.). But this view does not seem reconcilable with Paul’s words concerning the Judaisers in this very epistle (3:2), and in the Galatian and Second Corinthian letters. Nowhere in his epistles does Paul speak of the Judaisers as preachers of Christ unless it be “another Jesus” (2Co 11:4). Although they accepted Jesus as the Messiah, in their preaching he was thrown into the background behind the claims of the law. Paul found worse enemies among these Christians than among the heathen; yet here he virtually sanctions their preaching, and rejoices in it. To say that they are shown to have been Judaising Christians because they preached Christ of envy and strife, is to argue in a circle. The attempt to solve the difficulty by assuming that the form of Judaistic opposition was milder in Rome than in the East (Mey., Dw., Pfl. Paulinismus, pp. 42, 332) seems like a desperate resource. To say that a conciliation of the Jewish-Christian element in Rome is implied in Paul’s recognition of the value of the old covenant relation (Rom 3:1 f., Rom 9:4, Rom 10:2); in his charity towards a narrow conscientiousness (14:3-23); in his expressions of love and sympathy for his own race (9:1-3, 10:1, 11:1, 13); and in his warning of the Gentiles against self-elation (11:17-24)—is a piece of special pleading. Paul shows equal respect for narrow conscientiousness in 1 Cor., and he never fails to treat the law and the covenants with respect; while his love and sympathy for his own race appear everywhere. Weiss (Einl. i. d. N. T. § 26) remarks on this passage: “This is generally supposed to refer to Judaistic teachers in Rome, whose appearance is made an argument for the still strongly Jewish-Christian character of the Roman church. But the way in which Paul unreservedly gives expression to his joy respecting this accession of preaching, makes it quite inconceivable that these personal opponents should have preached a gospel in any way differing from that which he preached.”

While therefore the τινὲς μὲν, etc., may include individual Judaisers, they are not to be limited to these. I incline rather to regard them as Pauline Christians who were personally jealous of the apostle, and who sought to undermine his influence. It may be, as Weiss suggests, that as the Roman church before Paul’s arrival had no definite leadership, it was easy for ambitious and smaller men to obtain a certain prominence which they found menaced by the presence and influence of the apostle. Comp. the state of things in the Corinthian church (1Co 3:3, 1Co 3:4).

διὰ φθόνον καὶ ἔριν: Directed at Paul personally. Διὰ, ‘on account of,’ marking the motive. (Comp. Mat 27:18; Eph 2:4; Rom 13:5.)

εὐδοκίαν: A purely Biblical word. As related to one’s self, it means ‘contentment,’ ‘satisfaction’ (Sir. 29:23; 2Th 1:11; on which, see Bornemann, Comm. ad loc.). As related to others, it means ‘good-will,’ ‘benevolence.’ Of God’s good-will to men (Luk 10:21; Eph 1:5, Eph 1:9; Php 2:13). The meaning ‘desire’ (so Lightf. for Sir. 11:7, and Rom 10:1 [see comm. on this pass.], and Thay. Lex. for Rom 10:1) cannot be supported. (See Sanday on Rom 10:1.) For εὐδοκεῖν, see 1Co 10:5; 2Co 12:10; 1Th 2:12. Here ‘good-will’ towards Paul and the cause of the gospel.

τὸν Χριστὸν κηρύσσουσιν:

Κηρύσσειν, orig. ‘to perform the duty of a herald’ (κήρυξ), is the standard N.T. word for the proclamation of the gospel. Not often in any other sense. Of the preaching of John the Baptist (Mat 3:1; Mar 1:4; Act 10:37); of preaching the claims of the Mosaic law (Act 15:21; Gal 5:11). Chiefly, perhaps wholly, confined to the primary announcement of the gospel, and not including continuous instruction or teaching of believers, which is expressed by διδάσκειν. (See both in Mat 4:23, Mat 9:35, Mat 11:1.) Yet in passages like 1Co 1:23, 1Co 9:27, 1Co 15:11, the distinction between missionary and church preaching cannot be clearly inferred. For the phrase κηρύσσειν Χτὸν or τὸν Χτὸν, Χτὸν Ἰησοῦν, Ἰ. Χτὸν, see Act 8:5; 1Co 1:23, 1Co 1:15:12; 2Co 1:19, 2Co 4:5.

τον before χτον omitted by אca BFG.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Even of envy. Strange as it may seem that envy should be associated with the preaching of Christ. They are jealous of Paul 's influence.

Strife [εριν] . Factious partisanship.

Good will. Toward Paul.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.