Philippians 2:29

2:29-30 Epaphroditus deserved their honor, for he risked his life for Christ on their behalf (for the importance of showing honor, cp. Rom 10:12; 13:7; Eph 5:33; 6:2; 1 Tim 5:17; 6:1; 1 Pet 2:17; 3:7).

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

Php_2:29 f. Οὖν] Let, then, the reception which he meets with among you be in accordance with my purpose in accelerating his return (ἵνα ἰδόντες κ.τ.λ.); receive him with all joy.

ἐν κυρίῳ] denotes, as in Rom_16:2, the Christian character of the προσδέχεσθαι, the nature and action of which have their distinctive quality in Christ, in whose fellowship Christians live and move.

μετὰ πάσ. χαρ.] excludes every kind of sullen or indifferent temper and expression: with all joyfulness.

καὶ τοὺς τοιούτους κ.τ.λ.] and the people of such a sort, etc. Ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ αὐτῷ μόνῳ χαρίζεσθαι, κοινῶς παραινεῖ πάντας τοὺς τὴν αὐτὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπιδεικνυμένους τιμᾶν, Theophylact. But Epaphroditus is in his view, as in the given case, the person belonging to the class thus to be held in honour.[142]

[142] There is no ground for the reference, which Hofmann discovers here, to an assumed inclination, on the part of the Philippians, to hold in honour people of another sort (such as are described in chap. 3.) more than the τοιούτους. For this assumption there would, at the most, be occasion only if Paul had used the comparative instead of ἐντίμους. Besides, the emphasis is not on τοὺς τοιούτους (Hofmann), but on ἐντίμους, correlative to the preceding μετὰ πάσ. χαρᾶς.

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 2:29 . Behind these words must lie some unknown circumstances which affected the feelings of the Philippians towards Epaphrod. It is not sufficient to suppose (with Ws [13] . ) that they would be disappointed because he had not stayed long enough at Rome. The πάσης χαρᾶς and ἐντίμους surely point to some alienation on which we have no light.

[13] . Weiss.

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

Receive him--There seems to be something behind respecting him. If extreme affection had been the sole ground of his "heaviness," no such exhortation would have been needed [ALFORD].

in reputation--"in honor."

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 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord] For the Lord's sake receive him, and as the Lord's servant; and hold such zealous, disinterested, and holy preachers in reputation - honour those whom ye perceive God hath honoured.

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

29 Receive him with all joy. He employs the word all to mean sincere and abundant. He also recommends him again to the Philippians; so intent is he upon this, that all that approve themselves as good and faithful pastors may be held in the highest estimation: for he does not speak merely of one, but exhorts that all such should be held in estimation; for they are precious pearls from God’s treasuries, and the rarer they are, they are so much the more worthy of esteem. Nor can it be doubted that God often punishes our ingratitude and proud disdain, by depriving us of good pastors, when he sees that the most eminent that are given by him are ordinarily despised. Let every one, then, who is desirous that the Church should be fortified against the stratagems and assaults of wolves, make it his care, after the example of Paul, that the authority of good pastors be established; as, on the other hand, there is nothing upon which the instruments of the devil are more intent, than on undermining it by every means in their power.

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.

29. Receive him therefore] “Therefore”:—as the consequence of my sending him. The whole verse supports the suggestion that the internal friction among the Philippians had somehow made Epaphroditus unacceptable to some. See above on Php_2:26.

in the Lord] See above on Php_1:8.

with all gladness] The cloud in his own sky interferes not in the least with this holy soul’s interest in the joy of others.

in reputation] R.V., in honour. The word occurs Luk_7:2, of the centurion’s “highly-valued slave”; and 1Pe_2:4; 1Pe_2:6, of the “precious stone.”—There was a slight risk, we gather here (and see Php_3:17, and note), lest such unobtrusive and devoted holders of, and workers for, the Gospel should fall out of favour at Philippi. Cp. 1Th_5:12-13.

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.

Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death,.... Meaning either the work the church sent him about, and which he cheerfully undertook, and faithfully performed in carrying of a present to, and visiting the apostle in prison; which is called the work of Christ, because taken by Christ as if it was done to himself; and which, what with the long and fatiguing journey from Philippi to Rome, and the frequent visits he made to the apostle, and the much business besides that lay upon his hands, brought upon him a disorder which greatly threatened his life, and had almost issued in his death: or else the work of preaching the Gospel so frequently and constantly, and with so much zeal and vehemency at Rome; and which may be called the work of Christ, because it is what he calls unto, and qualities for, and in which his glory is greatly concerned; and on which this good man was so intent, gladly spending himself, and being spent in it, that he was brought through it to the brink of the grave:

not regarding his life: he was careless of that, and of his health; he loved not his life, nor counted it dear to himself; he rather despised it, and made no account of it, being very willing to deliver it up, and sacrifice it in such a good work and cause:

to supply your lack of service towards me; to do that in their name, room, and stead, which they, through absence, could not do in person; signifying, that what was done to him, and for him, was but a piece of service and duty to him; and which this good man and faithful minister and messenger of theirs having done for them to the hazard of his life, he ought therefore to be received by them with great joy, and to be highly honoured and respected.

Next: Philippians Chapter 3

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

29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:

Ver. 29. Hold such in reputation] Or set a just price, a due estimate upon them. Horrible is the contempt that is now cast upon the ministry, by our novellers, as if they had learned of Campian to say, Ministris eorum nihil vilius. To your minister, nothing is vile.

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.

Receive him therefore in the Lord - As the servant of the Lord, or as now restored to you by the Lord, and therefore to be regarded as a fresh gift from God. Our friends restored to us after a long absence, we should receive as the gift of God, and as a proof of his mercy.

And hold such in reputation - Margin, honor such. This is a high commendation of Epaphroditus, and, at the same time, it enjoins an important duty in regard to the proper treatment of those who sustain such a character. It is a Christian duty to honor those who ought to be honored, to respect the virtuous and the pious, and especially to honor those who evince fidelity in the work of the Lord.

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

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness: hereupon, having given his due character, he chargeth them all, officers and people, to entertain him as a servant of the Lord, (as Christ would have them receive his servants, Mat 10:40,41, even with all spiritual joy), as sometimes the Galatians had received him, Gal 4:14.

And hold such in reputation; yea, as it becometh saints, Rom 16:2, to have such in esteem very highly for their work’s sake, 1Th 5:13.

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

29. Receive him—Give him a welcome warm with Christian love and manifestations of gladness. Such men as he, full of self-denial and labour, are worthy of the highest esteem of the Church. The apostle had cautioned them against overvaluing self: this is, perhaps, a caution against a tendency to undervalue others.

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

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: In the Lord. (see note on Ver. 19; comp. Rom_16:2) With joy on every account. Notice the constant repetition of the word "joy," characteristic of this Epistle.

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

29. Receive him. Give him a glad welcome. Hold such as he in high reputation.

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.

29. προσδέχεσθε … αὐτὸν. “Receive him”; words which perhaps suggest that to some among them, affected by their small internal divisions, Epaphroditus would be not quite acceptable. But we may explain the Greek rather, “Accept him,” as my gift to you; in which sense no appeal would be implied. Cp. Heb 11:35, οὐ προσδεξάμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν.

μετὰ πάσης χαρᾶς. His own “sorrow” hinders not in the least his sympathy with their joy.

ἐντίμους ἔχετε. “Hold in high value.” The adjective is used of the centurion’s “valuable” slave (Luk 7:2), and of the “costly” Stone (1Pe 2:4; 1Pe 2:6).—Epaphroditus was perhaps a little under-valued at Philippi, in proportion to St Paul’s estimate of him.

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.

29.] οὖν, as accomplishing the purpose just expressed. The stress is on προσδέχεσθε, see ref. There certainly seems to be something behind respecting him, of which we are not informed. If extreme affection had been the sole ground of his ἀδημονεῖν, no such exhortation as this would have been needed.

τοὺς τοιούτους] ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ αὐτῷ μόνῳ χαρίζεσθαι, … Thl. Then there is an inaccuracy in expression, in reverting back to the [concrete] conduct of Epaphroditus as a reason why οἱ τοιοῦτοι [abstract] should be held in honour.

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

29. οὖν: Since I sent him that you might rejoice, ‘therefore’ receive him with joy.

πασῆς χαρᾶς: Every kind of joy. (Comp. 1:20; Eph 6:18; 1Pe 2:1.)

τοὺς τοιούτους: The article marks Epaphroditus as belonging to the class designated by τοιούτ. (Comp. Mar 9:37; Rom 16:18; 2Co 11:13, 2Co 11:12:3; Gal 5:23, Gal 5:6:1; and see Win. xviii. 4.)

ἐντίμους ἔχετε: The only occurrence of the phrase in N.T. In class. usually ἐντίμως ἔχ.

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