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The conduct of the companions and assistants of the Apostle
( Php_2:19-30)
Timothy and his approaching mission to them
(Php_2:19-24)
Php_2:20. For I have no man like-minded, ïὐäÝíá ãὰñ ἔ÷ù ἰóüøõ÷éí . [The comparison here is between Timothy and other persons, not between him and Paul; since the object of the remark clearly is to state why the Apostle sends Timothy rather than any one else.—H.]. This last reason alone he makes prominent, and hence unfolds it still further.—Who will sincerely care for your state. Ὅóôéò describes the character of Timothy: such a one as that, etc., and ἰóüøõ÷ïò (found only in this place in the New Testament), referring through ἔ÷ù to the Apostle, is more closely defined in its mode of action, entirely like ößëïò ἴóïò ôῇ øõ÷ῇ ìïõ (Deu_13:6). Ãíçóßùò marks the uprightness and purity, the freedom from false, self-seeking arts, by which he will show his solicitude for them ( ôὰ ðåñὶ ὑìῶí ìåñéìíÞóåé ) when he comes. The sympathy with which he will enter into their relations and circumstances ( ôὰ ðåñὶ ὑìῶí , not ôὰ ὑìῶí , 2Co_12:14), your estate, your possessions. [The verb is future with reference to the concern for them which Timothy would manifest on his arrival among them.—H.]
Php_2:21. For all ( ïἱ ðÜíôåò ãÜñ ) answers to ïὐäÝíá . The article merely denotes a limitation. Those only are referred to who, from their situation being in the Apostle’s immediate circle at the time, would be compared with the like-minded ( ἰóüøõ÷ïò ) Timothy.—Seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s ( ôὰ ἑáõôῶí æçôïῦóéí , ïὐ ôὰ ×ñéóôïῦ Ἰçóïῦ ), hence do not act sincerely ( ãíçóßùæ .) Comp. Php_2:4. We are not to think of the hardships of the journey to which they preferred their own comfort (the Greeks), or that ïἱ ðÜíôåò is equivalent to “many,” “the most” (Grotius, et al.), or that they are Philippensibus cogniti (Van Hengel), or that the word ‘more’ is to be understood with æçôåῖí , (Erasmus), although self-seeking has its gradations. No reference is made to those designated in Php_1:15; Php_1:17. It would not have occurred to Paul to send any of them. Those spoken of in Php_1:14, might be of the number. Of those mentioned in Col_4:10-14; Philem. Php_2:24, Demas probably is the only one who was with him. This view seems to be confirmed by the fact that the Apostle cannot send Timothy away immediately (Php_2:19; Php_2:23).
Php_2:22. But ye know the proof of him ( ôὴí äὲ äïêéìὴí áὐôïῦ ãéíþóêåôå ). Timothy was indeed known to the Philippians, and had been with them (Act_16:1; Act_16:13; Act_17:14); hence the verb is indicative, not imperative (Vulg., cognoscite). On äïêéìÞí , indoles spectata, see Rom_5:4; 2Co_2:9; 2Co_9:13.—The proof consists in this: That as a child with a father, he hath served with me, ὅôé ὡò ðáôñὶ ôÝêíïí óὺí ἐìïὶ ἐäïýëåõóåí . Instead of saying simply ἐìïß , he proceeds with óὺí ἐìïß in a variatio structuræ (Winer’s Gram., pp. 422, 577), in order to indicate that he is speaking of a service shared with himself, which is more nearly defined by the additional clause: for the gospel ( åἰò åὐáããÝëéïí ), its advancement, (comp. Php_1:5).
Php_2:23. [By ìÝí here Paul opposes his sending of Timothy to his own coming as he hopes ( äÝ , next verse).— Ïὖí , therefore, since the Apostle would be thus relieved ( åὐøõ÷ῶ , Php_2:19), and Timothy ( ôïῦôïí ) had such qualifications for the service. Both grounds of the inference should be recognized.—H]. What follows here defines more closely the ôá÷Ýùò in Php_2:19. [The “shortly,” “speedily” there, is relative with reference to the result of the crisis of which he now speaks as near at hand.—H].—Him therefore I hope to send immediately, ( ôïῦôïí ìὲí ïὖí å ̇ ëðßæù ðÝìøáé ). Ôïῦôïí sums up the characteristics mentioned in Php_2:20; Php_2:22.—So coon as I shall see how it will go with me, ( ὡò ἄí ἀößäù ôὰ ðåñὶ ἐìÝ ). For the form ἀößäù instead of ἀðßäþ , see Winer’s Gram. p. 45. It is like ἀöåëðßæïíôåò in Luk_6:35. The verb, according to its signification, points to the distance (prospicere), to see forward to the issue; it indicates his tender anxiety to send Timothy as soon as possible. Ὡò , as, in point of time, and with ἀí , as soon as ever his relations change, or there is a definite prospect of the issue, one or the other of them will come.— Ἐîáõôῆò sc. ὥñáò (Act_10:33; Act_11:11; Act_21:32; Act_23:30), emphatic limitation of ðÝìøáé . [He would send Timothy at once on being able to make him the bearer of good tidings. As Lightfoot remarks ὡò ἄí . … ἐîáõôῆò is=at once when.—H.]
Php_2:24. But I trust in the Lord ( ðÝðïéèá äὲ ἐí êõñßῳ ). ÄÝ answers to ìÝí in Php_2:23. Although he hopes he will be able to send Timothy, yet he has confidence in the Lord (Php_2:19): That I also myself shall come shortly ( ὅôé êáὶ áὐôὸò ôá÷Ýùò ἐëåýóïìáé ); thus not merely Timothy, but he himself will come to them. Comp. Php_1:25-26; Philem. Php_2:22. [The Apostle expects not only to be set at liberty as Timothy will be sent to inform them, but to be able to use his own liberty for the purpose of coming to them.—H.] Here also there is an alternative, a presentiment of death and a hope of freedom, a wavering between martyrdom and a restored, free activity.
2. Letters and messengers are the means of communication, but in each case truth is our ultimate reliance as in personal intercourse, and this is found in its full extent only where there is a deep interest in the cause of Christ, and where selfishness does not reign.
3. Greater than the sorrow for weak and false brethren should be the joy over one true friend.
4. Even the apostolic church and the apostles had to suffer from the selfishness which hindered their complete prosperity: perfection is not reached at the beginning but only at the end.
5. Hope and confidence are to be based only upon the Lord, and are justifiable even in time of trouble, even when our hopes are not realized in the form that we expected, when indeed the future is shaped for us in exact opposition to our ideas.
Starke:—Not our own, not our humors, not our desires, but what is Christ’s will, the advancement of His kingdom, must we seek as paramount in ourselves and in others, if we would be saved.—Since there is so many ‘a slip between the cup and the lip,’ we ought to speak cautiously of future events, saying: l hope so, if God will, etc. See Jam_4:13 ff.
Schleiermacher:—All special love of one person for another, so far as it is truly brotherly, must be purely Christian.
Menken:—Such a man as Paul, in his holy, heavenly disposition, in the quiet, true greatness of his character, in the earnestness, purity and majesty of his life, his willing and his working, could not have many equals.
Heubner:—True friendship is rare; for a friendship such as makes two hearts one, requires not merely a similarity of certain general principles in duty and religion, but a similarity of inclinations, sentiments, and of essential principles. No one has more false friends than Jesus. Thus how rare, even among Christ’s servants, is an entirely pure, unselfish mind! The coarsely selfish serve their belly, Mammon; the more refined their honor, their system, their school.
Footnotes:
Php_2:19. [Our English Version often confuses the renderings of ἐëðßæù and ðÝðïéèá with each other. See the notes on Philem. Php_2:23, p. 23 (Lange’s Series).—H.].
Php_2:23. [“Presently,” by an old English usages “immediately,” as in 1Sa_2:16; Mat_26:53. See Eastwood and Weight’s Bible Word Book, p. 38. This change in the meaning of the English word conceals from the reader the relation in which “shortly” ( ôá÷Ýùò ) in Php_2:19, and “immediately” here ( ἐîáõôῆò ) stand to each other.—H.].
Ibid. [On the form ἀößäù , see the Exegetical Notes below.—H.].