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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Philippians 1:17 - 1:17
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
17. ἐξ ἐριθείας. “Prompted by faction, partizanship.” On the spelling ἐριθίας see Westcott and Hort, N. T. in Greek, II. Appendix, p. 153.—Ἐριθεία (cp. for this meaning Rom 2:8; 2Co 12:20; Gal 5:20; below, Php 2:3; Jam 3:14; Jam 3:16) is the work of an ἔρῖθος, a day-labourer; so, any work of a “sordid” kind; so, in politics, the trade of a hired canvasser, or the like; and so finally, partizan-work in general, and its spirit. Liddell and Scott call the alleged connexion of the word with ἔριον, “accidental.”
It has been suggested to render οἱ ἐξ ἀγάπης … οἱ ἐξ ἑριθείας, “the men of (i.e. siding with) love; the men of (i.e. siding with) faction.” But this strains the construction, certainly of Php 1:16, and it is needless.
τὸν Χριστὸν καταγγέλλουσιν. “Are proclaiming the Christ.” Καταγγέλλω (rare in classical Greek, where it sometimes means “to de-nounce”; nowhere in Greek O. T., except two places in Apocrypha) is to announce tidings with emphasis, or publicity.—It is a sorrowful paradox, but abundantly illustrated, that the true CHRIST could be emphatically and in a sense earnestly proclaimed with a wrong motive, οὐχ ἁγνῶς.
οἰόμενοι. The word seems to suggest, with a sort of gentle irony, that this “thought” was wide of the fact.
θλίψιν ἐγείρειν τοῖς δεσμοῖς μου. Lightfoot suggests the paraphrase “to make my chains gall me.” But the physical reference of θλίψις (not so of θλίβειν) is extremely rare, and in Biblical Greek otherwise unknown; and the phrase seems forced and unlikely. The R.V. paraphrases well, “Thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds.” So Alford. Vulgate, pressuram (a word familiar for “trouble”) suscitare. These Anti-Paulines would “raise up trouble” for him, so they “thought,” by preventing the access of enquirers or converts to the imprisoned Apostle; a severe test to his faith and patience.