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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Philippians 1:26 - 1:26
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26. καύχημα. A favourite word with St Paul, and especially in Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians; a fact bearing on the date of this Epistle. See Introduction, ch. ii. Καύχημα is an act of exultation, of glorying; or otherwise (see Lightfoot on Gal 6:4) a ground for exultation, as distinct from καύχησις, the exultation itself. This distinction however must not be over-drawn, as there is a tendency, in later Greek especially, to blend the meanings of nouns in -μα and -σις.
περισσεύῃ. Again a favourite word with St Paul, and in the Epistles named in the last note.
ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. The “glorying,” like all the actions of the Christian’s spirit, was to be conditioned by his life in Christ.
ἐν ἐμοὶ. Here ἐν doubtless means “in the case of,” “on occasion of.” Cp. Gal 1:24, and (a close parallel) 2Th 1:4, ὥστε ἡμᾶς … ἐν ὑμῖν καυχᾶσθαι. This variation in the rendering of ἐν (see last note) is not capricious. The phrase ἐν Χριστῷ was, so to speak, stereo-typed in its reference to the mystical Union; this phrase was familiar in another reference. St Paul was to be their occasion of “glorying,” because his restoration to them would be an example of their Lord’s faithful love to them.
διὰ τῆς ἐμῆς παρουσίας πάλιν πρὸς ὑμᾶς. We may paraphrase, “through my return (πάλιν, rursus) to you and presence with you.” R.V., “through my presence with you again.” Yet the A.V., “by my coming to you again,” is probably better as a short rendering. Παρουσία is literally “presence,” but by usage it often denotes a coming into presence, so as almost to absorb the thought of “presence” in that of “coming.” Cp. e.g. 1Th 4:16, where the subject is the great παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου, the hope of the Church.