Philippians 2:3

[Let] nothing [be done] through strife,.... About words merely; otherwise they were to strive for the faith of the Gospel, the purity of Gospel ordinances, worship and discipline; but the apostle

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Let nothing be done. The italicized words are not in the Greek.

Here, the better to engage them to embrace what he had so pathetically exhorted them to, he doth dissuade them from animosity, an affectation of applause, and self-seeking; and direct them to modesty and self-denial. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory; intitnating, they should by no means indulge all inordinate affection to strive and quarrel with one another, provoking each other by an ambitious emulation to cross or excel others; this arguing a carnal temper, opposite to true Christianity, ,24,26, being the very bane of true Christian concord, , and destructive to faith, . But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves; but cherish and exercise true Christian modesty and meekness, (which is of another kind than that the heathen philosophers did prescribe), in a due preference of each other, 5:21 ; as the apostle himself gave example, ,9. Question. If any say: How is this consistent with what the apostle writes to them to think of praise and good report, , and of himself, not a whit, and nothing, behind the very chiefest apostles? 12:11; and further, how can some think others better than themselves in truth, unless they reckon good evil and evil good? I answer, 1. Be sure Christian modesty and real humility, with prudence and mildness, are very commendable graces, and in the sight of God of great price, . And therefore what he doth afterwards exhort to in this Epistle, doth very well agree with what he doth write here; where: 2. He is treating of grace and godliness, whereas in those places to the Corinthians he writes of some certain gifts, which, by reason of the insinuations of false apostles against him, he was necessitated, in magnifying of his apostolical office and authority, , to mention, being as it were compelled to it by the ingratitude of some of them at Corinth who had been influenced by the false apostles, ,6; yet you may see there, he doth not glory of himself, or his person, but acknowledges his infirmities, , and that unfeignedly, speaking the truth every where, , which he makes evident to them from the nature of the thing itself, ,13,15,16 12:12; appealing to God, as witness in the case, , referring all the glorying the, put him upon, to the grace of God through Christ, , when they had cast contempt on his ministry, ,18. So that in respect of gifts and external privileges, wherein are distinctions of superiors and inferiors, , he doth not urge that every Christian should prefer every other to himself, wherein it is evident there is a real difference; but in respect of the persons, the honesty and piety of others in God’ s sight, (lest a man, by thinking himself something when he is nothing, should deceive himself; ), since in his judgment they may be endowed with some hidden quality we know not of, and be accepted with him. Hence: 3.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Ver. 3. Let nothing be done through strife] These are those hell hags that set the Church on fire, φιλονεικεια and φιλαρχια: if these men could be cast out of men’ s hearts, great hopes there were, πανταςειςτοθειονκηρυγμαομοφωνωςκαιορθοδοξωςσυνδραμειν, as Isidore hath it, that all men would soon consent in one and the same truth, and be at peace among themselves. Let each esteem other better than themselves] Non minus vere, quam humiliter, as Bernard glosseth; because in some gift or other, at least in the measure or use, another may be better than us.

(3) This verse expresses the negative result of this unity of soul—that nothing will be done in “strife,” that is, factiousness (the word used in Philippians 1:17), or “vainglory”—nothing, that is, with the desire either of personal influence or of personal glory. “For,” he adds, “each will esteem other better than himself,” or, rather, will hold that his neighbour is worthy of higher consideration and a higher place of dignity than himself (comp. the use of the word in Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13, of temporal dignity); for the idea is of the ascription to others, not of moral superiority, but of higher place and honour. Self-assertion will be entirely overborne. So he teaches us elsewhere that “charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5).

Verse 3. Let nothing be done through strife] Never be opposed to each other; never act from separate interests; ye are all brethren, and of one body; therefore let every member feel and labour for the welfare of the whole. And, in the exercise of your different functions, and in the use of your various gifts, do nothing so as to promote your own reputation, separately considered from the comfort, honour, and advantage of all. But in lowliness of mind] Have always an humbling view of yourselves, and this will lead you to prefer others to yourselves; for, as you know your own secret defects, charity will lead you to suppose that your brethren are more holy, and more devoted to God than you are; and they will think the same of you, their secret defects also being known only to themselves.

3. Let nothing be done] The briefer original, in which no verb appears, is very forcible, but would be exaggerated in a literal rendering.—Observe the totality of the prohibition. It is a rule for all Christian lives at all times.through] Lit. “according to,” on the principles of.strife] The same word as above, Philippians 1:16; see note. And see p. 16 for Ignatius’ use of the word.—R.V. “faction.” Only, the word may denote not merely the combined self-seeking of partizanship, but also a solitary ambition, working by intrigue.in lowliness of mind] The Greek (dative) may be more precisely represented by in respect of lowliness, &c. Their lowliness was to be embodied in, and proved by, what he now describes.“Lowliness of mind:”—essentially a Christian grace. The word itself (one Greek word is represented by the three English words) is not found in Greek before the N.T. And kindred words in the classics are always used in a tone of blame, as of a defect of proper courage and self-assertion. This fact is deeply suggestive. In its essential principles the mighty positive morality of the Gospel is based on the profound negative of the surrender and dethronement of self before a Redeeming Lord who has had compassion on perfectly unworthy objects. The world’s “poor spirited,” and the Lord’s “poor in spirit,” are phrases used in very different tones.let each esteem other] Lit., “mutually counting others superior to (your-) selves.”—The precept is to be read in the light of the Holy Spirit’s illumination of the individual conscience. Even where one Christian might see another to be manifestly less gifted than himself, spiritually or otherwise, yet “if the endowments, and the obligations connected with them, were properly estimated, they would rather conduce to humble than to exalt” (Scott). And in any case, where the man habitually viewed himself in the contrasted light of the Divine holiness, with that insight which belongs to self-knowledge alone, he would respond instinctively to this precept.

Let nothing be done through strife - With a spirit of contention. This command forbids us to do anything, or attempt anything as the mere result of strife.

3. Exhortation to self-forgetting love, Philippians 2:3-18.3.