Philippians 2

Philippians 2:3

That ye do nothing out of opposition and contention one against another, nothing ambitiously or ostentatiously, but on the contrary do all things with that quietness and humbleness, as if ye had every one a better opinion of the other’s wisdom and piety than his own.

Philippians 2:4

And to this end let not men look so intently on those gifts and abilities which they discern in themselves, but let them withal, and much rather, consider the gifts and abilities of other men more eminent than they. And this will be an expedient toward the performing of that which is required, ver. 3.

Philippians 2:6

Who being truly God, thought it no encroachment to be in equality with his Father.

[a] form of God] Μορφὴ signifies not only an external and accidental form, as Mark xvi. 12, nor at all an image or picture (as μόρφωσις seems to do, Rom. ii. 20. 2 Tim. iii. 5, and is rendered by Hesychius, σχηματισμός, εἰκών, a personation or image,) but it is taken also in good authors for an internal essential form or being. Thus in Æschylus, speaking of θέμις καὶ γαῖα, they are, saith he,

πολλῶν ὀνομάτων μορφὴ μία.

one form, that is, thing, under divers names. The words of Phavorinus are most observable for the explication of this place, Μορφὴ τὸ καθ’ ἰαυτὸ ὄν, καὶ κοινωνίας ἑτέρου εἰς τὸ εἶναι οὐ δεόμενον; the word signifies, that which hath a being of itself, and needs not the assistance of another to its being; and again, Μορφὴ κυρίως ἡ οὐσία, it properly signifies, essence; and then cites these very words, δὲ ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, which is, saith he, ἐν οὐσίᾳ Θεοῦ γινωσκόμενος, known in the essence of God, being God, and by the rays and beams of his divinity (shining even in his first conception and birth) discerned and known to be so. This here appears to be the notion of the word by μορφὴν δούλου, the form of a servant, that follows, ver. 7, for that was not only an external, but also a real form: he was really a servant of God’s, in his human nature undertaking an office designed him by God, and most strictly obeying him in all things; and ἠλάττωσας αὐτὸν βροχύ τι παρ’ ἀγγέλους, Heb. ii. 7, he was a little lower, or for a little while (the time that he spent here on earth) lower than the angels, who we know are the servants of God: and so the words ὁμοίωμα and σχῆμα, ver. 8, (which frequently signify likeness and external habit and forms,) do here signify that outward appearance, which doth not exclude, but include the inward being and reality; for it is certain, and by all acknowledged, that he was really a man, and not only in likeness and appearance so. Thus doth Theophylact interpret it, Μορφὴ γὰρ Θεοῦ ἡ οὐσία λέγεται, “The form of God signifies his essence, ὥσπερ μορφὴ δούλου ἡ φύσις, “as the form of a servant is the nature of a servant.” This being thus evident of this first phrase, ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, where Christ’s divinity is asserted, and that precedaneous to his humiliation, and as the terminus a quo, the term of elevation from which his exination and humiliation takes the rise, and is much increased thereby, there would now be little gained to the cause of the Photinians, or Arians, in case the phrase that follows, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα τῷ Θεῷ, which we render, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, should appear to be mistaken. For when it is once acknowledged that Christ was God before his assumption of our human nature, and that being really God, or ὑπάρχων, subsisting in the real form of God, he took our humanity upon him, it is by necessary consequence concluded that he was equal with God, which is all that is pretended by any from this second phrase. For as to them that affirm Christ a Deus factus, a God that had a beginning of being so, and from thence deny his equality with the Father, it is evident that they date his divinity from his

Philippians 2:7

And yet being thus, (the eternal word of God,) he set himself at nought, lessened and humbled himself from the condition of being Lord of all, to that of a subject and ordinary man:

[b; made himself of no reputation] Κενόω signifies to lessen, diminish; so Phavorinus, Κενωθῇ, ἐλάττωσιν ὑπομείνῃ, to suffer or undergo diminution: so the Hebrew, לְהָא, which, Jer xiv. 4, and xv. 9, is rendered κενόω, to empty, is, Joel i. 10. 12. Nehem. i. 4, ὀλιγόω, to diminish, and Hos. iv. 3, σμικρύνω, to make little.

Philippians 2:8

And being by his incarnation thus low in the nature and all the outward deportment and guise of a man, he yet humbled himself lower, to death, even

Philippians 2:12

[c] fear and trembling] That the phrase μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου, with fear and trembling, signifies μετὰ ταπεινοφροσύνης, with humility, is ordinarily said from the ancients, and is confirmed by ‘St. Chrysostom, using it of the angels, Ἀγγελικαὶ δυνάμεις παριστάμεναι μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου οἱ χερουβίμ, κατακαλύπτοντες τὰ πρόσωπα, οἱ σεραφεὶμ κράζοντες τρόμῳ, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος Κύριος. “The angelical powers assist with fear and trembling, the cherubims hide their faces, the seraphims cry with trembling, Holy, holy, holy Lord,” &c. And thus it may here have a very commodious sense, so as to be answerable to those words in the second part of this speech, ver. 13, for God worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure, which is a foundation of all humility. But the notion of the phrase in other places of these books seems to imply something more, not only lowliness of mind, but diligence and caution, and solicitude, and fear of displeasing, as a qualification of obedience, (and so, fearing the Lord with all the heart and soul, Deut. x. 12, consists in keeping his commandments, &c.) such as will be required to render it acceptable to God. Thus, Ephes. vi. 5, servants, obey your masters with fear and trembling; that is, a very great fear of offending, terror, or trembling, lest they should do any thing amiss. So 2 Cor. vii. 15, upon St. Paul’s orders of severity, ver. 9, either delivered by Titus, or made known to him by St. Paul, ver. 14, (and so he an officer of St. Paul’s, sent to see how they behaved themselves under it.) Titus tells him of the Corinthians’ obedience, (ὑπακοὴν again) ὡς μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου ἐδέξασθε αὐτὸν, how with fear and trembling ye received him, that is, entertained him and his message from Paul with all readiness of obedience, all diligence, and fear, and zeal, ver. 11, to approve yourselves unto him. Thus ἐν φόβῳ, in fear, signifies, 1 Pet. i. 17, with all diligence and care to approve themselves to God; and so, 2 Cor. vii. 1, in the fear of God is the qualification of their cleansing from all filthiness, and perfecting holiness: and Heb. xii. 28, as the qualification of serving God acceptably, is added, μετὰ αἰδοὺς καὶ εὐλυβείας, with reverence

Philippians 2:13

[d] worketh in you both to will—] The word ὁ ἐνεργῶν, that worketh, being joined with ἐν ὑμῖν, in you, on one side, and with ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐδοκίας, of his good pleasure, on the other side, must in reason so be interpreted, as shall be most directly answerable to the exhortation given to them, ver. 12, of working out their own salvation with fear and trembling. To which it will be consequent, that as this which is done by God is done of his own free mercy, without any merit of ours which may claim it from him, and therefore requires not only our humility, but our diligence and caution and solicitude, and fear of displeasing so gracious a Father, who may, if he be provoked by our unworthiness, withdraw it from us; so it is not to be conceived to be wrought by God in such an irresistible manner, as that it shall be impossible for those in whom God thus works to contradict or resist his working. For if it were so, there could be no place for the exhortation to do that which could not be otherwise, to work out their own salvation, &c. To work then in us the τὸ θέλειν καὶ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν, the willing and the acting, or operating, is the giving us that strength, working in us those abilities, which are required to our willing, or working, as necessary to prepare and assist us to do either. So (God’s χαρίσματα and ἐνεργήματα, gifts and operations, being all one) δοῦναι λατρεύειν, to give to serve him, Luke i. 74, signifies his affording that grace which enables us to serve him, not which foreth or necessitateth us to do so. The king’s MS. here adds the word δυνάμει, by his power, which as it agrees well with this sense, so hath it a farther energy in it, to encourage our diligence, which is wont to be disheartened by the difficulty and impossibility of the task. Be we never so weak and insufficient of ourselves, God hath all-sufficient strength, and by that strength of his he worketh in us the willing and the doing: and so if we be not wanting to ourselves, but work, and work out our own salvation with all diligence, we shall have no reason to complain of want of strength, we are able to do what he requires of us, διὰ τοῦ ἐνδυναμοῦντος, through him that strengtheneth us.

Philippians 2:14

And let your obedience be cheerful, without any querulousness or reluctances, without questioning or disputing of commands.

Philippians 2:15

That ye may be unreprovable before men and God,

Philippians 2:16

Persevering in the acknowledgment and practice of the Christian doctrine, which will be matter of great comfort to me, and rejoicing, in the great day of retributions, that my apostleship hath been so successful among you.

Philippians 2:17

And if, as in the law the wine was poured out on the sacrifice, so it fall out that my blood, like wine, be poured out for the offering you up a sacrifice to God, that is, in bringing you in to the faith, this will be matter of infinite joy unto me.

[e] offered upon the sacrifice] The word σπένδομαι denotes the pouring out of wine upon the sacrifice; ἡ τοῦ οἴνου ἑκχυσὶς εἰς τὰ ἱερουργήματα, the effusion of wine on the sacrifices, saith Ammonius, of σπονδὴ, and ὁ ἐπιχεόμενος ταῖς θυσίαις οἶνος, saith Hesychius, wine poured out on

HAMMOND ANNOTT. VOL. II. a

Philippians 2:20

For I have no man that I can fully trust to tend your business entirely, unless it be Timothy.

[f] no man likeminded] The notion of ἰσόψυχος among Greek authors is clear all one with ἴσος ἐμῇ ψυχῇ, equal to my soul, a second self, most dear to me, such as Patroclus to Achilles in Homer, whom, saith he, I love ἴσον ἐμῇ κεφαλῇ, equal to my head, or life. Thus also the Greek interpreters of the Psalms use it, psal. iv. 14, σὺ δὲ ἄνθρωπε ἰσόψυχε, ἡγεμὼν μου καὶ γνωστὶ μου, thou my companion, my guide, and my known friend. This therefore in all reason is to be the meaning of it here also, not to express what care Timothy had of the Philippians, (for that is said in the next words, ὅστις γνησίως τὰ ὑμῶν μεριμνήσει, who will sincerely take care of your affairs,) but how dearly valued he was by Paul, so that when he came to them, they should think a second Paul was come to them. If there were any difficulty in this rendering, or place for conjecture, a man might guess St. Paul to have written either σύζυγον or ἰσόζυγον, the first used by this apostle in this epistle, ch. iv. 3, γνήσιε σύζυγε, true yokefellow, and the latter of the same signification, he that draws in another yoke. So I suppose the gloss in Hesychius must be read, not ἰσοζύγιον, ἴσον, ζυγῷ ἀντίσηκον, but ἰσόζυγον, ἴσον ζυγῷ, ἀντίζυγον, and so in Phavorinus also. But there is no reason to doubt the reading ἰσόψυχον, nor to fly to this or any other uncertain conjecture.

Philippians 2:21

For divers of those which were assistant to me in preaching the gospel have left me, and betaken themselves to their several affairs: see note [a] 1 Tim. iii.

Philippians 2:22

But for Timothy you know what experience I have had of him, how in the preaching the gospel he assisted me, taking all the pains of a servant, and

Philippians 2:23

Him therefore I mean to despatch to you, as soon as I discern what is now likely to befall me, how I shall presently be disposed of here.

Philippians 2:24

And through God’s mercy I verily hope and persuade myself that I shall soon be set at liberty, so come to you personally within a while.

Philippians 2:25

In the mean time I thought it necessary to return to you Epaphroditus, one that hath been my partner of labour and danger also, and is your bishop, set over your church, (see note [b] Rom. xvi.) and he which by you hath been enabled to relieve me in my necessities.

Philippians 2:26

For he had an earnest desire to return to you, and was exceedingly disquieted to think what sorrow the report of his sickness brought to you. ᵃ not permitting me to be overburdened with the addition of one grief unto another, his death to my imprisonment.

Philippians 2:28

In which respect I was the more careful to send him, that ye may see how well he is recovered, and be cheered up concerning him, and that the knowledge of that may remove a sorrow from me, who have had an accession to my sorrow from his danger, by thinking what sadness the news of it would cost you.

Philippians 2:30

For it was in the cause of Christ, in the preaching of the gospel, that he was in danger of death, setting no value on his life, that he might bring me relief, and so do that which you, by reason of your absence and far distance, were not able to do; see note [b] Mark xii.

¹⁹ as soon as I see the things concerning myself presently, ὡς ἐν ἀπίθω τὰ περὶ ἐμί, ἐξαντῆς.

²⁰ have confidence, πέποιθα. ²¹ apostle, ἀπόστολον. ²² Or, to see you all: for the King’s

MS. reads ὑμᾶς ἐθεῖν. ²³ account such men precious, τοὺς τοιούτους ἐντίμους ἔχετε.

²⁴ venturing his life that he might supply your defect of ministering to me, παραβ.—ἵνα ἀνα-

πληρώσῃ τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα τῆς πρὸς με λειτουργίας.

[g] not regarding] The word παραβουλευσάμενος is not ordinarily to be met with, unless in Hesychius and Phavorinus and other glossaries, which seem not only to have taken it from hence, but also to have read the word παραβολευσάμενος, (though the impressions have it otherwise,) for they place it betwixt παραβολή and παραβόλιον, which would not be done according to the order of the letters, if it had been παραβουλ. It is therefore very probable that the reading here should be παραβολευσάμενος τῇ ψυχῇ: so παράβολος, in Aristophanes, is ῥιψο-κίνδυνος, he that casts himself into danger, (in which sense we have παραβεβλημένος, 2 Macc. xiv. 38,) which is the very notion of this word in Hesychius, εἰς θάνατον αὐτὸν ἐκδιδούς, one that gives himself up to death; for so saith Phavorinus the phrases are usual, παραβάλλομαι