Lectures, Explanatory and Practical, on the Epistle of St. Paul to the ... - Manton Eastburn - Google Books

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. 1-6.-Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all

the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and dea-

cons: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and from the

Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For

your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now: Being confident

of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will per-

form it until the day of Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER I. 7-11.-Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all,

because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the

defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of

Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and

more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that

are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of

Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus

Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

CHAPTER I. 12—18.—But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the

things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance

of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and

in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident

by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some

indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will.

The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add afflic-

tion to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the

defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether

in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and

CHAPTER I. 19-24.-For I know that this shall turn to my salvation

through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According

to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed,

but that with all boldness, as'always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in

my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For me to live is Christ, and to

die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what

I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire

to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless, to abide

in the flesh is more needful for you.

2

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CHAPTER I. 25—30.—And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide

and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your

rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you

again. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ;

that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your

affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for

the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which

is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of

God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on

him, but also to suffer for his sake; Having the same conflict which ye saw

in me, and now hear to be in me.

CHAPTER II. 1-4.-If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any com-

fort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye

my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of

one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowli-

ness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every

man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. page 69

CHAPTER II. 5-11.-Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ

Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal

with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form

of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in

fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even

the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and

given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things

under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is

Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

CHAPTER II. 12-16.—Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed,

not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out

your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh

in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without

murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the

sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,

among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life;

that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither

laboured in vain.

CHAPTER II. 17-23.-Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and ser-

vice of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also

do ye joy, and rejoice with me. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timo-

theus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know

your state. For I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your

state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But

ye know the proof of him, that as a son with the father, he hath served with

me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall

see how it will go with me.

CHAPTER II. 24-30.—But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come

shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my

brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger,

and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was

full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For

indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not

on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent

him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice,

and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord

with all gladness; and hold such in reputation. Because for the work of

Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life to supply your lack of

service toward me.

CHAPTER III. 1—3.—Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write

the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

Beware of dogs, beware of evil-workers, beware of the concision. For we

are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ

Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

CHAPTER III. 4-9.-Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.

If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I

more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of

Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which

is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss

for Christ. Yea doubtless,and I count all things but loss for the excellency of

the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss

of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be

found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but

that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God

CHAPTER III. 10-14.-That I may know him, and the power of his resur-

rection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto

his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I

follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended

of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but

this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching

forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the

prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

CHAPTER III. 15-19.-Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus

minded and if any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even

this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk

by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers

together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensam-

ple. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you

even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end

is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame,

who mind earthly things.)

CHAPTER III. 20. 21. IV. 1-3.-For our conversation is in heaven; from

whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; Who shall

change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,

according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto

himself. Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and

crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech Euodias, and

beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. And I

entreat thee also, true yoke-fellow, help those women which laboured with

me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow-labourers,

whose names are in the book of life.

CHAPTER IV. 4-9.-Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be

careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with

thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace

of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds

through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, what-

soever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are

pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen

in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

CHAPTER IV. 10-16.-But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the

last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful,

but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have

learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how

to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where, and in all things, I

am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer

need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Not-

withstanding, ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

Now, ye Philippians, know also, that in the beginning of the gospel when

I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning

giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once

and again unto my necessity.

CHAPTER IV. 17-23.-Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that

may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, hav-

ing received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour

of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. But my God

shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Salute

every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.

All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Cesar's household. The

grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
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LECTURE I.

CHAPTER I. 1-6.

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

WHEN the Apostle began the composition of this letter to the believers of Philippi, he was under the influence of that most affecting recollection, that he had been the instrument, under Providence, of their conversion "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." While St. Paul was at Troas, he beheld in the night, as we are informed in the sixteenth chapter of the Acts, the vision of a man of Macedonia; who, in a supplicating voice, cried, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us." The summons was immediately obeyed; the gospel was proclaimed, in all its grace and fulness, to the inhabitants of that unenlightened region; and among those who, at Philippi, were brought to a knowledge

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