Philippians 1:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The meaning of these words is worthy of investigation. Since Paul was in bonds, many unbelievers wished to provoke the king to cruel persecution. They themselves preached Christ, so that by spreading the preaching they might increase the king’s anger.

They wished to turn all his fury upon Paul’s head. Therefore the bonds produced a twofold effect. In some they stirred great boldness. Others, encouraged by the hope of my destruction, were disposed to preach Christ.

“Some indeed from envy,” that is, those who envied my glory and good beginning, desired my destruction, and competed with me, were helping me. Or else they thought to diminish my glory somewhat, so that they themselves might be held in honor.

“But others from good will,” that is, without hypocrisy, with all zeal.

After Paul was seized, many unbelievers began to preach Christ, wishing by this to rouse Nero to greater wrath. They wanted him to put Paul to death as quickly as possible, since through him the preaching was spreading everywhere. This is what the words “from envy and rivalry” mean. Or else, they began to preach Christ because they themselves wished to receive honor and to take something away from my glory. Others, he says, preached Christ with good will, that is, without hypocrisy and truly.

But the holy Apostle Paul himself, who said, “I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state; for all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:20-21), elsewhere distinguishes between hirelings and sons.

See what he said: “Some preach Christ from envy and rivalry, and others from good will. The latter do so from love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Gospel. The former preach Christ from rivalry, not sincerely, thinking to add affliction to my bonds” (cf. Phil 1:15-17).

These were hirelings who envied the Apostle Paul. Why did they envy him, if not because they sought what is passing away?

But when certain outsiders saw that the evangelists of the Word of God gained love and honor for themselves, some of them out of envy, and others out of rivalry, became preachers of the Word, which once they had not desired.

Paul says that many of the brethren, following his example, began with greater boldness to preach the word of God without fear. His steadfastness inspired many to preach the Gospel. By the Apostle’s example they learn that God is near and guards those who love Him. But, Paul says, certain false brethren preach the word of God not from faith and not from love for God, but because they are seized by envy.

But not all have one thought, because some do this from ardent disposition toward piety. Others, because of hostility toward me, strive thereby to increase my affliction. The Apostle shows this in the following words: v. 16, “The one preach Christ from rivalry, not sincerely, thinking to increase the weight of my bonds.”

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.” Even in Rome the malice of the Judaizers did not leave the Apostle, having pursued him everywhere he appeared.

Since Paul was under guard and could preach only to those who came to him, the successes of the Gospel might not have been very extensive. The zeal of the disciples helped the Apostle in this case.

They went through the squares and streets of the vast city, spreading the Gospel and taking the place of the Apostle, upon whom lay the duty of preaching to all.

“Granted,” the Apostle adds, “not all do this from love. Granted, some do this not sincerely,” that is, not only not from love for me, but on the contrary “from envy and rivalry, thinking to increase the weight of my bonds.” How is this so? It must be that these petty men, out of zeal, wished to outstrip the Apostle and leave him behind. Or they even acted against him, contrary to his directives and plans (Bishop Theophan).

Together with the true preachers of the faith, people not called to this also began speaking about Christ. But the Apostle is not troubled by this.

He looks to the essence of the matter, the spread of the Gospel in its chief content. He leaves the details to be clarified in the further movement of Christian preaching.

At the same time, the preachers had different motives. Some preached from faith and sympathy for the Apostle, in order to support his work. Others did this from envy, to acquire their own glory.

Others found a way to speak about the Gospel of Christ so that through this they would only increase the Apostle’s sufferings.

Yet, while depicting the beneficial effect of his bonds, the Apostle does not wish to be silent about some of their sorrowful consequences.

Among the Roman Christians there were some who, during Paul’s imprisonment, began to preach about Christ while being guided by immoral motives. They acted from envy of the success of Paul’s preaching and from hostility.

This hostility was stirred in them by certain features of the teaching of the Apostle Paul. In all likelihood, the Apostle has in mind a few teachers of a Judaizing tendency.

The Apostle is also not entirely satisfied with those preachers who were guided in their activity only by a subjective feeling of attachment to his teaching. They did not have firm and well-founded conviction in its truth.

Where God’s sowers had sown, there the enemy also arrived with his tares. Among good and well-intentioned preachers, ill-intentioned ones also mingled. Who were they?

They were not people of false doctrine, Judaizers, for example. In that case the Apostle could in no way have said, “In every way Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice.” How could he rejoice in the spread of false teaching?

Especially concerning Judaizers, St. Paul could never speak indifferently. To accept their teaching, according to him, means to fall away from Christ. What joy could he have in that?