Philippians 1:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does it mean, “that I am set for the defense of the Gospel”? It means that they lighten my responsibility before God and, in some way, help me in giving an answer. The Apostle speaks as if to say: I have been commanded to preach, and I will have to give account and answer for the work commanded to me. Therefore they help me, so that it has become easier for me to answer. If many are found instructed and believing, it will be easy for me to answer. And “the others from love”; here again he speaks of his brethren.

That is, others preach the Gospel out of love both for God and for me. They know that I must render an account for the preaching, and for this reason they assist me in this work. If many join themselves to my preaching, it will be easy for me to defend the Gospel. In this way they assist me, teaching many.

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?

Others, however, proclaim Christ out of rivalry with us and not from pure motives. In their preaching they introduce certain words in order, through such additions, to bring distress upon my bonds.

Others, says the Apostle, preach sincerely, relying on my bonds. They clearly know that the Master God appointed me as a preacher of the Gospel.

“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.

The others proclaim Christ from love, both for the Lord and for me (Oecumenius, Blessed Theophylact). One may add: for the holy faith and the Gospel concerning it.

Although what follows shows that their love was more for the Apostle, it could not have existed alone, without love for the Lord and for the work of salvation accomplished by Him.

“Knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Gospel.” This defense of the Gospel may be understood both before God and before Caesar.

If the latter is meant, the thought is this: knowing that I must answer before the government, they act cautiously in preaching, according to my direction and guidance. They do this so that by unreasonable action they may not provoke the authorities and raise a storm against me.