Philippians 1:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In another epistle he said, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do this with joy and not with sighing” (Heb 13:17). If the disorder of disciples produces sighing in the teacher, then their progress produces joy. Therefore the Apostle’s words have this meaning: whenever I remember you, I always praise God. He does this because he knew many virtues in them.

Whenever I remember you, says the Apostle, and I do this always, I glorify God because you have made such progress in virtue. Yet, although you are so glorious in divine things, ...

“I thank my God at every remembrance of you,” which is daily. That is, because of the good remembrance of the persecutions that you always endure. Perhaps he remembered daily, and never forgot, the good they had done for the Apostle during his persecution in Philippi.

As I remember you without ceasing, I am filled with every joy. I hymn the God of all because you received the evangelical preaching with zeal, and to this day have remained unshaken. The Apostle called faith “fellowship in the gospel.”

Phil 1:3-11. The Apostle tells the Philippians that he "thanks God at every remembrance of them," and "with joy makes prayer for them all," for their participation in the Gospel through works of charity.

He calls God to witness that he loves them all with the love of Jesus Christ. He prays "that their love may abound yet more and more."

He prays that, "discerning what is excellent," that is, being perfected in spiritual knowledge and spiritual perception, which precisely distinguishes good from evil, they may prove "pure and blameless for the day of Christ."

This means the universal judgment of Christ. They are to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, to the glory and praise of God.

The Apostle begins his Epistle with thanksgiving to God for the memorable work of the Gospel in Philippi. This was clearly expressed in their constant assistance, according to their ability, to the Gospel.

It appeared especially joyfully in their sending him help through Epaphroditus. St. John Chrysostom paraphrases the Apostle's words thus: "Whenever I remember you, I always praise God."

This explanation shows that the Slavonic word "your" should be understood as equivalent to "you," υμων.

According to Bishop Theophan, "the Apostle here gives due value to the good that the Philippians showed him. Yet he does not refer this directly to them, but to God, as the source of every good and the first Founder and Guardian of the Gospel.

Then the Apostle says that he cannot remember the Philippians without a feeling of thanksgiving to God. The Apostle’s thanksgiving takes the form of prayerful supplication (δβησείς), is offered constantly, and indeed for all members of the Church without distinction. Finally, this prayer of the Apostle is offered by him in a joyful and radiant disposition of spirit (vv. 3-4).

As he begins his Epistle, the Apostle gives due value to the good that the Philippians had shown him. Yet he does not refer this directly to them, but to God, the source of every good and the first Founder and Guardian of the Gospel.

From the very first words he teaches them not to ascribe their own good to themselves, but to God, without whom nothing truly good succeeds.

"I thank," he says, "my God." God is God of all. Yet the Apostle claims Him as his own because of his closest and most sincere communion with Him.

He also claims Him because of the assurance, never absent from his attention and feeling, that God especially keeps and guards him, covers him and guides him. Consciousness of God as one's own God belongs to those perfected in the spiritual life.