Philippians 1:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here the Apostle expresses his great love for the Philippians. He held them in his heart and remembered them even in prison, while he was in chains. It is no small praise for people to be remembered by this saint.

The love of this saint does not come from prejudice, but from sound judgment and true understanding. Therefore, to be loved so greatly by Paul is a sure sign of a great and admirable man.

"In the defense," he says, "and confirmation of the gospel." What wonder is it if he held them in his heart while in prison? Even when I was brought into court to make my defense, he says, you did not depart from my memory.

Spiritual love is so strong that no circumstance overcomes it. It always possesses the soul of the one who loves, and it permits no sorrow or sickness to prevail. In the Babylonian furnace, amid so fierce a flame, there was dew for those blessed youths. So love, embracing the soul that loves and pleases God, quenches every flame and produces a wondrous dew.

"And confirmation of the gospel," he says. Thus the chains served to confirm and defend the Gospel. This is entirely right. If he had avoided chains, he would have shown himself a deceiver. But now, by enduring everything, both chains and afflictions, he clearly shows that he suffers this not for any human fault, but for the sake of God, the Rewarder.

No one would dare to die and expose himself to so many dangers. No one would dare to offend such a king, I mean Nero, unless his gaze were fixed on another King, incomparably higher. Therefore the chains were the confirmation of the Gospel.

See how abundantly he turned everything in the opposite direction. What was regarded as weakness and reproach he calls confirmation. If this had not happened, he would have been weak.

Then the Apostle shows that his love is not the fruit of prejudice, but of judgment. How? I have you, he says, in my heart, in my chains and in my defense, because you are partakers of grace.

What does this mean? Was it grace for the Apostle to be bound in chains, persecuted, and to endure countless calamities? Truly so, for it is said: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9). "Therefore," he says, "I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults" (2 Cor 12:10).

Since I see that you prove this virtue by deeds and share in this grace with zeal, I do not judge thus about you without reason. I have tested you and know you and your virtues better than all. Though you are so far from us, you strive not to be separated from us in afflictions, but to share in temptations for the Gospel.

Therefore I must rightly bear witness that, though far from me, you contend no less than I, who have entered these contests.

Why then did he not say "partners," but "fellow partakers"? I myself, he says, am a partner of another, so as to be a sharer in the Gospel, that is, to have a share in the good things prepared for the Gospel.

This too is worthy of wonder, that all of them were so disposed that they could be called Paul's fellow sharers. "Fellow partakers," he says, "with me of grace." These firstfruits give me confidence that you will remain such to the end. It cannot be that so brilliant a beginning should be quenched and destroyed. Rather, it will have a glorious end.

Since one may share in grace, dangers, and afflictions in another way also, I beg you, let us also strive to become partakers. How many of those standing here, or rather all of you, would wish to be fellow partakers with Paul in the good things prepared!

This is possible if you wish to assist and help those who have received his ministry, and who suffer some misfortune for Christ. Do you see a brother in temptation? Stretch out your hand to help. Do you see a teacher in struggle? Help him.

But you will say, there is no one equal to Paul. This is both pride and condemnation. I too agree that there is no one equal to Paul. Yet it is said: "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward" (Mt 10:41).

Did the Philippians earn praise because they assisted Paul? No, but because they assisted one who had taken upon himself the preaching. Paul was worthy of honor because he suffered so much for Christ.

There is no one equal to Paul. What am I saying, equal to Paul? There is not even anyone close to that blessed man. Yet the preaching is the same now as it was then.

They were his fellow partakers not only when he was in chains, but from the very beginning of the preaching. Listen to what he himself says: "You Philippians know that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in giving and receiving except you only" (Phil 4:15).

Besides temptations, a teacher has much labor, vigilance, struggle in the word, teaching, displeasures, reproaches, rebuke, and envy. Is it easy to endure this from a thousand tongues, when one must also care for one's own affairs?

What shall I do? I am placed between two difficulties. I wish to urge you and entreat you to assist and help the saints of God. Yet I fear that someone may suppose I say this not for your sake, but for theirs.

Know, then, that I say this not for their sake, but for your own. If you wish to listen, I will present the proofs themselves to persuade you. The benefit is not the same for you and for them.

If you give, you give what, a little later, willingly or unwillingly, you will leave and surrender to others. What you receive is far more important and greater. Or are you not convinced that through giving you will receive? If you are not convinced, then I do not want you to give.

Thus I do not speak for their sake. If someone is not first convinced that he receives more than he gives, that he receives the greatest benefit, and that he is benefited more than he benefits, let him not give. If anyone thinks he is showing mercy to the receiver, let him not give.

I am not so greatly concerned about feeding the saints. If you do not give, another will. If I desire anything, it is precisely that you receive relief from your sins. Whoever does not give with this disposition will not receive relief.

To give alms does not mean simply to give, but to give with zeal, joy, and gratitude toward the one who receives. "Not with grief," it is said, "or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7).

Therefore, if anyone does not give with this disposition, it is better that he not give. This is not almsgiving, but a useless expense. If you know that the benefit from this comes to you, and not to them, then know that it is more profitable for you.

Their body is nourished, while your soul becomes pleasing to God. When they receive, not one sin is forgiven them. But many transgressions are forgiven you.

Therefore let us take part in their contests, that we may also share with them in the great rewards. Those who adopt kings do not think that they give more than they receive. Adopt Christ for yourself, and you will be very secure.

Do you wish to be Paul's fellow partaker? But why do I say Paul's, when Christ Himself receives your alms?

Know, then, that I say and do everything for you, and that I am not concerned with giving rest to others. If any of the rulers of the Church lives in abundance and lacks nothing, then even if he is a saint, do not give to him. Prefer to him the poor man, even if he is not so honorable.

Why? Because Christ also wills this when He says: "When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, nor your brothers, nor your relatives. Invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, because they cannot repay you" (Lk 14:12-14).

Yes, one must not invite without discrimination, but those who hunger, thirst, are naked, strangers, and have fallen from wealth into poverty. Christ did not simply say, You fed Me, but, You fed Me when I was hungry. "You saw Me hungry," He says, "and fed Me" (Mt 25:35).

Here there is a double commandment. If we must feed every hungry man, much more must we feed a hungry saint. But if someone is holy yet has no need, do not give to him. This is useless, and Christ did not command it. Nor is he holy who is in abundance and receives.

Do you see that this is said not for our shameful gain, but for your benefit? Feed the hungry, so that you may not feed the fire of Gehenna with yourself. The hungry man receives part of your property and sanctifies the rest.

Think how the widow fed Elijah. She did not so much feed as she was fed. She did not so much give as she received. The same happens now, and even something far greater. The reward for such people is not flour and a vessel of oil, but something a hundredfold greater, eternal life.

There will be the mercy of God, and you will be spiritual food, a pure leaven. She was a widow, famine was raging, and nothing stopped her. She had children, but even this did not become an obstacle. She was like the woman who put in two mites.

She did not say to herself, What shall I receive from him? He asks food from me. If he had any power, he would not endure hunger. He would have stopped the drought and would not have fallen under the same calamities. Perhaps he too has offended God.

She thought none of this. Do you see how good it is to do good with simplicity, and not to be too inquisitive about the one receiving the benefit? If she had wished to investigate much, she would have been perplexed and would not have believed.

So too Abraham, if he had wished to investigate much, would not have received the angels. It never happens that one who is overly exacting in such matters receives a saint. Most often he falls among deceivers.

I will explain how this happens. The pious man does not wish to seem pious, and he does not assume such an appearance, even if he risks suffering for it. But the deceiver, whose trade is deceit, appears very pious, so that he is hard to recognize.

Thus the one who does good to people who seem impious falls upon the pious. But the one who seeks those reputed to be pious often falls upon the impious. Therefore I beg you, let us do everything in simplicity.

Suppose that a deceiver is before you. You have not been commanded to examine this. "Give to everyone who asks of you" (Lk 6:30). And again: "Rescue those being led away to death, and do not refuse those appointed to be slain" (Prov 24:11).

Though many who are put to death suffer it because they were caught in crimes, it is said that you must not spare your giving. Through this we shall become like God. Through this we shall be glorified and receive incorruptible good things. May we all be counted worthy of them by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Nero then cast him into prison. Imagine a robber entering a house while all are asleep and quietly taking everything for himself. If he sees someone lighting a lamp, he puts out the light and kills the one holding the lamp, so that he may fearlessly strip and plunder everything.

So also Nero, like a robber and breaker of walls, when all were sleeping in a deep and senseless sleep, plundered everyone. He tore apart marriages, destroyed homes, and displayed in himself every form of evil.

But when he saw Paul kindling throughout the world the lamp, the word of teaching, and exposing his wickedness, he strove to extinguish the preaching and kill the teacher. He wanted to do everything freely. Therefore he bound this saint and cast him into prison.

Then blessed Paul wrote this. Who will not be struck with awe? Who will not marvel? Or rather, who will be struck and marvel as is worthy at that noble and heaven-reaching soul? Bound and imprisoned in Rome, he wrote to the Philippians from such a distant place.

You know the distance between Macedonia and Rome. Yet neither length of road, nor passage of time, nor burden of affairs, nor danger, nor continual calamities, nor anything else drove love and remembrance of the disciples from him.

"As it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel."

I am convinced, he says, that you will remain such until the end. I think this of you because I always have you in my heart and know your good works.

I know that even in my absence you strive to be fellow partakers with me in the grace of the Gospel and of bonds. Therefore I rightly draw this conclusion about you, and from the beginning I judge the end.

What praise it is for the Philippians that they are enclosed in Paul's heart. He does not love simply, but with discernment, and he loves only the worthy.

Even at the time, he says, when I defended myself before Nero, you did not depart from my memory.

It is therefore entirely just for me to think about what awaits you. I have you all in my heart, because by the grace that strengthened you, you became my partakers and fellow-workers. This happened when, in your city, I resolved to defend the undisputed truth of the Gospel (Acts 16:1-2, Acts 16:12-13).

He could not think otherwise about them, for he always found them steadfast in devotion to God and saw their straight and unwearied path. He considered them worthy to share his joy. Those who have one faith ought to rejoice together in the hope of future immortality and glory.

I count this as a debt before you, because I was your planter. Therefore I always preserve a living memory of you when I am in prison and in bonds, and when I make my defense for the cause of preaching.

By "confirmation of the Gospel," the Apostle meant sufferings. Those who intend to deceive eventually change and do not dare stand for a lie unto death.

But one who undergoes grave dangers for the preaching and remains steadfast plainly prefers the truth to everything, and confirms the teaching by his sufferings.

"Because I have you in my heart," διὰ τὸ ε̉́χειν μὲ ε̉ν τη καρδία υμάς. This is an expression that can be taken two ways.

According to the character of the Greek language, it may be translated, "because I have you in my heart," as all translations render it. It may also be taken as, "because you have me in your heart."

This latter supposition is allowed by the Apostle's thanksgiving for the zeal of the Philippians. Against it is set the expression ε̉ν τη καρδία, where one would expect ε̉ν ταϊς καρδ'ιαις.

Therefore the first translation is retained, although καρδία can also be understood collectively, as in Jn 14:27 and elsewhere.

"In my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of 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.

As though grounding all the thoughts and feelings he had expressed about the Philippians, the Apostle bears witness to his disposition toward them. This disposition was always with him and did not leave him even in the most troubled moments.

At such times it might have seemed he had no thought for them. In verse 7 he does not name this feeling, but in verse 8 he declares it, calling God to witness the greatness of his love.

St. John Chrysostom says that in these words the Apostle expresses great love for the Philippians. He had them in his heart even in prison, thought of them in chains, and even when he was brought into court to make his defense.

This confidence of the Apostle is wholly well founded, because by their conduct the Philippians showed themselves worthy of the Apostle's love. Where there is love, trust necessarily finds a place.

The Apostle loves them precisely as his companions, who received from God the same grace together with him. This grace consists in the fact that they, like the Apostle, bore bonds for the cause of the Gospel.

They defended themselves in court, απολογία, as those accused of spreading it. By this they confirmed the truth of their confession (verse 7, compare 27-30).

The Apostle has glorified the Philippians' good disposition toward him. Now he sets forth his own disposition toward them. You remembered me, he says, as it were, and I did not forget you. I always carried you in my heart, both in my chains, and in my defense, and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel.

He gives such a turn to this declaration that it serves as confirmation of the confidence just expressed, that He who began a good work in them will also complete it. It is right, he says, for me to think this of you, because I have you in my heart.