Philippians 1:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Paul calls God to witness not because they lacked trust in him, but because of his great disposition, and also for greater persuasion and encouragement.

Since he said that the Philippians were fellow partakers with him through almsgiving, he added, "with the love of Jesus Christ," εν σπλάγχνοις Χρίστου. He did this so that they would not think he loved them for that reason, and not simply for themselves.

What does this mean? It means according to Christ: because you are faithful, because you love Christ, because of love according to Christ.

He did not even say, "according to love," but something much stronger, "with the love of Jesus Christ." It is as if he said: I love you as your father, by kinship in Christ.

The Apostle calls God to witness not because he feared distrust, but because he cannot express in words his great disposition of soul. He leaves this to God, who searches the hearts.

This is a clear proof of his sincerity. If he were flattering them, he would not call God to witness.

He said, "with the love of Jesus Christ," that is, not for anything human, not because you sent what I needed, but with love for God's sake.

Or else: having become your father through faith in Christ, I love you with a love that is not fleshly, but one that Christ gives to His true servants, who beget children for Him through the Gospel.

I embrace all of you with great love, because all of you are such.

Paul calls God to witness his love for them. This happens when a man feels something very deeply and appeals to such testimony so that he may be believed. Through this he awakens in them a corresponding affection for himself. When a man is loved, he is ready to love in return. But Paul loves them all not with a passion proper to man, but with the love of Christ, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. Thus they become fellow-partakers in the knowledge of the mystery of God and of the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is not human love, but spiritual love, because by “the bowels of Jesus Christ” the Apostle meant spiritual compassion.

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.

The strongest proof of the Apostle’s love for the Philippians may be the living, fervent longing (έπιποΟω) that draws him toward them. This is not merely a simple human affection, but the holy love of Christ (έν σπλάγχνοις Ιησού Χριστού, v. 8).

"I long for," επιπουω, means, I hold all of you as deeply desired persons. "With the mercy," σπλαγχνοις, means, with the inward compassion of Jesus Christ, with the heart of Jesus Christ.

Since he had just expressed such strong love for them, he calls God to witness so that no one might think there is anything fleshly or self-interested in it.

Though he indeed loves them strongly, even to longing, this love is the same kind with which Jesus Christ loves us all. It is pure and self-renouncing, seeking good for you more than for itself.