Philippians 1:7
The defense and confirmation of the gospel
- The gospel’s word εὐαγγέλιον euangelion · gospel
Original
Translations
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.
Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
according as it is righteous for me to think this in behalf of you all, because of my having you in the heart, both in my bonds, and [in] the defense and confirmation of the good news, all of you being fellow-partakers with me of grace.
내가 너희 무리를 위하여 이와 같이 생각하는 것이 마땅하니 이는 너희가 내 마음에 있음이며 나의 매임과 복음을 변명함과 확정함에 너희가 다 나와 함께 은혜에 참예한 자가 됨이라
내가 너희 모두에 대해 이같이 생각하는 것이 합당하니 이는 너희가 내 마음속에 있기 때문이라. 나의 결박당한 일과 복음을 변호하고 확증하는 일에서 너희는 다 나의 은혜에 참여한 자들이니라.
Commentaries
Matthew Henry on Phil 1:1-7 as a whole
The highest honour of the most eminent ministers is, to be servants of Christ. And those who are not really saints on earth, never will be saints in heaven. Out of Christ, the best saints are sinners, and unable to stand before God. There is no peace without grace. …
Read the whole commentary →Wesley Phil 1:7
As it is right for me to think this of you all - Why? He does not say, "Because of an eternal decree;" or, "Because a saint must persevere;" but, because I have you in my heart, who were all partakers of my grace - That is, because ye were all (for which I have you in my heart,…
Read the whole commentary →
Note
Having said that he is sure God will finish the good work He began in the Philippians, Paul explains why it is right for him to feel so. They are in his heart, and in his chains and in his defense of the gospel they have all shared in God's grace with him.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.
Philippians 1:7Verse 6 expressed a confidence; verse 7 says that it springs from love rather than from a distant judgment. Then Paul names three things the Philippians have shared: his chains, his defense of the gospel and his confirmation of it. He is a prisoner awaiting trial, and the court where he will stand is a place where the gospel itself stands.
The noun is a genitive that belongs to both "defense" and "confirmation." A single article governs the two nouns, en tē apologia kai bebaiōsei, so they read as two sides of one task. is the language of the courtroom, the answer to a charge. Paul uses it before the crowd in Jerusalem, "listen now to my defense before you" (Acts 22:1), and Festus says Roman custom lets an accused man "defend himself against their charges" (Acts 25:16). Bebaiōsis is confirmation, establishing that something is valid and true. Paul does not only defend the gospel against accusation; he sets out to show that it stands. The word for "partners," sugkoinōnous, is koinōnos, "partner," from the root of the koinōnia of verse 5, with sun-, "together," added: sharers with him.
The versions agree on the substance. The KJV reads, "inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace." "Partakers of my grace" (KJV) and "partners in grace with me" (BSB) both translate a phrase that can mean the grace given to Paul or the grace Paul and they share. There is also a small ambiguity in the Greek of the first sentence. Both pronouns in dia to echein me en tē kardia humas are accusative, so it could mean "since you have me in your heart." The KJV, the BSB and the LSV all take it as Paul holding them in his.
Wesley reads "my grace" as the Philippians being "sharers in the afflictions which God vouchsafed me as a grace or favour" Wesley. The end of the chapter bears him out: "For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him" (Philippians 1:29). Even suffering is given as a gift. Matthew Henry draws the bond between them: "Fellow-sufferers in the cause of God should be dear one to another" Matthew Henry.
In this verse the gospel is something to be defended and confirmed, answered for and shown to be true. That work did not belong only to the man in the dock. It belonged also to the church that carried him in its heart and shared his chains.