The Opening of the Epistle (Philippians 1:3–11)

Here St Paul: a) gives thanks to God for the Philippians’ remembrance and fellowship in the gospel, cherishing hope that God will preserve to the end the good begun in them (Phil. 1:3–6); b) testifies that he himself always remembers them by reason of his deep love for them (Phil. 1:7–8); and c) expresses his prayerful good-will that they may abound in works of love and be enriched with the fruits of righteousness (Phil. 1:9–11).

A) The Apostle gives thanks to God for the Philippians’ remembrance and fellowship in the gospel (Phil. 1:3–6)

Phil. 1:3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.

Opening his Epistle, the Apostle gives due appreciation to the good that the Philippians had done him. But he does not ascribe this directly to them—he ascribes it to God, the source of every good and the first establisher and guardian of the gospel—from his very first words teaching them also not to attribute their own good to themselves, but to God, without Whom nothing truly good comes to pass. “I thank,” he says, “my God.” God is the God of all; but the Apostle appropriates Him to himself by reason of his most intimate and sincere communion with Him, and of that assurance—never leaving his attention and feeling—that God especially keeps and watches, covers and guides him. The consciousness of God as one’s own God belongs to those who have attained maturity in the spiritual life.

“Upon every remembrance of you.” These words stand in the same grammatical construction as the words that follow: “upon your fellowship”—both in Slavonic and in Greek—that is: I thank God upon your remembrance—I thank upon your fellowship. Judging by this, these words must be seen as mutually explanatory. Therefore, if the words “upon your fellowship” refer to the Philippians’ act, then the words “upon your remembrance” must also be understood as referring to their act—that is, one must take the remembrance here to be not the Apostle’s remembrance of the Philippians, but the Philippians’ remembrance of him. His own remembrance of them he speaks of below (in verse 7), but here he glorifies their remembrance of him. The Philippians manifested their remembrance through their contributions to the Apostle. These contributions were a token of remembrance on their part, which in turn disposed the Apostle to remember them. Since through this they assisted the work of God and were moreover moved to it by God, the Apostle thanks God for their deed. For without Him they would not have done such a thing.

Phil. 1:4. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy.

I thank God for your remembrance, he says, “always in every prayer of mine.” That is: always, whenever I pray to God, I also thank Him for this. I let no prayer pass without thanking God for your remembrance. The Apostle had many persons, many communities, many concerns for which he prayed. Each subject of prayer required its own particular word of prayer, corresponding not only to its importance but also to the relation in which it stood to the Apostle. In the latter regard, some subjects called forth gladness before God, while others called forth grief and anguish. The Philippians gladdened the Apostle by their devotion to the faith and their readiness to assist in every way in the spread of the Gospel. Therefore, when in his prayer he reached them, he prayed for them all with joy. Every time I pray, he says, I thank God for your remembrance and pray for all of you with joy. Prayer for you is for me a consolation and a delight. Such is the measure of love and sincere heartfelt communion with the Philippians!

Phil. 1:5. For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.

The words “for your fellowship in the gospel” explain the words “upon your remembrance.” I thank God for your remembrance, he says—that is, for your fellowship in the gospel. He called fellowship in the gospel the assistance they had sent him; and this same thing he also called remembrance. Your remembrance of me, the Apostle gives to understand—expressed in the assistance you rendered me—is your fellowship in the gospel. I labor in the gospel; but since you, by helping me, give greater scope to the gospel, you also participate in the gospel. The fruit of the gospel that I am acquiring is at the same time your fruit as well. The Philippians began sending assistance to the Apostle as soon as he departed from Philippi—which was at the very beginning of their conversion to the Christian faith. This is what he has in mind when he says: “from the first day.” They sent to Thessalonica, they sent to Corinth; and now, as soon as the opportunity arose, they sent also to Rome. And it turned out that they had truly been helping the Apostle right up to the very hour when he was writing the Epistle. And he says of this: until now.

The words of St Chrysostom on this passage are remarkable. “Here the Apostle says much in praise of the Philippians—indeed very much—as much as another might say about Apostles and Evangelists. For you, he says, do not concern yourselves with only the one city entrusted to you, but take every care to share in my labors, everywhere cooperating with me and participating in my preaching. And not for one, two, or three years, but always—from the time you received the faith even until now—you preserve Apostolic zeal. They shared in his tribulations even from a distance, sent men to him, served him as best they could, and left him destitute in nothing. To help the Apostle means to share in the gospel. For when he preaches and you serve the one who preaches, you share also in his rewards. The services rendered to the saints are no small thing, but a great one. For this makes us participants in the rewards prepared for them. For example: one man has abandoned great possessions for God’s sake, always relies on God, strives greatly in virtue, observing great strictness in everything, even in words and thoughts. But you, even without such strictness, can participate in the rewards prepared for him for such struggles. How? By serving him—by providing him with what he needs. For in this way you make the difficult road lighter for him. Therefore, if you admire those who live in deserts—who have chosen the angelic life—and those who in the midst of society struggle like them; if you admire them and regret that you fall far short of them, you can become participants in them by another means—through service, through zeal. And this is an act of God’s love for mankind, that even those who are less zealous and unable to lead a harsh, difficult, and austere life, He leads by another path to the same height. This is what Paul calls fellowship! They, he says, share with us their material things, and we share with them our spiritual things (Rom. 15:27). For if God grants the Kingdom for something small and trifling, then His servants also repay something small and sensible with what is spiritual; or rather, through them God Himself gives both the one and the other. You cannot fast, live in solitude, sleep on the ground, keep vigil through whole nights? You can receive the reward for all of this by another means: if you are zealous to serve those who struggle in this; if you give them rest and lighten their toil. He stands in battle, he also receives wounds; but do you serve him when he returns from the field of battle, receive him with open arms, wipe his sweat, give him rest, console him, encourage his wearied soul. If we serve the saints with such zeal, we shall be participants in their rewards. This is also what Christ says: ‘make for yourselves friends from the mammon of unrighteousness, so that they may receive you into everlasting dwellings’ (Lk. 16:9).”

Phil. 1:6. Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

“Being confident,” πεποιυως — being convinced, assured. The Apostle speaks as if to say: “I believe that He who has granted you this good zeal will preserve it unharmed until the coming of our Saviour” (blessed Theodoret). “He who has begun” is God, from Whom every good proceeds. “A good work” is either salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ in general—faith and life according to the faith—or that good work by which the Philippians were especially distinguished: participation in the spread of the Gospel. The Apostle’s thought up to this point has been dwelling on this latter. It is natural to understand it here as well. But since this zeal proceeded from faith and love for the faith, the Apostle may also have included under “a good work” the work of salvation through faith in the Lord—not exclusively, however, but insofar as it expressed itself in the beneficence that distinguished the Philippians and animated it. The Apostle’s exclusive desire for their progress in the Christian life and the work of salvation he expresses below (in verses 9–11); here the entire discourse concerns one thing—the well-known fellowship in the gospel.

The “day of Jesus Christ” is His second coming, which every Christian ought, by the word of the Lord Himself, to await from hour to hour and to prepare to meet by the multiplication of good works—each one whichever is most fitted and habitual to him. Since the Philippians had begun to support the gospel by a special prompting of God, the Apostle, judging by such a source of their good work, expresses confidence that it will continue until the Day of the Lord, that God will give them strength to remain constant in it and “to offer it as a pure sacrifice to the Lord at His coming” (St John of Damascus). That he confines himself here to this one thing contains nothing inappropriate; for of the total sum of God-pleasing works, not all can or must do everything—but let each one please God with that to which he is most fitted. This holds true in application both to individual persons and to whole communities. The Philippians proved most suited to the work of supporting the gospel—and for this God inspired them; and the Apostle expresses his well-wishing confidence that He will not cease to inspire them in this to the very end. In this lies their salvation.

But what is the connection of this verse with the preceding? It is that in it is expressed the reason why the Apostle rejoices especially in his prayers for the Philippians and thanks God so fervently for their remembrance. If they had done their good work once or twice and then stopped, it would have vanished in the sum of other deeds and been forgotten even by themselves, leaving no trace behind. There would have been nothing to mention it for or to hold it in such high esteem. But it became especially precious in the eyes of the Apostle through the assurance that, with God’s prompting and assistance, they would not cease to exercise it to the end and with it would greet the Lord. It will be for them, consequently, a bridge to paradise. This is what gladdened the Apostle and called forth his thanksgiving to God.

St Chrysostom perceived in the Apostle’s words a subtle indication of the relationship between grace and freedom, and expressed it thus: “See how he teaches them humility. Since he had ascribed great praise to them, so that some passion natural to man might not take hold of them, he immediately instructs them to attribute both the past and the future to Christ. How? He did not say: being convinced that as you have begun, so you will also complete; but—what? ‘He who has begun a good work in you will complete it.’ Yet he does not deprive them of their virtues either. For it is no small praise that God is at work in someone. If He is impartial—as indeed He is—and helps us in good works in accordance with our disposition, then the reason He inclines toward us lies within us. Thus even in this way the Apostle does not deprive them of praise. For if God acted unconditionally—if He moved us like wood and stones and required no participation from us—nothing would prevent Him from acting in pagans too, and in all people. Therefore, in the words ‘God will complete’—again there is praise for them; because they drew the grace of God to themselves, which helped them to rise above human nature. And on the other hand, it is also to their praise that you possess such virtues as are not the work of man but require Divine cooperation. And if God will complete it, then on our part not much labor will be needed—rather one must hope that with His help we shall accomplish everything easily.”

B) The Apostle testifies that he himself also always remembers the Philippians (Phil. 1:7–8)

Phil. 1:7. Even as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of my grace.

The Apostle has glorified the Philippians’ good regard toward him; now he sets forth his own regard toward them. You remembered me, he says in effect, and I have not forgotten you either; I have carried you always in my heart—both in bonds and in my defense and in the establishment and confirmation of the Gospel. He gives this declaration such a turn that it serves as a confirmation of the confidence he has just expressed—that He who has begun in them the good work will also complete it. It is right, he says, for me to think this of you, because I hold you in my heart. But from this alone it would follow not that it is right for me to think this of you, but only that it is desirable to think so. This is why he added how he holds them in his heart—he holds them as partakers of his grace. In this lies the unshakeable foundation of the said confidence. Since you are partakers of my grace, to the same degree that I am confident concerning myself that God will not abandon me, to that same degree am I confident that He will not abandon you either and will complete the good work begun in you.

Such is the flow of thought in the Apostle here. His chief purpose, however, remains what it was—to say that he also remembers them, out of his deep love for them. Thus St Chrysostom: “In these words the Apostle expresses great love for the Philippians; for he had them in his heart—even in prison, even in chains, he remembered them. And not only this, but he says, even at the time when I was led into the court to give an answer, you did not leave my mind. So strong is spiritual love that it is overcome by no circumstances, but always holds the soul of the lover and permits no grief, no anguish to overcome it. As in the Babylonian furnace, amid such a fierce flame, there was dew for those blessed youths, so also love, having taken hold of the soul of one who loves and pleases God, extinguishes every flame and produces a wondrous dew.”

With the word “in bonds” the Apostle indicated only the place of his sojourn, while by the words “in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel” he designated his occupations and labors. Defense, απολογια — may refer both to how the Apostle defended himself before the court and to how he defended the Gospel before the unbelieving Jews and pagans who were, perhaps, disputing it.

Confirmation, βεβαιωσις — proving, convincing demonstration—signifies not only that in defending the Gospel he was also at the same time establishing it; but also that he was seeking every means to make the Gospel known to a greater number of persons, and for those persons to be assured of its truth and to be confirmed in faith in it.

Amid all such labors and occupations, I, he says, hold you in my heart. How did he hold them? As being partakers—partakers of grace. Their fellowship in grace is understood from the preceding fellowship in the gospel. They are the Apostle’s partakers because they lightened his labors in the gospel. Participating thereby in the Apostle’s labors, they participate in that grace which constituted the undoubted heritage of the Apostle. The word “grace” may be understood as all that God has ordained to bestow on the Apostle for his labors. Everything God has given me and will give—in all of that you too have a share. What exactly “grace” signifies here one need not pursue; for the force does not lie in that, but in the fact that, through their material assistance to the Apostle, they became sharers in his spiritual, grace-endowed wealth. Let us rather listen to what St Chrysostom draws from this: “Therefore, since it is possible to participate in the grace of the gracious: let us also strive to be partakers thereof. How many of those standing here—or rather, all of you—would wish to be co-partakers with Paul in the good things prepared for him? And this is possible, if you are willing to cooperate with and assist those who have taken up his ministry, those who suffer some misfortune for Christ’s sake. Do you see a brother in temptation? Stretch out a helping hand. Do you see a teacher in struggle? Help him. Did the Philippians earn their praise by cooperating with Paul? No—but by cooperating with the one who had taken upon himself the preaching. Paul was worthy of honor because he had suffered so much for Christ. Help those who endure things for Christ in the preaching of the Gospel, and you will be Paul’s co-partaker.”

Phil. 1:8. For God is my witness, how greatly I long after you all in the tender mercies (bowels) of Jesus Christ.

I love, επιπουω,—I hold all of you as most longed-for. “With compassion,” σπλαγχνοις,—with the bowels of Jesus Christ, with the heart of Jesus Christ. – Since he had expressed so strong a love toward them; lest anyone suppose there is something fleshly or self-interested in this, he calls God to witness that, though he truly loves them intensely to the point of longing, that love is the same as the love with which Jesus Christ loves us all—pure, self-denying, desiring good for them more than for himself. “St. Paul calls God to witness not because they distrusted him, but does so out of his great affection for the Philippians. Since he had said that they were his partners (through their alms), lest they suppose he loves them for that reason and not simply for their own sake, he adds: ‘with the compassion of Christ’ (with the heart of Christ). What does this mean? The same as ‘in Christ’: because you are faithful, because you love Christ, because of love according to Christ. He did not even say: with love, but far more emphatically: with the heart of Christ, as if saying, I love you as your father, by kinship in Christ. For that kinship gives us a heart that is warm and ardent. Such a heart is given only to His true servants.– With such a heart, he says (I love you); as if he said: I love you not with an ordinary heart, but with the most ardent heart, the heart of Christ. I love, he says, all of you; and how strongly I love, it is impossible even to express. For with words I cannot express my love. Therefore I leave it to God, who penetrates hearts, to see it” (St. Chrysostom).

C) The Apostle expresses a prayerful blessing that the Philippians might abound in works of love (Phil. 1:9–11)

Phil. 1:9. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all perception.

St. Paul had already shown his love for the Philippians sufficiently—by recalling their devotion to him with such joy and thanksgiving to God, and by always keeping them in remembrance. Now he testifies to that same love through a prayerful blessing for the Philippians’ progress in Christian perfection, defining it both in its constituent parts (verse 9), and in its manifestation in the active life (verse 10), and in its end, or completion and crown (verse 11).

“I pray.” At the beginning he had already said that he prays for them with joy in every prayer. But there he did not indicate what, precisely, he asks of God for them in prayer. He does that now. The Apostle asks in prayer that their “love” may abound “in knowledge and in all perception.” Love is the active force of Christian life, embracing both heaven and earth. It is poured into the hearts of Christians together with the reception of the grace of the Holy Spirit and immediately begins to move them toward corresponding deeds. The farther it goes, the more deeds it produces; but the more deeds, the more ardent love becomes.– The measure of love is infinity (St. Chrysostom). Thus, by the natural course of Christian life, it abounds in Christians.

St. Paul wishes that love, while abounding in itself, should abound also “in knowledge,” εν επιγνωσει,—in understanding. So he expressed it; yet his thought is this: I pray that you may abound not in love alone, but also in knowledge. Love has need of the light of understanding so that it may act “with discernment and reflection: for there are those who love without reason” (St. Chrysostom). Knowledge here embraces all Christian understanding, whose object is not only the commandments but also all the dogmas and all other subjects related to Christianity. Only the knowledge of everything rightly illumines all the paths of life and safeguards the active force of love from erroneous deviations. The Creed already outlines the whole domain of Christian understanding. A life lived in reflection and self-examination, with the word of God and all-illumining grace, develops each point of it into a complete system. Finally, the whole of it is clearly formed in the mind with proper detail. Embrace it all and you will see that here is an inexhaustible source of light. When this is attained, the mind becomes not only enlightened but also luminous.– And this is what St. Paul desires for the Philippians—in desiring that they abound in knowledge.

And this is not enough. It is still necessary to abound in perception, εν αισυησει. The outer senses are also called by this same word; but St. Paul evidently means the spiritual sense. The outer senses examine things and give knowledge of their qualities. Similarly, the spiritual sense in its own domain examines spiritual things and determines their qualities. As in the one case, so in the other, the distinguishing property of sense is touch and taste. The multiplication of experiences through the outer senses gives outer experience; the multiplication of spiritual touches and tastings of spiritual things gives spiritual experience. And it is an abundance of this that St. Paul desires for the Philippians, when he prays for an abundance of perception. In another place he expressed this perfection as having the senses trained in the discernment of good and evil.

These are all the aspects of Christian perfection! Love—the driving force; knowledge—the illumination of the path; perception—the skill of knowing where and how to step along the path. More than this one could not wish for.

Phil. 1:10. So that you may discern what is best, that you may be pure and without offense until the day of Christ.

The manifestation in the active life of the perfections mentioned is one thing: that by means of them the Christian can always rightly determine what is best, accomplish it in the best possible manner, and taste the fruit thereof. All of this is contained in: “to discern what is best. To discern”—means to point out what is best by knowledge, to fulfill it by love, and to taste its fruit by perception. Let all of life pass according to this norm—what will be the result? It will be pure and without offense (and yet more, full of the fruits of righteousness).

Pure: “that you may be pure”—sincere, doing everything according to a clean conscience, without any guile or duplicity. Whatever is recognized as right and pleasing to God, that is to be done: for the life of such persons flows before the face of God; and here conscience is the guardian of God’s will, which will permit no falsehood. The purity here is comprehensive—in its object, its motives, and its circumstances.

Without offense: “that you may be without offense”—free from scandal, so that neither do they themselves stumble, nor do they cause anyone else to stumble. They themselves will not stumble; for they understand all the paths of life well and know exactly from where each thing proceeds. They will not cause others to stumble, for “trained senses” impart to those who possess them a special tact, by which all their deeds and words are always at the right time and in the right place, and, edifying all, offend no one; on the contrary, they earn the approval of all. Even those who are reproved and rebuked by them will hear them with sweetness.

Phil. 1:11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Filled with the fruits of righteousness, like “a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season” (Ps. 1:3). In those who possess the perfections described, there are no unrighteous deeds, words, or thoughts. Standing in their consciousness before God, they take every step in such a way that it is pleasing to Him. For this they have their own spiritual discernment, which is the same as “trained senses.” It tells them truly what ought to be done. The sober, watchful, unfatigued, and wholly attentive zeal of love immediately takes that indication as its law—and fulfills it. So every moment—from the time consciousness opens upon awakening from sleep to the time it closes in sleep. And even their very sleep is turned into a work of righteousness. So it is until the grave. How could they not be filled with the fruits of righteousness?!

“Through Jesus Christ.” From Him come all the fruits of righteousness. For He Himself said: “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine; so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. For without Me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:4–5). Those baptized into Christ are clothed in Him. And by receiving the Holy Mysteries of Christ, they have Him dwelling within them. Thus, one who cleaves to the Lord becomes one spirit with the Lord. How then could his fruits of righteousness not be the fruits of Jesus Christ?! “It is God who works in us both to will and to do according to His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). This is something that perfect Christians perceive very deeply and sincerely.

“To the glory and praise of God.” This is the ultimate end both of individual actions and of all of life. Even eating and drinking ought to be conducted so that they too redound to the glory of God. No one knows how to accomplish this so well as those whose life is hidden with Christ in God. In them everything proceeds from God and everything returns to God. They themselves disappear. The consciousness of the all-seeing God does not allow them to seize anything from their deeds for themselves or to turn it to anything other than God’s glory. And how can one appropriate anything for oneself who is conscious that it is not he who acts, but the grace that is with him, and that if he feels himself mighty, it is because he can do “all things” through the Lord who strengthens him? Conscious of this, he gives everything back to Him. The theft of God’s glory is possible only as long as one has not stood before God in one’s consciousness. From that moment, it ceases.

The whole life of a perfect Christian passes in such a way that he is pure, without offense, and filled with the fruits of righteousness through Jesus Christ, to the glory of God. But he himself is not aware of this. God’s grace does not allow him to become aware of it, lest he consume himself with self-regard. On the contrary, it often places him in a condition in which he feels himself filled with every kind of wretchedness. The memory of these states does not allow him to acknowledge anything good or worthy before God’s eyes. God knows, but does not reveal it.—The manifest test for all is “the day of Christ.” To that day the holy Apostle refers the crowning of all—and with it he concludes his prayerful blessing for them. Only let you appear on the day of Christ as pure and without offense, filled with the fruits of righteousness. And what comes after that I do not concern myself with. If on that day you are found in good order, then after it there will be for you what cannot even be described. This is why all those who strive earnestly for the spiritual life have established it as a law—not to go beyond the thought of God’s judgment. Stand at the judgment and wait for what the Lord will say concerning you: Come!… or Depart! But who will it be that He says this to?! And so—weep.—Some have not ceased to weep thus their whole life long.—This is what the Apostle’s desire leads to—that we may appear pure on the day of Christ.