Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
prophecies. As to other things, they expect nothing except conditionally, and hence they subject
all events to the providence of God, who, they allow, sees more distinctly than they. To remain,
means here, to stay for a little while: to continue, means, to remain for a long time.
26 That your glorying. The expression which he employs, ἐν ἐμόι, I have rendered de me (as
to me,) because the preposition is made use of twice, but in different senses. No one assuredly will
deny that I have faithfully brought out Paul’s mind. The rendering given by some — per Christum,
(through Christ,) I do not approve of. For in Christ is employed in place of Secundum Christum,
(According to Christ,) or Christiane, (Christianly,) to intimate that it was a holy kind of glorying.
For otherwise we are commanded to glory in God alone. (1 Corinthians 1:31.) Hence malevolent
persons might meet Paul with the objection, How is it allowable for the Philippians to glory as to
thee? He anticipates this calumny by saying that they will do this according to Christ — glorying
in a servant of Christ, with a view to the glory of his Lord, and that with an eye to the doctrine
rather than to the individual, and in opposition to the false apostles, just as David, by comparing
himself with hypocrites, boasts of his righteousness. (Psalm 7:8.)
Philippians 1:27-30
27. Only let your conversation be as it 27. Tantum digne Evangelio Christi
becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I conversamini: ut sive veniens videam vos, sive
come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear absens, audiam de vobis, quod stetis in uno
of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, spiritu, una anima, concertantes fide Evangelii.
with one mind striving together for the faith of
the gospel;
28. And in nothing terrified by your 28. Nec ulla in re terreamini ab adversariis,
adversaries: which is to them an evident token quae illis est demonstratio exitii: vobis autem
of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of salutis, idque a Deo.
God.
29. For unto you it is given in the behalf of 29. Quia vobis donatum est pro Christo, non
Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to tantum ut in illum credatis, sed etiam ut pro ipso
suffer for his sake;
patiamini:
30. Having the same conflict which ye saw 30. Idem habentes certamen, quale vidistis in
in me, and now hear to be in me.
me, et nunc auditis de me.
27 Only in a manner worthy of the gospel. We make use of this form of expression, when we
are inclined to pass on to a new subject. Thus it is as though he had said, “But as for me, the Lord
will provide, but as for you, etc., whatever may take place as to me, let it be your care, nevertheless,
to go forward in the right course.” When he speaks of a pure and honorable conversation as being
worthy of the gospel, he intimates, on the other hand, that those who live otherwise do injustice to
the gospel.
That whether I come As the Greek phrase made use of by Paul is elliptical, I have made use of
videam, (I see,) instead of videns (seeing.) If this does not appear satisfactory, you may supply the
26
John Calvin