Commentary on the Greek Text of the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. But the meaning of the epistle to those who originally received it being ascertained, the second question is - What are the value and signification of the same writing for us? What was simply personal between Paul and Philippi, was so far temporary, though it does suggest lessons of permanent interest. But believing that the apostle was inspired, I accept his dog matic and ethical teaching as divine truth - truth derived from God, and by God's own impulse and revelation communicated to the churches. This unreserved acceptance of scriptural truth is not at all hostile to the free spirit of scientific investigation. But it is wholly contrary to such a belief, and at variance with what I hold to be the origin and purpose of the New Testament, to regard the apostle's theology as made up of a series of Jewish theories, not always clearly developed or skilfully combined and adjusted; or to treat it as the specula tions of an earnest and inquisitive mind, which occasionally lost itself among deep things, and mistook its modified and relative views for universal and absolute truth. What are called St. Paul's opinions, are conceived, worded, or pre sented by a conscious mind, according to its own habits and structure; but they are in themselves enunciations of divine truth, in and through the Spirit of God, for all ages; while the private matters mixed up with them show, that inspiration did not lift a man above what is natural, that divine guidance did not repress the instincts of a human temperament, check the genial outburst of emotion, or bar the record of mere impres sions about future and unrevealed events, such as the alterna tives of the apostle's own release or 'martyrdom. With such convictions, and under this broad light, I have endeavoured to examine this epistle; and my heart's desire and prayer to God is, that He who gave the Word, and hath given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true, may bless this honest and earnest effort tovfii preface.