NOTES for Php 1:12-30
12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; |
13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; |
14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. |
15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: |
16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: |
17 But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. |
18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. |
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, |
20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. |
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. |
22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. |
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: |
24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. |
25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; |
26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. |
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; |
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. |
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; |
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. |
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Speaking about his arrest and imprisonment, Paul views even them in terms of how much and in what way they can contribute to the task the apostle always considered most important for himself: witness (vv. 12-14). It is no longer entirely clear what Paul has in mind when he speaks of certain preachers who preach Christ "not sincerely," trying to worsen the situation of the imprisoned apostle (vv. 15-17). But whatever the case, Paul himself is not frightened by this: he thinks not about his own life, but only about witness, so his own situation concerns him little if the witness does not cease (vv. 18-20). And here before us, as can be seen, is not simply fearlessness in the face of death, the kind that distinguished martyrs for an idea. For the apostle, the Kingdom is not an idea, but a reality, and not the reality of some future that awaits a person after death, but the reality of the present in which he lives already here and now.
Paul says not figuratively but quite literally that his life is Christ, that he lives one life with Him, the life of the Kingdom, and therefore earthly life is for him neither more nor less valuable and important than the death that awaits everyone here. For the apostle, the question is only what is more needed and important to God: that he remain in the world, where further witness will be required of him, or that he be freed from earthly life in order to acquire the whole fullness of the life of the Kingdom and communion with Christ (vv. 21-26). Here Paul shows us a typical example of the Christian martyr, whom in early Christian times they called not martyrs but witnesses.
Christians are far from the only ones who know how to die for an idea. Christians died, and often die today, not for some new idea or new religion; they only give up that part of their life which their persecutors want to take from them, so as not to lose it entirely. Everyone who lives the life of the Kingdom understands that no one can take the Kingdom away from a person if that person does not renounce the Kingdom. And a Christian, agreeing to give up earthly life, thereby witnesses that he has something incomparably greater, that he has the Kingdom to which he bears witness. Then not only the Christian's life, but also his death, becomes witness.
Readings for 24 July 2025
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