Chapter 2:
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 Ephesians Colossians
Philippians 2
Verse 1. If there be therefore any consolation - In the grace of Christ. If
any comfort - In the love of God. If any fellowship of the Holy
Ghost; if any bowels of mercies - Resulting therefrom; any tender
affection towards each other.
Verse 2. Think the same thing - Seeing Christ is your common Head.
Having the same love - To God, your common Father. Being of
one soul - Animated with the same affections and tempers, as ye
have all drank ill to one spirit. Of one mind - Tenderly rejoicing
and grieving together.
Verse 3. Do nothing through contention - Which is inconsistent with
your thinking the same thing. Or vainglory - Desire of praise,
which is directly opposite to the love of God. But esteem each the
others better than themselves - (For every one knows more evil of
himself than he can of another:) Which is a glorious fruit of the
Spirit, and an admirable help to your continuing "of one soul."
Verse 4. Aim not every one at his own things - Only. If so, ye have not
bowels of mercies.
Verse 6. Who being in the essential form - The incommunicable nature.
Of God - From eternity, as he was afterward in the form of man;
real God, as real man. Counted it no act of robbery - That is the
precise meaning of the words, - no invasion of another's
prerogative, but his own strict and unquestionable right. To be
equal with God - the word here translated equal, occurs in the
adjective form five or six times in the New Testament, Matt. xx,
12; Luke vi, 34; John v, 18; Acts xi, 17; Rev. xxi, 16. In all which
places it expresses not a bare resemblance, but a real and proper
equalitg. It here implies both the fulness and the supreme height
of the Godhead; to which are opposed, he emptied and he
humbled himself.
Verse 7. Yet - He was so far from tenaciously insisting upon, that he
willingly relinquished, his claim. He was content to forego the
glories of the Creator, and to appear in the form of a creature; nay,
to be made in the likeness of the fallen creatures; and not only to
share the disgrace, but to suffer the punishment, due to the
meanest and vilest among them all. He emptied himself - Of that
divine fulness, which he received again at his exaltation. Though
he remained full, John i, 14, yet he appeared as if he had been
empty; for he veiled his fulness from the sight of men and angels.
Yea, he not only veiled, but, in some sense, renounced, the glory
which he had before the world began. Taking - And by that very
act emptying himself. The form of a servant - The form, the
likeness, the fashion, though not exactly the same, are yet nearly
related to each other. The form expresses something absolute; the
likeness refers to other things of the same kind; the fashion
respects what appears to sight and sense. Being made in the
likeness of men - A real man, like other men. Hereby he took the
form of a servant.
Verse 8. And being found in fashion as a man - A common man, without
any peculiar excellence or comeliness. He humbled himself - To a
still greater depth. Becoming obedient - To God, though equal
with him. Even unto death - The greatest instance both of
humiliation and obedience. Yea, the death of the cross - Inflicted
on few but servants or slaves.
Verse 9. Wherefore - Because of his voluntary humiliation and
obedience. He humbled himself; but God hath exalted him - So
recompensing his humiliation. And hath given him - So
recompensing his emptying himself. A name which is above
every name - Dignity and majesty superior to every creature.
Verse 10. That every knee - That divine honour might be paid in every
possible manner by every creature. Might bow - Either with love
or trembling. Of those in heaven, earth, under the earth - That is,
through the whole universe.
Verse 11. And every tongue - Even of his enemies. Confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord - Jehovah; not now "in the form of a servant," but
enthroned in the glory of God the Father.
Verse 12. Wherefore - Having proposed Christ's example, he exhorts
them to secure the salvation which Christ has purchased. As ye
have always - Hitherto. Obeyed - Both God, and me his minister.
Now in my absence - When ye have not me to instruct, assist, and
direct you. Work out your own salvation - Herein let every man
aim at his own things. With fear and trembling - With the utmost
care and diligence.
Verse 13. For it is God - God alone, who is with you, though I am not.
That worketh in you according to his good pleasure - Not for any
merit of yours. Yet his influences are not to supersede, but to
encourage, our own efforts. Work out your own salvation - Here
is our duty. For it is God that worketh in you - Here is our
encouragement. And O, what a glorious encouragement, to have
the arm of Omnipotence stretched out for our support and our
succor!
Verse 14. Do all things - Not only without contention, ver. 3, but even
without murmurings and disputings - Which are real, though
smaller, hindrances of love.
Verse 15. That ye may be blameless - Before men. And simple - Before
God, aiming at him alone. As the sons of God - The God of love;
acting up to your high character. Unrebukable in the midst of a
crooked - Guileful, serpentine, and perverse generation - Such as
the bulk of mankind always were. Crooked - By a corrupt nature,
and yet more perverse by custom and practice.
Verse 17. Here he begins to treat of the latter clause of chap. i, 22. Yea,
and if I be offered - Literally, If I be poured out. Upon the
sacrifice of your faith - The Philippians, as the other converted
heathens, were a sacrifice to God through St. Paul's ministry,
Rom. xv, 16. And as in sacrificing, wine was poured at the foot of
the altar, so he was willing that his blood should be poured out.
The expression well agrees with that kind of martyrdom by which
he was afterwards offered up to God.
Verse 18. Congratulate me - When I am offered up.
Verse 19. When I know - Upon my return, that ye stand steadfast.
Verse 20. I have none - Of those who are now with me.
Verse 21. For all - But Timotheus. Seek their own - Ease, safety,
pleasure, or profit. Amazing! In that golden age of the church,
could St. Paul throughly approve of one only, among all the
labourers that were with him? chap. i, 14, 17. And how many do
we think can now approve themselves to God? Not the things of
Jesus Christ - They who seek these alone, will sadly experience
this. They will find few helpers likeminded with themselves,
willing naked to follow a naked Master.
Verse 22. As a son with his father - He uses an elegant peculiarity of
phrase, speaking partly as of a son, partly as of a fellowlabourer.
Verse 25. To send Epaphroditus - Back immediately. Your messenger -
The Philippians had sent him to St. Paul with their liberal
contribution.
Verse 26. He was full of heaviness - Because he supposed you would be
afflicted at hearing that he was sick.
Verse 27. God had compassion on him - Restoring him to health.
Verse 28. That I may be the less sorrowful - When I know you are
rejoicing.
Verse 30. To supply your deficiency of service - To do what you could
not do in person.
Chapter 2:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 Ephesians Colossians
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
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Revelation
