\\INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS 2\\

This chapter contains several exhortations to unity, love, and concord,
to humility, and lowliness of mind, and to a becoming life and
conversation; and concludes with commendations of two eminent ministers
of Christ, Timothy and Epaphroditus. The arguments engaging to harmony
and mutual affection, are taken from the consolation that is in Christ,
the comfort there is in love, the fellowship of the Spirit, and the
bowels and mercies which become saints, \\#Php 2:1\\, as also from the
joy this would fill the apostle with; and the things exhorted to are
expressed by likeness of mind, sameness of love, and unity of soul,
\\#Php 2:2\\, and the manner directed to for the preservation of such a
spirit, is to do nothing in a contentious and vainglorious way, but in
an humble and lowly manner, having a better opinion of others than
themselves; and observing their superior gifts and graces, and so
submit things unto them, \\#Php 2:3,4\\, and which humble deportment is
further urged, from the instance and example of our Lord Jesus Christ,
\\#Php 2:5\\, which is illustrated by the dignity of his person, the
glorious divine form in which he was, and his indisputable equality
with his Father, \\#Php 2:6\\, and yet such was his great condescension,
that he became man, appeared in the form of a servant, and was humbled
to the lowest degree, even to die the death of the cross, \\#Php 2:7,8\\,
nevertheless God exalted him as man, and gave him superior honour to all
creatures; and will oblige all to be subject to him, and acknowledge
his dominion over them, to the glory of his divine Father, \\#Php 2:9-11\\,
hereby suggesting, that in like manner, though not to the same degree,
such who are humble and lowly minded shall be exalted by the Lord; and
then with the greatest affection to the Philippians, and with high
commendations of them, the apostle renews his exhortation to do all the
duties of religion with humility and modesty; knowing that all the
grace and strength in which they performed them was owing to the
internal operation of divine power in them, \\#Php 2:12,13\\, and
therefore should be done without murmuring against God, or disputings
among themselves, \\#Php 2:14\\, and next he proceeds to exhort to an
unblemished and inoffensive life and conversation, as the end and issue
of a modest and humble behaviour; and this he enforces on them, from
the consideration of their relation to God, being his children, which
would appear hereby; and from the wickedness and perverseness of the
people they lived among; and therefore should be careful, lest they be
ensnared by them, to the dishonour of God, and the grief of themselves;
and from their character as lights in the world, whose business it was
to hold forth the word of life; and also from this consideration, that
it would be the joy of the apostle in the day of Christ, that his
labours among them had not been fruitless, \\#Php 2:15,16\\, yea, such
was his love to them, that if even he was to die on their account, it
would be matter of joy and gladness to him; and he desires they would
express the same joy with him, \\#Php 2:17,18\\, and though he could
not be with them in person, he hoped in a little time to send Timothy,
for this end, that he might know how things stood with them; which if
well, would be a comfort to him, \\#Php 2:19\\, the reasons why he
picked Timothy as a messenger to them were, because there were none
like him, for the sincere regard he had for their spiritual good,
\\#Php 2:20\\, and which is illustrated by the contrary disposition and
conduct of others, who sought themselves, and not Jesus Christ, his
honour and interest, \\#Php 2:21\\, and besides, they themselves were
witnesses of his filial affection to the apostle, and of his faithful
service with him in the Gospel, \\#Php 2:22\\, and then he repeats his
hopes of sending him quickly, as soon as ever he knew how it would go
with him, whether he should be released or suffer, \\#Php 2:23\\, the
former of which he had some confidence of, and that he should be able
to see them himself in a little time, \\#Php 2:24\\, however, in the
mean while he thought it proper to send Epaphroditus to them, whom he
commends as a brother of his, a co-worker, a fellow soldier, a
messenger of theirs, and a minister to his wants, \\#Php 2:25\\, the
reasons of sending him were, because he longed to see them, and because
he was uneasy that they had heard of his sickness; which was not only
true that he had been sick, but his sickness was very dangerous, and
threatened with death; however, through the mercy of God to him, he was
recovered; and which was a mercy also to the apostle, who otherwise
would have had an additional sorrow; wherefore another reason of
sending him was, that upon the sight of him they might be filled with
joy, and the apostle himself have less sorrow, \\#Php 2:26-28\\, and
then he exhorts them, that when he was returned to them, they would
gladly receive him, and highly esteem of him; and the rather, since the
dangerous illness he was attended with was brought upon him through his
labours in the service of Christ, and also of the apostle, which
he performed in their stead, even to the neglect of his health and
life, \\#Php 2:29,30\\.