Bibliothek der Kirchenväter (original) (raw)

1.

The Philippians are of a city in Macedonia, a city that is a colony, as Luke saith. Here that seller of purple was converted, a woman of uncommon piety and heedfulness. Here the ruler of the synagogue 1 believed. Here was Paul scourged with Silas. Here the magistrates requested them to depart, and were afraid of them, and the preaching had an illustrious commencement. And he bears them many and high testimonies himself, calling them his own crown, and saying they had suffered much. For, "To you," he saith, "it hath been granted of God, 2 not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer in His behalf." (Philip. i. 29.) But when he wrote to them, it happened that he was in bonds. Therefore he says, "So that my bonds became manifest in Christ in the whole praetorium," calling the palace of Nero the praetorium. 3 But he was bound and let go again, 4 and this he showed to Timothy by saying, "At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their account. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me." (2 Tim. iv. 16.) He speaks of the bonds then in which he was before that defence. For that Timothy was not present then, is evident: for, "At my first defence," he says, "no man took my part"; and this, by writing, he was making known to him. He would not then, had he already known it, have written thus to him. But when he wrote this epistle, Timothy was with him. And he shows it by what he says: "But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you." (Philip. ii. 19.) And again, "Him I hope to send forthwith so soon as I shall see how it will go with me." For he was loosed from his bonds and again bound after he had been to them. But if he saith, "Yea, and I am 5 offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith," it is not as though this were now come to pass, but as much as to say, "and whenever this takes place I am glad," raising them from their dejection at his bonds. For that he was not about to die at that time is plain from what he saith: "But I hope 6 in the Lord that I myself also shall come shortly unto you." (Philip. ii. 24.) And again, "And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and abide with you all."