the (sometimes to be supplied · article — nominative plural masculine
of
ἐξex
G1537
literal or figurative · preposition
love
ἀγάπηagápē
G26
love
knowing
εἴδωeídō
G1492
used only in certain past tenses
that
ὅτιhóti
G3754
demonstrative
set
κεῖμαιkeîmai
G2749
to lie outstretched (literally or figuratively)
for
εἰςeis
G1519
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered)
defence
ἀπολογίαapología
G627
a plea ("apology")
gospel
εὐαγγέλιονeuangélion
G2098
a good message
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
2 Timothy 1:11-12 Where unto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
1 Corinthians 9:16-17 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
2 Timothy 4:6-7 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
Luke 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Acts 22:1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
Acts 26:1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Acts 26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Philippians 1:12-20
We see here the care the apostle takes to prevent their being offended at his sufferings. He was now a prisoner at Rome; this might be a stumbling-block to those who had received the gospel by his ministry. They might be tempted to think, If this doctrine were indeed of God, God would not suffer one who was so active and instrumental in preaching and propagating it to be thrown by as a despised broken vessel. They might be shy of owning this doctrine, lest they should be involved in the same trouble themselves. Now to take off the offence of the cross, he expounds this dark and hard chapter of his sufferings, and makes it very easy and intelligible, and reconcilable to the wisdom and goodnes…
The oldest manuscripts transpose these verses, and read, "These (last) indeed out of love (to Christ and me), knowing (the opposite of 'thinking' below) that I am set (that is, appointed by God, Th1 3:3) for the defense of the Gospel (Phi 1:7, not on my own account). But the others out of contention (or rather, 'a factious spirit'; 'cabal'; a spirit of intrigue, using unscrupulous means to compass their end; 'self-seeking' [ALFORD]) proclaim (the Greek is not the same as that for 'preach,' but, 'announce') Christ, not sincerely (answering to 'but of a spirit of intrigue,' or 'self-seeking'). Literally, 'not purely'; not with a pure intention; the Jewish leaven they tried to introduce was in…
The other of love - Through a sincere desire, not only to make known the way of salvation to the people, but also to vindicate and help the apostle, because they considered him as appointed by God to preach and defend the Gospel. The 16th and 17th verses are transposed by ABDEFG, and several others; the Syriac, Arabic of Erpen, Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itala, and several of the fathers. On this evidence Griesbach transposed them in his edition.
John Gill
The Church Fathers
What is skewed among those who "proclaim Christ out of partisanship" is their temperament and their motive, not the content of their proclamation. Paul exposes these bad tempers as the sole cause of their disunity, but these bad tempers apparently do not have a bad effect on the mysteries of the faith. There is still only one Christ and one God. This does not change, regardless of what motives may come into play in preaching him. So Paul is able to say that "it is nothing to me whether Christ be preached on a pretext or in truth; Christ is proclaimed." What really matters is the one who is preached, whether through pretentiousness or in true faith. When Christ is preached in truth he is being preached faithfully. The rule of truth remains what it is, regardless of who preaches it—better or worse, there is but one truth. Meanwhile the conduct of preachers varies. Some preach truly, single-mindedly. Others preach insincerely, with affectations.
"But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the Gospel." What means, "that I am set for the defense of the Gospel"? It is, They are preparing for the account which I must give to God, and assisting me. What is meant by "for the defense"? I have been appointed to preach, I must give account, and answer for the work to which I have been appointed; they assist me, that my defense may be easy; for if there be found many who have been instructed and have believed, my defense will be easy. So it is possible to do a good work, from a motive which is not good. And not only is there no reward in store for such an action, but punishment. For as they preached Christ from a desire to involve the preacher of Christ in greater perils, not only shall they receive no reward, but shall be subject to vengeance and punishment. "And some of love." That is, they know that I must give account for the Gospel.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Gospel, The · Those who receive, should: Earnestly contend for the faith of — Those who receive, should: Earnestly contend for the faith of
Ministers · Should preach: With good will and love — Should preach: With good will and love
Rome · Christians in — Christians in
Tact · .In turning the preaching of his adversaries to advantage — .In turning the preaching of his adversaries to advantage
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
on Philippians 1:17
But the other of love,.... Those that were truly brethren in the Lord, who had received the grace of God in truth, to whom the Gospel was come in power, and who had a spiritual and experimental knowledge of Christ, and of the mysteries of his grace; these preached Christ of love, "out of the love of him", as the Ethiopic version reads; that is, out of love to Christ, who to them was exceeding precious, altogether lovely, the chiefest among ten thousands, and their hearts being hot and burning with love to him, they therefore spoke of him with their tongues; and out of love to the Gospel of Christ, which with them was the pearl of great price, and every truth of it more valuable than gold, si…
Philippians 1:12-17
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;
12. Scire autem vos volo, fratres, quod, quae mihi acciderunt, magis in profectum cesserunt Evangelii,
13. So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
13. Ut vincula mea in Christo illustria fuerint in toto praetorio, et reliquis omnibus locis:
14. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
14. Et multi ex fratribus in Domino, vinculis meis confisi, uberius ausi fuerint absque timore sermonem Dei loqui.
15.…
some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry: They evidently were believers who were critical of Paul (cp. 2 Cor 10–13; Gal 4:12-20; 5:7-12). Even so, the message about Christ was being preached, so Paul rejoiced.
