theWord Commentaries

“Let us pray to God, that we may speak, think, believe, live,
and depart hence, according to the wholesome doctrine and verities
of His Word.”
THE HOMILIES, i, 1.
Third Edition

London Hodder and Stoughton 27, Paternoster Row 1900
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.
COLOSSIAN STUDIES.
EPHESIAN STUDIES.
TO MY YOUNGER BRETHREN ON PASTORAL LIFE AND WORK.
OUTLINES OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. (In the Theological Educator
Series.)

VENI CREATOR: THOUGHTS ON THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE. Third Edition.
LIFE IN CHRIST AND FOR CHRIST.
“NEED AND FULNESS.”
“PATIENCE AND COMFORT.”
THOUGHTS ON CHRISTIAN SANCTITY.
THOUGHTS ON UNION WITH CHRIST.
THOUGHTS ON THE SPIRITUAL LIFE.
SECRET PRAYER.
“AT THE HOLY COMMUNION.” Thoughts for Preparation and Communion.
“THE PLEDGE OF HIS LOVE.” Thoughts on the Lord’s Supper.
THE NEW BIRTH. A Brief Enquiry and Statement.
THE CLEANSING BLOOD. A Study of 1 John 1:7.
JUSTIFYING RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THE CHRISTIAN AND THE WORLD.
THE NET AND THE DELIVERANCE.
A MORNING ACT OF FAITH.
THE CHRISTIAN’S OWN CALENDAR OF PERSONAL AND FAMILY EVENTS.
With an Introduction by Rev. H. C. G. MOULE.
PRAYERS FOR THE HOME.
THE CHRISTIAN’S VICTORY OVER SIN.
“GRACE AND GODLINESS.” Chapters on Ephesians.
“CHRIST IS ALL.” Sermons.
COMMENTARIES ON THE ROMANS; EPHESIANS; PHILIPPIANS;
COLOSSIANS in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges;
and on the PHILIPPIANS in the Cambridge Greek Testament.
Also on the ROMANS in the Expositor’s Bible.
“BETWEEN MY LORD AND ME.” A Card containing Morning and Evening
Acts of Faith and Devotion.
CHARLES SIMEON. (In English Leaders of Religion.)
BISHOP RIDLEY ON THE LORD’S SUPPER. A Reprint from the Original
Edition, with Life of Ridley, Notes, Appendices, etc.,
and Illustrations.
“IN THE HOUSE OF THE PILGRIMAGE.” Hymns and Sacred Songs.

TO THE
REV. G. A. SCHNEIDER, M.A.,
VICE-PRINCIPAL OF RIDLEY HALL, CAMBRIDGE,
THIS BOOK IS INSCRIBED
IM TOKEN OF WARM FRIENDSHIP
AND WITH A GRATEFUL SENSE OF THE BENEFIT
OF HIS INVALUABLE CO-OPERATION
“Thou the Way art, Thou the Prize
That beyond the journey lies;
Thou the Truth art, Thou the Guide,
Gone before, yet at our side;
Everlasting life below
It is truly Thee to know:
Such to Thy Saints wast Thou of yore;
Unchangeable Thou art, and shall be evermore.”
MONSELL.

PREFACE

The plan and purpose of the following pages will be soon evident to the reader. The whole aim is towards edification. What is said in the way of historical introduction, what is done in the course of the chapters in the way of rendering and grammatical explanation, all has this aim in view. The Epistle is handled throughout with the firm belief that it is an Oracle of God, while that Oracle is conveyed through the mind and heart of one of the greatest of the sons of men; and the Expositor’s aim accordingly is always, and above all things, to expound. To put it otherwise, his highest ambition is to call attention to the sacred text, and let it speak.
May the Lord of the Apostle, of the Philippians, of ourselves, only grant that His mercy may rest upon this poor contribution to the exegesis of His inexhaustible Word. May it be permitted to throw a quiet light upon some of the treasures of this apostolic casket, to the help, in any measures, of the disciples of our day. Then will the Expositor indeed give thanks to the Master at whose feet he lays his work.
RIDLEY HALL, CAMBRIDGE.

CONTENTS of Moule Commentary on Philippians

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
CHAPTER II
THE INTIMACY OF HUMAN HEARTS IN CHRIST
(PHIL. 1:1-11.)
CHAPTER III
THE APOSTLE’S POSITION AND CIRCUMSTANCES
(PHIL. 1:12-20.)
CHAPTER IV
THE CHRISTIAN’S PEACE AND THE CHRISTIAN’S CONSISTENCY
(PHIL. 1:21-30.)
CHAPTER V
UNITY IN SELF-FORGETFULNESS: THE EXAMPLE OF THE LORD
(PHIL. 2:1-11.)
CHAPTER VI
THE LORD’S POWER IN THE DISCIPLE’S LIFE
(PHIL. 2:12-18.)
CHAPTER VII
TIMOTHEUS AND EPAPHRODITUS
(PHIL. 2:19-30.)
CHAPTER VIII
JOY IN THE LORD AND ITS PRESERVING INFLUENCE
“THAT I MAY KNOW HIM”
(PHIL. 3:1-11.)
CHAPTER IX
CHRISTIAN STANDING AND CHRISTIAN PROGRESS.
(PHIL. 3:12-16.)
CHAPTER X
THE BLESSED HOPE AND ITS POWER
(PHIL. 3:17-21.)
CHAPTER XI
PURITY AND PEACE IN THE PRESENT LORD
(PHIL. 4:1-9.)
CHAPTER XII
THE COLLECTION FOR ST PAUL: THE FAREWELL
(PHIL. 4:10-23.)
“Holy Scripture is the Letter of God Almighty to His creatures; learn
God’s heart in God’s Words.”
GREGORY THE GREAT, Epist., 4:31.

INTRODUCTORY

O Gracious GOD and most mercifull Father, which hast vouchsafed us the rich and precious iewell of thy holy worde, assist us with thy Spirit, that it may be written in our hearts to our euerlasting comfort, to reforme us, to renew us according to thine owne image, to build us up, and edifie us into the perfect building of thy Christ, sanctifying and increasing in us all heauenly vertues. Graunt this O heauenly Father, for Iesus Christes sake. Amen.

From the GENEVA BIBLE, 1557.

Transcriber’s notes:

In the original book, each odd-numbered page (except for the first page of a chapter) had its own header. In this e-book, each chapter’s headers have been collected into an introductory paragraph at the start of the chapter.
The original book contained many Greek words. They have been transliterated according to the Project Gutenberg “Greek How-To,” and have been indicated with surrounding underscores.

Italicised words in the original have also been indicated with
Underscores, but such words are always English.
Bold-face text in the original book has been enclosed between plus (+) signs in this ebook.
Footnotes have been renumbered consecutively and moved to the
end of their host chapter.

Moule Commentary on Philippians