Biblion Bible Commentary
Read the introduction to Philippians · About this commentary
Christ Is Proclaimed
Philippians 1:15-18
15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. · WEB
Some were preaching to hurt him, and Paul's response is that he does not much care.
Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will. The concession is remarkable and unforced — nothing required him to mention it.
The two motives are then laid side by side. One group preaches from love, knowing he is appointed for the defense of the gospel. The other proclaims Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for him in his chains. They are using his imprisonment against him, presumably by taking the ground he cannot occupy while confined.
What Paul does with that is the point of the paragraph. He does not defend himself, correct them, or ask the Philippians to take sides.
What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed — and I rejoice in this.
The test is narrow, and it is not about the preachers. Their motives are wrong and Paul says so; what he refuses to concede is that wrong motives damage the message. And the joy comes in two tenses: I rejoice, and I will rejoice.
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