Filipenses 1
Theodoret of Cyrus · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Filipenses 1:1
He sends his news to everyone, both those who have been deemed worthy of ordination and those who are shepherded by them. By "those who are holy" he means those who have worthily received holy baptism. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.1-2
Filipenses 1:1
He applies the term bishops to presbyters, for at that time they had both names. … And it is clear that he makes this assumption here also. For he joins the deacons to the bishops, making no mention of the presbyters. Furthermore, it was not possible for many bishops to be shepherds to one city. So it is clear that he is calling the presbyters bishops; yet in this same letter he calls the blessed Epaphroditus their apostle, … and thus he indicates plainly that he was entrusted with an episcopal function because he had the name of an apostle. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.1-2
Filipenses 1:3
Paul praises God every time he remembers the clergy of Philippi, who received the proclamation of the gospel cordially and have remained uncorrupted up to the present. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.3-5
Filipenses 1:7
His praise for them is strong. He calls them "partners in grace." But by grace he is referring to his sufferings, as is made clear in what he goes on to teach, that "it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake." — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.7
Filipenses 1:11
Enjoy these gifts! Keep your faith uncontaminated! Present the fruit of righteousness to God, so that God will be celebrated by all. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.11
Filipenses 1:12
In their great concern for Paul the Philippians had sent the blessed Epaphroditus to help him. For this reason he writes to comfort them in return. He wants to show that the chains that bind him have themselves become the instruments of salvation to many. By "the progress of the gospel" he means the multitude of believers. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.12-13
Filipenses 1:14
"My chains," he says in effect, "have themselves become the source of courage to the others. They can easily see that I bear adversity with joy. So they come to preach the divine gospel fearlessly." — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.14
Filipenses 1:18
Even against their will, Paul shows, the enemies of truth inadvertently cooperate with truth. Some are foolish enough to think that this can also be said about heresies. They ought to have perceived that the holy apostle's statement here is not an imperative sentence but a declarative one. He did not say "Let it be preached" but "It is being preached." Moreover, he does not condemn those people for preaching bad things but for preaching good things poorly, being led not by reverence for God but by partisanship. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.18
Filipenses 1:25
In saying "I know that I shall remain and continue with you all" he means: "I know that I shall escape the present danger, so as to be once again a source of profit and encouragement to you. So you will have received what you desire." This prediction indeed came true. For he escaped the anger of Nero on the first occasion, as he shows in his letters to the blessed Timothy. … From Rome he went to Spain and took the gospel to them also, then returned and was only later beheaded. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.25
Filipenses 1:27
Paul did not write this without reason. He was aware that certain people had started to think too highly of themselves. This was indeed due to the high excellence of their own virtue. For this reason he advises them toward concord and harmony, to live a life worthy of the gospel. — EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 1.27-28