Philippians 2:15

2:12-18 We must be diligent in the use of all the means which lead to our salvation, persevering therein to the end. With great care, lest, with all our advantages, we should come short. Work out your salvation, for it is God who worketh in you. This encourages us to do our utmost, because our labour shall not be in vain: we must still depend on the grace of God. The working of God's grace in us, is to quicken and engage our endeavours. God's good-will to us, is the cause of his good work in us. Do your duty without murmurings. Do it, and do not find fault with it. Mind your work, and do not quarrel with it. By peaceableness; give no just occasion of offence. The children of God should differ from the sons of men. The more perverse others are, the more careful we should be to keep ourselves blameless and harmless. The doctrine and example of consistent believers will enlighten others, and direct their way to Christ and holiness, even as the light-house warns mariners to avoid rocks, and directs their course into the harbour. Let us try thus to shine. The gospel is the word of life, it makes known to us eternal life through Jesus Christ. Running, denotes earnestness and vigour, continual pressing forward; labouring, denotes constancy, and close application. It is the will of God that believers should be much in rejoicing; and those who are so happy as to have good ministers, have great reason to rejoice with them.

{7} That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (7) To be short, he requires a life without fault, and pure, so that being enlightened with the word of God, they may shine in the darkness of this world.

Php 2:15 . Θεοῦ , of God ) who is good.— σκολιᾶς ) crooked .— φαίνεσθε ) ye shine , namely, by having kept this exhortation. Of life follows, as the mention of light and life is frequently joined.— ἐν κόσμῳ , in the world ) among the human race, of whom many are yet to be converted, others are to be reproved.

May be - harmless (γένησθε - ἀκέραιοι) May be is rather may prove or show yourselves to be. Harmless, lit., unmixed. See on Matthew 10:16. Better, guileless. Blameless in the sight of others, guileless in your own hearts. Sons of God (τέκνα) Rev., better, children. See on John 1:12. Compare Deuteronomy 32:5. Without rebuke (ἄμωμα) Rev., correctly, without blemish. See on Colossians 1:22. The word is epexegetical of the two preceding epithets, unblemished in reputation and in reality. Crooked and perverse (σκολίας - διεστραμμένης) Crooked, see on untoward, Acts 2:40; see on froward, 1 Peter 2:18. Perverse, lit., warped, twisted. See on Matthew 17:17; see on Luke 23:14. Ye shine (φαίνεσθε) Rev., more correctly, ye are seen. Compare Matthew 24:27; Revelation 18:23, A.V., where the same error occurs. Shine would require the verb in the active voice, as John 1:5; John 5:35. Lights (φωστῆρες) Only here and Revelation 21:11, see note. Properly, luminaries. So Rev., in margin. Generally of the heavenly bodies. See Genesis 1:14, Genesis 1:16, Sept. In the world Connect with ye are seen, not with luminaries. The world, not only material, but moral. For the moral sense of κόσμος world, see on John 1:9.

15. blameless and harmless—without either the repute of mischief, or the inclination to do it [Alford]. sons—rather as Greek, "the children of God" (Ro 8:14-16). Imitation of our heavenly Father is the instinctive guide to our duty as His children, more than any external law (Mt 5:44, 45, 48). without rebuke—"without (giving handle for) reproach." The whole verse tacitly refers by contrast to De 32:5, "Their spot … not … of His children … a perverse and crooked generation" (compare 1Pe 2:12). ye shine—literally, "appear" [Trench]. "Show yourselves" (compare Mt 5:14-16; Eph 5:8-13). as lights in the world—The Greek expresses "as luminaries in the world," as the sun and moon, "the lights," or "great lights," in the material world or in the firmament. The Septuagint uses the very same Greek word in the passage, Ge 1:14, 16; compare Note,, see on [2387]Re 21:11.

Verse 15. - That ye may be blameless and harmless ; read, with the best manuscripts, that ye may become ; an exhortation to continued progress. "Harmless;" rather, pure, simple; literally, unmixed. The sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation ; rather, children , without the article. "The slave may murmur," says Chrysostom, "but what son will murmur, who, while working for his father, works also for himself?" Substitute "blameless" for "without rebuke," and "generation" for "nation." There is a close resemblance bore, especially in the Greek, and an evident reference to Deuteronomy 32:5 . The Philippians are exhorted to exhibit in their lives a contrast to the behaviour of the rebellious Israelites. Among whom ye shine as lights in the world ; not "shine," but, as R.V., are s een or appear. Lights ; literally, luminaries. The word is used in Genesis 1:14, 16 of the sun and moon. Comp. Ecclus. 43:7 and Wisd. 13:2, "where φεστῆρες ὀυρανοῦ is exactly equivalent to φωστῆρες ἐν κοσμῷ here, the κοσμός of this place being the material world, the firmament; not the ethical world, which has been already expressed by the crooked and perverse nation" (Trench, 'Synonyms of the New Testament'). Philippians 2:15

(15) Blameless and harmless. —“Blameless” as to external law and judgment (as in Luke 1:6 ; 1Thessalonians 2:10 ); “harmless” in internal purity and simplicity (as in Matthew 10:16 , “harmless as doves;” and Romans 16:19 ). The sons of God, without rebuke.—The word “without rebuke” is, according to the best MSS., the same as that which is used in Ephesians 1:4 (where see Note), and elsewhere, to signify “unblemished.” The whole passage seems certainly a reminiscence of Deuteronomy 32:5, as it runs in the Greek version, speaking of the Israelites as “no children of God, full of blemish, a crooked and perverse generation.” The word “crooked” is similarly applied to the unbelieving Jews by St. Peter in Acts 2:40, and the epithet “faithless and perverse generation” used by our Lord in Matthew 17:17; Luke 9:41. Lights.—Properly, luminaries; so used in the Old Testament, and probably in Revelation 21:11. Christians are as the lesser lights of heaven, dim in comparison with the Sun of Righteousness, perhaps shining by His reflected light, and seen only in the night of this life, till He shall rise on us again in the “day of Christ” spoken of in the next verse. The word, therefore, stands half-way between “light” itself, as in Matthew 5:14, and the merely artificial “light” (or, candle) of John 5:35.

Php 2:15 . γένησθε . “That ye may become.” A high ideal before Paul’s mind to be reached by a gradual process.— ἄμεμπτοι . οὐ μικρὰν γὰρ προσάγει κηλῖδα ὁ γογγυσμός (Chr[9]). Perhaps ἄμεμ . refers to the judgment of others, while ἀκέραιοι denotes their intrinsic character (so Lft[10]). Cf. Matthew 10:16 , where Christ exhorts the disciples to be ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί .— τέκνα Θεοῦ . This whole clause is a reminiscence, not a quotation, of Deuteronomy 32:5 , ἡμάρτοσαν , οὐκ αὐτῷ τέκνα , μωμητά · γενεὰ σκολιὰ καὶ διεστραμμένη . It is impossible to say whether Paul uses τ . Θ . in the strict sense common in N.T., or whether he employs the term more loosely as in Ephesians 5:8 .—The best authorities read ἄμωμα , the more usual N.T. word. ἀμωμητά may be due to μωμητά of LXX.— μέσον is certainly to be read instead of ἐν μέσῳ , with all leading authorities. It is one of those adverbial expressions which, in the later language, perhaps under the influence of Semitic usage, took the place of prepositions. Cf. Hatz., Einl , p. 214, where several exx. are quoted from Porphyrogenitus, de Caer .— σκολ . κ . διεστραμ . The latter epithet is precisely = the Scotch expression “thrawn,” “having a twist” in the inner nature.— ἐν οἷς . Sense-construction.— φαίν . Commentators differ as to whether φ . means here “appear” or “shine”. Surely the appearing of a φωστήρ , a luminary, must be, at the same time, a shining.

Both interpretations really converge in this context. [Calv. takes φαίν . as imperative, and compares Isaiah 60:2 . This is by no means unlikely.] Probably κόσμος (= the whole universe of things) goes closely with φωστῆρες , emphasising the contrast, while nothing is said as to their influence on others. Christ Himself is τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου ( John 8:12 ). His followers are φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ . For κόσμος see Evans’ excellent note on 1 Corinthians 2:12 .

That ye may be blameless and harmless; that ye behave yourselves so that none can justly reproach you, Luke 1:6 and though you cannot altogether put to silence foolish men, John 15:25 1 Peter 2:15 , yet they cannot have any just cause to stain your reputation; but you may be found sincere, simple, void of guile, Matthew 10:16 John 1:47 Romans 16:19 1 Peter 2:1 , with 1 Peter 1:14 . The sons of God, without rebuke; without such spots and blemishes as are inconsistent with your adoption, or sonship, Ephesians 5:27 . Sons of God, in regard of their relation, should be careful, as much as may be, that they do not expose themselves to the biting reproofs of those carping neighbours who are not of their Father’s family, Song of Solomon 4:7 Matthew 5:48 Ephesians 1:4 Judges 1:24 . In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation; who show by their lying in wickedness, 1Jo 5:19 , and the uncured spots, yea, even plague sores, upon them who have notoriously corrupted themselves, that they are a perverse, crooked, untoward, and adulterous generation, Deu 32:5 Psalm 125:5 Matthew 12:39 Acts 13:8,10 .

Among whom ye shine as lights in the world; in conversing with such a sort of men, ye either do, or ought, unanimously to show yourselves to be light in the Lord, Matthew 5:14,16 Eph 5:8,15 ; enlightened by the Sun of righteousness, Malachi 4:2 , to give a more clear light, that however the uncivil wicked would bespatter you, and cast reproach upon you in the necessary exercises of religion; yet, you not suffering as murderers, thieves, busybodies, &c., 1 Peter 4:4,15,16 , you will then, especially if Christ’s faithful ambassadors, show yourselves to be not such lantern or torchbearers as accompanied treacherous Judas, John 18:3 , (however the ill men you live among may reckon you no better), but such light-bearers under Christ, (the Seventy use the word for stars, Genesis 1:16 Daniel 12:3 Revelation 1:16,20 ), as irradiate the world; not a house, as a candle doth, but the world, as stars do, Revelation 12:1 .

15 . be ] Better, with the true reading, become, prove; a gentle intimation that a change was needed. blameless ] Secure against true charges of inconsistency of temper and conduct. harmless ] So too R.V. But this can be only a derived rendering. The literal and ordinary meaning of the Greek is “ unmixed , unadulterated, pure.” The character denoted is simple as against double; single-hearted in truth and love. It occurs elsewhere, in N.T., only Matthew 10:16 ; Romans 16:19 ; but often in secular writers. the sons of God ] More exactly, with R.V., children of God . The Greek word rendered “children” points more specially than the other to the nature and character of the family of God; the family- likeness . The precise phrase “ children of God,” occurs elsewhere (in the Greek) John 1:12 ; John 11:52 ; Romans 8:16-17 ; Romans 8:21 ; Romans 9:8 ; 1 John 3:1-2 ; 1 John 3:10 ; 1 John 5:2 . Here the evident meaning is, “that you may prove the fact of your spiritual sonship to God by your spiritual likeness to Him, which is its one true proof.” As a rule, Scripture tends to use the words “Father,” “son,” “child,” as between God and man, to indicate not the connexion of creation but that of new-creation, as here. without rebuke ] One Greek adjective; the same word (in the best attested reading here) as that in Ephesians 1:4 ; Ephesians 5:27 ; Colossians 1:22 ; passages in this same Roman group of St Paul’s Epistles.