THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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SUNDAY, September 14 . Philippians 1:9 . In verse 9 Paul returns to his prayer for them which he had mentioned in verse 4. He tells them for what he was praying, “that your love may abound yet more and more.” This was a fre quent prayer with Paul (cf. 1 Thess. 3:12). Paul realized that “love” was the one great and desirable thing (1 Cor. 13) and that however much of love we may have there is always need of “more and more,” and that God is the Only One Who can supply it. It was not only their love towards himself but their love toward one another, and “toward all men” (1 Thess. 3:12), that Paul would have “abound yet more and more.” Paul prays that their love may abound “in knowledge (a strong word, meaning, full knowledge) and all discernment.” He would have an intelligent and discerninig love. The word “all” in the phrase “all discern ment” is suggestive, there is so much partial discernment. MONDAY, September 15 . Philippians 1 : 10 , 11 . The. reason why Paul prayed that their love might “abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discern ment” was that as a result of this “full knowledge and all discernment,” “ye may approve the things that are excel lent.” The word translated approve means rather, to put to the test. So many people because of lack of “dis cernment” are constantly running off after and putting to the test the things which do not turn out to 'be excellent. The result of their approving and put ting to the test the things that are excellent would be that they would “be sincere and void of offense unto the day of Christ.” The word translated “sincere” means, clear and separate from all pollution and entanglement: and the word translated “void of offence” means without anything in them that would cause stumbling. In order that they might be “sincere and void of offence,” it would be necessary that they should have been “filled with the fruit (both the A. Y. and the R. V. read “fruits,” but the best Greek text reads “fruit” ) of righteousness, which is through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. “The fruit of righteousness” in us brings glory and praise to God because He is the source of it (cf. Matt. 5:16). “The fruit of righteousness” is “through
used beautifully sets forth the very tender feeling Paul had towards the saints in.Philippi. The word “me” in the expression “right for me” is very emphatic, the thought being that he had very special personal reasons for rejoicing over them and returning thanks for them and being confident concerning them. That reason was that he had them in his heart. The- special reason why he had them in his heart was their fellowship of sympathy and help in his bonds and in his work of “the defense and confirmation of the gospel.” In tfiese they were partakers with him of grace. The grace was bestowed upon them, as well as upon him, not “only to believe on Christ but also to suffer in His behalf.” (v. 29, R. V.) SUNDAY, September 18 . Philippians 1 : 8 . Paul’s love for the saints in Philippi was tender and sincere: he could appeal to- God as his witness (cf. Rom. 1:8; 1 Thess. 2:5, 10), how he “longed after” them “all.” The word translated “long after” is a very strong word, expressing intense yearning (cf. Rom. 1:11; 1 Thess. 3:6, R. V.; 2 Tim. 1:4; Phil. 2:2 6;. 2 Cor. 5:2 R. V.; 1 Pet. 2: 2, R. V.). Paul was a man of very affectionate disposition and his heart went out toward his converts with strongest yearning. He was very dif ferent from many a modern evangelist and pastor. It was “in the bowels of Jesus Christ” that Paul yearned for them. The Hebrews regarded “the bowels” as the seat of tender feeling. Paul does not endorse that view by using that expression, any more than we endorse the view that the heart is the actual seat of affection by using the language about the heart which is current in our own day, and which we use simply because it conveys our thought (but there is excellent physio- psychological reason for regarding “the bowels” as having a very intimate rela tion to our deeper emotions). The truth that Paul would :have them all see was, that it was not with his own natural affection that he loved them, but with the affection of Jesus Christ, the affection of Jesus Christ imparted to him. We can never love men as we ought with our own hearts; we must love them “in the bowels of Christ Jesus,” i. e., not in our own natural love, but in the love bf Christ Jesus imparted to us.
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