Philippians 1:2

Paul feels that the ordinary Greek salutation χαίρειν or the Eastern εἰρήνη σοι is too meagre for Christian intercourse. But closely connected with χαίρειν is his own great watchword χάρις, a word which, perhaps, above all others, shows the powerful remoulding of terms by Christian thought and feeling. χάρις for Paul is the central revelation of the fatherly heart of God in the redemption which Christ has accomplished for unworthy sinners. And its direct result is εἰρήνη, the harmony and health of that life which is reconciled to God through Jesus Christ; see an interesting discussion of the Apostolic greeting by F. Zimmer, Luthardt's Zeitschr., 1886, p. 443 ff. Of course ἀπό governs Κυρίου. The Socinian exegesis which makes Κ. depend on πατρός is impossible in view of Titus 1:4 (so Gw [26] ad loc.). Κυρίου. The favourite designation of Jesus Christ in the early Church. See on chap. Philippians 2:11 infr. Cf. the extraordinary frequency of the term δεσπότης as applied to God in Apostolic Fathers, etc. On the whole subject see Harnack, Dogmen-Geschichte, i., pp. 153 158.

[26] Gwynn.