Philippians 1:18

“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and therein. rejoice, yea, and will rejoice”

“What then?” “What about it” (Lenski p. 732). “Such being the case, how does it affect me?” (Vincent p. 422). “What is my feeling about this?” (Jackson p. 32). “Whether in pretence or in truth”: “From false motives or honest ones” (Gspd). “For ulterior ends or honestly” (Mof). “Christ is proclaimed”: That is. very important detail. Paul could never tolerate false teaching (Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 15:12 ff; Romans 6:1; 2 Corinthians 11:13; Galatians 1:6), but these insincere men are still preaching Christ, that is, they are still preaching the truth. “Therein. rejoice”: “Paul's self-forgetfulness excites affectionate admiration. We love him all the more for having written this beautiful passage. Sensitive soul though he was, he does not begin to pity himself” (Hendriksen p. 73). “And will rejoice”: The future will not change this attitude.

It is essential to understand that Paul is not approving of nor overlooking their bad motives. He has already written clearly on the subject of improper motivation (1 CorinthiansPhilippians 13:1-3). Paul realizes that such men will answer to God. In addition, Paul had judged them. He has clearly labeled their motives as being "envy, strife, and selfish ambition". Yet right now Paul cannot change their motives, and most importantly, they were still preaching the truth. Paul realized that many people would hear such preaching, without ever seeing the wrong motives behind it. It is vital that we reject. couple of interpretations: That Paul has mellowed in his old age. He hasn't! (2 Timothy 4:2). Or, that Paul feels that "some Christ" is better than no Christ at all. It is essential that we realize that these other preachers are not Judaizing teachers! They are Christians who are preaching the true gospel, but from completely wrong motives. Paul had no tolerance at all for false teachers (Galatians 1:6). Jackson reminds us, “There is no evidence whatever that these rivals of Paul were teaching religious error, rather as we have carefully documented, only their base motives and selfish ambitions come under the apostle's critical pen. This context is no shelter for the protection of those who would teach doctrines that are subversive to the gospel of Christ” (p. 32).

Erdman makes. very important comment: “He might have let those Roman soldiers learn with contempt how Christian preachers can be lacking in love. But Paul rises above any petty animosity or personal pique” (p. 61). Hawthorne then adds, “Why Paul felt it necessary to disclose to the Philippians the weaknesses of some of the brothers. Yet it is more likely that Paul writes about these people who had wrong motives to make clear that such people do exist even within the Christian community, and therefore the Philippian Christians should not be taken by surprise if such should arise in their midst” (p. 38). In addition, the men who had such wrong motives might hear this letter and thus repent.

Paul's Hope: Christ is honored in life or death