Philippians 2:12

Philippians 2:12. So, then, my beloved. The particle in the original is not equivalent to ‘on which account,' or ‘wherefore,' but merely the lighter conjunction by which an imperative or hortatory clause is attached to what has preceded.

as ye have always obeyed. This is the secret of all the joy in the Philippian Epistle. In the church there, his words, as spoken in Christ's name, had ever been diligently followed. He had no cause for grief of any kind over them.

not as in my presence only. Do not only labour as you did when I was with you in the work of salvation. Their earlier zeal he had been witness of; he now begs that he may not find that his presence among them was necessary to sustain that zeal, but that they will prove it to have been of a true nature, a zeal for Christ, by their efforts while he is away from them, as in the nature of things he must constantly be.

but now much more in my absence. This would be the surest evidence, if the earnestness increased instead of abating when the apostle was absent.

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The apostle has in his thought for a moment the influence which perhaps his own presence or absence may exert on the congregation at Philippi. He would have them learn to be independent of him, and so he says, Work out your own salvation, and adds, because he knows the many dangers and temptations which will beset them, with fear and trembling, that he may impress on them the need for watchfulness and constant anxiety in this work. And he employs a verb expressive of complete and perfect accomplishment, that they may feel at now great results they are to aim. But in a moment, lest there should be any misapprehension of his meaning, and the Philippians should place trust in themselves, he adds a corrective.