Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Philippians 1:28

Textus Receptus:
και μη πτυρομενοι εν μηδενι υπο των αντικειμενων ητις αυτοις μεν εστιν ενδειξις απωλειας υμιν δε σωτηριας και τουτο απο θεου

King James:
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

Comments:
in nothing terrified: Paul's admonition here is harmonious with his testimony in chapter 4:6-7.

by your adversaries: Literally, the word implies those who are laid out or stretched out against them. The implication of this verse, especially in the context of the next two verses, is that the faithful Christian will have adversaries and occasion to suffer, in keeping with 1 Peter 2:21.

to them an evident token of perdition: Those who oppose the believer will use suffering as evidence that the Christian is wrong, just as the enemies of Christ did at the foot of the cross in, for instance, Matthew 27:39-44.

but to you of salvation: To those who are suffering on account of their faithfulness to Christ, the suffering is not a reason to question and doubt, but a reason to have confidence that they really are being faithful to Christ. John 15:18-21.

and that of God: Whatever adversity would bring terror would be based on transient influences, while salvation comes from the Eternal God. This point is the same one Jesus makes in Matthew 10:28.

Expanded Paraphrase:
Also, do not be frightened by anything coming from those who lie in wait to cause you problems. They think whatever adversity faces you is evidence of your impending ruin. But you see both the adversity and the potential damage from it as a reminder that while whatever you have in this world will perish, your deliverance from the adversity, the ruin, and the world comes from the Eternal God.

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