Philippians 3:1

English Standard Version

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Contextual Overview

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Finally: Philippians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 6:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:1,*Gr: 1 Peter 3:8

rejoice: Philippians 3:3, Philippians 4:4, Deuteronomy 12:18, Deuteronomy 16:11, 1 Samuel 2:1, 1 Chronicles 15:28, 1 Chronicles 16:10, 1 Chronicles 16:31-33, 1 Chronicles 29:22, 2 Chronicles 30:26, 2 Chronicles 30:27, Nehemiah 8:10, Job 22:26, Psalms 5:11, Psalms 32:11, Psalms 33:1, Psalms 37:4, Psalms 42:4, Psalms 97:1, Psalms 100:1, Psalms 100:2, Psalms 149:2, Isaiah 12:2, Isaiah 12:3, Isaiah 41:16, Isaiah 61:10, Isaiah 65:14, Isaiah 66:11, Isaiah 66:12, Joel 2:23, Habakkuk 3:17, Habakkuk 3:18, Zephaniah 3:14, Zephaniah 3:17, Zechariah 10:7, Matthew 5:12, Luke 1:47, Romans 5:2, Romans 5:3, Romans 5:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, James 1:2, 1 Peter 1:6-8, 1 Peter 4:13

To write: Philippians 2:17, Philippians 2:18, 2 Peter 1:12-15, 2 Peter 3:1

Reciprocal: Psalms 35:9 - General Isaiah 25:9 - we will Isaiah 28:10 - For precept Isaiah 29:19 - rejoice Haggai 1:7 - General Acts 20:20 - profitable Romans 12:12 - Rejoicing Galatians 1:9 - so Philippians 1:26 - General Hebrews 5:12 - teach

Cross-References

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Gill's Notes on the Bible

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord,.... The Syriac version reads, "in our Lord", i.e. Christ. The apostle seems as if he was about to conclude his epistle; and therefore, as if he was taking his farewell of this church, and giving his last advice to them, he exhorts them in a most affectionate manner, as his dear brethren in a spiritual relation, that they would make Christ their chief joy; that whatever sorrow they might have on account of his bonds, or the sickness of Epaphroditus, yet, he observes they had reason to rejoice in their Lord and Saviour; and however, it might be matter of rejoicing to them to hear of his hope of coming once more to them, and of the recovery of their minister and his return to them, yet Christ should be the principal object of their joy. A believer has always reason to rejoice in Christ; in the greatness of his person, he being in the form of God, and equal to him, and therefore able to save his to the uttermost by his obedience and death, and has interest enough in heaven to make his intercession prevalent and successful and power to keep safe all that are committed to him; and in the fitness of his person to be a Mediator, and daysman, to take care of things pertaining to the glory of God, and to make reconciliation for sin; and in the fulness of his person, he having all grace in him for his people, which is all theirs, and with joy may they draw water out of the full wells of salvation in him; and in the beauty of his person which surpasses all others, a sight of which fills with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. They may, and should rejoice, as they sometimes do, in his salvation; in the contrivance of it by infinite wisdom; in the impetration of it by himself; and in the application of it by his spirit; and that because hereby justice is satisfied, the law is magnified and made honourable, sin is finished, and an everlasting righteousness brought in. Also they are called upon to rejoice in his resurrection, which is for their justification; in his ascension, seeing he then received gifts for men; and in his session at the right hand of God, which is in their nature; and in his intercession which is to their advantage; and in all the relations he stands in to them, as head, husband, father, brother, friend; and in everything that is his, and that belongs unto him, as his Gospel, ordinances, ways, and worship.

To write the same things to you. The apostle finding he had more time on his hands, or fresh thoughts occurred to him, writes on, and makes an apology for writing the same things, which he had either wrote to other churches, or which he had delivered when first among them, or which he had since wrote to them. For sometimes it is necessary to say and write the same things over and over again, partly that they may be the better understood, and partly that they may be more strongly fixed in the memory; as also, that the saints may be the more established in the present truth: and which he says,

to me indeed [is] not grievous; or troublesome; he found no backwardness to it, nor sluggishness in it; he was not loath to do it, nor was it wearisome to him; or made him slothful, as the Arabic renders it; nor was he afraid to repeat what he had wrote, or again to warn them against false teachers, of whom he stood in no fear:

but for you [it is] safe; or "necessary", as the Vulgate Latin version reads, being a means of preserving them from the error of the wicked; for though the saints are safe in Christ, and can never finally and totally be deceived, yet the Gospel, and the frequent ministration of it, are a means of keeping them from the deception of evil men; for as the Syriac version renders it, "they make you more cautious"; when truth is repeated, and afresh confirmed, it guards against falling in with damnable heresies. And so the Arabic version renders it, "is a guard", or "garrison to you".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord - That is, in the Lord Jesus; see Philippians 3:3; compare the Acts 1:24 note, and 1 Thessalonians 5:16 note. The idea here is, that it is the duty of Christians to rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ. This duty implies the following things:

(1) They should rejoice that they have such a Saviour. People everywhere have felt the need of a Saviour, and to us it should be a subject of unfeigned joy that one has been provided for us. When we think of our sins, we may now rejoice that there is one who can deliver us from them; when we think of the worth of the soul, we may rejoice that there is one who can save it from death; when we think of our danger, we can rejoice that there is one who can rescue us from all peril, and bring us to a world where we shall be for ever safe.

(2) We may rejoice that we have such a Saviour. He is just such as we need. He accomplishes just what we want a Saviour to do. We need one to make known to us a way of pardon, and he does it. We need one to make an atonement for sin, and he does it. We need one to give us peace from a troubled conscience, and he does it. We need one to support us in trials and bereavements, and he does it. We need one who can comfort us on the bed of death, and guide us through the dark valley, and the Lord Jesus is just what we want. When we look at his character, it is just such as it should be to win our hearts, and to make us love him; and when we look at what he has done, we see that he has accomplished all that we can desire, and why should we not rejoice?

(3) We may and should rejoice in him. The principal joy of the true Christian should be in the Lord. He should find his happiness not in riches, or gaiety, or vanity, or ambition, or books, or in the world in any form, but in communion with the Lord Jesus, and in the hope of eternal life through him. In his friendship, and in his service, should be the highest of our joys, and in these we may always be happy. It is the privilege, therefore, of a Christian to rejoice. He has more sources of joy than any other man - sources which do not fail when all others fail. Religion is not sadness or melancholy, it is joy; and the Christian should never leave the impression on others that his religion makes him either gloomy or morose. A cheerful countenance, an eye of benignity, a conversation pleasant and kind, should always evince the joy of his heart, and in all his contact with the world around hint he should show that his heart is full of joy.

To write the same things - That is, to repeat the same truths and admonitions. Perhaps he refers in this to the exhortations which he had given them when he was with them, on the same topics on which he is now writing to them. He says, that for him to record these exhortations, and transmit them by a letter, might be the means of permanent welfare to them, and would not be burdensome or oppressive to him. It was not absolutely necessary for them, but still it would be conducive to their order and comfort as a church. We may suppose that this chapter is a summary of what he had often inculcated when he was with them.

To me indeed is not grievous - It is not burdensome or oppressive to me to repeat these exhortations in this manner. They might suppose that in the multitude of cares which he had, and in his trials in Rome, it might be too great a burden for him to bestow so much attention on their interests.

But for you it is safe - It will contribute to your security as Christians, to have these sentiments and admonitions on record. They were exposed to dangers which made them proper. What those dangers were, the apostle specifies in the following verses.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER III.

The apostle exhorts the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord, 1.

And to beware of false teachers, 2.

Shows that Christians are the true circumcision, who worship

God in the Spirit, 3.

And that himself had more reason to trust in the flesh than any

of the Jews, 4-6.

But that he counted all things loss for Christ, 7-11.

He longs after a conformity to Christ in his death, and presses

onward to the attainment of his high calling, 12-14.

Exhorts them to be like-minded, 15-17.

Warns them against certain persons who were enemies to the cross

of Christ, 18, 19.

Shows the nature of their heavenly privileges, and the

resurrection and glorification of the human body, 20, 21.

NOTES ON CHAP. III.

Verse Philippians 3:1. Rejoice in the Lord. — Be always happy; but let that happiness be such as you derive from the Lord.

To write the same things — He means those which he had formerly preached to them or to other Churches, for he had but one Gospel; and we may rest assured that the doctrine of this epistle was the same with his preaching.

For you it is safe. — It is much better to have these Divine things committed to writing than confided to memory. By the latter they may be either lost or corrupted, by the former they will be preserved.