and having confidence of this, I know that I shall remain and abide along with you all, for your progress and joy in faith;
Paul writes from a Roman prison. He has just weighed dying and being with Christ against staying alive for the sake of others. This verse is where he settles it. The striking thing is who settles it: not the emperor, but the prisoner.
Humanly speaking, Paul's future lay in the Emperor's hands. His confidence rests elsewhere. One writer ties it to the decline he could see spreading among the churches.
We must remember that decline was setting in everywhere, though the days were early. Evil men were already at work. They wanted to corrupt the testimony of the Lord and lead the saints astray. Paul knew the evil would spread. He had told the Ephesian elders so (Acts 20), some time before he wrote this letter to the Philippians. So he wanted to stay, and steer the Church's boat a little longer over the rough sea. He had this desire, and he was sure that his remaining in the flesh was needed. So he knew he would remain and stay with the saints, for their progress and joy in the faith. Notice how calm and lifted above it all this man is! From a human point of view, it was up to the Emperor whether he stayed or not. But he did not look at man, in power or otherwise. He quietly settles his own case in the presence of the Lord.
The words "I know" are bold. One commentator traces them to a man whose own will was broken, so that he could think God's thoughts about the church.
I know of no more astonishing and instructive proof of the power of the Spirit of God, giving a man real fellowship with God in daily life. The flesh in him was broken and judged, so he could enter into the mind and feelings of God, and into Christ's heart about the Church. Was it really desirable for the Church that Paul should remain? Then, without hesitation and with no thought for himself, he can say, Paul will remain. So he settles the matter and speaks with calm certainty about seeing them again. Yet this is a man in prison, exposed to the most reckless of Roman emperors, who thinks, decides, says all this!
The verses just before set two good things side by side. Paul lets the second one win, and not because he wanted Christ less.
He weighs the matter up. On one side, it is much better to be with Christ. On the other side, it is more needful for the Philippians that he remain in the flesh. Being confident of this, he decides the matter himself: "I know that I will remain." What a true shepherd's heart! Without hesitation he gives up his own wishes for the sake of the flock. Another Apostle could write, "We ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." (1 John 3:16). They were of one mind.
That care was not affection for people as such. It had a deeper root: they were not his.
Who will doubt that Paul's desire was a true and precious spiritual one? Yet he will give it up for the time being, because he adds, "to remain in the flesh is more needful for you." It is a blessed thing to see this spirit of unselfish devotion to the care of the saints, because they belonged to Christ.
Paul stays for their advance and their gladness. The next verse names the outcome, and the word behind "rejoicing" is worth catching, because it points the result away from Paul.
The word translated "boast" has the thought of "joyful exultation." … Their joy would produce boasting, or joyful exultation, not in Paul, but in Christ Jesus. Paul's presence with them once again would cause it, yet their boast would be in Christ Jesus.
Commentators differ on how strongly to press this. Some say only that Paul was "pretty certain" to have been justified in his confidence; others go further, on the ground that what he wrote is Scripture.
From this there can be no doubt at all that the apostle was later set free and saw the Philippians again. True, here he is only expecting it. But he writes as one who has learned the mind of God in the matter. And since what he writes is Scripture, we are left with no choice but to treat it as a prophecy inspired by God.
The freedom came, and it was used the way he said it would be — before a very different letter closed his life.
He was granted not only to visit Macedonia again, and to make the boasting of the Philippians abound in Christ Jesus through him by his presence with them once more. He was also granted to see again at least some of the churches in Asia Minor, and the one at Corinth. … In Philippians he says, "I am going to remain;" in 2 Timothy, "I am going to depart."
- Pressure — Paul writes as a prisoner. His life hung on an emperor's word. Yet he leaves the emperor out and settles the question before the Lord.
- Ground — Paul can say "I know" because the flesh in him was broken and judged. He thinks God's thoughts about the church instead of his own.
- Choice — He gives up what was better for himself, because others needed him more. A shepherd's heart puts the flock first.
- Purpose — He stays for two things: their progress in the faith and their joy in it.
- Praise — The result overflows in joyful exultation. It lands on Christ Jesus, not on the man whose return caused it.
that your boasting may abound in Christ Jesus through me by my presence again with you.
Paul writes from prison, having chosen to stay alive for the believers at Philippi rather than depart and be with Christ. This verse gives the result of that choice: their glorying would grow, and it would rest on Christ Jesus, not on Paul.
Verse 26 grows out of the choice Paul made just before it. One writer sees in that choice a striking proof of the Spirit's power.
Here is the most astonishing and instructive proof I know of the power of the Spirit of God. It gave a man real fellowship with God in practice. The flesh in him was broken and judged, so he could enter into the mind and feelings of God, and into Christ's heart about the Church. Was it really desirable for the Church that Paul should stay? Then, without hesitation and without fleshly feeling, he can say, Paul will stay. So he settles the matter and speaks calmly and confidently of seeing them again. Yet this is a man in prison, exposed to the most reckless of Roman emperors, who thinks, decides, and says all this!
Paul expected his visit to add something to their faith, and their joy to rise with it.
This verse is closely connected with the one before it. Paul trusted that his presence at Philippi once again would be so full of the power of the Gospel that it would add something real to their faith and knowledge. Joy would increase in proportion. With joy would come more of that glorying in the Lord which is a proper mark of all true worshippers of God. His words seem to point two ways. They could glory in the Lord as the faithful helper of His people in their times of trouble. They could also glory as a fuller knowledge of the unsearchable riches of Christ, through further apostolic teaching, worked on their souls.
The word Paul uses means a boast. Where that boast lands is the point.
The word translated "boast" carries the thought of "joyous exultation." … Their joy would produce boasting, or joyful exultation, not in Paul, but in Christ Jesus. Paul's presence with them once again would cause that joy, yet their boast would be in Christ Jesus.
Paul had authority, yet he speaks of his return as a help to them. One writer notes how he handled that authority.
Notice, he wanted to stay for their "progress and joy in the faith." Sweet and simple language from an apostle, a man armed by the Lord with authority. As far as he could, he avoided any display of authority. In spirit he was very far from those who would lord it over God's heritage. He preferred to say, "Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith" (2 Cor. 1:24).
Paul does not say he hopes to return. He says he knows. One writer asks what that settles.
Notice that he is not giving his opinion, but facts. "To remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account," not "I think it is." "I know that I will remain and continue with you all," not "I think I will." And verse 26 is most explicit. He is to remain, so that their boasting may abound in Christ Jesus through him by his presence again with them. If we doubt that Paul went free, left Rome, and saw the believers at Philippi again, we all but deny that this part of the Word is inspired.
Two things would feed that rejoicing when he arrived.
His coming again to the Philippians would give them abundant rejoicing in Christ Jesus. God's hand had so plainly preserved and delivered him, and he would also be a help to them.
- Priority — Paul chose to stay alive for their sake, not his own. Their need settled what his own desire could not.
- Presence — His return would add to their faith and knowledge, not just cheer them with a familiar face.
- Progress — Joy rises in proportion to growth; he came as a worker for their joy, not a lord over their faith.
- Praise — The boast is "joyous exultation." It rests on Christ Jesus, though it comes through Paul.
- Proof — Paul states his release as fact, not opinion. God's hand kept him, and that is one more reason to glory in Christ.