7. meet--Greek, "just."
to think this--to have the prayerful confidence I expressed
(Php 1:4-6).
of you--literally, "in behalf of you." Paul's confident prayer
in their behalf was that God would perfect His own good work of
grace in them.
because, &c.--Punctuate and translate, "Because I have you in my
heart (so
Php 1:8;
otherwise the Greek and the words immediately following in the
verse, favor the Margin, 'Ye have me in
your heart . . . being partakers of my grace') (both,
in my bonds, and in my defense and confirmation of the Gospel),
you (I say) all being fellow partakers of my grace." This last clause
thus assigns the reason why he has them in his heart (that is,
cherished in his love,
2Co 3:2; 7:3),
even in his bonds, and in his defense and confirmation of the Gospel
(such as he was constantly making in private,
Ac 28:17-23;
his self-defense and confirmation of the Gospel being necessarily
conjoined, as the Greek implies; compare
Php 1:17),
namely, "inasmuch as ye are fellow partakers of my grace": inasmuch as
ye share with me in "the fellowship of the Gospel"
(Php 1:5),
and have manifested this, both by suffering as I do for the Gospel's
sake
(Php 1:28-30),
and by imparting to me of your substance
(Php 4:15).
It is natural and right for me thus confidently to pray in your behalf.
(ELLICOTT, and others translate, "To be thus
minded for you all"), because of my having you in my warmest
remembrances even in my bonds, since you are sharers with me in the
Gospel grace. Bonds do not bind love.
JFB.
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