SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:1
¶ Resta, hermanos, que os gocis en el Seor. A mí, a la verdad, no me es molesto el escribiros las mismas cosas, y para vosotros es seguro.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Philippians 3:1
Verse 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord , etc.] 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Sincere Christians rejoice in Christ Jesus. The prophet calls the fals prophets dumb dogs, Isa 56:10; to which the apostle seems to refer Dogs, for their malice against faithful professors of the gospel of Christ, barking at them and biting them. They urged human works i opposition to the faith of Christ; but Paul calls them evil-workers. He calls them the concision; as they rent the church of Christ, and cut it to pieces. The work of religion is to no purpose, unless the heart is in it, and we must worship God in the strength and grace of the Divin Spirit. They rejoice in Christ Jesus, not in mere outward enjoyment and performances. Nor can we too earnestly guard against those wh oppose or abuse the doctrine of free salvation. If the apostle woul have gloried and trusted in the flesh, he had as much cause as any man But the things which he counted gain while a Pharisee, and had reckone up, those he counted loss for Christ. The apostle did not persuade the to do any thing but what he himself did; or to venture on any thing but that on which he himself ventured his never-dying soul. He deemed all these things to be but loss, compared with the knowledge of Christ, by faith in his person and salvation. He speaks of all worldly enjoyment and outward privileges which sought a place with Christ in his heart or could pretend to any merit and desert, and counted them but loss but it might be said, It is easy to say so; but what would he do when he came to the trial? He had suffered the loss of all for the privileges of a Christian. Nay, he not only counted them loss, but the vilest refuse, offals thrown to dogs; not only less valuable tha Christ, but in the highest degree contemptible, when set up as agains him. True knowledge of Christ alters and changes men, their judgment and manners, and makes them as if made again anew. The believer prefer Christ, knowing that it is better for us to be without all worldl riches, than without Christ and his word. Let us see what the apostl resolved to cleave to, and that was Christ and heaven. We are undone without righteousness wherein to appear before God, for we are guilty There is a righteousness provided for us in Jesus Christ, and it is complete and perfect righteousness. None can have benefit by it, wh trust in themselves. Faith is the appointed means of applying the saving benefit. It is by faith in Christ's blood. We are mad conformable to Christ's death, when we die to sin, as he died for sin and the world is crucified to us, and we to the world, by the cross of Christ. The apostle was willing to do or to suffer any thing, to attai the glorious resurrection of saints. This hope and prospect carried his through all difficulties in his work. He did not hope to attain it through his own merit and righteousness, but through the merit an righteousness of Jesus Christ. (Php 3:12-21)
Greek Textus Receptus
το 3588 λοιπον 3063 αδελφοι 80 μου 3450 χαιρετε 5463 5720 εν 1722 κυριω 2962 τα 3588 αυτα 846 γραφειν 1125 5721 υμιν 5213 εμοι 1698 μεν 3303 ουκ 3756 οκνηρον 3636 υμιν 5213 δε 1161 ασφαλες 804
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. Finally (to loipon). Lit., for the rest. Frequent in Paul's writings in introducing the conclusions of his letters. See 1 Thess. iv. 1; 2 Thessalonians iii. 1; 2 Cor. xiii. 11, note. Evidently Paul was about to close his letter, when his thought was directed into another channel - the Judaizing teachers, and their attempts to undermine his influence.
Rejoice (cairete). See on 2 Cor. xiii. 11.
The same things. It is doubtful what is referred to. Possibly previous letters, or the dissensions in the Church.
Grievous (oknhron). Only here, Matt. xxv. 26; Rom. xii. 11, in both instances rendered slothful. From ojknew to delay. Hence, in classical Greek, shrinking, backward, unready. The idea of delay underlies the secondary sense, burdensome, troublesome. It is the vexation arising from weary waiting, and which appears in the middle English irken to tire or to become tired, cognate with the Latin urgere to press, and English irk, irksome, work.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:1 {Finally} (to loipon). Accusative of general reference, literally, "as for the rest." So again in #4:8. It (or just loipon) is a common phrase towards the close of Paul's Epistles (#2Th 3:1; 2Co 13:11). In #Eph 6:10 we have tou loipou (genitive case). But Paul uses the idiom elsewhere also as in #1Co 7:29; 1Th 4:1 before the close of the letter is in sight. It is wholly needless to understand Paul as about to finish and qen suddenly changing his mind like some preachers who announce the end a half dozen times. {To write the same things} (ta auta graphein). Present active articular infinitive, "the going on writing the same things." What things? He has just used chairete (go on rejoicing) again and he will repeat it in #4:4. But in verse #2 he uses blepete three times. At any rate Paul, as a true teacher, is not afraid of repetition. {Irksome} (oknron). Old adjective from okne", to delay, to hesitate. It is not tiresome to me to repeat what is "safe" (asfales) for you. Old adjective from a privative and sfallw, to totter, to reel. See #Ac 21:34.
