Preface

IN object and plan this book is similar to one published by the author four years ago on the Epistle of James. His aim has been to produce such an exposition of the Epistle to the Philippians as might be of service to Christian readers generally, and might at the same time, so far as was possible in a work of which the other was the main purpose, give some special help to students of the original. The larger part of the volume, accordingly, consists of lectures, in which the Epistle is expounded, section by section, with the fulness of illustration, and directness of practical application, belonging to homiletical treatment, and without the exhibition of the processes of exegesis to any greater extent than might reasonably be expected to interest readers of fair intelligence. To the lectures are appended a revised translation of the Epistle, and notes on the Greek text. These notes have been placed in a part of the book by themselves,—an arrangement which seems to the author preferable on various grounds to that adopted in some similar works, of having the remarks on points of grammar scattered throughout the book as footnotes. The lectures were, in substance, delivered from the pulpit in the ordinary course of Sabbath ministration. They have since, however, been re-written ; and, in the course of transcription, such changes have been made, by omission, condensation, or expansion, as seemed needful in view of publishing

them. In all of them the authors endeavour has been, so to set forth clearly what appeared to him to be the precise meaning of the Divine Word, and so to illustrate the practical bearings of the truth, as to ‘edify the body of Christ.’

In the revised translation, his aim has been to exhibit, with as little divergence as possible from the Authorized Version, the exact sense of the original, according to the most approved text. The text which has been followed is that of Ellicott. The translations of Alford, Conybeare, and Ellicott have been carefully compared.

The notes on the Greek Text embrace a reference, more or less full, to everything in the grammatical construction of the Epistle which seemed to the author to call for special comment. Brief discussions of various other questions than those strictly grammatical will also be found in this part of the volume. It appeared the natural place for everything connected with the processes of exegesis which it seemed desirable to say, but which could not satisfactorily be included in the lectures.

In studying the Epistle, the author has used the aid of Calvin, Beza, Bengel, Peirce, Storr, De Wette, Wiesinger, Schenkel, Braune and Hackett, Meyer, Van Hengel, Alford, Ellicott, Eadie, and Lightfoot.. To Meyer, Ellicott, Eadie, and Lightfoot, his obligations are particularly great. Of the less strictly critical expositions of the Epistle, he has derived most advantage from the Lectures of the learned and eloquent Huguenot, Jean Daillé; from the characteristically thoughtful and earnest little book of Dr. Vaughan ; and from the charming treatise of Neander.

At the end of the volume is given a translation of Polycarp’s letter to the Christians of Philippi,—which seems to form a suitable appendix to an exposition of Paul’s Epistle to that

church, as affording a most interesting glimpse of their spiritual condition half a century, or thereby, after the apostle had gone to his reward. ‘The translation has been made from the text of Jacobson (Patres Apostolici, Oxford, 1847); and has been compared with the versions of Cave, Wake, and Chevallier, and with that given in the Ante-Nicene Christian Library.

The author has to acknowledge, with very hearty thanks, the kindness of his friend, the Rev. David Kinnear, B.A. Lond., of Dalbeattie, who has aided him in the revision of the proof-sheets.

2 WELLESLEY PLACE, GLASGOW, April 3, 1875.