Albert Barnes Commentary Philippians 2:19

"But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state." — Philippians 2:19 (ASV)

But I trust in the Lord Jesus. His hope was that the Lord Jesus would so order affairs as to permit this—an expression that no man could use who did not regard the Lord Jesus as on the throne, and as more than human.

To send Timotheus shortly unto you. There was a special reason why Paul desired to send Timothy to them rather than another person, which he himself states in Philippians 2:22: You know the proof of him, that as a son with the father, he has served with me in the gospel. From this passage, as well as from Philippians 1:1, where Timothy is joined with Paul in the salutation, it is evident that he had been with the apostle at Philippi.

But this fact is nowhere mentioned in the sixteenth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, which contains an account of the visit of Paul to that place. The narrative in the Acts, however, as Dr. Paley has remarked (Horae Paulinae, in loc.), renders this altogether probable. The manner in which the fact is referred to here is such as would have occurred to no one forging an epistle like this, and shows that the Acts of the Apostles and the epistle are independent books, and are not the work of imposture.

In the Acts of the Apostles it is said that when Paul came to Derbe and Lystra he found a certain disciple named Timothy, whom he wished to go with him (Acts 16:1–3). The narrative then proceeds with an account of the progress of Paul through various provinces of Asia Minor, until it brings him to Troas.

There he was warned in a vision to go over into Macedonia. Following this call, he passed over the Aegean Sea, came to Samothracia, and from there to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi. No mention is made, indeed, of Timothy as being with Paul at Philippi. However, after he had left that city and had gone to Berea, the account states that the brethren sent away Paul, and adds, but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. From this it is evident that he had accompanied them in their journey and had no doubt been with them at Philippi. For the argument which Dr. Paley has derived from the manner in which this subject is mentioned in the Acts and in this epistle, in favour of the genuineness of the Scripture account, see Horae Paulinae on the Epistle to the Philippians, No. iv.

When I know your state. A considerable time had passed since Epaphroditus had left the Philippians, and therefore also since Paul had been informed of their condition.