Charles Ellicott Commentary Philippians 1:28

"and in nothing affrighted by the adversaries: which is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation, and that from God;" — Philippians 1:28 (ASV)

Terrified.—The original word is strong—starting, or flinching, like a scared animal.

Which (that is, your fearlessness) is . . .—This fearlessness, in the absence of all earthly means of protection or victory, is a sign of a divine strength made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 13:9). It is not a complete and infallible sign (for it has often accompanied mere fanatic delusion), but it is a sign real as far as it goes, having its right force in harmony with others.

The effect that this had on the heathen themselves is shown even by the affected contempt with which the Stoics spoke of it, describing it as a kind of “madness,” a morbid “habit,” or sheer “obstinacy.” (See Epictetus 4.7; Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 11.3.)

And that of God.—These words apply to the word “token,” and so derivatively to both “perdition” and “salvation.” The sign is of God, because the gift of spiritual strength is of God, but it may be read by both sides. Like the pillar of God’s presence, it is a cloud and darkness to the one, but light by night to the other.