Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Philippians 1:17

"but the other proclaim Christ of faction, not sincerely, thinking to raise up affliction for me in my bonds." — Philippians 1:17 (ASV)

The former group of preachers (v.15a) were guilty of insincerity, particularly toward Paul. That they preached Christ and that Paul found no fault with the content of their message shows that their problem was not doctrinal but personal. They were self-seeking opportunists, promoting themselves at Paul’s expense. Perhaps they had enjoyed some prominence in the church before he arrived, but had been eclipsed since he came to the city. By taking advantage of Paul’s imprisonment, they may have hoped to recover their former popularity. They may have supposed that he would bitterly resent their success (just as they did his) and his imprisonment would become all the more galling to him. If so, they failed to reckon with the greatness of the man.