Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Philippians 2:14

"Do all things without murmurings and questionings:" — Philippians 2:14 (ASV)

Compliance with Paul’s exhortation should be “without complaining or arguing.” “Complaining” (GK 1198) describes grumbling discontent in the congregation, and “arguing” (GK 1369) depicts evil reasonings and disputes that usually follow. Are these complaints directed against God or against each other? Neither alternative is foreign to the context. On the one hand, this passage is influenced by Dt 32:5; and the example of Israel’s complaining, which was chiefly against God, was used elsewhere by Paul to instruct the church (1 Corinthians 10:10). On the other hand, the problem of disunity in the congregation has already been noted in this letter (v.2), and more is to come (4:2). Perhaps the command is sufficiently general to cover both meanings.

Emphasis in the command falls on the word “everything” (lit., “all things”).

Most Christians are able to do some things without complaint. But when we are exhorted to be doing “all things” with a joyful spirit, the difficulty arises. Yet the outworking of our Christian faith in daily life lays this responsibility on us.