Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Philippians 2:16

"holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain." — Philippians 2:16 (ASV)

As luminaries in a world of spiritual darkness, they were to “hold out [GK 2091] the word of life.” This word means either “hold fast” or “hold forth.” Those who regard the clause about shining as parenthetical adopt the meaning “hold fast”—i.e., holding fast the word of life in contrast to a “crooked and depraved generation.” On the other hand, the figure of “stars” supports the idea of “holding forth.” Furthermore, this latter sense assumes the former, for those who hold out the word of life to others are understood to have first received it themselves. The word of life is, of course, the Gospel, which brings eternal life when it is received by faith .

Faithful living by the Philippians will provide Paul with added reason to “boast” (GK 3017) when he appears before Christ. “The day of Christ” is the time when Christ will return for his church and when believers will have their works inspected and rewarded . Paul wants the basis of his boast at that time to be that his labors for the Philippians had not been useless. He hopes all his efforts to win them to Christ and to nurture their faith will be vindicated at Christ’s judgment seat by the victorious presence of the Philippian believers.