John Calvin 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)

Holding forth the word of life. The reason they ought to be luminaries is that they carry the word of life, by which they are enlightened, so that they may also give light to others. He now alludes to lamps, in which wicks are placed so that they may burn, and he likens us to the lamps, comparing the word of God to the wick from which the light comes.

If you prefer another figure—we are candlesticks; the doctrine of the gospel is the candle, which, being placed in us, diffuses light on all sides. He now intimates that we do injustice to the word of God if it does not shine forth in us through purity of life. This is the meaning of Christ’s saying:

“No man lighteth a candle,
and putteth it under a bushel,” etc. (Matthew 5:15).

We are said, however, to carry the word of life in such a way as to be, meanwhile, carried by it, since we are founded upon it. The manner of carrying it, of which Paul speaks, is this: God has entrusted His doctrine to us on the condition that we should not keep its light, as it were, under restraint and inactive, but that we should hold it forth to others.

The sum is this: all who are enlightened with heavenly doctrine carry a light with them. This light detects and discovers their crimes if they do not walk in holiness and chastity. However, this light has been kindled not merely so that they themselves may be guided in the right way, but also so that they may show it to others.

That I may have glory. To encourage them further, he declares that it will result in his glory if he has not labored among them in vain. This is not to say that those who labored faithfully but unsuccessfully lost their efforts or had no reward for their labor. However, since success in our ministry is a unique blessing from God, we should not be surprised if God, among His other gifts, makes this the crowning one.

Hence, as Paul’s Apostleship is now made illustrious by so many churches gained for Christ through his agency, there can be no question that such trophies will have a place in Christ’s kingdom, as we will find him saying shortly, You are my crown (Philippians 4:1). Nor can it be doubted that the greater the achievements, the more splendid the triumph will be.

Should anyone ask how it is that Paul now glories in his labors, while he elsewhere forbids us to glory in anything except in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 10:17), the answer is easy: when we have prostrated ourselves and all that we have before God, and have placed in Christ all our ground of glorying, it is, at the same time, allowable for us to glory through Christ in God’s benefits, as we have seen in the First Epistle to the Corinthians.

The expression at the day of the Lord is intended to stimulate the Philippians to perseverance, while the tribunal of Christ is set before their view, from which the reward of faith is to be expected.