John Calvin Commentary Philippians 4:3

"Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life." — Philippians 4:3 (ASV)

I entreat you, also, true yokefellow. I am not inclined to dispute the gender of the noun and will, accordingly, leave it undetermined whether he addresses a man or a woman here. At the same time, there is excessive weakness in the argument of Erasmus, who infers that it is a woman from the circumstance that mention is made here of other women—as though he did not immediately add the name of Clement in the same connection.

I refrain, however, from that dispute; I only maintain that it is not Paul’s wife who is designated by this term. Those who maintain this quote Clement and Ignatius as their authorities. If they quoted correctly, I would certainly not despise men of such eminence. But as writings are brought forward from Eusebius which are spurious, and were contrived by ignorant monks, they are not worthy of much credit among readers of sound judgment.

Let us, therefore, examine the matter itself, without forming any false impression from the opinions of men. When Paul wrote the First Epistle to the Corinthians, he was, as he mentions, at that time unmarried.

To the unmarried, he says, and widows, I say it is good that they should continue even as I am (1 Corinthians 7:8).

He wrote that Epistle at Ephesus when he was prepared to leave it. Not long after, he proceeded to Jerusalem, where he was put in prison and sent to Rome. Everyone must perceive how unsuitable a time it would have been for marrying a wife, spent by him partly in journeying and partly in prison. In addition to this, he was even at that time prepared to endure imprisonment and persecutions, as he himself testifies, according to Luke (Acts 21:13).

At the same time, I am well aware of the objection usually brought forward against this—that Paul, though married, refrained from conjugal intercourse. The words, however, convey another meaning, for he desires that unmarried persons may be able to remain in the same condition as himself. Now, what is that condition but celibacy? As to their bringing forward that passage—Is it not lawful for me to lead about a wife (1 Corinthians 9:5)—for the purpose of proving he had a wife, it is too silly to require any refutation.

But granting that Paul was married, how came his wife to be at Philippi—a city which we do not read of his entering on more than two occasions, and in which it is probable he never remained even for two whole months? In short, nothing is more unlikely than that he speaks here of his wife; and to me, it does not seem probable that he speaks of any female. I leave it, however, to the judgment of my readers. The word which Paul uses here (συλλάμβανεσθαι) means to take hold of a thing and embrace it along with another person, in order to give help.

Whose names are in the book of life. The book of life is the roll of the righteous, who are predestined to life, as in the writings of Moses (Exodus 32:32). God keeps this roll with Himself in safekeeping. Hence the book is nothing other than His eternal counsel, fixed in His own breast. In place of this term, Ezekiel uses this expression—the writing of the house of Israel. With the same view, it is said in:

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and let them not be written among the righteous (Psalms 69:28); that is, let them not be numbered among the elect of God, whom He receives within the limits of His Church and kingdom.

Should anyone allege that Paul therefore acts rashly in pronouncing on the secrets of God, I answer that we may in some measure form a judgment from the sign by which God manifests His election, but only as far as our capacity allows. In all those, therefore, in whom we see the marks of adoption shine forth, let us in the meantime reckon them to be the sons of God until the books are opened (Revelation 20:12), which will thoroughly bring all things to view.

It belongs, it is true, to God alone now to know them that are His (2 Timothy 2:19), and to separate the lambs from the kids; but it is our part to reckon in charity all to be lambs who, in a spirit of obedience, submit themselves to Christ as their Shepherd, who resort to His fold, and remain there constantly.

It is our part to set so high a value upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which He confers distinctively on His elect, that they will be for us the seals, as it were, of an election which is hidden from us.