Thomas Aquinas Commentary Philippians 1:1-7

"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace." — Philippians 1:1-7 (ASV)

This letter is divided into a greeting and a message . In the greeting, Paul does three things:

1. He describes the persons who send the greeting.
2. He identifies the persons being greeted (Philippians 1:1).
3. He states the good things he wishes for them (Philippians 1:2).

Regarding the first point, he does two things: first, he mentions the persons sending the greeting, and second, he states their condition (Philippians 1:1).

Regarding the senders, he first mentions the principal person, Paul, a name which means “small.” In this, Paul indicates his humility: “The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation” (Isaiah 60:22). Second, he mentions the co-sender, Timothy, because he was their preacher: “I have no one like him, who will be genuinely anxious for your welfare” (Philippians 2:20).

When Paul says they are servants of Christ Jesus, he states their condition, as explained in 2 Corinthians 4:5: “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” This, however, seems to conflict with John 15:15, which says, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing.”

I answer that there are two kinds of servitude, which correspond to two kinds of fear. The fear of punishment causes a wicked servitude, and this is the kind meant in the text from John. But a chaste fear causes a reverential servitude, which is the kind the Apostle has in mind here.

The persons greeted are the saints of the Church in Philippi. First, he addresses the lesser members, saying, to all the saints who are at Philippi, which is a city founded by Philip. He calls them saints on account of their baptism: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3).

Next, he includes the leaders when he says, with the bishops and deacons. But why does he mention the lesser members before the greater ones? Because the people come before the prelate, as Ezekiel 34:2 asks, “Should not shepherds feed the sheep?” For the flocks are to be fed by the shepherds, and not the other way around.

But why does he not mention priests? I answer that they are included with the bishops. Since there are not multiple bishops in a single city, when Paul uses the plural “bishops,” he means to include priests. Yet, the priesthood is a distinct order, for we read in the Gospel that after appointing twelve apostles (whom the bishops represent), the Lord appointed seventy-two disciples, whose place the priests hold. Dionysius also distinguished bishops from priests. In the beginning of the Church, however, although the orders were distinct, there were not distinct names for them. Therefore, in this passage, Paul includes priests with the bishops.

Then Paul mentions the good things he desires for them when he says, grace to you and peace. These two goods include everything. First, there is God’s grace, which remits sins: “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Last, there is human peace: “He makes peace in your borders” (Psalms 147:14). Consequently, he wishes them all the good things that lie between these two.

These gifts come from God our Father, for “Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). They also come through the merit of Christ’s humanity; hence Paul adds, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. For “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17), and “For he is our peace, who has made us both one” (Ephesians 2:14).

Next, Paul begins the message of the letter, in which he does two things: first, he gives thanks for past benefits, and second, he urges them to continue making progress . Regarding the first part, he gives thanks for them and then mentions the subject of his thanks (Philippians 1:5).

Therefore, he first expresses thanks along with joy and a prayer. Concerning these three things, he says, I thank my God. To give thanks is to acknowledge a favor bestowed on oneself: “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). He continues, in all my remembrance of you, because in their case, nothing occurred to the Apostle that was not worthy of thanksgiving, which is a great thing: “The memory of the righteous is a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7). He gives thanks for you all, for “Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever” (Isaiah 60:21). He gives thanks for their blessings, he prays for their protection, and he does all of this with joy: “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).

When he says, for your partnership in the gospel, he addresses the substance of the three things mentioned above. He explains the reason for his thanksgiving, the reason for his joy in things to come (Philippians 1:6), and the reason for his prayer (Philippians 1:8).

He says the reason is “for your partnership,” by which they share in the doctrine of the gospel by believing it and putting it into practice. For this is true partnership: “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have” (Hebrews 13:16). This has been true of them from the first day until now: “Among thoughtful people stay on” .

Paul takes joy in them, being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. His confidence is not in humanity, for “Cursed is the man who trusts in man” (Jeremiah 17:5), but in God: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:7). This work is accomplished by God’s power; hence he says, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion, for Christ says, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

This stands against the Pelagians, who claim that the beginning of every good work is from ourselves, while its completion is from God. This is not true, because the very beginning of a good work in us is the thought of it, and this itself is from God: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our sufficiency is from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). This work will be brought to completion at the day of Jesus Christ, when He will reward each person: “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day” (2 Timothy 4:8), and “He will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8).

The reason for his joy is given when he says, It is right for me to feel this way about you all... because I hold you in my heart. It is as if he is saying: “I have this confidence in you, and therefore I rejoice so that you might also rejoice in the things I rejoice in—namely, my imprisonment.” For Paul was imprisoned for Christ at that time and rejoiced in it: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect” (James 1:2). Likewise, the apostles “left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:41).

This joy is present both in the defense and confirmation of the gospel—that is, in preaching boldly against tyrants and heretics, and in confirming the gospel in the hearts of the faithful: “He departed and went from place to place through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples” (Acts 18:23).

Alternatively, according to a Gloss, the phrase in my heart refers to Paul’s desire for them to be partakers of eternal joy: “No one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). This desire cannot be snatched from his heart. For even though he is imprisoned and focused on confirming and defending the gospel, his concern for them has not left his heart.