t, we have here an
instance of gentle pleasantry, quite in harmony with the gravity of the
Epistle at large. He takes the Philippians' message of love and gift
of bounty as a sort of _gospel_ to himself, and so regards their
messenger as a _missionary_ to him. So also with the word
_leitourgos_: its usual associations in New Testament Greek are sacred,
or at least solemn; and so St Paul seems to employ it here.
Epaphroditus was no mere agent; he was a "_ministrant_," commissioned
from a high quarter--the Philippians' love.

[7] _epeide epidothon en_: the epistolary past (_en_) is rendered in
accordance with English idiom. _Epipothon_ is perhaps too _heavily_
rendered above; but the phrase is certainly a little stronger than
_epepothei_ would have been.

[8] Perhaps it was an attack of Roman fever.

[9] _Ina me_ . . . _scho_: lit., "that I _may_ not." But the English
idiom asks for "might." The Greek puts the past intention into what
_was_ its present aspect.

[10] _Epempsa auton_: the epistolary aorist.

[11] Quite literally, "up to death he drew near." It is as if St Paul
had been about to write, _mechri thanatou esthense_, and then varied
the expression by writing _eggise_.

[12] _Paraboleusamenos te psyche_: so read, not _paraboleusamenos_
(which would mean, "taking evil counsel for his life," neglecting its
interests). _Paraboleusamenos_ is a well-attested reading; the verb is
not found elsewhere, but the form is abundantly likely. It would be
developed from the adjective _parabolos_, "reckless," connected with
the verb _paraballesthai_, "to cast a die."

[13] _Thoughts for Heart and Life_, by John Ker, D.D. (1888), p. 92.

[14] See Ep. i. _ad. Cor._, Sec. 47: "Take up the Epistle of the
blessed Paul, the Apostle. . . . He wrote to you in the Spirit
(_pneumatikos_) about himself, and Cephas, and Apollos."

"One family we dwell in Him,
One Church, above, beneath,
Though now divided by the stream,
The narrow stream of death.

"One army of the living God
To His command we bow;
Part of His host hath cross'd the flood,
And part is crossing now."
C. WESLEY.

_JOY IN THE LORD AND ITS PRESERVING POWER: "THAT I MAY KNOW HIM"_

O Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life; Grant us
perfectly to know Thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and
the life; that, following the steps of Thy holy Apostles, we may
stedfastly walk in the way