Philippians 1:15 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy Envying my success, or envying me that esteem and reputation which I have in the church, and seeking to gain it to themselves; and strife Striving to draw people off from approving me to applaud themselves, and being desirous to maintain in the church a party that shall oppose me, and willing to add as many abetters to it as they possibly can. It is probable, as Whitby and many others have observed, that “these were the Judaizing Christians, who, with the gospel, taught the necessity of circumcision, and of the observation of the ceremonial law; for from these arose εριδες και διχοστασιαι, strife and dissensions, 1 Corinthians 1:11; and 1 Corinthians 3:2; zeal, animosities, and contentions, 2 Corinthians 12:20; and that on the account of this apostle, whom they would scarce own as an apostle of Christ, 2 Corinthians 7:2, but rather looked upon as one that walked according to the flesh, chap. 2 Corinthians 10:2, and would have excluded him from the churches, Galatians 4:16-17. And yet, at their preaching Christ, though not sincerely, the apostle may be supposed to have rejoiced, because he knew the time was near when the hay and stubble which they built on the foundation should be revealed, and the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem, would sufficiently confute their vain additions to the faith.” Some also out of good-will Faithfully intending to promote the glory of God, the success of the true gospel, and the salvation of mankind, and thereby to give me comfort. The one preach Christ of contention Or, they who are of contention, as οι εξ εριθειας may be rendered, preach Christ not sincerely With a holy design of advancing his cause, and of glorifying God; but supposing (though they were disappointed) thereby to add affliction to my bonds To increase the calamity of my imprisonment, by grieving my mind through their adulterations of, or additions to, the gospel, or their exciting my persecutors to greater virulence against me. But the other of love To Christ, his gospel, and me; knowing, not barely supposing, that I am set Placed here at Rome, the metropolis of the empire, a place of the greatest resort, and from whence intelligence of whatever is transacted of importance is soon communicated to the most distant provinces: or, κειμαι, I lie, namely in bonds, for the defence of the gospel For the confirmation of it by my sufferings. They who preached Christ with a pure intention, knew certainly that the apostle was sent to Rome to defend the gospel by suffering for it. For by voluntarily persisting to preach the gospel, although he was, and knew he still should be, exposed to various and great sufferings for preaching it, he gave full proof of his knowledge of its truth and great importance to the salvation of mankind.