Philippians 2:1 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The apostle, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, having exhorted the Philippians to walk worthy of their Christian profession, by having their conversation according to the gospel; and, as nothing is more required by it, or can be more suitable to it, than mutual love among the followers of Christ, he here beseeches them, by every thing most affecting in Christianity, to fulfil his joy, by exercising that love. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ And his grace, in his person and offices, in his humiliation and sufferings for you, or in his exaltation and glory. This is not an expression of doubt, but the strongest affirmation that there is the greatest consolation in him, 2 Corinthians 1:4. If any comfort of love In the love of God to you, or in your love to him in return; if any fellowship of the Spirit Any communion with the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit dwelling in you; if any bowels and mercies Resulting therefrom; any tender affection toward each other, or any compassion for me, now a prisoner for Christ, fulfil ye my joy To all the other causes of joy which I have concerning you, add this also, and make my joy complete; that ye be like-minded That ye be alike disposed; that ye esteem, desire, and pursue the same thing, even your high and holy calling, as το αυτο φρονητε seems here to signify, it being explained in the following clauses as implying having the same love, being of one accord; συμψυχοι, united in soul, or animated with the same affections and intentions; το εν φρονουντες, minding; that is, delighting in and aiming at one thing, namely, the glory of God, or the honour of Christ, in their salvation. It is justly observed by Macknight here, that the word φρονειν, rendered to mind, has different meanings in the New Testament. Sometimes it denotes an act of the understanding, Acts 28:22: We desire to hear of thee, α φρονεις, what thou thinkest, Galatians 5:10; That, ουδεν αλλο φρονησετε, ye will think nothing differently. Sometimes it denotes an act of the will, Philippians 2:5; τουτο φρονεισθω, Let this disposition be in you which was even in Christ. It signifies also to set one's affections on an object so as to use every means in one's power to obtain it, as Colossians 3:2; τα ανω φρονειτε, Set your affections on things above, and endeavour to obtain them. Philippians 4:10, I rejoiced that now at length, ανεθαλλετε το υπερ εμου φρονειν, you have made your care of me to flourish again.”