Philippians 2:22-24 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

But ye know the proof of him You know what experience you and I have had of him, who was with me, as well as Silas, in that memorable visit which I first made you, Acts 16:1-12. You then saw that as a son with the father He uses an elegant peculiarity of phrase, speaking partly as of a son, partly as of a fellow-labourer; he served with me in the gospel Neglecting no occasion of doing, in the most affectionate manner, whatever might lighten either my labours or my sufferings. Here, as Doddridge observes, “we learn the kind of intercourse which should subsist between the younger and more aged ministers of the gospel. The young ought to listen to the counsels of the aged, with the respect which is due from a son to a father; and the aged ought to love and patronise the young, and study, by their instruction and example, to qualify them for supplying their places in the church when they are gone.” Him therefore I hope to send If, as has been supposed on Philippians 2:20, Aristarchus, Titus, and Luke were absent at this time from Rome, Timothy's presence with the apostle was the more necessary. But as he daily looked for their return, he hoped to be able to send him to Philippi, as soon as he should know how it would go with him with respect to his imprisonment, or what issue his appeal to Cesar would have. But I trust in the Lord That in mercy he will deliver me; and I shall shortly come to you myself This he seems to have added, lest the Philippians might have been too much afflicted by what he had said concerning his death, Philippians 2:17.