Philippians 1:18 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in, truth, Christ is preached: q.d. It doth not follow, that these different intentions of the preachers should hinder the spreading of the gospel, and therefore it should not abate either your confidence or mine in the cause of Christ, since, by the overruling providence of God, that is carried on, both by the one and the other; not only by those who in truth preach the word faithfully, Jeremiah 23:28 Matthew 22:16, from a principle of love, (as before), to the same good intent with myself; but also by those who, though they act (as in Philippians 1:15) out of envy and ill will to me, for base ends under a fair show, 1 Thessalonians 2:5, yet they occasionally and accidentally, not by any direct causality, do promote the interest of Christ. And I therein do rejoice; and upon this account, that there is so good an effect, as the making known of Christ for the salvation of sinners, I have matter of present joy. Yea, and will rejoice; yea, and hereupon for the future, though some should continue to do that in itself which might aggravate his affliction, yet it should not take his joy from him eventually; however directly and of itself it tend to it, yet indirectly and by accident, God disposing, it should issue well for the furtherance of the gospel.

Philippians 1:18

18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.