Philippians 1:20 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

According to my earnest expectation and my hope; he allegeth and explaineth the ground and certainty of his knowledge and persuasion of his enemies disappointment, and all succeeding well with him, trusting in the living God, 1 Timothy 4:10, who in all death-threatening afflictions hath upon his word engaged himself to support all those that hope in his mercies, Psalms 33:18,19 Psalms 37:7,9 Psa 147:11. Then be sure, when his sincere servants, assisted by his Spirit, wait for his deliverance with their necks stretched out, (as the word here notes), being raised from past experience, intensely and wistly looking for his appearance, shall be able each to say as the apostle intimates. That in nothing I shall be ashamed; negatively, he shall not be left to do any thing which may justly bring him under reproach. His well-grounded hope would not make him ashamed. Romans 5:5, with Romans 8:25; but upon this account he shall have wherewith to answer him that should reproach him, Psalms 119:41,42,46 Lu 9:26 2 Timothy 1:12. But that with all boldness; positively, that he should continue constant in a courageous owning of the truth, and acknowledging of his Lord every way, whether he was delivered from or to death. As always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death; as in the former years of his ministry he had been supported, yea, and victorious, in freely speaking for Christ, preaching and defending of his gospel, Acts 9:27 Acts 14:3, with as much courage as any other, Acts 4:13,29,31, with 2 Corinthians 11:21 Galatians 6:17: so now he was humbly confident, in his present sad circnmstances, Christ should be magnified, (not that himself can become greater), i.e. before men, his glory should be rendered greater and more illustrious, and acknowledged with praise, whether he lived or died, Romans 14:8; yea, in the earthen vessel of his body, 2 Corinthians 4:11, (about which he was not solicitous, having resigned it entirely to Christ), either in his enlargement and preaching of the doctrine of Christ, or in his being offered up and sealing it by his martyrdom.