Philippians 2:21 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For all seek their own,— It can hardly be supposed that St. Paul intended here absolutely to tax every one of those who were about him, and assisted him in preaching the gospel, with an utter neglect of this interest of Christ, and an entire self-seeking. The word ου which we render not, might perhaps better be rendered rather than. See on Matth. ix 13. He may be understood to speak comparatively, and to mean no more thanthis, That their other preachers were defective in resolution and courage, being too prone to consult their own ease, and decline such work as was fatiguing and hazardous. The case was this; The interest of Christ required at that time, that somebody should go to Philippi. St. Paul could not then spare Timothy, as is plain from his saying, that he hoped to be able to send him: but nobody else cared to undertake the fatigue of the journey, and to risk such treatment as they knew the Apostle had before met with there. This reluctance he taxes in the preceding verse, as a not sincerely caring for the concerns of the Philippians; and in this verse, as a preferring of their own concerns to those of Christ. Such a temper was very contrary to St. Paul's, who sought not his own profit, but the profit of many, that they might be saved. See 1 Corinthians 10:33.