Lecture 2 — Prayer

^1:8^ For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the heart of Jesus Christ. [n. 14]

^1:9^ And this I pray: That your charity may more and more abound in knowledge [n. 16] and in all sense: [n. 18]

^1:10^ That you may approve the better things: that you may be sincere and without offense unto the day of Christ: [n. 19]

^1:11^ Filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

^1:12^ Now, brethren, I desire that you should know that the things which have happened to me have come about rather to the progress of the Gospel: [n. 20]

^1:13^ So that my bonds are made manifest in Christ, in all the court and in all other places. [n. 22]

^1:14^ And many of the brethren in the Lord, growing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear.

^1:15^ Some indeed, even out of envy and contention: but some also preach Christ out of good will.

^1:16^ Some out of charity, knowing that I am set for the defense of the Gospel.

^1:17^ And some out of contention preach Christ insincerely: supposing that they raise affliction to my bonds.

14. Having stated the reason for hope concerning the future, he now indicates the matters for which he makes supplication for them.

First, he mentions his desire, which is shown to be very fervent;

second, the matter of his prayer, at and this I pray.

15. Since the heart’s desire is known to God alone, he calls on God to witness that he prays for them with desire: behold, my witness, God, is in heaven (Job 16:19). How I long after you all, i.e., I, living in the heart of Jesus Christ.

Or, how I long after you to be in it; as if to say: how I long after your salvation and participation in the merciful heart of Christ. Through the heart of the mercy of our God (Luke 1:78). As if to say that the power of love reaches to the inmost depths of the heart.

Or, I long for you to be in the heart of Jesus Christ, i.e., that you may love him intimately, and that you may be loved by him; for man’s life consists in this.

16. Then when he says, and this I pray, he mentions his prayer. He asks three things.

The first pertains to increasing charity within. For the interior affections are perfected by charity; therefore, if one lacks charity, he should desire to obtain it; if he has it, he should desire that it be made perfect. Hence he says, that your charity may more and more abound. God is the one from whom an increase of charity should be sought, because God is the only one who works this in us: God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work (2 Cor 9:8). Hence it is necessary that we pray for it, because unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:20).

17. The second request regards understanding; hence he says, in knowledge.

But does knowledge arise from charity? It seems so, because it is said: but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie (1 John 2:27). Furthermore, charity is the Spirit, of whom it is said: when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13). The reason for this is that when a person has a habit, if that habit is right, then right judgment of things pertaining to that habit follows from it; but if it is corrupted, then false judgment follows. Thus, the temperate person has good judgment in regard to sex, but an intemperate person does not, having a false judgment.

Now all things that are done by us must be informed with charity. Therefore, a person with charity has a correct judgment both in regard to things knowable; hence he says, in knowledge, by which one recognizes the truth and adheres to the truths of faith; and this is the knowledge of holy things mentioned in Wisdom (Wis 10:10);

and in regard to things to be done; hence he says, and in all sense, which is the faculty that deals with external objects. Its function is to judge correctly and quickly about the proper sensible object. As a result, this name has been transferred to the internal judgment of reason; hence, those who possess correct judgment in regard to what they should do are called sensible. Think, i.e., sense, of the Lord with uprightness (Wis 1:1); to fix one’s thought on, i.e., to sense, her is perfect understanding (Wis 6:16).

But this sense should be able not only to recognize, but also to distinguish between good and evil, and between good and better; hence he says, so that you may approve the better things:

Note that charity perfects sense that it may approve the good: earnestly desire the higher gifts (1 Cor 12:31), and make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts (1 Cor 14:1); hence he says, the better things.

18. The third request concerns behavior. First, he mentions immunity from evil; second, perfection in good.

The first, where it says, that you may be sincere. For there are two evils to be avoided: first, internal destruction, by which a man is destroyed in himself; and this is excluded by sincerity: the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor 5:8). The other concerns our neighbor, namely, offenses; hence he says, **and without offense: give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do (1 Cor 10:32); we put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry (2 Cor 6:3).

Unto the day of Christ, i.e., to the end of our lives: he who endures to the end will be saved (Matt 24:13).

19. As to the effects of grace he says, filled with the fruit of justice. Good works are the fruit: the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life (Rom 6:22). Or, the fruit of justice, i.e., the reward of justice, namely, the crown: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness (2 Tim 4:8); for the fruit of good labors is renowned (Wis 3:15). This is obtained through Jesus Christ, because all that we do is good through him. Apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

Furthermore, these things must be done for this end, unto the glory and praise of God, because God is glorified by the works of the saints, since they cause other people to break out in praise of God. Praise God in his saints (Ps 150:1); and it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them (Jer 33:9).

20. Then when he says, now, brethren, I desire that you, he advises them in regard to the future.

First, he gives examples to be followed and to be avoided;

second, he concludes his moral exhortation, at **therefore, my dearly beloved brethren **(Phil 4:1).

In regard to the first he does two things:

first, he shows what should be imitated;

second, what should be avoided, at **as to the rest **(Phil 3:1).

The first is divided into two parts:

first, he urges them to imitate him;

second, to imitate others, at if there be therefore (Phil 2:1).

The first part is divided into three parts:

first, he gives his own progress as an example;

second, the joy he has in this progress, at but what then (Phil 1:18);

third, the fruit of this progress, at for I know (Phil 1:19).

The first is again divided into two parts:

first, he mentions his progress;

second, the manner, at so that my bonds.

21. He says, therefore: I have urged you to make progress; and in order that you might have my progress as a pattern, I desire that you should know that the things which have happened to me outwardly, namely, tribulations, did not change me inwardly, but have come about rather to the progress of the Gospel, because the result was that the faith I preached made greater progress. If we are afflicted, it is for your exhortation and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer (2 Cor 1:6).

22. Then he shows progress: first his own progress; second, that of others, at and many.

In regard to himself, of course, it was obvious that he suffered for Christ with constancy, so as to be in bondage; hence it says, so that my bonds are made manifest in Christ, which redounds to Christ’s glory: but let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker; yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God (1 Pet 4:15). In all the court, as in Caesar’s court, and so on.

As for the progress of others, their faith has grown in common. Hence he says: and many of the brethren in the Lord, growing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear. See 1 Macc 6, concerning the elephants. Like the magistrate of the people, so are his officials (Sir 10:2); the righteous are bold as a lion (Prov 28:1).

Yet there is some diversity among these, because some spoke properly and some not. Of those who spoke properly, some did so out of general love, and others out of love for the Apostle; of those who spoke improperly, some acted out of general malice, and some out of personal hatred of the Apostle.

Yet it seems to me that the Apostle is revealing the two reasons why some preached: first, because of envy; consequently, to show their evil intention the Apostle says, some indeed, even out of envy and contention. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exists, there will be disorder and every vile practice (Jas 3:16); for while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh? (1 Cor 3:5);

second, out of love for Christ and the Gospel; hence he says, but some also preach Christ out of good will: deal favorably, O Lord, in your good will with Zion (Ps 51:18). The Apostle continues, some out of charity, which causes good will, because they preached to make up for my being prevented from teaching.

Then the Apostle explains what he had said, saying that some preach out of contention and not according to a right intention. For their depraved intention is clear in two ways: first, by preaching publicly they caused a disturbance among the gentiles against the Apostle and thus added to the affliction he already had; second, because they believed that Paul would be disturbed when he heard that they were usurping the task committed to him, thereby adding more affliction to one already afflicted.