Philippians 1:11
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
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EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)
(11) The fruits of righteousness is an Old Testament phrase (see Proverbs 11:30; Amos 6:12), used also in James 3:18; Hebrews 12:11. It may mean (as in these last two passages) “righteousness as a result,” or (in the common sense of “fruit”) the “result of righteousness.” As the participle is properly “having been filled,” thus referring, not to the future day of Christ, but to the whole time which that day shall complete, the former sense seems preferable. The righteousness which is “through Jesus Christ,” “not” (as St. Paul says below, Philippians 3:9) “our own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God,” is clearly the likeness of Christ, and therefore in itself an all-sufficient fruit. Filled with it, we are (see Ephesians 3:19) “filled with all the fulness of God.”

Unto the glory and praise of God.—(Comp Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 1:12; Ephesians 1:14.) In accordance with our Lord’s own teaching: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (See also 1Corinthians 10:31.)

1:8-11 Shall not we pity and love those souls whom Christ loves and pities? Those who abound in any grace, need to abound more. Try things which differ; that we may approve the things which are excellent. The truths and laws of Christ are excellent; and they recommend themselves as such to any attentive mind. Sincerity is that in which we should have our conversation in the world, and it is the glory of all our graces. Christians should not be apt to take offence, and should be very careful not to offend God or the brethren. The things which most honour God will most benefit us. Let us not leave it doubtful whether any good fruit is found in us or not. A small measure of Christian love, knowledge, and fruitfulness should not satisfy any.Being filled with the fruits of righteousness - That which righteousness in the heart produces. The fruits, or results, will be seen in the life; and those fruits are - honesty, truth, charity, kindness, meekness, goodness. The wish of the apostle is, that they might show abundantly by their lives that they were truly righteous. He does not refer to liberality merely, but to everything which true piety in the heart is fitted to produce in the life.

Which are by Jesus Christ -

(1) Which his religion is fitted to produce.

(2) which result from endeavoring to follow his example.

(3) which are produced by his agency on the heart.

Unto the glory and praise of God - His honor is never more promoted than by the eminent holiness of his friends; see the notes at John 15:8. If we wish, therefore, to honor God, it should not be merely with the lips, or by acts of prayer and praise; it should be by a life devoted to him. It is easy to render the service of the lips; it is far more difficult to render that service which consists in a life of patient and consistent piety; and in proportion to the difficulty of it, is its value in his sight.

11. The oldest manuscripts read the singular, "fruit." So Ga 5:22 (see on [2378]Ga 5:22); regarding the works of righteousness, however manifold, as one harmonious whole, "the fruit of the Spirit" (Eph 5:9) Jas 3:18, "the fruit of righteousness" (Heb 12:11); Ro 6:22, "fruit unto holiness."

which are—"which is by (Greek, 'through') Jesus Christ." Through His sending to us the Spirit from the Father. "We are wild and useless olive trees till we are grafted into Christ, who, by His living root, makes us fruit-bearing branches" [Calvin].

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness; i.e. not only bringing forth some single, yea, or singular fruit, but replenished, plurally, with the fruits of righteousness, Acts 9:36 Colossians 1:10; elsewhere called the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22 Ephesians 5:9; in all goodness and truth, as well as righteousness. These are such good works as are not (whatever the papists conceive) causal of righteousness, but are, through the Spirit, (who regenerates the persons, and directs the internal and external actions of those who walk in the steps of the faith of their father Abraham, Romans 4:12), wrought by supernatural grace in the heart joined unto the Lord, with whom they are one spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17.

Which are by Jesus Christ; and without whom, from their own stock and strength, till they be ingrafted into him, John 15:1,5, trees of righteousness, of the Lord’s planting, Isaiah 61:3, and his workmanship, created unto good works, Ephesians 2:10, they cannot bring forth fruits, and do such good works as are acceptable unto God, 2 Corinthians 13:5; but Christ living and dwelling in them by faith, Galatians 2:20 Ephesians 3:17, and God working in them both to will and to do, Philippians 2:13, they can do all through Christ, Philippians 4:13, so that they shall be accepted in him.

Unto the glory and praise of God; not being empty vines, bringing forth fruit to themselves, Hosea 10:1, but to the eternal honour of him who hath called them, Matthew 5:16 1 Corinthians 10:31 Ephesians 1:6,12,14 1 Peter 2:12 1 Peter 4:11 Revelation 5:13.

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness,.... Good works. Some think alms deeds, or acts of liberality and bounty, are here particularly intended; and that respect is had to the generosity of these Philippians to the apostle, and others: and true it is, that these are sometimes so called, as in 2 Corinthians 9:10, but rather good works in general are meant, which are called "fruits", because, like fruits, they spring from a seed, even from the incorruptible seed of grace in the heart, implanted there in regeneration; and because they are owing, as the fruits of the earth are, to divine bounty and goodness, to the dews of grace, the rising and bright shining of the sun of righteousness, and to the south gale of the blessed Spirit, when brought forth aright; and also because they are pleasant and delightful, they are well pleasing to Christ, and are acceptable to God through Christ; and likewise, because they are profitable, not to God, but to men: and they are styled fruits of "righteousness", either of imputed righteousness, the righteousness of Christ imputed without works, the effects of which are good works; for nothing more strongly influences and engages men to the performance of good works, than a view of their free justification by the righteousness of Christ; hence there can be no justification by works, since these are the fruits and effects of justification, and not the cause: or of righteousness and holiness implanted in the soul by the Spirit of God, the new man, which is created unto good works, and in or unto righteousness and true holiness; and which naturally tends thereunto, and which stimulates and qualifies men for the performance of the same: or good works are so called, because they are performed by a righteous man; for as none but a good tree can bring forth good fruit, so none but a tree of righteousness can bear fruits of righteousness; or none but a righteous man do works of righteousness, which are truly such: or because they are such as are done according to the righteous law of God; for this is a necessary requisite of a good work, that it be according to the command and will of God; for otherwise, let it have never such a show of religion and goodness, it is no good work. The Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions, read, "fruit", in the singular number, but other copies and versions, read, "fruits"; and the apostle wishes, that these saints might be "filled" with them; that is, that they might be like trees laden with fruit, which have fruit on every branch, bough, and twig; that they might abound in the performance of them, be ready to, and fruitful in every good work; not doing a few of one sort only, but performing continually all manner of good works; and so be like fruitful trees that yield their fruit in their season, and do not cease from so doing, but still bring forth fruit, and that in large quantities:

which are by Jesus Christ; who is the green fir tree, from whom all fruit, as of grace, so of good works, is found; for all good works, which are truly and properly so, spring from union to Christ, and are owing to his grace: souls are married to Christ, that they may bring forth fruit unto God; they are created in him unto good works, and are ingrafted in him the true vine; and through abiding in him, and deriving life, grace, and strength from him, bear fruit, which otherwise they could not do: without Christ no good work can be performed; it is through him, strengthening his people, they do all they do; for they are insufficient to do anything of themselves, but his grace is sufficient for them, and his strength is made perfect in their weakness. He is the exemplar and pattern, according to which they do their good works; and they are motives drawn and taken from him, from his love, from the doctrines of grace relating to him, which are the most powerful, and do most strongly work upon the saints to perform these things; and which, under his grace, and the influence of it, are directed

unto the glory and praise of God: they are done by believers in Christ, not in order to obtain eternal life and happiness for themselves, which they know is the gift of God, and entirely owing to his free grace and abundant mercy; nor to gain honour and applause from men, but to glorify God; who is glorified when his people bring forth much fruit, and which also is the occasion of others glorifying him likewise: and this end is necessary to a good work, that it be done to the glory of God; for if anything else is in view and not that, let it have ever such an appearance of a good work, it is none at all: and indeed, here we have all the requisites of a good work; as that it should be done according to the righteous law and will of God; that it springs from a principle of grace and holiness; that it be performed in the name, grace, and strength of Christ, and with a view to the honour and glory of God. The Ethiopic version reads, "in" or "to his Christ's glory, and the praise of God"; and the Arabic version thus, "to the glory of God and his praise"; and so the design of the clause is to show, either that both the glory of Christ and the praise of God are concerned in every truly good work; or that the glory of God secretly, and his praise openly, are to be sought therein; even all honour and glory, an abundance of it, and that continually; ascribing nothing to ourselves, but attributing all to him, acknowledging, when we have done all we can, we are but unprofitable servants.

Being filled with the {g} fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

(g) If righteousness is the tree, and good works the fruits, then the papists are truly deceived indeed, when they say that works are the cause of righteousness.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Php 1:11. Critical evidence (see above) fixes καρπὸντόν as the correct reading. We should, of course, expect the gen. (see the v.1.), but one of the most marked features in later Greek is the enlarging of the sphere of the accus. It is quite common to find it with verbs like κληρονομεῖν and κρατεῖν κ.τ.λ. Cf. in modern Greek γέμω χρήματα, “I am full of possessions” (see See Hatz., Einl (Hatzidakis, Einleitung in die Neugriech. Grammatik), pp. 220–223; F. Krebs, Rection d. Casus in d. späteren histor. Gräcität, Heft i., pp. 3–4, ii., p. 3 ff.).—καρπ. δικ. A frequent phrase in Prov. (LXX). A showing forth of the results of righteousness. There is nothing here about justification, as Moule supposes. It is right conduct the Apostle has in view. But it is hardly needful to note that with Paul there can be no dissociation of the two ideas. δικαιοσύνη is always with him the right relation between God and man, made possible through Christ, which asserts itself, under the Holy Spirit’s influence, in righteous conduct.—διὰ Ἰ. Χ. The καρπός as well as the δικ. is due to Christ (cf. chap. Php 4:13).—εἰς δ. κ. ἔπ. Θ. Cf. the refrain in Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 1:12; Ephesians 1:14, and Christ’s words in John 17:4, ἐγώ σε ἐδόξασα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. The disciple must be as the Master.

11. Being filled] Lit. and better, having been filled. He anticipates the great Day, and sees the Philippians as then, completed and developed as to the results of grace. His prayer for them is that they may be then found “filled” with such results; bearers of no scanty or partial “fruit”; trees whose every branch has put forth the produce described Galatians 5:22-23.

fruits] Rather, on documentary evidence, fruit; as in Galatians 5:22. The results of grace are manifold, and yet a total, a unity; effects and manifestations of one secret, ingredients in one character, which, if it lacks one of them, is not fully “itself.”

of righteousness] The phrase “fruit of righteousness” occurs in the LXX., Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 13:2; Amos 6:12; and in St James, James 3:18. By analogy with such phrases as e.g. “fruit of the Spirit,” it means not “fruit which is righteousness,” but “fruit which springs from righteousness.”—“Righteousness” is properly a condition satisfactory to Divine law. Thus it often means the practical rectitude of the regenerate will; and so probably here. But often in St Paul we can trace an underlying reference to that great truth which he was specially commissioned to explain, the Divine way of Justification; the acceptance of the guilty, for Christ’s sake, as in Him satisfactory to the Law, broken by them, but kept and vindicated by Him. See further below, on Php 3:9. Such an inner reference may be present here; the “fruit” may be the fruit not merely of a rectified will, but of a person accepted in Christ.

which are] Read, which is.

by Jesus Christ] Through Him, as both the procuring cause, by His merits, of the new life of the saints, and the true basis and secret of it, in their union with His life. Cp. Romans 5:17.

unto the glory and praise of God] The true goal and issue of the whole work of grace, which never terminates in the individual, or in the Church, but in the manifestation of Divine power, love, and holiness in the saving process and its result. “To Him are all things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).—“God” here is distinctively the Eternal Father, glorified in the members of His Son.

Php 1:11. Πεπληρωμένοι καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης, κ.τ.λ., filled with the fruits of righteousness) The same construction is found at Colossians 1:9, ἵνα πληρωθῆτε τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν; and the fruit of righteousness is generally used in the singular number, Hebrews 12:11; Jam 3:18; also Romans 6:22, precisely as Paul elsewhere speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, of light, of the lips. The more common reading is πεπληρωμένοι καρπῶν, κ.τ.λ.[6]

[6] ABD(Δ)Gfg Vulg. (except Fuld. MS. corrected by Victor of Capua), read καρπόν. No old authority except Syr. supports the καοπῶν of the Rec. Text.—ED.

Verse 11. - Being filled with the fruits of righteousness. The best manuscripts read "fruit." He prays that their love may abound, not only in knowledge and discernment, but also in the fruit of holy living. The fruit of righteousness is sanctification, which springs from justification, and manifests itself in holy living (comp. Amos 6:12; Galatians 5:22). Which are by Jesus Christ; rather, through. The righteousness of God's saints is not that" which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ" (comp. John 15:4). The branch lives by the life of the vine; the Christian lives by the life of Christ. It is his life, living in, assimilated by the Christian soul, which brings forth the fruit of righteousness. Unto the glory and praise of God. The righteousness of God's saints, springing from the abiding presence of Christ, shows forth the glory of God. The glory of God is his majesty in itself; praise is the acknowledgment of this majesty by the voice and heart of man. The glory of God is the end of all Christian effort. Philippians 1:11Fruit of righteousness (καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης)

The phrase occurs James 3:18. Compare Proverbs 11:30.

Glory and praise of God

For glory of God, see on Romans 3:23. That God's glory may be both manifested and recognized. Compare Ephesians 1:6.

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