But I wish you to know We all know from our own experience, how much the flesh is wont to be offended by the abasement of the cross. We allow, indeed, Christ crucified to be preached to us; but when he appears in connection with his cross, then, as though we were thunderstruck at the novelty of it, [1] we either avoid him or hold him in abhorrence, and that not merely in our own persons, but also in the persons of those who deliver to us the gospel. It may have happened to the Philippians, that they were in some degree discouraged in consequence of the persecution of their Apostle. We may also very readily believe, that those bad workmen [2] who eagerly watched every occasion, however small, of doing injury, did not refrain from triumphing over the calamity of this holy man, and by this means making his gospel contemptible. If, however, they were not successful in this attempt, they might very readily calumniate him by representing him as hated by the whole world; and at the same time leading the Philippians to dread, lest, by an unfortunate association with him, [3] they should needlessly incur great dislike among all; for such are the usual artifices of Satan. The Apostle provides against this danger, when he states that the gospel had been promoted by means of his bonds. The design, accordingly, of this detail is, to encourage the Philippians, that they may not feel deterred [4] by the persecution endured by him.

Footnotes

1 - "Estans estonnez comme d'vne chose nouuelle et non ouye;" -- "Being astonished as at a thing new and unheard of."

2 - "Et faux apostres;" -- "And false apostles."

3 - "En prenant ceste dangereuse accointance de S. Paul;" -- "By contracting this dangerous acquaintance with St. Paul."

4 - "Afin qu'ils ne soyent point destournex;" -- "That they may not be turned aside."

But I would ye should understand - Paul here turns to himself, and goes into a somewhat extended account of his own feelings in his trials, and of the effects of his imprisonment at Rome he wished them to understand what his circumstances were, and what had been the effect of his imprisonment, probably, for such reasons as these:
(1) They were tenderly attached to him, and would feel an interest in all that pertained to him.
(2) it was possible that they might hear unfounded rumors about the manner of his treatment, and he wished that they should understand the exact truth.
(3) he had real intelligence to communicate to them that would be joyful to them, about the effect of his imprisonment, and his treatment there; and he wished them to rejoice with him.
That the things which happened unto me - The accusations against him, and his imprisonment at Rome. He had been falsely accused, and had been constrained to appeal to Caesar, and had been taken to Rome as a prisoner; Acts 25-28. This arrest and imprisonment would seem to have been against his success as a preacher; but he now says that the contrary had been the fact.
Have fallen out - Have resulted in. Literally, "have come." Tyndale. "My business is happened."
The furtherance - The increase, the promotion of the gospel. Instead of being a hindrance, they have been rather an advantage.

That the things which happened unto me - St. Paul was at this time a prisoner at Rome, and it appears probable that he had already been called to make a defense for himself, and to vindicate the doctrines of the Gospel; and this he had been enabled to do in such a manner that the honor of the Gospel had been greatly promoted by it. As the Philippians loved him greatly, he felt it right to give them this information relative to his state, and how God had turned his bonds to the advantage of that cause on account of which he was bound.

(4) But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things [which happened] unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;
(4) He prevents the offence that might come by his persecution, by which different ones took occasion to disgrace his apostleship. And to these he answers, that God has blessed his imprisonment in such a way, that he has by that means become more famous, and the dignity of the Gospel by this occasion is greatly enlarged, although not all men are happy with it, yet it has enlarged indeed.

But I would ye should understand, brethren,.... The church at Philippi having heard of the apostle's troubles, he was very desirous that they should have a true and right understanding of them, and especially of the use they had been of, and were like to be of more and more; and that partly that such as were weak among them might not be offended and staggered, and partly that all might be comforted; as also that they might be animated and encouraged hereby to endure, with patience and cheerfulness, whatsoever afflictions might befall them for the sake of Christ: his sufferings are more obscurely expressed in the next clause, and more clearly in Philippians 1:13,
that the things which happened unto me; by which he intends, not anything done by him, or his labour in the ministry, which had been greatly succeeded for the spread of the Gospel; as the Syriac version suggests, rendering the phrase, , "that my work makes more abundant progress in the Gospel": but his sufferings on account of the Gospel, which though said to happen, were not things of chance but of appointment; for as all the sufferings of Christ the head, were by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, so are those of all the members of his mystical body, and of his ministers who are appointed to these things, and they for them; of which Christ has given previous notice, so that they do not come unexpected, but are looked for by them; nor are they over distressed with them, being supported with the presence, Spirit, grace, and favour of God; hence they can rejoice in them, in hope of the glory of God; and as the afflictions of Gospel ministers, the quality and quantity of them, are fixed and settled by divine appointment, and which accordingly come upon them, so the use of them is also determined, and which have their sure and certain effect as the apostle's had; for the very things by which men designed to have hindered the spread of the Gospel, he says,
have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel. The Gospel, though it is good news and glad tidings of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Christ; yet is very disagreeable to carnal men, they are enemies to it; and do all they can to stop its progress, to shut the open door of it, and hinder its course by speaking reproachfully of it, and writing against it, and especially by persecuting its professors, and particularly its ministers; which oftentimes proves rather a furtherance than an hinderance of it; for hereby the Gospel, like gold and silver tried in the fire, shines out the more brightly, with more lustre and glory, and has the greater influence on the minds of men; persecution in one place has often been the means of carrying and spreading the Gospel in many others; see Acts 8:1; and has been God's ordinance for the conversion of multitudes of souls, where it has been the fiercest and hottest; insomuch that it became a common saying in primitive times, that the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church; and hereby also the Gospel has been confirmed, and they that have embraced it have been the more established in it. The apostle's sufferings and bonds were for the confirmation and defence of the Gospel.

The apostle was a prisoner at Rome; and to take off the offence of the cross, he shows the wisdom and goodness of God in his sufferings. These things made him known, where he would never have otherwise been known; and led some to inquire after the gospel. He suffered from false friends, as well as from enemies. How wretched the temper of those who preached Christ out of envy and contention, and to add affliction to the bonds that oppressed this best of men! The apostle was easy in the midst of all. Since our troubles may tend to the good of many, we ought to rejoice. Whatever turns to our salvation, is by the Spirit of Christ; and prayer is the appointed means of seeking for it. Our earnest expectation and hope should not be to be honoured of men, or to escape the cross, but to be upheld amidst temptation, contempt, and affliction. Let us leave it to Christ, which way he will make us serviceable to his glory, whether by labour or suffering, by diligence or patience, by living to his honour in working for him, or dying to his honour in suffering for him.

understand--Greek, "know." The Philippians probably had feared that his imprisonment would hinder the spread of the Gospel; he therefore removes this fear.
the things which happened unto me--Greek, "the things concerning me."
rather--so far is my imprisonment from hindering the Gospel. Faith takes in a favorable light even what seems adverse [BENGEL] (Philippians 1:19, Philippians 1:28; Philippians 2:17).

I would ye should understand. No doubt the Philippians grieved greatly that he was a prisoner, but he assures them that all things have turned to the furtherance of the gospel. He has been given an opportunity to reach those whom otherwise he never could have had access to.
So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace. PrÃ&brvbr;torium in the Greek, rendered by the Revision, "PrÃ&brvbr;torian guard." The prÃ&brvbr;torian camp was the great military camp of a body of soldiers stationed permanently at Rome, called the prÃ&brvbr;torian guards. Paul, as a military prisoner, was under charge of its commander, the prÃ&brvbr;fect. The necessity of reporting regularly would make him well known, and would give him many opportunities to preach Christ there and elsewhere. Compare Acts 28:16.
Many of the brethren. Taking courage from his boldness, though in bonds, the brethren were engaged in preaching the gospel with greater zeal than ever before. See Philippians 4:22, for some of the results of this preaching.

The things concerning me - My sufferings. Have fallen out rather to the furtherance, than, as you feared, the hinderance, of the gospel.