Berean BlueApp preview

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown on Philippians 2:16

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Browse this work.

Philippians2:16

16. Holding forth--to them, and so applying it (the common meaning of the Greek; perhaps here including also the other meaning, "holding fast"). The image of light-bearers or luminaries is carried on from Php 2:15. As the heavenly luminaries' light is closely connected with the life of animals, so ye hold forth the light of Christ's "word" (received from me) which is the "life" of the Gentiles (Joh 1:4; 1Jo 1:1, 5-7). Christ is "the Light of the world" (Joh 8:12); believers are only "light-bearers" reflecting His light.

that I may rejoice in--literally, "with a view to (your being) a subject of rejoicing to me against the day of Christ" (Php 4:1; 2Co 1:14; 1Th 2:19).

that I have not run in vain--that it was not in vain that I labored for your spiritual good.

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Philippians 2:16. Public domain.

Permanent link. Source edition.

Read Philippians 2. Compare commentaries on this chapter.

Source and publication rights

Public domain. Public Domain. Source edition.

Berean Blue opens December 1, 2026. Explore this passage in the app preview.