Fragments on Philippians
Fragmenta in epistulam ad Philippenses
Severianus of Gabala (fl. c. 400) wrote these comments on selected verses of Paul's Letter to the Philippians. The fragments survive in chain commentaries that gathered excerpts from various interpreters.
Paul wrote to clergy to instill humility§1
Severianus begins his commentary by explaining the audience and purpose of Paul's Letter to the Philippians.
1In this letter Paul writes to clergy, not laity. For this reason he did not need to mention many wrongdoings. His aim through the letter was for humility to be set right in them. By the exhortation itself he shows the exactness of their other life. For rarely does someone both sin and become proud. Pride touches those who live most nobly and who, for this very reason, are usually lifted up.
Everywhere and through all things Paul shows that his sufferings and his defenses are not without profit. From your faith I make proof of your steadfastness.
Greek · §1
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Paul's proofs from the Philippians' faith and steadfastness§2
Severianus is explaining how Paul uses the Philippians' faith and steadfastness to show that his sufferings and defense of the gospel are not fruitless.
2For whether I make my defense when I am accused for the sake of those who believe—and you are among them—or whether I want to confirm the gospel to some, I do so from your steadfastness. Or whether I want to show that I do not endure chains without profit, I do so from your faith. (Philippians 1:7)
“And being found in form as a human” (Philippians 2:8). The word “as” does not express likeness but intensity; it means “truly.” It is like the phrase “truly good is God to Israel,” and “truly I have loved your law, Lord,” meaning “I have loved it very much.”
“Holding fast the word of life” (Philippians 2:16) means “paying attention to the word of life.” And to Timothy he also writes, “Pay attention to yourself” (1 Timothy 4:16), meaning “attend to yourself.”
If he counts it as loss for the sake of Christ, it was not evil; for it was gains. And he said “I have counted.” For it was not loss, but in comparison with the surpassing greatness of better things he counts it as loss.
Rubbish is a part of the stalk, and the stalk and the ear of grain once came from the seed.
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The rubbish was once useful for the seed's birth§3
Severianus is explaining Paul's word 'rubbish' through an agricultural image of seed, root, stalk, and ear of grain.
3So this rubbish was once very useful for bringing the seed to birth. Just as root, stalk, and ear of grain come from a seed, so from Abraham's faith as from a seed came the root—the things in the law—the stalk of the prophets, and the ear of grain already pre-announcing Christ in hidden form. The harvest and threshing of these took place at the Savior's first coming, whose winnowing fork is in his hand and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor.
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The law's chaff separated and Paul's forward focus§4
Severianus is closing his agricultural image of the law as chaff and now applies it to Paul's words about forgetting what lies behind and about Euodia and Syntyche.
4So the stalk of the law finally ceased, and circumcision, Sabbath observance, and the other things were separated off like rubbish. The pure grain of faith that had been hidden in the prophetic stalk was stored away in the storehouses of the common Master. This name 'rubbish,' then, shows that the name is appropriate to the law. And just as the seed could not have come to be without the rubbish, so neither could the perfection of grace have been accomplished without the law.
Philippians 3:13: 'Forgetting what lies behind'—not as though those things were evil, but what Paul says is this: 'I do not busy myself with remembering my past struggles, but with giving my attention to what I will accomplish in what lies ahead.'
Philippians 4:2: Some say that Euodia was the jailer's wife, and Syntyche was the man.
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