“What then?”
The full verse · Philippians 1:18 · KJV
? , , in , in , is ; do , , will .
Asked by
Paul: the apostle, writing from his "bonds" (imprisonment) to the church at Philippi (Philippians 1:13)
Asked to
Philippians: the saints at Philippi, "with the bishops and deacons," partners with Paul in the gospel (Philippians 1:1, 5)
The Scene
From prison, Paul has told the Philippians that his bonds have furthered the gospel, but that some preach Christ "of envy and strife," hoping "to add affliction to my bonds" (Philippians 1:12-17).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionPaul has just described rivals who preach Christ to hurt him. Now he asks how he should respond to that. Barnes paraphrases the question: "What follows from this? What effect does it have on my mind?" Paul could have answered with hurt or anger. Instead, the question lets him step back and weigh what matters most. It sets up his surprising answer that he rejoices.
The Response
What Scripture recordsPaul answers his own question at once: "notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice" (Philippians 1:18). He then explains his confidence: "For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:19).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsPaul wrote in "bonds," and his imprisonment had become known "in all the palace" (Philippians 1:13), which the ESV renders "the whole imperial guard." Many of the brethren were made "much more bold" by his bonds (Philippians 1:14), but others acted "of contention, not sincerely" (Philippians 1:16). Barnes explains "in pretence" as "a mere pretext to cover up some other design," in contrast to pure motives. The rivals' fault was in their motive, not in the content they preached. Gill says Paul "rejoiced in the subject matter of their ministry, which was Christ Jesus the Lord."
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyGod's gospel is not limited by the motives of its messengers. Christ was being made known, and that mattered more to Paul than his own reputation. Gill puts it simply: "Christ and his Gospel are the same by whomsoever preached." Barnes says it was a matter of rejoicing "that it was done at all, whatever the motives might be."
Paul does not pretend the motives were good. He names envy, strife, and insincerity (Philippians 1:15-16). But he leaves the judging of hearts to God. Matthew Henry writes, "It is God's prerogative to judge of the principles men act upon; this is out of our line." This is not approval of any message at all. In Galatians, where the message itself was different, Paul spoke sharply (Galatians 1:8-9). Here the message was Christ, and Paul could rejoice.
Look Closer
Why could Paul rejoice when some preached Christ out of envy?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, when others serve You from motives I question, how can I rejoice that Christ is being made known instead of guarding my own place?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- What makes it hard to celebrate when someone you do not get along with does good work for Christ?
- Tell about a time God used an unlikely person to point you to Christ.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
You will meet people who serve Christ in ways that hurt you or with motives you doubt. Paul shows another way to respond. Ask, "What then?" and look for what matters most: is Christ being made known?
You can leave the judging of hearts to God. That frees you from needing to win every rivalry. Your joy can rest on Christ's progress, not on your own standing.
This does not mean every message deserves your support. Paul rejoiced because Christ was truly preached. When the gospel itself is changed, Scripture calls for a different response (Galatians 1:8-9).
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