Fragments on the Letter to the Philippians

Name: Fragments on the Letter to the Philippians
Author: Oecumenius

Fragmenta in epistulam ad Philippenses

Oecumenius (fl. 6th century AD) · PG 118-119

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Contents4 passages

1Paul writes to clergy to cultivate humility
2Paul's defenses and gains are proved fruitful by the Philippians; 'as' means intensity; former gains counted loss only by comparison; refuse is part of the stalk
3The refuse was once useful for the seed to grow
4The law as refuse and the forward-looking mind

Author

Oecumenius (fl. 6th century AD) — Greek writer of the 6th century and author of the earliest full Greek commentary on Revelation. Notes on Paul's letters under his name survive in Bible commentary chains.

All works by Oecumenius

About this text

Short notes on Philippians: Paul's aim to teach humility, the fruit of his chains, and why he counts his former gains as loss.

These fragmentary comments on the Letter to the Philippians are attributed to Oecumenius, though the compiler of the Pauline commentary is unknown and the historical Oecumenius, a sixth-century commentator on the Apocalypse, is a different writer. The fragments were preserved in catenae, or chains of excerpts, and address clergy rather than laity. They explain difficult phrases and the purpose of Paul's letter.

Paul's main goal was to cultivate humility, since pride especially afflicts those who live well. The fragments also explain how Paul's sufferings and defenses prove fruitful through the Philippians' faith and steadfastness.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 118 – 119 (Greek)

This work has passed this project's source check. This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.

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Paul writes to clergy to cultivate humility§1

Oecumenius opens his commentary by explaining the audience and purpose of Paul's letter to the Philippians.

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1In this letter Paul writes to clergy, not to laity. For this reason he did not need many moral corrections. His concern through the letter is that humility be set right among them. By the very advice he gives, he shows how exact their conduct is in every other respect. For it is rare for someone both to sin and to be proud. Pride takes hold of those who live the best lives and who, for that very reason, are usually lifted up by it.

Everywhere and through everything Paul shows that his sufferings and his defenses are not without profit. From your faith, he says, I make your steadfastness my proof (Philippians 1:7).

Greek · §1

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Paul's defenses and gains are proved fruitful by the Philippians; 'as' means intensity; former gains counted loss only by comparison; refuse is part of the stalk§2

Oecumenius is explaining Paul's words in Philippians, showing that Paul's defenses, gospel-confirmation, and endurance of bonds are all proved fruitful by the Philippians' faith and steadfastness, then glossing the force of 'as' and the comparison by which former gains are counted loss.

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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 for some, I do it from your steadfastness. And when I want to show that my chains are not without profit, I prove it from your faith.

Paul says, And being found in form as a man (Philippians 2:7). The word “as” does not express likeness but intensity. It is like the phrase “as good is God to Israel” (Psalm 73:1, LXX 72:1), and “as I have loved your law, O Lord” (Psalm 119:97, LXX 118:97), meaning “I have loved it very much.”

When Paul says, “holding fast to the word of life” (Philippians 2:16), he means “paying attention to the word of life.” To Timothy he also writes, “Pay attention to yourself” (1 Timothy 4:16), meaning “attend to yourself.”

If he considers these things loss for the sake of Christ, they were not bad things; they were gains. And he said “I have considered.” For they were not loss, but by comparison with the surpassing greatness of better things he considers them loss.

The refuse is part of the stalk, and the stalk and the ear of grain once came from the seed.

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The refuse was once useful for the seed to grow§3

Oecumenius is explaining Paul's word 'refuse' by comparing the law and prophets to a stalk that grew from the seed of Abraham's faith.

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3So this refuse was once most useful for the seed to be produced. For just as root, stalk, and ear of grain come from a seed, so from the faith of Abraham, as from a seed, came the root from those in the law, and the stalk of the prophets and the ear of grain already proclaiming Christ in secret. Their harvest and threshing took place at the first coming of the Savior, whose winnowing fork is in his hand and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor.

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The law as refuse and the forward-looking mind§4

Oecumenius is closing his comments on Philippians, explaining how the law's temporary elements were set aside and how Paul's forgetting what lies behind means not dwelling on past struggles.

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4So then the stalk of the law ceased, and circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, and the other things were separated off like refuse, while the pure wheat of faith that had been hidden in the prophetic stalk was stored away in the barns of the common master. This very name 'refuse' shows that the law is akin to it, and just as the seed could not have come into being without the refuse, 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 means is this: I do not occupy myself with remembering my past struggles, but with being anxious about what I will accomplish in what lies ahead.

Philippians 4:2: But some say that Euodia was the wife of the jailer, and Syntyche was the man.

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