Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation.

“The admonitions which we give ought to be accompanied with commendations; for thus they become even welcome, when we refer those whom we admonish to that measure of zeal which they have themselves exhibited; as Paul, for instance, did here; and observe with what singular discretion; "So then, my beloved," he says; he did not say simply "be obedient," not until he had first commended them in these words, "even as ye have always obeyed"; i.e. "it is not other men, but your own selves, whom I bid you take example by." "Not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence." And why, "much more in my absence"? "Ye seemed perhaps at that time to be doing everything out of respect to me, and from a principle of shame, but that is no longer so; if then ye make it evident that ye now strive more earnestly, it is also made evident that neither then was it done out of consideration to me, but for God's sake." Tell me, what wouldest thou? "not that ye give heed to me, but that ye 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling'"; for it is impossible for one, who lives devoid of fear, to set forth any high or commanding example; and he said not merely "with fear," but "and with trembling," which is an excessive degree of fear. Such fear had Paul: and therefore he said, I fear "lest having preached to others, I myself should be rejected." For if without the aid of fear temporal things can never be achieved, how much less spiritual matters; for I desire to know, who ever learnt his letters without fear? who has become a proficient in any art, without fear? But if, when the devil does not lie in the way, where indolence is the only obstacle, so much of fear is necessary merely in order that we may master that indolence which is natural to us; where there is so fierce a war, so great hindrances, how can we by any possibility be saved without fear? And how may this fear be produced? If we but consider that God is everywhere present, heareth all things, seeth all things, not only whatsoever is done and said, but also all that is in the heart, and in the depth of the soul, for He is "quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart", if we so dispose ourselves, we shall not do or say or imagine aught that is evil. Tell me, if thou hadst to stand constantly near the person of a ruler, wouldest not thou stand there with fear? and how standing in God's presence, dost thou laugh and throw thyself back, and not conceive fear and dread? Let it never be that thou despisest His patient endurance, for it is to bring thee to repentance that He is longsuffering. Whenever thou eatest, consider that God is present, for He is present; whenever thou art preparing to sleep, or giving way to passion, if thou art robbing another, or indulging in luxury, or whatever thou art about, thou wilt never fall into laughter, never be inflamed with rage. If this be thy thought continually, thou wilt continually be in "fear and trembling," forasmuch as thou art standing beside the King. The architect, though he be experienced, though he be perfectly master of his art, yet stands with "fear and trembling," lest he fall down from the building. Thou too hast believed, thou hast performed many good deeds, thou hast mounted high: secure thyself, be in fear as thou standest, and keep a wary eye, lest thou fall thence. For manifold are the spiritual sorts of wickedness which aim to cast thee down. "Serve the Lord with fear," he says, "and rejoice unto Him with trembling." And how is rejoicing compatible with "trembling"? Yet this, be assured, is the only rejoicing; for when we perform some good work, and such as beseemeth those who do anything "with trembling," then only do we rejoice. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling": he says not "work," but "work out," i.e. with much earnestness, with much diligence; but as he had said, "with fear and trembling," see how he relieves their anxiety: for what does he say? "It is God that worketh in you." Fear not because said, "with fear and trembling." I said it not with this view, that thou shouldest give up in despair, that thou shouldest suppose virtue to be somewhat difficult to be attained, but that thou mightest be led to follow after it, and not spend thyself in vain pursuits; if this be the case, God will work all things. Do thou be bold; "for it is God that worketh in you." If then He worketh, it is our part to bring a mind ever resolute, clenched and unrelaxed.”

“Above he commended the humility of Christ; here he commends his reward, which is exaltation and glory. Lk. 14:11 and 18:14: *everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.* Job 22:29: *he who has been humbled will be in glory.* Note the threefold exaltation of Christ: namely as to the glory of the one rising, there "wherefore," etc.; as to the making known of his divinity, there "and he gave," etc.; and as to the reverence of the whole creature, there "that in the name," etc. He says therefore *wherefore God also exalted him*, namely that he might rise from death. Likewise, from mortality to immortality. Rom. 6:9: *Christ rising from the dead now dies no more, death will no longer have dominion over him.* Ps. 117:16f: *the right hand of the Lord has exalted me, I shall not die, but live.* Likewise, he exalted him by establishing him at his right hand. Eph. 1:20f: *establishing him at his right hand in the heavens above every principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name*, etc. But it is true that others are exalted in glory and in immortality; but he more so, because *he gave him a name*, etc. Now a name is imposed to signify some thing, and a name is the higher, the higher the thing signified by it is; and therefore the name of divinity is the higher. Ps. 8:2: *O Lord our Lord, how admirable is your name*, etc. Therefore this name, that he might be called and be God, the Father gave to this one, namely to Christ, as to the true God. But Photinus says that this is set down here as the reward of Christ's humility, and says that he is not true God, but that a certain eminence of a creature, and a likeness of divinity, was given to him — which is not true, because it was said above: *when he was in the form of God*, etc. It must therefore be said that in Christ there is a twofold nature, and one supposit. For this one person is God and man; and therefore this can be expounded in two ways. In one way, that the Father gave him this name insofar as he is the Son of God, and this from eternity through eternal generation; which giving is nothing other than his eternal generation. Jn. 5:26: *as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son also to have life in himself*, etc. In another way, concerning Christ as man: and thus the Father gave to that man a name, that he might be God — not through nature, since the nature of God is one thing and that of man another, but that he might be God through grace, not of adoption but of union, by which he was at once God and man. Rom. 1:4: *predestined the Son of God in power*, he namely who was made to him from the seed of David according to the flesh. And this is the exposition of Augustine according to the intention of the apostle. Likewise it is found in Acts 2:36: *let all the house know most certainly*, etc. But the first is that of Ambrose. But you ask, objecting as to both expositions, why, after he said *he humbled himself*, etc., there follows here *wherefore*, etc., since a reward does not precede merit. Therefore neither the eternal generation nor the incarnation is the reward of Christ's passion, since they precede it. But it must be said that in sacred Scripture something is said to happen when it becomes known. *He gave* therefore, that is, he made manifest to the world, that he had this name. For this was made manifest in the resurrection, since before, the divinity of Christ was not so known. And the following text agrees with this — as though he did not give what he did not have, but that all might venerate this. And a twofold veneration is set down: namely in the subjection of work, and in the confession of mouth, there *and every tongue*, etc. He says therefore *and he gave him a name that is above every name*, even according as he is man. Therefore he adds *that in the name of Jesus*, which is the name of the man, *every knee should bow*. Phil. 2:10 and Isa. 45:24: *to me every knee shall bow*, etc. But here Origen erred: for when he heard that every knee should bow, which is to show reverence, he took it as a future event that at some time every rational creature — whether Angels, or men, or Demons — would be subjected to Christ by the subjection of charity. But against this stands Matt. 25:41: *depart, you cursed, into eternal fire*, etc. But it must be said that there is a twofold subjection: one voluntary, the other involuntary. And it is a future event that all the holy Angels will be subjected to Christ voluntarily; and therefore he says: *every knee should bow*. And the sign is put for the thing signified. Ps. 96:7: *adore him, all you his Angels.* Likewise, blessed men, and saints and the just, will be subjected in this manner. Ps. 85:9: *all the nations, whatsoever you have made, shall come, and shall adore before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.* But Demons and the damned not so, but are subjected involuntarily. Jas. 2:19: *the Demons believe, and tremble*, etc. Then when he says *and every tongue should confess*, etc., the showing of reverence in the confession of mouth is set down. *Every tongue* — namely of the heavenly, the earthly, and those of the lower regions. This is not said of the confession of praise with respect to those of the lower regions, but of a forced confession, which comes about through the recognition of God. Isa. 40:5: *all flesh together shall see, that the mouth of the Lord has spoken*, etc. Ps. 98:3: *let it confess to your great name, because it is terrible and holy*, etc. And this, *because the Lord Jesus Christ*, etc. — this one, namely the man — *in glory*, etc. He does not say "in a like glory," because in the same glory. Jn. 5:23: *let all honor the Son, as they honor the Father.* And it must be noted that at the beginning he says *who, when in the form*, etc., here he says *in glory*, because it was to be that what he had from eternity would become known to all, as in Jn. 17:5: *glorify me, you, Father, with yourself, with the glory which I had before the world was made, with you.* Then when he says *therefore, brethren*, etc., the exhortation is concluded. And concerning this he does three things: for first he exhorts to doing well; second he shows how they ought to act, there *but all things*, etc.; third, with what fruit, there *that you may be*, etc. Likewise the first divides into three: for first he recalls their past obedience; second he shows what they ought to do, there *not in presence*, etc.; third he gives confidence of fulfilling it, there *for God*, etc. He says therefore: therefore, since Christ so humbled himself and for this is exalted, you ought to know that if you humble yourselves you will also be exalted; and you ought to do this, because you have always obeyed. And he makes mention of obedience, commending their good deeds, and this for the reason that by obedience is understood every virtue — since it is from this that a man is just, that he keeps the commandments of God. Rom. 6:16: *you are the servants of him whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto justice*, etc. Likewise, every good, however good it is in itself, is rendered better through obedience. Prov. 21:28: *an obedient man shall speak of victories.* Likewise, because obedience among the others is the greatest. For to offer of exterior things is great, but greater if of the body, but greatest if of the soul and your will — which is done through obedience. 1 Kgs. 15:22: *obedience is better than sacrifices, and to hearken rather than to offer the fat of rams*, etc. But if you have done thus, I exhort that you still do thus henceforth. Then when he says *not in presence*, etc., he shows what they ought to do. And first he admonishes them to act faithfully, because an unfaithful servant does not serve except when the master sees, since he cares for nothing but to please; but a faithful one always works well. And therefore he says *not in my presence only*, because otherwise it would seem that you were not acting from the instinct of good will. Eph. 6:6f: *not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God: from the soul, with good will, serving the Lord, and not men.* Second, that they act humbly, there *with fear and trembling*, etc. For a proud man does not fear, but a humble one does. 1 Cor. 10:12: *he who thinks himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.* Prov. 28:14: *blessed is the man who is always fearful.* Ps. 2:11: *serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto him with trembling.* Third, that they act salutarily, there *work out your salvation.* Matt. 24:13: *he who shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.* Then when he says *for God*, etc., he confirms this confidence and excludes four false opinions. One, of men believing that man through free will can be saved without divine help. Against this he says *God*, etc. Jn. 14:10: *the Father abiding in me, he does the works*: and 15:5: *without me you can do nothing.* Others altogether deny free will, saying that man is necessitated by fate, or by divine providence. And this he excludes, when he says *in you*, because inwardly, through instinct, he moves the will to work well. Isa. 26:12: *for you have wrought all our works in us.* The third, of the Pelagians, as also the first, saying that the choosing is in us, but the carrying out of the works in God, since to will is from us but to accomplish is from God. And this he excludes, saying *both to will and to accomplish*. Rom. 9:16: *it is not of him that wills* — namely to will — *without the help of God, nor of him that runs* — namely to run — *but of God that shows mercy.* The fourth, that God does every good in us, and this through our merits. This he excludes, when he says *for good will* — namely his own, not for our merits — since before the grace of God there is no good merit in us. Ps. 50:20: *deal kindly, O Lord, in your good will*, etc.”

“I. He exhorts them to diligence and seriousness in the Christian course: Work out your own salvation. It is the salvation of our souls (Pe1 1:9), and our eternal salvation (Heb 5:9), and contains deliverance from all the evils sin had brought upon us and exposed us to, and the possession of all good and whatsoever is necessary to our complete and final happiness. Observe, It concerns us above all things to secure the welfare of our souls: whatever becomes of other things, let us take care of our best interests. It is our own salvation, the salvation of our own souls. It is not for us to judge other people; we have enough to do to look to ourselves; and, though we must promote the common salvation (Jde 1:3) as much as we can, yet we must upon no account neglect our own. We are required to work out our salvation, katergazesthe. The word signifies working thoroughly at a thing, and taking true pains. Observe, We must be diligent in the use of all the means which conduce to our salvation. We must not only work at our salvation, by doing something now and then about it; but we must work out our salvation, by doing all that is to be done, and persevering therein to the end. Salvation is the great thing we should mind, and set our hearts upon; and we cannot attain salvation without the utmost care and diligence. He adds, With fear and trembling, that is, with great care and circumspection: "Trembling for fear lest you miscarry and come short. Be careful to do every thing in religion in the best manner, and fear lest under all your advantages you should so much as seem to come short," Heb 4:1. Fear is a great guard and preservative from evil. II. He urges this from the consideration of their readiness always to obey the gospel: "As you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, Phi 2:12. You have been always willing to comply with every discovery of the will of God; and that in my absence as well as presence. You make it to appear that regard to Christ, and care of your souls, sway more with you than any mode of showing respect whatsoever." They were not merely awed by the apostle's presence, but did it even much more in his absence. "And because it is God who worketh in you, do you work out your salvation. Work, for he worketh." It should encourage us to do our utmost, because our labour shall not be in vain. God is ready to concur with his grace, and assist our faithful endeavours. Observe, Though we must use our utmost endeavours in working out our salvation, yet still we must go forth, and go on, in a dependence upon the grace of God. His grace works in us in a way suitable to our natures, and in concurrence with our endeavours; and the operations of God's grace in us are so far from excusing, that they are intended to quicken and engage our endeavours. "And work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for he worketh in you." All our working depends upon his working in us. "Do not trifle with God by neglects and delays, lest you provoke him to withdraw his help, and all your endeavours prove in vain. Work with fear, for he works of his good pleasure." - To will and to do: he gives the whole ability. It is the grace of God which inclines the will to that which is good: and then enables us to perform it, and to act according to our principles. Thou hast wrought all our works in us, Isa 26:12. Of his good pleasure. As there is no strength in us, so there is no merit in us. As we cannot act without God's grace, so we cannot claim it, nor pretend to deserve it. God's good will to us is the cause of his good work in us; and he is under no engagements to his creatures, but those of his gracious promise.”

“Wherefore, my beloved,.... This is an inference from the instance and example of Christ; that since he, who was God over all, blessed for ever, made himself so low in human nature, in which he is now so highly exalted, having done the work and business he came about with such condescension, humility, and meekness; therefore it becomes those who profess to be his followers, to do all their affairs as men and Christians, with, and among one another, in all lowliness of mind. The apostle calls the saints here, "my beloved", he having a strong affection for them, which he frequently expresses in this epistle; and he chooses to make use of such an endearing appellation, that it might be observed, that what he was about to say to them sprung from pure love to them, and a hearty desire for their welfare, and from no other end, and with no other view; and to encourage them to go on in a course of humble duty, he commends them for their former obedience, as ye have always obeyed; not "me", as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions supply; but either God, acting according to his revealed will, they had knowledge of; or Christ, by receiving him as prophet, priest, and King, by submitting to his righteousness, and the sceptre of his grace; or the Gospel, by embracing the truths of it, professing them, and abiding in them, and by subjecting to the ordinances of it, and doing all things whatsoever Christ has commanded: and this they did "always"; they were always abounding in the works of the Lord, doing his will; they abode by Christ, and continued steadfastly in his doctrines, and kept the ordinances as they were delivered to them, and walked in all the commandments of the Lord blameless, Not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence; which clause may either be referred to the foregoing, which expresses their obedience; and so signifies that that was carefully and cheerfully performed, not only while the apostle was with them, but now when he was absent from them, and much more when absent than present:, which shows, that they were not eye servants, and menpleasers, but what they did they did sincerely and heartily, as to the Lord: or to the following exhortation, that they would attend to it; not only as they had done when he was among them, of which he was witness, but that they would much more do so now he was absent from them, namely, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; which is to be understood not in such a sense as though men could obtain and procure for themselves spiritual and eternal salvation by their own works and doings; for such a sense is contrary to the Scriptures, which deny any part of salvation, as election, justification, and calling, and the whole of it to be of works, but ascribe it to the free grace of God; and is also repugnant to the perfections of God, as his wisdom, grace, and righteousness; for where are the wisdom and love of God, in forming a scheme of salvation, and sending his Son to effect it, and after all it is left to men to work it out for themselves? and where is the justice of God in admitting of an imperfect righteousness in the room of a perfect one, which must be the case, if salvation is obtained by men's works? for these are imperfect, even the best of them; and is another reason against this sense of the passage; and were they perfect, they could not be meritorious of salvation, for the requisites of merits are wanting in them. Moreover, was salvation to be obtained by the works of men, these consequences would follow; the death of Christ would be in vain, boasting would be encouraged in men, they would have whereof to glory, and their obligations to obedience taken from the love of God, and redemption by Christ, would be weakened and destroyed: add to all this, that the Scriptures assure us, that salvation is alone by Christ; and that it is already finished by him, and not to be wrought out now by him, or any other; and that such is the weakness and impotence of men, even of believers, to whom this exhortation is directed, that it is impossible for them ever to affect it; therefore, whatever sense these words have, we may be sure that this can never possibly be the sense of them. The words may be rendered, "work about your salvation"; employ yourselves in things which accompany salvation, and to be performed by all those that expect it, though not to be expected for the performance of them; such as hearing of the word, submission to Gospel ordinances, and a discharge of every branch of moral, spiritual, and evangelical obedience for which the apostle before commends them, and now exhorts them to continue in; to go on in a course of cheerful obedience to the close of their days, believing in Christ, obeying his Gospel, attending constantly to his word and ordinances, and discharging every duty in faith and fear, until at last they should receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls: agreeably the Syriac version renders the words, , "do the work", or "business of your lives"; the work you are to do in your generation, which God has prescribed and directed you to, which the grace of God teaches, and the love of Christ constrains to. Do all that "with fear and trembling"; not with a slavish fear of hell and damnation, or lest they should fall away, or finally miscarry of heaven and happiness; since this would be a distrust of the power and faithfulness of God, and so criminal in them; nor is it reasonable to suppose, that the apostle would exhort to such a fear, when he himself was so confidently assured, that the good work begun in them would be performed; and besides, the exhortation would be very oddly formed, if this was the sense, "work out your salvation with fear" of damnation: but this fear and trembling spoken of, is such as is consistent with the highest acts of faith, trust, confidence, and joy, and is opposed to pride and vain glory; see Psa 2:11; and intends modesty and humility, which is what the apostle is pressing for throughout the whole context; and here urges to a cheerful and constant obedience to Christ, with all humility of soul, without dependence on it, or vain glorying in it, but ascribing it wholly to the grace of God, for the following reason.”

“As ye have always obeyed - Continue to act on the same principles and from the same motives; having the same disposition which was in Christ; laboring so as to promote his glory. Work out your own salvation - Go on, walking by the same rule, and minding the same thing, till your salvation be completed: till, filled with love to God and man, ye walk unblamably in all his testimonies, having your fruit unto holiness, and your end everlasting life. With fear and trembling - Considering the difficulty of the work, and the danger of miscarriage. If you do not watch, pray and continually depend on God, your enemies will surprise you, and your light and life will become extinct; and then consider what an awful account you must give to Him whose Spirit ye have grieved, and of whose glory ye have come short.”

“Wherefore--Seeing that we have in Christ such a specimen of glory resulting from "obedience" (Phi 2:8) and humiliation, see that ye also be "obedient," and so "your salvation" shall follow your obedience. as ye have . . . obeyed--"even as ye have been obedient," namely, to God, as Jesus was "obedient" unto God (see on Phi 2:8). not as, &c.--"not as if" it were a matter to be done "in my presence only, but now (as things are) much more (with more earnestness) in my absence (because my help is withdrawn from you)" [ALFORD]. work out--carry out to its full perfection. "Salvation" is "worked in" (Phi 2:13; Eph 1:11) believers by the Spirit, who enables them through faith to be justified once for all; but it needs, as a progressive work, to be "worked out" by obedience, through the help of the same Spirit, unto perfection (Pe2 1:5-8). The sound Christian neither, like the formalist, rests in the means, without looking to the end, and to the Holy Spirit who alone can make the means effectual; nor, like the fanatic, hopes to attain the end without the means. your own--The emphasis is on this. Now that I am not present to further the work of your salvation, "work out your own salvation" yourselves the more carefully. Do not think this work cannot go on because I am absent; "for (Phi 2:13) it is God that worketh in you," &c. In this case adopt a rule different from the former (Phi 2:4), but resting on the same principle of "lowliness of mind" (Phi 2:3), namely, "look each on his own things," instead of "disputings" with others (Phi 2:14). salvation--which is in "Jesus" (Phi 2:10), as His name (meaning God-Saviour) implies. with fear and trembling--the very feeling enjoined on "servants," as to what ought to accompany their "obedience" (Eph 6:5). So here: See that, as "servants" to God, after the example of Christ, ye be so "with the fear and trembling" which becomes servants; not slavish fear, but trembling anxiety not to fall short of the goal (Co1 9:26-27; Heb 4:1, "Let us fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any should come short of it"), resulting from a sense of our human insufficiency, and from the consciousness that all depends on the power of God, "who worketh both to will and to do" (Rom 11:20). "Paul, though joyous, writes seriously" [J. J. WOLF].”