Philippians 1:7-8 7Thus, is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, all of you being my partners in grace. 8For God is my witness how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus.
Paul had a special bond with these believers in Philippi, forged by personal contact, emissaries, and prayer. These two verses confirm this connection and deepen it more. In technical rhetorical terms, Paul is adding to his ethos of concern for the church and inviting the Philippians to develop pathos for his suffering. He uses words that build an emotional and spiritual connection between him and this church.
His thoughts and prayers for this church are a result of the deep emotional connection they have in their heart. Heart (kardia) represents the innermost place of a person’s thoughts and existence, where one is conscious and makes decisions. It is often used interchangeably with “mind” but often has an emotional and/or spiritual sense to it, as it does here. To hold in the heart means to consider a person important and to think about that person in a caring, loving, and compassionate way. A strong relationship is implied.
The grammatical structure of the phrase you hold me in your heart is a bit awkward to translate as an “articular infinitive of purpose.” In such a construction, the subject of the infinitive is in the accusative case. In this example, there are two accusative words, making two translations possible: “I hold you in the heart” or “you hold me in your heart.” The context could support either one, but it seems like Paul is reflecting more here on how the Philippians have been his partners and have remembered him by sending help and praying for him.
They have remembered him in how he has been imprisoned, possibly far away from their location if he was in Rome. He has given a defense (apologia) of the gospel wherever he has traveled, but especially now as he appears before the Roman authorities and possibly even the emperor Nero himself. He has also given confirmation (bebaiōsei) of the gospel. This word means something firm, steadfast, guaranteed, and sure. In Paul’s life, his faith in Christ was strengthened through the trials he experienced. His imprisonment was proof of this faith. His testimony of confidence in God opened doors to share the gospel with those around him, such as those who guarded him. He will further reflect on this topic beginning in verse 12.
The Philippians have been partners in grace in this, sharing in a deep fellowship (sygkoinōnous) with him. What binds them together is their common faith in Christ. Grace (charitos) refers back to the gospel and how it has been testified to through Paul’s sufferings. God’s grace has been evident through everything Paul has been through. His suffering has been a channel for the grace of the gospel to reach new people who may never have heard of Jesus in any other way.
This deep connection the Philippians share with Paul has welled up within him a deep sense of compassion and care. The compassion of Christ is the feeling a person develops because of the love and commitment grown in relationship and fellowship. It is an emotional feeling deep within our psyche when we miss someone who is far away and we hurt with them because of what they are experiencing. It is difficult for us because we cannot be with that person. The only help we can give is prayer. This compassion comes from Christ and models his compassion towards those in need. It is the direct outcome of unconditional love that overflows into emotional longing and active service when possible.
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