Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
All Commentaries on Philippians 1:1 Go To Philippians 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Here, as writing to those of equal honor, he does not set down his rank of Teacher, but another, and that a great one. And what is that? He calls himself a servant, and not an Apostle. For great truly is this rank too, and the sum of all good things, to be a servant of Christ, and not merely to be called so. The servant of Christ, this is truly a free man in respect to sin, and being a genuine servant, he is not a servant to any other, since he would not be Christ's servant, but by halves. And in again writing to the Romans also, he says, Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:1 But writing to the Corinthians and to Timothy he calls himself an Apostle. On what account then is this? Not because they were superior to Timothy. Far from it. But rather he honors them, and shows them attention, beyond all others to whom he wrote. For he also bears witness to great virtue in them. For besides, there indeed he was about to order many things, and therefore assumed his rank as an Apostle. But here he gives them no injunctions but such as they could perceive of themselves.
To the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi. Since it was likely that the Jews too would call themselves saints from the first oracle, when they were called a holy people, a people for God's own possession Exodus 19:6; Deuteronomy 7:6, etc.; for this reason he added, to the saints in Christ Jesus. For these alone are holy, and those hence-forward profane. To the fellow-Bishops and Deacons. What is this? Were there several Bishops of one city? Certainly not; but he called the Presbyters so. For then they still interchanged the titles, and the Bishop was called a Deacon. For this cause in writing to Timothy, he said, Fulfil your ministry, when he was a Bishop. For that he was a Bishop appears by his saying to him, Lay hands hastily on no man. 1 Timothy 5:22 And again, Which was given you with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. 1 Timothy 4:14 Yet Presbyters would not have laid hands on a Bishop. And again, in writing to Titus, he says, For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should appoint elders in every city, as I gave you charge. If any man is blameless, the husband of one wife Titus 1:5-6; which he says of the Bishop. And after saying this, he adds immediately, For the Bishop must be blameless, as God's steward, not self willed. Titus 1:7 So then, as I said, both the Presbyters were of old called Bishops and Deacons of Christ, and the Bishops Presbyters; and hence even now many Bishops write, To my fellow-Presbyter, and, To my fellow-Deacon. But otherwise the specific name is distinctly appropriated to each, the Bishop and the Presbyter. To the fellow-Bishops, he says, and Deacons,
