Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
All Commentaries on Philippians 1:15 Go To Philippians 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
After the imprisonment of the apostle many unbelievers became so bold as to try to excite a fierce persecution from the emperor. So they apparently also started preaching Christ in their own way, but only in order that the emperor’s anger might be increased. Thus, they imagined, by the spread of the preaching the whole of his anger would fall on Paul’s head. So from Paul’s imprisonment two lines of action have sprung. First, those of good will took great courage from it. The other party appeared to be preaching Christ but was really hoping for Paul’s destruction. These are the ones who were “preaching Christ from envy and rivalry.” In effect he is saying: “Those who envy my reputation and constancy and wish for my death work as rivals.” Or: “Wishing to be honored themselves, they were trying to use my reputation as leverage.” By contrast the others are preaching “through good will,” without any hypocrisy and with the utmost zeal. .
