Philippians 2:20

For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) For I have no man likeminded.—That is, probably, like-minded with myself. St. Paul calls Timothy his “genuine (or, true) son in the faith” (1Timothy 1:2), a son who in spirit and affection was like his father. The word “naturally” in this verse is the same word, and should be translated genuinely, without either counterfeit or duplicity of aim; and the word “care” implies something of the same absorbing anxiety which is expressed on St. Paul’s part in this passage.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:19-30 It is best with us, when our duty becomes natural to us. Naturally, that is, sincerely, and not in pretence only; with a willing heart and upright views. We are apt to prefer our own credit, ease, and safety, before truth, holiness, and duty; but Timothy did not so. Paul desired liberty, not that he might take pleasure, but that he might do good. Epaphroditus was willing to go to the Philippians, that he might be comforted with those who had sorrowed for him when he was sick. It seems, his illness was caused by the work of God. The apostle urges them to love him the more on that account. It is doubly pleasant to have our mercies restored by God, after great danger of their removal; and this should make them more valued. What is given in answer to prayer, should be received with great thankfulness and joy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For I have no man like-minded - Margin, "so dear unto me." The Greek is, ἰσόψυχον isopsuchon - similar in mind, or like-minded. The meaning is, that there was no one with him who would feel so deep an interest in their welfare.

Who will naturally care - The word rendered "naturally" - γνησίως gnēsiōs - means sincerely and the idea is, that he would regard their interests with a sincere tenderness and concern. He might be depended on to enter heartily into their concerns. This arose doubtless from the fact that he had been with them when the church was founded there, and that he felt a deeper interest in what related to the apostle Paul than any other man. Paul regarded Timothy as a son, and Paul's sending him on such an occasion would evince the feelings of a father who should send a beloved son on an important message.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

20. His reason for sending Timothy above all others: I have none so "like-minded," literally, "like-souled," with myself as is Timothy. Compare De 13:6, "Thy friend which is as thine own soul" (Ps 55:14). Paul's second self.

naturally—Greek, "genuinely"; "with sincere solicitude." A case wherein the Spirit of God so changed man's nature, that to be natural was with him to be spiritual: the great point to be aimed at.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

For I have no man likeminded; for which purpose I have designed Timothy, who joins with me in this Epistle, and is most of the same mind with myself, endued with the same Spirit, faith, and love; finding none of like soul to him with myself, in desiring your prosperity, and so have pitched upon him.

Who will naturally care for your state; who, being cordial to me and you, will, without regard to lucre, ingenuously and sincerely, above all the rest I have here, propagate the kingdom of Christ amongst you, and promote your salvation in watching for your souls, as one that must give an account, that he may do it with joy, Hebrews 13:17.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For I have no man likeminded,.... With myself; as my soul, so the Syriac version renders it. Timothy had a soul like the apostle's, which none that were with him, besides him, had; he was of the same judgment with him in the doctrines of grace; he received and preached the same Gospel as he did; he preached the same Christ, the Son of God, without yea and nay; he had the same affection for the apostle, and the souls of men, as he had; his soul was knit to his, and they had, as it were, but one soul in two bodies; he was engaged in the same work of the Lord, and pursued it with the same zeal and diligence: he was a second Paul in the pulpit; and there was no man likeminded as he, or so well disposed to the Philippians as he was, that had their good and cause at heart, and was willing to take so long a journey to do them service; for he had a particular affection for them, having been among them with the apostle, when he first preached the Gospel to them:

who will naturally care for your state. There were none like him that would; many were like the shepherds of Israel, that fed themselves and not the flock; but he was one that was diligent to know the state of the flock, and looked well to the herd under his care; and had an anxious care and solicitude, as the word signifies, for the good of souls. The work of a faithful Gospel minister is a work of care; one of his characteristics is, that he cares for the church of God; and though anxious care in worldly things is forbidden, yet in the affairs of Christ's house it is highly commendable, and especially when it is natural, or genuine and sincere, as Timothy's was: he had a sincere love, an hearty and real concern for their good; and which he would show by delivering to them the sincere milk of the word, by preaching the Gospel in the power and purity of it, with all sincerity and uprightness, with a single eye to the glory of Christ, and the good of their souls; and which is the apostle's reason for sending him unto them.

Geneva Study Bible

For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Php 2:20. Reason why Timothy is the person sent. Hofmann erroneously takes it as: the reason why he sends no one at the time. As if νῦν γὰρ or ἄρτι γὰρ οὐδένα κ.τ.λ. were written.

ἰσόψυχον] like-minded, namely, with me; in what respect, is stated in the sequel. Castalio, Beza, Calvin, Rilliet, Weiss, J. B. Lightfoot, wrongly interpret it: no one who would be so minded as he (Rheinwald combines the two references). As αὐτῷ is not added, the text gives no other reference for ἴσος (in ἰσόψυχ.) than to the subject of ἔχω (see also Php 2:22); as, indeed, Paul could not give a better reason for the choice of Timothy, and could not more effectively recommend him to his readers, than by setting forth his like-mindedness with himself; comp. Deuteronomy 13:6 : φίλος ἴσος τῇ ψυχῇ μου. The word occurs only here in the N. T.; see LXX. Psalm 55:14; Aesch. Agam. 1470. Comp. on the subject-matter, 1 Corinthians 16:10.

ὅστις κ.τ.λ.] the emphasis is laid on γνησίως, and ὅστις, quippe qui, ita comparatum ut, introduces the character of an ἰσόψυχος, such as is not at his disposal.

γνησίως] in genuine, sincere fashion, with one care without guile (Dem. 1482, 14; Polyb. iv. 30. 2; 2Ma 14:8), the selfish contrast to which is described in Php 2:21. Comp. 2 Corinthians 8:8.

μεριμνήσει] namely, when I shall have sent him. The caring is not to be more precisely defined; it necessarily manifested itself according to the circumstances in watching, correction, encouragement, counsel, and action. Comp. 1 Corinthians 12:25; 2 Corinthians 11:28.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Php 2:20. ἰσόψυχον. “Compounds with ἰσο- usually mean not merely ‘like,’ but ‘as good as,’ or ‘no better than’ ” (Jebb on Soph., O.T., 478). To whom does it refer? De W., Myr[9], Vinc. and others refer it to Paul. But surely it can only apply to Timothy. At least the relative sentence seems to necessitate this interpretation. “I have no one like-minded, I mean having that kind of mind (ὅστις) which will, etc.… but ye know his approvedness.” Besides, if he were thinking of himself, must he not have added ἄλλον to οὐδένα?—γνησίως, “genuinely”. There is no apparent necessity to take it (with Lft[10] and Vinc.) as = “by an instinct derived from his spiritual parentage”. γν. is used frequently in secular writers = true, genuine. Cf. Phocyl., 2, γνήσιος φίλος; Pind., Olymp., ii., 21, γνησίαις ἐπʼ ἀρεταῖς. Cf. chap. Php 4:3.—μεριμνήσει = “give one’s thoughts to a matter”. Cf. 1 Corinthians 7:33, and see a good note in Jebb on Soph., O.T., 1124.

[9] Meyer.

[10] Lightfoot.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. For] He gives his reason for sending Timothy.

likeminded] Lit., “equal-souled;” a slight echo, in form, of the verb just above. Timothy’s “soul,” his loving and willing self, was “equal,” level, to St Paul’s, in pure, cordial, interest in the Philippians.—The Greek adjective occurs nowhere else in the N.T., and in the LXX. only Psal. 54:13 (Heb., 55:14), for the Hebrew “after my scale, or standard”: a good parallel. The A.V. margin, “so dear unto me,” is certainly mistaken.

naturally] R.V. “truly.” But the A.V. well conveys the meaning. The word is literally, genuinely; so that heart corresponds to action.

care] Better, take careful, anxious thought. The verb (merimnân) is traced by recent philologists into connexion with root-words giving the idea of mindfulness, earnestness of thought, not, as according to the once current etymology, division of thought.—It is the same verb as that below, Php 4:6, where see note.—The apparent contradiction of the two passages has a beautiful harmony beneath it. Timothy’s “anxiety” was in fact painstaking thought for others; the “anxiety” forbidden, Php 4:6, is the result of our failure, as each felt burthen comes, to pass it on to the love and care of the Lord.—The verb (or its cognate noun) rendered “care” here occurs in the sense it bears here, 1 Corinthians 7:32; 1 Corinthians 7:34; 1 Corinthians 12:25; 2 Corinthians 11:28. In all other places its reference is to anxiety in an unfavourable sense of the word.

Bengel's Gnomen

Php 2:20. Οὐδένα, no one) None other, him alone [He is the only like-minded one I have]. Who depends on him, as the antecedent, understood.—ἰσόψυχον, like-minded) Paul’s second self, viz. Timothy: So Psalm 45:14, ואתה אנוש כערכי, thou, O man like-minded (ἰσόψυχε); Deuteronomy 13:7 (6), אשר כנפשך, is like-minded with thee (ὁ ἴσος τῇ ψυχῇ σου). [ Timothy , says Paul, there you may consider that I myself present.—V. g.]—γνησίως, , like a brother, [Engl. Vers. ]) Php 2:22; 1 Timothy 1:2.[23]—μεριμνήσει) will care [will be solicitous in all that concerns you], whilst among you: and will give an accurate report to me.

[23] γνησίῳ τέκνῳ, a genuine son: Engl. V. “my own son.” So here, in the genuine spirit of a brother.—ED.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - For I have no man like-minded; literally, of equal soul (comp. Deuteronomy 13:6, "Thy friend, which is as thine own soul"). "Timotheus,' says Bengel, "is a second Paul: where he is, there you should think that I myself am present." Others, not so well, explain the words, "I have no one like Timothy." The expression must, of course, be limited to those present at the moment, and available for the mission: it cannot in-elude St. Luke. Who will naturally care for your state (ὅστις); such as will care. Naturally (γνησίως: comp. 1 Timothy 1:2, where St. Paul calls Timothy "mine own soul in the faith," γνήσιον τέκνον); with a true, genuine affection. Timothy's love for St. Paul as his spiritual father will inspire him with genuine love for those who were so dear to St. Paul. Care is a strong word, μεριμνήσει, will be anxious (comp. Matthew 6:31). Philippians 2:20

Vincent's Word Studies

Like minded (ἰσόψυχον)

Only here in the New Testament. With Paul himself, not Timothy.

Who (ὅστις)

Double relative, classifying: such that he.

Naturally (ψνησίως)

Rev., truly. The adverb only here in the New Testament. The kindred adjective γνήσιος true, own, occurs 1 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; 2 Corinthians 8:8 (see note).