Philippians 2:21

“For all seek their own, etc.] Meaning not every individual, but the greatest part; and not merely such as were manifestly false teachers, but such as were with the apostle, as ministers of the word; and we may suppose him to be stripped, by one means or another, of the more valuable preachers of the Gospel, and to be in much such a case as he describes himself to be, in (<550410>2 Timothy 4:10-12). He had none with him, excepting a very few, but such as he speaks of in the preceding chapter, that preached Christ of envy, strife, and contention; and these chiefly sought their own worldly interest and advantage; they sought great things for themselves, and looked every man for his gain from…”

“Translate as Greek, "They all" (namely, who are now with me, Phi 1:14, Phi 1:17; Phi 4:21 : such Demas, then with him, proved to be, Col 4:14; compare Ti2 4:10; Plm 1:24). seek their own--opposed to Paul's precept (Phi 2:4; Co1 10:24, Co1 10:33; Co1 13:5). This is spoken, by comparison with Timothy; for Phi 1:16-17 implies that some of those with Paul at Rome were genuine Christians, though not so self-sacrificing as Timothy. Few come to the help of the Lord's cause, where ease, fame, and gain have to be sacrificed. Most help only when Christ's gain is compatible with their own (Jdg 5:17, Jdg 5:23).”

“For all seek their own - That is, all who are with me. Who Paul had with him at this time is not fully known, but he doubtless means that this remark should apply to the mass of Christians and Christian ministers then in Rome. Perhaps he had proposed to some of them to go and visit the church at Philippi, and they had declined it because of the distance and the dangers of the way. When the trial of Paul came on before the emperor, all who were with him in Rome fled from him 2 Timothy 4:16, and it is possible that the same disregard of his wishes and his welfare had already begun to manifest itself among the Christians who were at Rome, so that he was constrained to say that, as a general…”

“For all - But Timotheus. Seek their own - Ease, safety, pleasure, or profit. Amazing! In that golden age of the church, could St. Paul throughly approve of one only, among all the labourers that were with him? Phi 1:14, Phi 1:17. And how many do we think can now approve themselves to God? Not the things of Jesus Christ - They who seek these alone, will sadly experience this. They will find few helpers likeminded with themselves, willing naked to follow a naked Master. Philippians 2:22”

“all: Phi 2:4; Isa 56:11; Mal 1:10; Mat 16:24; Luk 9:57-62, Luk 14:26; Act 13:13, Act 15:38; Co1 10:24, Co1 10:33, Co1 13:5; Ti2 1:15, Ti2 3:2, Ti2 4:10, Ti2 4:16 the: Phi 1:20, Phi 1:21; Co2 1:5, Co2 5:14, Co2 5:15 Philippians 2:22”