Philippians 1:8

For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

The rendition here is a vast improvement over the KJV, the verse being a remarkable witness of the Christian's unity with the Lord, and, in fact, his identity with the Lord. Many scholars have been struck with the impact of this passage. Caffin stated the implications of the verse thus: "Not I, but Christ liveth in me. Paul is so united with Christ that he feels with the heart of Christ and loves with the love of Christ?[20] Lightfoot paraphrased it as follows:

Did I speak of having you in my heart? I should rather have said that in the heart of Christ Jesus I long for you. This is a powerful metaphor describing perfect union. The believer has no yearnings apart from his Lord; his pulse beats with the pulse of Christ; his heart throbs with the heart of Christ[21]

Paul's profession of love for the Philippians was genuine; and, as Calvin said, "It tends in no small degree to secure faith in the doctrine when the people are persuaded that they are loved by the teacher."[22]

[20] B. C. Caffin, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 20, Philippians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 3.

[21] J. B. Lightfoot, op. cit., p. 85.

[22] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 57.