John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. [Let] nothing [be done] through strife , etc.] About words merely; otherwise they were to strive for the faith of the Gospel, the purity of Gospel ordinances, worship and discipline; but the apostle would not have them strive merely to carry a point determined on, without having any regard to reason and truth, or yielding to the infirmities of the weak; which is the case and conduct of contentious persons; than which nothing can be more contrary to the Spirit of the Gospel, or the peace of churches: the apostle adds, or vain glory ; for where this is predominant, persons will always be singular in their sentiments, and never relinquish them, let what reason soever be given against them; nor will they give way to the judg ment of others, but right or wrong will have their own wills; Diotrephes like, loving to have the preeminence in all things, ( 3 John 1:9); and such persons and conduct are very injurious to the comfort and harmony of the saints: but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves ; not as to the things of the world, in respect of which one man may be a better man than another, and he must know and think himself so; nor with respect to the endowments of the mind, and acquired abilities, which one man may have above another; and the difference being so great in some, it must be easily discerned, that one is more learned and knowing, in this or the other language, art, or science; but with regard to, grace, and to spiritual light, knowledge, and judgment: and where there is lowliness of mind, or true humility, a person will esteem himself in a state of grace, as the great apostle did, the chief of sinners, and less than the least of all saints; one in whom this grace reigns will pay a deference to the judgment of other saints, and will prefer their experience, light, and knowledge, to his own; and will readily give way, when he sees such that are of longer standing, of greater experience, and more solid judgment, as he has reason to think, than himself, are on the other side of the question; and so peace, love, and unity, are preserved. This grace of humility is an excellent ornament to a Christian, and wonderfully useful in Christian societies.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - Here are further exhortations to Christian duties; to like-mindednes and lowly-mindedness, according to the example of the Lord Jesus Kindness is the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family. Several motives to brotherly love are mentioned If you expect or experience the benefit of God's compassions to yourselves, be compassionate one to another. It is the joy of minister to see people like-minded. Christ came to humble us, let there not be among us a spirit of pride. We must be severe upon our own faults, an quick in observing our own defects, but ready to make favourabl allowances for others. We must kindly care for others, but not be busy-bodies in other men's matters. Neither inward nor outward peac can be enjoyed, without lowliness of mind.
Greek Textus Receptus
μηδεν 3367 A-ASN κατα 2596 PREP εριθειαν 2052 N-ASF η 2228 PRT κενοδοξιαν 2754 N-ASF αλλα 235 CONJ τη 3588 T-DSF ταπεινοφροσυνη 5012 N-DSF αλληλους 240 C-APM ηγουμενοι 2233 5740 V-PNP-NPM υπερεχοντας 5242 5723 V-PAP-APM εαυτων 1438 F-3GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Let nothing be done (mhden). Rev., doing nothing. The Greek is simply nothing, depending either, as A.V. and Rev., on the verb to do understood, or on thinking (fronountev) of the preceding verse: thinking nothing. The latter is preferable, since the previous and the following exhortations relate to thinking or feeling rather than to doing.Through strife (kata eriqeian). Rev., correctly, faction. Lit., according to faction. See on Jas. iii. 14; and ch. i. 16. According to indicates faction as the regulative state of mind.
Vain glory (kenodoxian). Only here in the New Testament. The kindred adjective kenodoxoi desirous of vain glory, occurs only at Gal. v. 26. In the Septuagint the word is used to describe the worship of idols as folly (see Wisdom xiv. 14), and in 4 Macc. v. 9, the verb kenodoxew is used of following vain conceits about the truth. The word is compounded of kenov empty, vain, and, doxa opinion (but not in the New Testament), which, through the intermediate sense of good or favorable opinion, runs into the meaning of glory. See on Apoc. i. 6.
Lowliness of mind (tapeinofrosunh). See on Matt. xi. 29.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:3 {Through vainglory} (kata kenodoxian). Late word, only here in N.T., from kenodoxos (kenos, doxa, #Ga 5:26, only here in N.T.), empty pride. {In lowliness of mind} (ti tapeinophrosuni). Late and rare word. Not in O.T. or early Greek writers. In Josephus and Epictetus in bad sense (pusillanimity). For ostentatious humility in #Co 2:18,23. One of the words, like tapeinos (#Mt 11:29) and tapeinophr"n (#1Pe 3:8, here alone in N.T.) that Christianity has ennobled and dignified (#Ac 20:19). {Better than himself} (huperechontas heaut"n). Present active participle of huperecw in intransitive sense to excel or surpass with the ablative, "excelling themselves." See #Ro 12:10.
