Philippians 1:20

Earnest expectation. Gr. apokaradokia (see on Romans 8:19). Paul’s great desire was that no happening should cause him to fail to magnify Christ.

Hope. An inward attitude, supplementing the “earnest expectation,” which may be considered as more externally revealed.

I shall be ashamed. Or, “shall I be put to shame,” that is, by failures in his own life or by his being rejected by Christ (cf. Luke 9:26). He is not anticipating such disasters, but is rather, in confidence of success, expressing the wish that they may not occur.

Boldness. Gr. parresia, “boldness of speech,” “courage,” “confidence,” “fearlessness.” Prison was no deterrent to the zeal of the apostle. He planned to continue boldly to represent Christ and His salvation. He had never been hesitant to proclaim his message (cf. Acts 4:20), and he wanted no fear or discouragement now to interfere with his testimony.

As always. Paul’s conscience was clear. He could look back on a consistent career of fearless witness and look forward to maintaining the same in the future.

Magnified. To magnify is to make great, or to celebrate already existing greatness. The Christian cannot make Christ great when all greatness is already His, but he can make the Lord great in the eyes of others (see on Luke 1:46).

In my body. The usual form would be “in me,” but since Paul is in danger of death, he sees his body as the instrument through which Christ will be glorified.

Life, or by death. If he should live, Christ would be glorified by his witness and activity. If he should die, the magnification would come through his joyful death for the Master. In life Christians magnify Christ through their conversion, their sanctification, their devoted labors in His cause, their cheerful endurance of trials, and the abiding results that their services secure. In death the true child of God magnifies the Son by rising above the dread with which most men face death, by trusting in the Lord to care for his future, and by continuing to witness through the influence that his godly life and fearless death exert on those who survive.