ACC ~ Philippians 1 v17

INSINCERE PREACHING. TERTULLIAN: What is skewed among those who “proclaim Christ out of partisanship” is their temperament and their motive, not the content of their proclamation. Paul exposes these bad tempers as the sole cause of their disunity, but these bad tempers apparently do not have a bad effect on the mysteries of the faith. There is still only one Christ and one God. This does not change, regardless of what motives may come into play in preaching him. So Paul is able to say that “it is nothing to me whether Christ be preached on a pretext or in truth; Christ is proclaimed.” What really matters is the one who is preached, whether through pretentiousness or in true faith. When Christ is preached in truth he is being preached faithfully. The rule of truth remains what it is, regardless of who preaches it—better or worse, there is but one truth. Meanwhile the conduct of preachers varies. Some preach truly, single-mindedly. Others preach insincerely, with affectations. AGAINST MARCION 5.20.1.

HIS RESPONSE NOT MALICIOUS. CHRYSOSTOM: Note Paul’s wisdom. He does not hurl around scurrilous accusations. He calmly describes what has come to pass. … Though the aim and motives on which they acted were corrupted, still the preaching itself was not corrupted. And the preaching of Christ occurred despite it all. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 3.1.1.

Phil