Commentaries:
Paul felt great affection for these people. It seems that Paul felt affection for no congregation as he did for the Philippians. They seem to have been his finest congregation. Any criticism that appears in his letter to them is miniscule by comparison to his letters to other churches. It contains his sweetest, kindness expressions for them. They did not seem to be a rich congregation like the Corinthians, and there is no indication that they were a large congregation, but they seem to have been on the ball spiritually. He loved them.
John W. Ritenbaugh
How to Know We Love Christ