Barnes New Testament Notes

Verse 24. And let us consider one another. Let us so regard the welfare of others as to endeavour to excite them to persevere in the Christian life. The idea is, that much might be done in securing perseverance and fidelity by mutual, kind exhortation. They were not to be selfish; they were not to regard their own interests only, (See Barnes "Php 2:4";) they were to have a kind sympathy in the concerns of each other. They had, as Christians have now, the Same duties to perform, and the same trials to meet, and they should strengthen each other in their trials, and encourage them in their work.

To provoke unto love. We use the word provoke now in a somewhat different sense, as meaning to offend, to irritate, to incense; but its original meaning is, to arouse, to excite, to call into action, and it is used in this sense here. The Greek is, literally, "unto a paroxysm of love" eiv paroxusmon; the word paroxysm meaning excitement or impulse; and the idea is, that they were to endeavour to arouse or excite each other to the manifestation of love. The word is that which properly expresses excitement, and means that Christians should endeavour to excite each other. Men are sometimes afraid of excitement in religion. But there is no danger that Christians will ever be excited to love each other too much, or to perform too many good works.