FINAL WORDS OF ADMONITION AND GUIDANCE (PHILIPPIANS 4:1). Approaching the end of his letter on the glorious note found in the previous verses Paul now takes them back in Philippians 4:1 to that revelation, and also at the same time to his admonition in Philippians 1:27 to ‘stand fast in one Spirit'... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For which reason, my brothers, beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my beloved.' ‘For which reason.' This means, ‘Because of what I have just been saying, and because of what is in the whole of this letter --.' Paul then follows this by stressing his deep affection... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord.' His love now spills over in his exhortation to two women who were clearly prominent in the church. In that area of the Empire women had a special prominence and held positions of leadership and authority. Thus in neighbour... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Yes, I ask you also, true yoke-fellow, help these women, for they laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.' Paul now seeks a mediator in one whom he calls ‘a true yoke-fellow ' (gnesie sunzuge) or alternatively one wh... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice.' The first exhortation is a call to ‘rejoice in the Lord'. It is addressed to the whole church, being repeated from Philippians 3:1. It is not a call just to sing a few hymns, but one that calls on them to face the hardships of the future with... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL NOW GIVES FINAL INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS BELOVED PHILIPPIANS (PHILIPPIANS 4:4). Paul now commences a series of injunctions in staccato form which are not directly connected in the Greek. In a sense each is separate so as to give it emphasis, although we should recognise that that does not necessaril... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Let your forbearance be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.' The second exhortation is that their forbearance and neighbourliness and unjudgmental attitude in the face of persecution should be demonstrated towards the whole world. In one sense this command stands by itself as the equivalent of t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘In nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.' The third exhortation is that they should not be filled with anxiety about anything. That too would go with rejoicing in the Lord, and with the recognition that He was comi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.' This may well be intended to apply to all three exhortations. By continually rejoicing in the Lord and His nearness to them, by living rightly before the world, and by making their requ... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honourable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are winsome (of good report); if there be any excellence, and if there be any praise, think on these things.' And all this wil... [ Continue Reading ]
‘The things which you both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do, and the God of peace will be with you.' Paul then makes a practical application by pointing them to what he and others have taught them and to his own example, something only possible because he knows that his... [ Continue Reading ]
A FINAL EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE FOR THEIR CONCERN ABOUT HIM AS REVEALED IN THE GIFT THAT EPAPHRODITUS HAD BROUGHT (PHILIPPIANS 4:10). Paul has taken the opportunity provided by Epaphroditus' return to Philippi, to send what was very much a pastoral letter, and one which was also partly to smooth the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you caused your thought for me to blossom, in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.' Paul commences his expression of gratitude by pointing out what joy it had brought him in the Lord because it had demonstrated that th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned, in whatever state I am, therein to be content.' Thus he makes clear that his rejoicing was not because of the benefit that it had brought to him, for he had in fact been quite content with his situation whatever it was. After all, it was tha... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. I can do all things in him who strengthens me.' And he takes the opportunity to strengthen the resolve of the Phili... [ Continue Reading ]
‘However that may be, you did well that you shared in common with my affliction.' On the other hand he did not want that to hide the fact that what the Philippians had done had been something worthy of praise. Thus he now makes clear that in sharing in common with him in his affliction as a prisone... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And you yourselves also know, you Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had sharing in common with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you only, for even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.' Indeed he wanted them to kno... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit which increases to your account.' So he stresses that they must not think from what he had said that he was one who sought for a gift. As we see from his other letters he was very concerned lest anyone thought that he was seeking to benefit ma... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.' Nevertheless he finishes by acknowledging what a great blessing their gift has been to him in his current situat... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.' So as they had supplied his need as a servant of God, they could now be sure that God would supply all their needs in accordance with His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. They would find that God too woul... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now to our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.' The very thought arouses him to praise and he immediately prays that everlasting glory be given to ‘our God and Father', Who as a true Father knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8), and will surely supply all our need as... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Salute every saint in Christ Jesus.' The salutation is to ‘every saint (every true believer set apart to God) in Christ Jesus.' As throughout this letter the whole church is seen as being as one on equal terms. Each one is thus to be equally ‘saluted' in Christ Jesus Who is their common LORD. It i... [ Continue Reading ]
FINAL GREETINGS (PHILIPPIANS 4:21). His letter nearly completed Paul finishes it off in his usual manner with greetings and salutations, first those addressed to the addressees, and then the salutations from those who were with him in the place from which he was writing. He begins with a salutation... [ Continue Reading ]
‘All the saints salute you, especially those who are of Caesar's household.' The greeting then widens to encompass the whole church in the city from which he was writing, probably Rome. ‘All the saints (true believers) salute you.' It is noteworthy that no ‘notable' is separated out. There was no s... [ Continue Reading ]
‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.' Compare Galatians 6:18. In this final greeting they are seen as sharing in one Spirit Who is the source of God's grace (unmerited active favour) towards them, something which is manifested in their communal ‘spirit'. They are all one in Chri... [ Continue Reading ]