Philippians 4:11

“Not that. speak in respect of want: for. have learned, in whatsoever state. am, therein to be content”

“Not that. speak in respect of want”: “Not that. have anything to complain” (Gspd). “Do not think that. am saying this under pressure of want” (TCNT). “His rejoicing is not based upon the fact that his needs have been met” (Jackson pp. 85-86). Some commentators feel that this gift embarrassed Paul and that he felt uncomfortable in receiving such support. They say that he liked to be independent and self-sufficient.. think this completely misses the point. Paul is saying, “I am elated about this gift, but it is not because. am hinting that you please send me another gift soon”. “Under no circumstances would he express discontent; nor would he so express his thanks as to seem to be requesting another gift” (Erdman p. 147). In addition, Paul is not saying, “This gift of yours makes me so happy, because. am so desperate for any help”. Here we see the wholesome rejoicing of Paul. It was not selfish, for even when he received help from others, he took the time to realize and rejoice in the blessings such generosity would bring upon the givers (Philippians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 9:6). Next time another Christian does something for you, do not merely rejoice in your own good fortune, but rejoice at the fact of how God is pleased with your brother or sister (2 Corinthians 9:6). “For. have learned”: This is the reason why Paul did not consider himself deprived and miserable, even in prison. “Learned”: “To learn by use and practice, to acquire the habit of, the term points back to difficult times in the apostle's life” (Jackson p. 86). “Looking at his long experience as. unit” (Robertson p. 461).

Contentment is not inherited or inborn, it is learned. Paul was not born content. Paul, like all others, must learn this lesson. This is not an easy lesson to learn: “For Paul it has been. matter of long tuition. The school of discipline has included many difficult courses. Some of these Paul now specifies” (Erdman p. 147).

“In whatsoever state. am”: “Whatever be my outward experiences” (Wey). “Therein”: In whatever circumstances Paul finds himself. “To be content”:. great contrast is found in these verses, and the world has attempted to achieve the same state of mind, apart from God. Christians need to realize that people in the world desire the same type of happiness, fulfillment, contentment, and satisfaction that is found in Christ. The Stoics attempted to find. contentment that was independent of one's circumstances: “They proposed to eliminate all desire. The Stoics believed that the only way to contentment was to abolish all desire until. man had come to. stage when nothing and no one were essential to him. They proposed to eliminate all emotion until. man had come to. stage when he did not care what happened either to himself or to anyone else. Epictetus says. ‘Begin with. cup or. household utensil; if it breaks, say, 'I don't care.' Go on to. horse or pet dog; if anything happens to it, say. 'I don't care'. Go on to yourself. If you go on long enough, and if you try hard enough, you will come to. stage when you can watch your nearest and dearest suffer and die, and say, 'I don't care.' The Stoic aim was to abolish every feeling of the human heart. As T.R. Glover said, ‘The Stoics made of the heart. desert, and called it. peace'” (Barclay pp. 84-85).

Erdman points out: “It is to be noted that Paul says nothing about poverty's being. great blessing. He has learned, however, that even the poor man does not lack those things that are essential to the highest life. Nor does he say anything about riches being. great curse. He does not intimate that the only thing to do with wealth is to abandon it. This might be the cowardly evasion of real responsibility (1 Timothy 6:17 ff). He does claim, however, to have learned the secret of being cheerful and joyful even in times of penury and privation, of being generous and unselfish and grateful in seasons of prosperity and of abundance. Nor does Paul mean that he has become an unfeeling fatalist or. stoic. There is such. thing as ‘divine discontent'. Conditions may exist indifference to which would be sinful (1 Corinthians 5:1 ff). To be satisfied with one's own imperfections, to be unconcerned when others are in misery and distress, to be at ease while the great world is ignorant of the gospel of grace--such is not the contentment of Paul. He is ceaselessly struggling for spiritual progress. However, he is able to be calm and confident in the midst of the most disturbing circumstances” (pp. 147-148). Carefully note that Paul did not "choose" poverty, and he did not go out of his way to find persecution.

Paul says that he found contentment,. contentment that was not prone to the pitfalls of the contentment the world offers. You see, Paul still cared. He still felt joy and pain, happiness and heartache (Romans 12:15; 2 Corinthians 11:28). He still labored to improve himself (1 Peter 3:12), yet in the midst of all of this, he was content. “The apostle is no statue. He is. man of flesh and blood. He knows both joys and sorrows, yet is content” (Hendriksen p. 204).