INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS 4 This chapter contains exhortations to various duties becoming Christians, the apostle's thankfulness to the Philippians for their present to him, and the conclusion of the epistle with the salutations of the brethren: in Philippians 4:1; the apostle exhorts the saints... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, MY BRETHREN,.... Not in a natural but spiritual relation; having the same Father, being of the same family, and household of faith: seeing that on the one hand there were false teachers, who stand described by various characters in the preceding chapter, by whom they were in danger of bei... [ Continue Reading ]
I BESEECH EUODIAS, AND BESEECH SYNTYCHE,.... Two women, who were members of this church at Philippi, and who seem to have been at variance; either with each other, on account of some temporal and civil things, as often is the case of the dear children of God, who fall out by the way; and it becomes... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I ENTREAT THEE ALSO, TRUE YOKE FELLOW,.... Not his wife, as some think d, for he had none, as appears from 1 Corinthians 7:7, at the writing of which epistle he was at Ephesus, where he stayed some little time, and then went to Jerusalem; where he was quickly apprehended, and sent a prisoner to... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAY,.... This is a repetition of the exhortation in the preceding chapter; Philippians 3:1; with this addition "alway"; for there is always cause and matter for rejoicing in Christ, even in times of affliction, distress, and persecution; since he is always the same; his grace i... [ Continue Reading ]
LET YOUR MODERATION BE KNOWN UNTO ALL MEN,.... The Vulgate Latin reads, "your modesty". The Syriac and Arabic versions, "your meekness", or "humility"; graces which accompany moderation, and are very necessary to it, but not that itself. The Ethiopic version renders it, "your authority", which by no... [ Continue Reading ]
BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING,.... This must be understood not in the most extensive sense, but with a limitation and restriction. There are many things that saints are to be careful for, as men and Christians; they are to be careful of their bodies, as well as of their souls; of the health of them, which... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING,.... Not that peace which God calls his people to among themselves in their effectual calling; and which he requires of them to cultivate and maintain; and which he encourages in them by the promise of his gracious presence among them; and which i... [ Continue Reading ]
FINALLY, BRETHREN, WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE,.... To close all with respect to the duties of Christianity incumbent on the professors of it, the apostle exhorts to a regard to everything that is true; that is agreeable to the Scriptures of truth, to the Gospel the word of truth, or to the law and l... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE THINGS WHICH YE HAVE BOTH LEARNED,.... Meaning from himself, in a doctrinal way: AND RECEIVED; not only into their heads but hearts, had embraced cordially, with great affection, in the love thereof, as well as given a full assent to: AND HEARD; either publicly or privately, from the pulpit,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I REJOICED IN THE LORD GREATLY,.... The apostle proceeds to the last part of this epistle, and to take notice of the present which these Philippians had sent him, on account of which this his rejoicing was; and which was not small but great, and was not of a carnal but spiritual kind; it was a j... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT THAT I SPEAK IN RESPECT OF WANT,.... Either of want of will in them; of their slowness and backwardness in their care of him, postponing him to others, caring for him last of all; this gave him no uneasiness, he did not take it ill, knowing and owning himself to be less than the least of all sai... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW BOTH HOW TO BE ABASED,.... Or "humbled"; to be treated with indignity and contempt, to be trampled upon by man, to suffer hardships and distress, to be in a very mean and low condition, to work with his own hands, and minister to his own and the necessities of others in that way; yea, to be i... [ Continue Reading ]
I CAN DO ALL THINGS,.... Which must not be understood in the greatest latitude, and without any limitation; for the apostle was not omnipotent, either in himself, or by the power of Christ; nor could he do all things that Christ could do; but it must be restrained to the subject matter treated of: t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTWITHSTANDING YE HAVE WELL DONE,.... This he says lest they should think he slighted their kindness, and lest they should be discouraged from doing any such thing of this kind another time, either to himself or others; for though he was so well contented with his state, and knew how to be abased a... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW YE PHILIPPIANS KNOW ALSO,.... As well as the apostle did, that they not only communicated now, but also had done formerly, and when none else beside them did; wherefore he not only commends them for their present kindness to him, but for their past favours: THAT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL;... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVEN IN THESSALONICA,.... When the apostle was there; for from Philippi he went to Thessalonica; see Acts 17:1; YE SENT ONCE AND AGAIN UNTO MY NECESSITY; for his use and service, to support him while he was at that place, and relieve and assist him in his necessities; for the people at Thessalo... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT BECAUSE I DESIRE A GIFT,.... This commendation of them he entered into, not because he desired another present to be made to him, either by them or others; he was not a man of such a disposition, he was not like one of those that could never have enough; he was fully satisfied and highly content... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I HAVE ALL THINGS, AND ABOUND,.... Or "I have received all things", as the Syriac version renders it; all that they had sent by Epaphroditus; and for which he now gives a receipt; and by virtue of which he now abounded; and which abundance of his was not so much owing to the largeness of their p... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEED,.... Or "fulfil all your need": the Jews, when they would comfort any, under the loss of any worldly enjoyment, used to say, המקום ימלא לך חסרונך, "God fulfil", or "will fulfil thy need" f. The Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, read these words as a wi... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW UNTO GOD AND OUR FATHER,.... To God, who is our Father in Christ, [BE] GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER, AMEN; for all the grace he gives now, and for all the glory and happiness expected hereafter; for the supply of every want both temporal and spiritual; seeing every good gift comes from him, and is t... [ Continue Reading ]
SALUTE EVERY SAINT IN CHRIST JESUS,.... Meaning at Philippi, whether rich or poor, lesser or greater believers, common saints, as well as the officers of the church, bishops and deacons; who were in Christ by electing grace, and as their covenant head, and representative from everlasting, and which... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE SAINTS SALUTE YOU,.... The members of the church at Rome, CHIEFLY THEY THAT ARE OF CAESAR'S HOUSEHOLD; for by means of the apostle's bonds, which were made manifest in the emperor's palace, Christ was made known to some there likewise; though Nero, the then reigning emperor, was a very wick... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST [BE] WITH YOU ALL,.... The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read, "with your spirit", as in Galatians 6:18; and so the Alexandrian copy and some others read. This is the apostle's token in all his epistles of the genuineness of them, and which he wrote with his... [ Continue Reading ]