Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [ Merimnate (G3309)] 'Be anxious about nothing' (Matthew 6:25). Care and prayer are as mutually opposed as fire and water (Bengel). BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION - `by your [ tee (G3588): the] prayer and your (the) supplication,' as each case requires. [ Proseuchee (G4335)] Prayer for blessings; the general term. [ Deeesis (G1162)] Supplication to avert ill; a special term, suppliant entreaty (note,...

6_But in all things _It is the singular number that is made use of by Paul, but is the neuter gender; the expression, therefore, is equivalent to _omni negotio _ _, (in every matter,_) for (_prayer_) and (_supplication_) are feminine nouns. In these words he exhorts the Philippians, as David does all the pious in Psalms 55:22, and Peter also in 1 Peter 5:7, to _cast all their care upon the Lord. _For we are not made of iron, (234) so as not to be shaken by temptations. But this is our consolation, this is our solace — to deposit, or (to speak with greater propriety) to disburden in the bosom of God everything that harasses us. Confidence, it is true, brings tranquillity to our minds, but it is only in the event of our exercising ourselves in prayers. Whenever, there

2-9 Let believers be of one mind, and ready to help each other. As the apostle had found the benefit of their assistance, he knew how comfortable it would be to his fellow-labourers to have the help of others. Let us seek to give assurance that our names are written in the book of life. Joy in God is of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it. It more than outweighs all causes for sorrow. Let their enemies perceive how moderate they were as to outward things, and how composedly they suffered loss and hardships. The day of judgment will soon arrive, with full redemption to believers, and destruction to ungodly men. There is a care of diligence which is our duty, and agrees with a wise forecast and due concern; but there is a care of fear and distrust, which is sin and folly, and only perplexes and distracts the mind. As a remedy aga...

Verse 6. _BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING_] μηδεν μεριμνατε. Be not anxiously solicitous; do not give place to carking care, let what will occur; for anxiety cannot chance the state or condition of any thing from bad to good, but will infallibly injure your own souls. _BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION_] God alone can help you; he is disposed to do it, but you must ask by prayer and supplication; without this he has not promised to help you. _By prayer_ - solemn application to God from a sense of want. _Supplication_ - continuance in earnest prayer. _With thanksgiving_, for innumerable favours already received; and for dangers, evils, and deaths turned aside. And let your souls be found in this exercise, or in the _disposition_ in which this exercise can be performed, at all _times_, on all _occasions_, and in all _places_....

BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING - That is, be not anxious or solicitous about the things of the present life. The word used here - μεριμνᾶτε merimnate - does not mean that we are to exercise no care about worldly matters - no care to preserve our property, or to provide for our families (compare 1 Timothy 5:8); but that there is to be such confidence in God as to free the mind from anxiety, and such a sense of dependence on him as to keep it calm; see the subject explained in the notes on Matthew 6:25. BUT IN EVERYTHING - Everything in reference to the supply of your wants, and the wants of your families; everything in respect to afflictions, embarrassments, and trials; and everything rela

EXPOSITION PHILIPPIANS 4:1 THEREFORE, MY BRETHREN DEARLY BELOVED AND LONGED FOR, MY JOY AND CROWN. The apostle here, as in 1 Corinthians 15:58, urges the hope of a glorious resurrection as an incentive to steadfastness in the Christian life. He seems scarcely able to find words adequate to express his love for the Philippians; he heaps together epithets of affection, dwelling tenderly on the word "beloved." He tells them of his longing desire to see them, repeating the word used in Philippians 1:8. He calls them his "joy and crown"—his joy now, his crown hereafter. He uses the same words of the other great Macedonian Church in...

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 is to be preserved by all lawful means, and not exposed to unnecessary danger; and for their families, to provide things honest for them, proper food and raiment, and the necessaries of life; for whoever does not do that, denies the faith, and is worse than an infidel; and even for the things of this world in a moderate way, using all diligence and industry in obtaining them; men ought to be careful to discharge the duties of their calling in civil life, and to care and concern themselves for the honour of God, the interest of religion, and the support of the Gospel; and that they offend not G...

Philippians 4:1. _Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved._ It is a great joy to a minister, as it was to the apostle Paul, to have converts; but that joy is greatly diminished when they do not stand fast: then, indeed, every supposed joy becomes a sorrow, and instead of the roses which yield a sweet perfume to the Lord's servant, thorns begin to prick and wound his heart. Philippians 4:2. _I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord._ Only two women, and we do not know who they were; yet Paul gives them a «beseech» each: «I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.» If there are only two of the most obsc

IV. CHRIST, THE BELIEVER'S STRENGTH, SUFFICIENT FOR ALL CIRCUMSTANCES CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Stand fast and rejoice (Philippians 4:1)_ 2. Dependence on God and true heart occupation (Philippians 4:5) 3. I can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:10) 4. The fellowship of the Philippians (Philippians 4:14) 5. The greeting (Philippians 4:21) Philippians 4:1 And now the

PHP_4:4-7. JOY AND PEACE. Once again Paul sounds his dominant note of joy. For the fifth and last time he refers to the return of Christ (_cf. Php_1:6; Php_1:10_, Php_2:16, Php_3:20). He deprecates anxiety and commends his readers to prayer, a consequence of which will be that a peace given by God will guard their hearts and thoughts in Christ, secure from the invasion of anxiety. [The peace passes all human contrivance or ingenuity, not all understanding. A. J. G.]...