Chapter Four

Exhortations to particular individuals and to all readers in general (1–9). Gratitude for assistance to the Apostle (10–12). Greetings and conclusion (21–23).

Philippians 4:1. Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brothers, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord, my beloved friends. The Apostle first addresses all the Philippians with an exhortation to hold fast in faith, then urges particular persons toward unity of mind. Then he again turns to an exhortation of general character, consisting of a call to preserve truly Christian joy, gentleness, trust in God’s help, and other truly Christian qualities and strivings. This verse actually constitutes the conclusion to the previous exhortation (Phil 3:17). By calling the readers his “joy and crown” that adorns his head, expressing his ardent love for them (“beloved”), the Apostle asks them to “stand firm in the Lord,” that is, to keep Christ’s commandments as he, Paul, does.

Philippians 4:2. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. “Euodia and Syntyche” are Christian women, but their position in the church is unknown. Perhaps they were deaconesses and disagreed with each other about the understanding and division of their duties. The Apostle asks them to “be of the same mind about the Lord,” that is, concerning the work of serving God.

Philippians 4:3. Yes, I also ask you, loyal companion, help these women, who have striven alongside me in the gospel, together with Clement and my other fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. “Companion”—more accurately: Syzygus (σύγζυγε—the Russian translation “companion” allows too much vagueness, as the Apostle had many companions). “Loyal”—more precisely: true, genuine (γνήσιε), that is, one whose character fully corresponds to the meaning of the name Syzygus—companion. This was probably one of the “overseers” (Phil 1:1). He should help the aforementioned women come to agreement, because they had assisted the Apostle in the work of proclaiming the gospel. The Apostle mentions Clement of Philippi and his other fellow workers. Their names are already recorded in the book of the saved (“book of life”—cf. Exod 32:32 and Rev 20:12).

Philippians 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! The Apostle again turns to exhort the entire Philippian church. He speaks here, of course, of Christian joy (“in the Lord”), which can truly be constant (“always”), because the reasons for joy in Christians never cease (Basil the Great) and because earthly sorrows, which darken ordinary joy, hold no terror for the Christian (Rom 8:35 and following). But this joy does not exclude contrition over sins and weeping with those who weep, because these tears are as it were “seed and pledge of eternal joy” (Basil the Great).

Philippians 4:5. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. In calling them to be gentle with all, and thus even with enemies, the Apostle points as motivation to the approaching coming of Christ (cf. Jas 5:9). One should not obscure the joy of waiting for the Lord with any disputes with people.

Philippians 4:6. Be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God— This joy in the approaching meeting with Christ should not be darkened by excessive concern about earthly things (cf. Matt 6:25). One should seek help first of all from God, turning to him with prayer, in a prayerful attitude (προσευχή) and with various kinds of petitions, conscious of the need felt in a given moment (δεήσεις). But the petitions we make to God should be joined with expressions of gratitude for the blessings we have already received from God.

Philippians 4:7. and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Perhaps our prayer will not always be successful (cf. 2 Cor 12:8 and following), but in any case we can hope that peace will come into our soul in prayer and calm us from our turmoil and anxieties. Such peace, coming from God (“God’s”), stands incomparably above the peace that human reason (“above all understanding”) can give us. This peace will certainly preserve both the heart and the mind (“your thoughts”) in communion with Christ and not allow a person to fall away from Christ.

Philippians 4:8. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Here the Apostle joins in one exhortation all that he wanted to impart to the readers. “Finally”—more accurately: “regarding the rest” (τό λοιπόν). The readers’ thoughts should be directed toward what is “true,” not toward deception and hypocrisy (both in theoretical and moral respects), toward what is “honorable” or worthy (σεμνά), as befits noble souls who avoid everything base, toward what is “right,” that is, what our duty requires, toward what is “pure,” that is, inward integrity, incompatible with filthy thoughts, toward what is “lovely to people” and “of good repute” among them, for example toward charity, toward every “virtue” in itself, and toward every “praise,” that is, toward the same virtue insofar as it inspires enthusiastic regard in people. Remarkably, the terms the Apostle uses here were all known in Greek morality. The Apostle seems to want to say to Christians through these universal terms that they should not fall behind the best people of paganism.

Philippians 4:9. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. The Apostle sets himself as an example to imitate and says that if the readers follow the path he has marked out, then “the God of peace” will be with them. Thus the conclusion of verse 7 is repeated here. The Apostle means to say that virtues are valued especially because they lead to communion with God, who gives true peace to the souls of people.

Philippians 4:10. I rejoiced greatly in the Lord because now at length your concern for me has revived; you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. The Apostle expresses his joy that the Philippians sent him assistance and adds that this kindness was also beneficial to them, strengthening in them the feeling of love for the Apostle.

Philippians 4:11. I say this not because I am in need, for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. Philippians 4:12. I know how to live in poverty, and I know how to live in abundance; I have learned the secret in every circumstance, both to have plenty and to go hungry, both to have abundance and to go without. The Apostle Paul, on principle, did not wish to receive money from any church for his support. He worked himself in order to remain completely independent (1 Thess 2:7; 1 Cor 10:15-27; 2 Cor 11:7). Now the Philippians sent him assistance through Epaphroditus, and the Apostle, contrary to his principle, accepted this assistance, not wishing to grieve the Philippians with a refusal. But desiring to preserve his independence, he says that he rejoiced at this assistance “in the Lord,” that is, not with selfish personal joy but with true Christian joy. He rejoiced first of all for the benefactors themselves, the Philippians, because he saw from their deed that their circumstances had changed for the better. From 2 Corinthians (2 Cor 8:2 and following) we know that the Macedonian churches, including the Philippian church, had previously been in rather poor external circumstances and were also suffering persecution from enemies of Christianity. Now, apparently, they had recovered enough to send the Apostle assistance, which they had wished to send earlier but lacked the means. But let them not understand his gratitude to mean that he had long been waiting for their assistance. No, he knows how to be content with what he has at hand, and shortages do not weigh on him or rob him of peace of mind. In this ability to live in hardship he sees a special work of the Christ Jesus who strengthens him.

Philippians 4:13. I can do all things in Jesus Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:14. Nevertheless, you did well to share in my affliction. Philippians 4:15. You Philippians know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me as partners in giving and receiving, except you alone— Philippians 4:16. and you even sent support to me more than once when I was in Thessalonica. Yet the gift of the Philippians is very precious to the Apostle as proof of their sympathetic attitude toward his sufferings in chains. At the same time, the Apostle considers it fitting to remind the Philippians that they have held a specially friendly relation to the Apostle from the very time when the gospel began to spread from Macedonia throughout the Greek world. For them he made an exception to his fundamental rule even before, accepting assistance from them when he left Macedonia and again several times while he was in Thessalonica (“Gift” is the sending of assistance; “receiving” is the Philippians’ reception of spiritual blessings through the Apostle Paul).

Philippians 4:17. I am not looking for the gift itself, but I am looking for the fruit that increases to your account. Philippians 4:18. I have received everything in full and have more than enough. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice well-pleasing and acceptable to God. Philippians 4:19. And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:20. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen. Again the Apostle repeats that what gladdens him is not the gift itself but the fact that this gift is the “fruit” of their Christian disposition, for what truly matters is not that he received a gift—he did not seek it—but that the Philippians themselves will have great “benefit” from this deed of theirs, and already are benefiting. Then, as though wishing to discourage further gifts, he assures the readers that he lacks nothing, indeed has a surplus. Then he gives the deed of the Philippians an unusually high assessment, comparing it to a sacrifice pleasing to God. Let God therefore reward them and satisfy all their needs, both bodily and spiritual (“every need of yours”). The Apostle concludes his thanksgiving with the glorification of God.

Philippians 4:21. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. This contains greetings both from the Apostle himself and from other Roman Christians, and serves as the conclusion—a blessing to the readers. The readers of the epistle should pass on the greeting from the Apostle to each member of the Philippian Church individually (“every saint”), since in the epistle the Apostle addressed several individual members of the Philippian church (Phil 1:1). “Brothers”—these are the ones the Apostle had in mind in Phil 2:21. If he rebuked them there, he still did not break fellowship with them and gladly sends their greetings to the readers of the epistle: they remain for him nonetheless “brothers,” even though apparently they disagreed with the Apostle Paul on some points.

Philippians 4:22. All the saints greet you, especially those from Caesar’s household. “Especially those from Caesar’s household,” that is, from the imperial court. These were probably various court officials belonging to the class of slaves or freedmen. Since the city of Philippi was a Roman colony (Acts 16:12 and following), inhabited consequently for the most part by Roman veterans, this greeting must have had special significance for the readers of the epistle.

Philippians 4:23. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. A similar blessing is found in Rom 16:24; 1 Cor 16:23; Gal 6:18.