Philippians 4

Philippians 4:1

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, so passionately affected by me, whose good is matter of all joy and felicity to me, according to these former directions of peace, ch. iii. 15, continue steadfast in the faith, I beseech you.

Philippians 4:2

And particularly I beseech Euodias and Syntyches to preserve peace, and not to be contentious and unquiet.

Philippians 4:3

Yea, I earnestly beseech thee, Epaphroditus, bishop of Philippi, (bearer of this epistle,) and so my fellow-labourer in the gospel, which hast shewed thyself to be sincerely what thou oughtest to be, take care of and relieve those women which for their zeal in the gospel have suffered persecutions (see note [b]

[a] book of life] The book of life refers to the custom of well-ordered cities, which kept registers containing all the names of the citizens, out of which as apostates and fugitives and infamous persons were razed, (and agreeably there is mention of blotting out of names out of God’s book, Rev. iii. 5,) so they that did continue obedient, orderly citizens, their names were still continued in. Accordingly life signifying spiritual life here, (the state of grace and favour of God, the inchoation of that future eternal life,) the book of this life is the register of all sincere Christians, (as the book of the living, in the Psalmist, is

Philippians 4:4

Whatever afflictions befall you in your service of Christ, they are matter of continual rejoicing to you, and not any way of grief.

Philippians 4:5

And therefore let your patient enduring of them (see note [a] 2 Cor. x.) be discernible to all; and to this you may receive encouragement, by considering that ye are not likely to expect long: the famous coming of Christ in judgment visibly to punish his crucifers, and to shorten the power of the persecutors, and rescue all faithful, patient sufferers out of their hands all the world over, in Greece as well as Judæa, is now near approaching: (see Heb. x. 37.)

Philippians 4:6

And for this your rescue, it will not at all be useful that ye be solicitous or anxious how to deliver yourselves; do but recommend your estate to God in prayer ardently and importunately, rendering him your acknowledgments for all the mercies received from him, (even for your present afflictions, with Job, see ver. 4,) and that is all that belongs to you.

¹ Syntyches, Συντύχην. ² Or, Yea, I beseech: for the King’s MS. reads Naï.

Philippians 4:7

And this Christian unity and peaceable-mindedness bequeathed to all by Christ, (and so recommended to you, ch. iii. 1, &c., and ch. iii. 15, &c., and here ver. 3,) which is to be preferred before all deep (especially pretended) knowledge, shall be an excellent armature to keep you from all heretical practices and doctrines.

[b] peace of God] That by peace is meant the study of preserving peace among men, appears Gal. v. 22, where εἰρήνη, peace, is set among the fruits of the Spirit, where consequently it must not be that good of peace, which is a felicity, but no virtue, (no effect or fruit of God’s sanctifying Spirit,) but the peaceable-mindedness, desire and pursuit of peace, called in other places διώκειν εἰρήνην, pursuing peace, and εἰρηνεύειν, having peace, Rom. xiii. 18. Accordingly, the peace of God, Col. iii. 15, is (not God’s peace or reconciliation toward us, but) that peaceableness which God hath commanded and bequeathed to us. And accordingly there it follows, εἰς ἣν ἐκλήθητε, to which ye are called, which determines it to be a duty of ours. And then it is not improbable, but this may be the notion of εἰρήνη τοῦ Θεοῦ, the peace of God, or, as the king’s MS. reads, Χριστοῦ, of Christ, in this place also. That the apostle is exhorting them to peace and unity, is apparent, ch. iii., where the dogs that rend, the evil workers that defile, the concision, that (under pretence of kindness to the Mosaical law) cut and tear all to pieces, and are to be looked to, and avoided in that church, are certainly the Gnostic heretics, ver. 2. Against these he sets himself in the remainder of that chapter, and concludes, ver. 15. As many therefore

Philippians 4:8

And to conclude, I conjure you, as you have any care of what is virtuous or commendable, that ye so far remember and consider what I have now said to you, that ye adhere to the truth of doctrine, and in your practice do nothing but what is agreeable to gravity and sobriety, to exact justice, and purity or chastity, and further superadd that care of abounding in all Christian virtue, that whatsoever is most desirable and amiable in the eyes of men, whatsoever most venerably thought and spoken of, that ye will propose to yourselves as the pitch to be aspired unto by you.

Philippians 4:9

What both by my doctrine and practice hath been instilled into you, see ye be careful to perform; meaning by my doctrine, 1. what I taught in the first preaching the gospel to you; 2. what I have further revealed in the confirming you; and 3. what in familiar discourses I have let fall to you. And if thus ye do, that God which is such a lover of peace and amity will abide with you, and direct and prosper you in all things.

Philippians 4:10

It was matter of great Christian joy to me, and thanksgiving to God, that now after some decay ye have revived your liberality toward me, wherein I suppose formerly ye failed not, but only wanted ability of shewing it.

[c] flourished again] That ἀναθάλειν, which signifies to reflourish, or revive, may be here used actively, to make revive, or flourish again, may appear first by analogy with other words of the same nature: so θριαμβεύειν, to triumph, is used in the sense of the conjugation hiphil, to make triumph, 2 Cor. ii 14. So ἀνατέλλειν, to arise, is, Matt. v. 45, to make arise; see more, note [f] on Mark xiv. And thus is this word clearly used Ezek. xvii. 24, ἀναθάλλω ξύλον ξηρὸν, I make the dry tree to flourish. And so St. Chrysostom seems to understand and use the word in this place, οὐ γάρ ἐστι μικρὸν τὸ μαρανθέντα ἀναθῆλαι, “for it is no small thing to make things that are withered grow green, and flourish again.”

[d] lacked opportunity] That ἠκαιρεῖσθε here signifies, as we have rendered it, not wanted opportunity, but ability, is the express affirmation of St. Chrysostom, οὐκ εἴχετε, saith he, ἐν χερσὶν, οὐδὲ ἐν ἀφθονίᾳ ἦτε. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν, Ἡκαιρεῖσθε δὲ, “Ye had not in your hands, or power, neither were you in plenty. For that is the meaning of this word.” And this, saith he and Theophylact, ἀπὸ κοινῆς συνηθείας, “taken from common use of speech, as when we say, στενοχωρία μοι ἐπῆλθε, κακὸς καιρὸς νῦν ἐστι, some straits have come on me, it is now an ill season with me.” So Gal. vi 10, ὡς καιρὸν ἔχομεν, not, as we have opportunity, but, as we have ability, (all one with τὰ ἑνόντα δότε ἐλεημοσύνην, Luke xi. 41.) For indeed that is an opportunity, when the wants of others and our plenty meet together. Of this use of these words we have frequent example among authors. So for the simple καιρὸς, Nazianzen περὶ φιλοπτωχείας, Τί γὰρ μὴ βοηθοῦμεν τῇ φύσει καιρὸν ἔχοντες; “Why do we not help our common nature,” that is, other men, “having ability?” (for if we have not ability, the opportunity of another’s want lays no obligation upon us.) And accordingly it follows there, μή μοι γένοιτο πλουτεῖν τούτων ἀπορουμένων, “God forbid I should have wealth and they want;” where πλουτεῖν, to have wealth, is all one with καιρὸν ἔχειν, precedent. So Plutarch, in the Apophthegms of Kings, mentions it as a speech of Philip, (on occasion of being told that he could not encamp in such a place, where he desired, because there was no food for the cattle,) οἷος ἡμῖν ὁ βίος, εἰ πρὸς τὸν τῶν ὄνων καιρὸν ὀφείλαμεν ζῆν; “What a life is ours, if we must live according to the provision of the asses!” ad id quod commodum est asinis, saith Is. Casaubon. So in Xenophon, ὑπὲρ τὸν καιρὸν πίμπλασθαι, “to be filled above plenty.” So those that are well provided for, he calls ἐπικαιρίους. So Pindar in Olymp. Πλοῦτος ἀρεταῖς δεδαιδαλμένος φέρει τῶντε καὶ τῶν καιρόν, “Riches embroidered or sprinkled, variegated with virtues, give ability of many things.” So in Polybius, l. 10, speaking of the king of Persia’s court at Ecbatana, “it demonstrates,” saith he, “by the costliness of it, τὴν μεγάλην τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς καταβαλλομένων εὐκαιρίων, the great plenty of them that first built it;” and lib. 1, κατὰ τὰς τῶν βίων εὐκαιρίας, “according to their substance,” or abilities. And then if εὐκαιρία

Philippians 4:11

Which I say, not in respect of any eminent want that I was in at the coming of Epaphroditus, (see note [b] Mark xii,) for Christianity hath taught me (and I thank God I am able to do it) to be very well satisfied with my condition, whatever it is.

Philippians 4:12

Nay, I can contentedly bear a yet lower condition than that which hitherto I have been in; and yet the abundance which now I have by your liberality I can make use of to the glory of God. It is a special part of that learning with which Christianity

Philippians 4:13

It is the great mercy of Christ which hath thus enabled me; but thanks be to him, I am able to do all this (see note [i] 1 Cor. xiii.) without much difficulty.

Philippians 4:14

Yet doth not this at all lessen your kindness or charity in sending me that supply by Epaphroditus when I was in some straits.

Philippians 4:15

And indeed this was no new thing in you, for at my first preaching the gospel among you, when, after I had made an end, I was departing out of your region, you continued so mindful of me as to send me contributions, and having received of me spiritual things, communicated to me your carnal things, which no other church but you had then done.

Philippians 4:16

For, first, while I was at Thessalonica, another eminent Christian city of Macedonia, and since I came thence, more than once, you made a collection, and sent it to me.

[i] attained] That φθάνειν is an agonistical word, and signifies to be foremost in the race, see note [d] on Rom. ix. and note [b] on 2 Cor. x., and so εἰς ὁ ἐφθάσαμεν will signify, inasmuch as we are gotten before other men in the race, have attained some degree of spiritual proficiency.

[k] the same rule] What κανὼν in the stadia signifies, see note [g] on 1 Cor. ix. and note [d] on 2 Cor. x., viz. the white line that marked out the path wherein they were to run, and so αὐτῷ στοιχεῖν κανόνι here is, to go or run by the same line, in that path, never stepping over, or out of it, lest they lose all. And thus are they most concerned to do that are before other men, and if they have but this one care, are not likely to miscarry by any thing else. That which is most contradictory to this in our Christian race is, dividing into factions and sides, peace, unity, and charity being the white within which they are commanded to walk; and therefore it follows that they should τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν, mind the same thing, live in unity and amity, run all the same way to the same end, and be συμμιμηταί, ver. 17, all fellow-followers of the apostle.

Philippians 4:17

And that I thus commend you, ver. 14, it is not by that means to draw any more from you, that I may have the more, but to give you occasion of exercising your liberality, the more acts of which there are, the richer shall your reward be which it will bring you in from God.

Philippians 4:18

What you sent by Epaphroditus I received, and here sign my acquittance for it, (see note [d] Mark xiv,) and thereby I have all abundance and plenty, having received your alms and charity, which under the gospel is the prime kind of offering which God accepts and receives, and which supplies the place both of incense and of sacrifice.

Philippians 4:19

And you will have no reason to repent of your liberality; for God, that looks on it as given to him, is both able and willing to supply this and all other your wants, (through Christ Jesus, by whom he dispenses all his gifts to you,) to make you the richer by having been so charitable, and to pour out all his other graces on you.

Philippians 4:20

Now to him who, as he is our God, so is he

[l] conversation] Πολίτευμα from πολῖται, citizens, is literally citizenship, and denotes a municipium, which is the state and condition of those who dwelling out of the city, have yet the jus civitatis Romanæ, the “privileges of the city of Rome” belonging to them. Thus saith Cicero, de Legib. l. 2, Omnibus municipibus duas esse patrias, unam naturæ, alteram juris, Catonis exemplo, qui Tusculi natus in populi Romani societatem susceptus est. “All such have two countries, one of nature, the other of law, after Cato’s example, who being born at Tusculum, was received into the society of the people of Rome.” And Tacitus, ibi municipes fiunt, ubi in civitatem recepti. But this so, that these shall differ from those that had their habitation in the city, who alone might be chosen to offices in it. Thus is πολιτεία, Acts xxii. 28. (by which Hesychius expounds πολίτευμα,) the privilege of being a freeman of Rome, belonging to one that lived in Judea, and that bought by the χιλιορχός there, but by birth belonging to St. Paul. And thus is the Christian here on earth, συμπολίτης τῶν ἁγίων, Ephes. ii. 19, a fellow-citizen of the saints, not ξῖνος or πάροικος, a stranger or sojourner, but a freeman, or municeps of heaven; though while he dwells here, he be in an inferior condition to them who have domicilium in urbe, the saints that are in heaven, who alone are capable of reigning with God. See note [d] on Acts xxii.