Chapter Four
Phil. 4:1. Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
So, he says, although you see them rejoicing and being glorified, yet you stand as you have stood, in the hope that we shall be glorified with Christ, and do not retreat from this hope. Notice with what praises he extols them. "Brethren," he says, and not simply, but "beloved," and besides that also "longed for," that is, such ones whom my soul yearns to behold. And further: "joy," and not simply, but also "crown," than which there is nothing more glorious for him. And before the exhortation he praised them, and after it again. They were dear, then, to Paul, if he deems them worthy of such great honor.
Phil. 4:2. I beseech Euodia, I beseech Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord.
Phil. 4:3. Yes, I ask you also, sincere fellow worker, help them,
It seems to me that these women held a prominent position in the local Church. Therefore he entrusts them to a certain wonderful man, who was either the brother of one of them, or her husband. Perhaps he was the jailer in Philippi (Acts 16:23–40). The Apostle is saying, as it were: now you truly become a genuine brother and a genuine husband, if in the work of the Lord you bear the same yoke (ζυγόν), helping them. Some quite incorrectly say that Paul is here addressing an exhortation to his wife. But, not to mention many other things, if that were the case, he would have said γνήσια σύζυγε, and not γνήσιε.
Phil. 4:3. those who contended in the gospel together with me and with Clement and with the rest of my fellow workers,
Not a little, he says, did they also assist me, although this was with the help of many others as well; therefore the apostle also says: "who contended together with me." Truly, at that time the churches were in a firm union with one another, because they honored one another and helped one another. But now, alas! in what a state do we find ourselves? We overthrow one another, which is precisely why we are so completely different from those who lived at that time.
Phil. 4:3. whose names are in the book of life.
Do you see what virtue he ascribes to the woman? What the Lord said to the apostles: "your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20), Paul ascribes also to women, that their names too, together with the rest, are written in the book of life, that is, in the knowledge and judgment of God. Or he awarded them life, having in mind their faith, just as "he who does not believe is already condemned" (John 3:18), and consequently is written in the book of death.
Phil. 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always;
But how then does the Lord say: "blessed are those who mourn" (Matt. 5:4)? Because to mourn in this way is the same as to rejoice. For he did not simply say "rejoice," but "in the Lord." Whoever is with the Lord always rejoices, even if he is subjected to tortures and torments. "They," it says, "departed from the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 5:41).
Phil. 4:4. I will rejoice, and again I say: rejoice.
Since the natural state of affairs was causing sorrow, by the repetition of the word he shows that one should rejoice in every way.
Phil. 4:5. Let your gentleness be known to all men.
Since above Paul condemned some as enemies of the cross, he now urges the Philippians not to treat them with hostility, but to deal with them mercifully, even if they were enemies.
Phil. 4:5. The Lord is near.
Phil. 4:6. Be anxious for nothing,
And you envy the fact that they live in pleasure and insult you, while you are in sorrow. "The Lord is near," the judgment has already come; do not worry about anything: neither about the insult on their part, nor about your sorrow. Because they will give an answer to the Lord, and you will remain in peace.
Phil. 4:6. but always in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known before God.
Here is yet another consolation, namely, constant prayer, in every circumstance, and moreover with thanksgiving. For how can anyone ask for things in the future without having expressed a feeling of gratitude for a previous benefaction? Therefore, for everything, even for what seems like misfortune, one must give thanks; because to give thanks for good things the very nature of things demands, but to give thanks for misfortune is the duty of a right-thinking soul. Prayers of this kind make our desires known before God; but those prayers which are offered otherwise, He does not accept.
Phil. 4:7. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.
That is, the peace which God established with mankind surpasses every mind, not only human but also angelic — as if the apostle said: He saved or delivered us in such a way that our mind is unable to comprehend it. For who expected that such blessings would be granted to us and that we would be reconciled with God? He Himself will guard and protect you, so that you would not even think anything evil. Or the apostle speaks of the peace of which the Lord said: "Peace I leave with you" (Jn. 14:27) — it will guard you. For such peace also surpasses every mind, since the Lord commands that we have peace with our enemies and with those who wrong us. And if the peace surpasses every mind, how much more the essence of the matter? The expression "in Christ Jesus" means: He keeps you in Himself, so that you would not fall away from Him, but rather abide in Him.
Phil. 4:8. Finally, my brethren,
He speaks as if in haste and as having nothing more to do with the present circumstances.