Joy is inward; a crown is manifested outwardly. The believers were the apostle's inward happiness and outward glory.
Joy is inward; a crown is manifested outwardly. The believers were the apostle's inward happiness and outward glory.
cf. Prov. 17:6
In the way presented by the apostle in the foregoing chapter.
This indicates that the two sisters were dissenting from each other; they were not of the same mind. Hence, there was the exhortation in this book to strive together with one soul along with the personified gospel (Phil. 1:27), to be joined in soul, thinking the one thing (Phil. 2:2), and to have the same mind to pursue Christ (Phil. 3:14-15).
Referring to two oxen pulling a plow; used as a metaphor. Yokefellow refers to being yoked together with another to bear a common burden.
Assist them to think the same thing in the Lord, and thereby to be one.
Labor with, strive together with, wrestle in company with, as a team of athletes.
A heavenly record of the redeemed in Christ.
The apostle's charge in vv. 5-9 should be the outward expression of the inner reality of the experience of Christ spoken of by him in chs. 1—3.
I.e., reasonableness, considerateness, and consideration in dealing with others, not being strict in claiming one's legal rights. It is in contrast to selfish ambition and vainglory (Phil. 2:3) and to murmurings and reasonings (Phil. 2:14). It is Christ Himself as an excellent virtue lived out of the believers.
Near in space and time. With respect to space, the Lord is near us, ready to help. With regard to time, the Lord is at hand, coming soon.
I.e., worry. Anxiety, coming from Satan, is the sum total of human life and disturbs the believers' life of living Christ; forbearance, coming from God, is the sum total of a life that lives Christ. The two are opposites.
Prayer is general, having worship and fellowship as its essence; petition is special, being for particular needs.
Not and but with. Both our prayer and our petition should be accompanied by our giving thanks to the Lord.
The Greek word is often translated with (John 1:1; Mark 9:19; 2 Cor. 5:8; 1 John 1:2). It denotes motion toward, in the sense of a living union and communion, implying fellowship. Hence, the sense of to God here is in the fellowship with God.
The result of practicing fellowship with God in prayer is that we enjoy the peace of God. The peace of God is actually God as peace (v. 9) infused into us through our fellowship with Him by prayer, as the counterpoise to troubles and the antidote to anxiety (John 16:33).
Or, mount guard over. The God of peace patrols before our hearts and thoughts in Christ, keeping us calm and tranquil.
The heart is the source; the thoughts are the issue.
Truthful ethically. It does not mean true in matter of fact.
I.e., venerable, worthy of reverence, noble, grave; implying the idea of dignity, which inspires and invites reverence.
Right, not just, before God and man.
I.e., single in intention and action, without any mixture.
I.e., lovable, agreeable, endearing.
I.e., of good repute, attractive, winning, gracious.
Meaning excellence, that is, ethical energy exhibited in vigorous action. See note 2 Pet. 1:311f and note 2 Pet. 1:54c.
I.e., things worthy of praise, as the companion of virtue. The first six items are categorized under what things are; the last two, under if any. This indicates that the last two items are a summing up of the first six, in all of which are some virtue or excellence and something worthy of praise.
Think about, ponder, consider.
Not only learned but also received.
Not only heard but also seen.
Not only should the believers think about the things mentioned in v. 8 they should also practice the things they have learned, received, heard, and seen in the apostle.
The God of peace is the source of all the things mentioned in vv. 8-9. By our fellowshipping with Him and having Him with us, all these virtues will issue forth in our life.
The Greek word means to sprout and bloom, implying that the Philippian believers' thinking toward the apostle was a matter of life. For some time their thinking for Paul had been dormant. But when Paul wrote this Epistle, their thinking for him had begun to blossom anew, just like a plant's sprouting and blooming.
Self-sufficient, satisfied in oneself. This is a word used by the Stoics, who taught that a person should be content in all circumstances. Being content is the opposite of the Epicurean practice referred to in Phil. 3:18-19.
Humbled, in lowly circumstances.
To live in abundance.
In everything means in each matter; in all things means in all matters. Together, these two phrases encompass all the things in the course of human life. Paul learned the secret of experiencing Christ — to experience Him in everything and in every place.
Lit., I have been initiated. The metaphor here refers to a person's being initiated into a secret society with instruction in its rudimentary principles. After Paul was converted to Christ, he was initiated into Christ and the Body of Christ. He then learned the secret of how to take Christ as life, how to live Christ, how to magnify Christ, how to gain Christ, and how to have the church life, all of which things are rudimentary principles.
Satisfied.
To have abundance, sufficiency, more than enough.
To be in want, to suffer privation.
Paul was a person in Christ (2 Cor. 12:2), and he desired to be found in Christ by others. Now he declared that he was able to do all things in Him, the very Christ who empowered him. This is an all-inclusive and concluding word on his experience of Christ. It is the converse of the Lord's word in John 15:5 concerning our organic relationship with Him, "Apart from Me you can do nothing."
The Greek word means makes dynamic inwardly. Christ dwells in us (Col. 1:27). He empowers us, makes us dynamic from within, not from without. By such inward empowering Paul was able to do all things in Christ.
Referring to Paul's imprisonment (Phil. 1:17).
This fellowshipping (sharing) is the fellowship unto the furtherance of the gospel mentioned in Phil. 1:5 and Phil. 4:14.
The Philippian believers' supplying of material things to the apostle opened an account with the apostle.
The supplying and receiving of material things to meet the apostle's need in his gospel work.
The church in Philippi was a unique example in the supplying of the sent one's needs for the furtherance of the gospel.
The material things given to the Lord's servant for the Lord's interests.
The result of their fellowship, participation, in the apostle's gospel work. This will be a reward in the day of the Lord.
The account opened in v. 15. We should follow the Philippians' example by opening such an account and keeping its credit side continually increasing in the fruit of our giving.
Fully supplied.
The material things given as a supply to the apostle.
The Philippians' material gift, given to supply the apostle's need, was considered by him a sacrifice to God, acceptable and well pleasing (Heb. 13:16). Paul indicated in his appreciation that what the Philippians did toward him was done toward God. This implies that he had the assurance that he was one with God and that his work was by God and for God.
The apostle in his experience had the conviction and assurance that he was one with God and that God was his God. Since he considered the Philippians' material gift to him a sacrifice to God, he believed with assurance that God, who was one with him and who was his God, would richly repay the Philippians.
Fully supply, satisfy to the full.
Since the Philippians cared for God's sent one, God would care for their every need.
God supplies us according to His riches, not according to our needs. His riches exceed our needs.
In glory modifies fill. Glory is the expression of God; it is God expressed in splendor. God's rich supply to the believers, who are His children, expresses God and bears the glory of God. The apostle assured the Philippians that God would abundantly supply all their needs in a way that would bring them into His glory.
In Christ Jesus also modifies fill. Christ, the all-inclusive One, is the base, the element, the sphere, and the channel in and by which God cares for His people according to His riches and in glory. This indicates that even the believers' giving and receiving of material things are intimately related to the experience of Christ.
God is not only the apostle's God but also the believers'.
Glory is God expressed in His splendor and excellency for our appreciation. For glory to be to God means that God is expressed in this way. Our giving in Christ, which is to God for God's interests, brings in God's glory, not only for our enjoyment but also for God's glorification.
See note Matt. 6:135g.
Caesar's household comprised all who were attached to the palace of Nero. Some of these were converted through contact with Paul and became believers in Christ in Rome.
God in Christ as our supply and enjoyment, conveyed to us and realized through the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19). To experience Christ as Paul did, we need this grace.
Our regenerated spirit, which is indwelt by the Spirit of Christ. It is in this spirit of ours that we experience and enjoy Christ as Paul did.
This book, which is concerned with the experience of Christ, points out to us at the beginning, in ch. 1, that it is the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ that enables us to live Christ, even to magnify Christ under any circumstances, that we may enjoy Him as the uttermost salvation. Here, at the end of the book, we are told that our experience and enjoyment of Christ must take place in our spirit, which has been regenerated to be the dwelling place and vessel of the Triune God. Therefore, this is altogether a matter of the union and mingling of the processed Triune God, who has become the all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit, and the spirit of us, the tripartite men, who are being transformed by such a Spirit. We must live and act in our wonderful spirit by the Triune God as the wonderful Spirit. Only then can we experience and enjoy the Triune God, who was processed through incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, as the inexhaustibly sufficient grace and thus become His fullness, His expression.