Philippians: Part 4

Concluding remarks on Philippians thread...

4.2-3 Here we must remember that this was a letter written to a specific group (i.e., the Philippian church) and therefore, we will not know all the details about the dispute between these two women. The fact that Paul mentions them, however, seems to indicate these women were in leadership, especially since he makes reference to their prior working with him in the work of the gospel. The disagreement was also probably well known within the community and it's important that Paul calls the community (it's addressed to the church) and especially this 'loyal companion' (Greek indicates that this may have actually been a person's name) to 'help these women' come to share the 'same mind,' a thread common throughout the earlier portion of the letter. The fact that Paul mentions this situation is not an example of airing someone else's dirty laundry, but is illuminative of a simple realization: 'there are no private affairs.'

4.4 'Rejoice...Rejoice' Although Paul writes significantly about suffering and our identity with Christ in his suffering, he does this while maintaining the call to be joyful in its midst. Chrysostom: 'This rejoicing is not separable from grief, for indeed it is rather deeply connected with grief.'

4.5-6 'Do not worry' is not a blanket command prescribing Christians not to care about the needs of others. This would run antithetical to the rest of the letter. Rather, 'do not worry' about your own well-being. It's in tune with what Jesus says in Matthew about not worrying 'what you will wear, eat, etc.' and not worrying about tomorrow. Marius Victorinus: 'This means: Do not be concerned for yourselves. Do not give unnecessary thought to be anxious about the world or worldly things.' And again, Chrysostom: 'It is comforting to know the Lord is at hand...Here is a medicine to relieve grief and every bad circumstance and every pain. What is it? To pray and to give thanks in everything. He does not wish that a prayer be merely a petition but a thanksgiving for what we have received...How can one make petitions for the future without a thankful acknowledgement of past things?'

4.7 'peace of God...will guard...' Interesting use of seemingly opposed images: 'peace' and 'guard [military term].' Yet, Scripture is filled with these images used together. I'm thinking about the song 'Romans 16.19'...'And the God of peace will soon crush satan.' On a personal note on names' meanings: my given name, Jeffrey Martin, is the combination of these images. 'Jeffrey' means 'God's peace' or 'peace of heaven' and 'Martin' means 'mighty warrior,' thus carrying an image of battle. Chris Kiesling said of this verse: 'How can you say "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding..." unless you've been in a place where nothing makes sense?'

4.8-14 Although there's a break in the letter at verse 10, I notice something Paul does in both of these sections...he employs philosophies and emphases of traditions other than what explicitly comes from his own religious heritage. In 4.8 he lists several 'virtues' (true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise) that are common to Greek philosophy. In 4.10-14, Paul is talking about the idea of 'contentment,' so prevalent in Stoic philosophy. As Christians, we need to get over any notions of thinking everything is false if not mentioned in Scripture or found explicitly within the history of Christianity. 'All truth is God's truth.'

4.13 'I can do all things through him who strengthens me.' How often have you heard this verse quoted? Perhaps almost as often as John 3.16 ('For God so loved the world...') or Matthew 7.1 ('Do not judge...')? Popular in 'Christian' motivational speeches and sermons, this verse is oft quoted as a basis for goal-setting and doing the 'impossible,' like maybe parting tomato soup in your bowl. Paul's not talking about this here...it's in the context of contentment regardless of the situation in which he finds himself. Regardless if he has little or plenty, is well-fed or hungry, he knows that he can face anything because of Christ who strengthens him. And how does he know this? Because he has...and Christ has strengthened him (in this situation) through the gifts offered through his body, the church.