“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
“But I-rejoiced in (the) Lord greatly that now at-length ye-have-bloomed-again in-thinking on-behalf-of me, though indeed ye-did also think, but had-no-opportunity. Not that I-speak on-account-of want, for I have-learned in whatever-(circumstances) I-am, to-be content. I-know both to-be-brought-low, I-know also to-run-over: in every-(matter) and in all-(circumstances) I-have-been-initiated (or, I-have-been-taught-the-secret) both to-be-filled (or, to-have-plenty) and to-be-hungry, both to-run-over (or, abound) and to-be-in-want. I-have-strength-for all-(things) in the-(One) empowering me.”
The letter is drawing to a close, and we come now to what was perhaps the main cause of its being written: even to acknowledge the gifts that the saints in Philippi had sent to Paul by Epaphroditus. We do not know what these gifts were: but we do know they caused great joy to the heart of the dear prisoner at Rome.
More than fifty years ago I recall a letter being read in a gathering of the Lord’s people in which the first part of the words above were quoted. As I recall, the old brother who wrote the letter was thanking for a gift that had been sent him by this gathering of saints. It was a good many years since they had sent him a gift: as they had been offended by some plain speaking: and the rift had sorely wounded the old brother’s heart: not that he desired a gift, but he yearned over these saints. But at last there was real repentance, and shame at their conduct; and the old brother rejoiced greatly that now at length they had bloomed again in thinking of him; and that the old happy fellowship was restored once again.
Paul’s great joy was perhaps similar, but the reason he had not received a gift from the Philippian saints was from an entirely different cause: they lacked the opportunity. As far as I know we have no knowledge how long it was since their last gift: but were the time long or short, the delay was not from any lack of love or desire: and now at almost the cost of a brother’s life, they sent once again to him.
Here we get a new application of the word to think, a word we have already had before us eight times: making ten times in all. This does not include verse 8, chapter 4, which, as we saw, is a different word. In the second chapter we translated it: “Have this mind in you.” And the Greek word does point to our mind. They had Paul in their mind. You remember in chapter 1:7 we had the expression, “I have you in my heart,” (ch. 1:7) and we saw it could also mean they had Paul in their heart. This, I think, is somewhat the same. Now, at length, this thought had bloomed again in such a way as to produce this very practical fruit. The word translated ‘bloomed’ is a beautiful figure of a tree sprouting, and blooming afresh in spring (Vaughan). It is only used here in the New Testament.
The Apostle quickly adds, so that there might be no thought of upbraiding them— “though indeed ye did also think, but had no opportunity.” The thought of him had been there all the time, but the opportunity to act was lacking. These fresh gifts from the saints in Philippi stirred memories of the beginning of the gospel in Europe, when these same saints had sent once and again to his want, when he was at Thessalonica. And Paul rejoices “greatly.” It is the only place in Scripture where this particular word is found. We have seen that Paul uses the word “rejoice” eleven times, and joy five times, in this Epistle. This is the last; and it seems as though it is the greatest. It seems right that he who had taught them to rejoice in the Lord, should himself excel in this characteristic. And what joy it must have given the hearts of his brethren so well beloved, to know that they had been the cause of his great joy.
“Not that I-speak on-account-of want, for I have-learned in whatever-(circumstances) I-am, to-be-content.” (Literally, to-be-self-sufficing, as a country that needs no imports, but supplies everything it requires.). (Phil. 4:1111Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Philippians 4:11)).
Paul would not want them to think he was speaking from covetousness, or suggesting that he had been suffering because they had not sent sooner unto his need, as though he hoped they might send further gifts. For it is not easy to write of such matters: on the one hand to express the deep gratitude that is in the heart, and at the same time avoid any suggestion of covetousness. These verses are a very beautiful example of the Lord’s own way to write such a letter.
The Apostle continues by telling us a lesson he had learned— contentment in all circumstances. It did not come to him naturally: but need learning: and it is a lesson we all of us need to learn: the lesson of being content, yet independent of men. I have heard one say: “So you are an independent missionary?” And I have heard the reply: “Independent of men, but very dependent on God.” And if we depend truly on Him, we are content with whatever He may send: whether it be want or whether it be abundance. Let us remember, “Jehovah.... said.... I am El Shaddai,”— ‘the God Who is sufficient.’ (Gen. 17:11And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (Genesis 17:1), Literal). It is a very blessed lesson, but one we are very slow to learn: for it is so easy to lean on the visible, rather than on the Invisible. This is the only place in the New Testament where we find this word, ‘self-sufficing’.
It was perhaps no very uncommon thing for Paul to be brought low: to be in want. He seems to have learned this lesson well. And I think very probably it is a lesson that every true servant of Christ may need to learn. I recall a time when we were having lessons in this class in the school of God, and then it was we discovered the wondrous preciousness of the word poor in the Psalms: something we probably would never have otherwise known.
There are a number of reasons why the servant of God should tread this path: and perhaps the first is that then we learn, as perhaps in no other way, the faithfulness, the love, and the power of God. When the earthly props are removed, then we find out what a wondrous thing it is to lean on the Father’s arm: on the arm of El Shaddai the Lord God Almighty— “the God Who is Enough.”
There may be apparent causes for being in want: but always let us remember it is the Lord who allows it. It may be that the saints of God have not learned the privilege and blessedness of having fellowship in the gospel in this very practical way: or they may not realize that it is the Lord’s own order that “they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel”
(1 Cor. 9:1414Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:14)). Then, again, there are saints today who are just as truly ready, as those dear Philippian saints were, to give to their power, yea, and beyond their power (2 Cor. 8:1-31Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; (2 Corinthians 8:1‑3)): but like them also, they lack opportunity; circumstances make it impossible. And I grieve to say there may be those from whom the Lord’s servants may not be free to accept gifts, as in the case of Paul and the assembly at Corinth (2 Cor. 11:7-127Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? 8I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 9And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. 10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. 11Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. 12But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. (2 Corinthians 11:7‑12)).
One of the saddest reasons of all for the Lord’s servant being in want is that at times evil reports are spread about him. If they are true, it is better for him to withdraw from such public service, rather than disgrace the Name of his Master. But there are times when ignorance or misunderstanding of facts; or a careless, exaggerated story lightly told; or even jealousy, can spread reports, not true, that do untold harm to the Lord’s servants and to the Lord’s work. Paul himself knew something of this, as we may see from 2 Corinthians. The Lord’s servant may be far away, and without opportunity to correct false statements; or even without knowledge of the stories spread, so we need to be careful that there is adequate proof before we accept or help to spread such matters. All these things help to teach the servant of God the same lessons that Paul tells us he had learned. They are lessons that must be learned, they do not come to us naturally. And like the little children at school, sometimes the lessons are learned with tears.
But there is another side to this question. Paul made it his boast that he kept himself from being burdensome (2 Cor. 11:9-109And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. 10As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. (2 Corinthians 11:9‑10)): and there are some who walk in Paul’s footsteps in this matter even to this day. As you know, he supported not only himself, but those laboring with him, by making tents (Acts 20:34; 18:334Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. (Acts 20:34)
3And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. (Acts 18:3)). If my memory serves me rightly, the Moravian missionaries in the old days sought as far as possible to walk according to this rule: and experience taught them that medical doctors were specially suited for this. You remember that at times a certain doctor traveled with Paul, and helped in the gospel.
It is a remarkable thing that (as far as I can recall), the assembly at Philippi is the only one of which we have any record of sending gifts to Paul; unless it was the “barbarians” in Melita: though I always rejoice to see that when he wrote the epistle to the Romans he was guest of Gaius; and I think this means that his tents and his tools were, for the time being, put away. I hope it also means that the two epistles to the Corinthians had done their work and that now at last the Apostle was free to accept the fellowship of hospitality from one brother, at least, in that assembly.
You may have noticed how many unusual words we have in these verses, and there are more to follow.
The form of the sentence we are considering— “I know both to-be-brought-low, I know also to-run-over”— is said not to occur anywhere else in the Greek New Testament. (Vaughan). Is the reason that we have so many rare words and constructions in this portion of Scripture, that the subject of giving thanks for a gift is such a rare one? But the knowledge to be brought low, or to abound, is surely rare; and possibly to know how to abound is the more rare.
The story is told of a beloved servant of the Lord who, in his own right, was very wealthy. One night in the prayer meeting he asked prayer for a brother who had had a great calamity. A friend walking home with him inquired who the brother was for whom they had been praying. He replied, “Myself.” “Oh,” the other asked, “If it is not too inquisitive, may I know what the calamity is?” “I have just had word of a large legacy that has been left to me and the responsibility to use it aright is so heavy.” I believe that brother had learned the lesson how to abound. He and his devoted wife had a large and beautiful home in London, where they lived on the top floor, devoting the rest of the house to the Lord’s people who were in need. My mother has told me how her widowed mother, with a young family, homeless for Christ’s sake, are taken into that home and tenderly cared for. But these are lessons that we may see in perfection only in Him Who was rich, yet for our sakes became poor. How it bows our hearts in adoration to know that “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:88Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:8)).
In Philippians 2:88And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8) we had the very same word: “to run low”; but there it is He Himself who made Himself low. It is one of those amazing steps downward that we saw our Lord voluntarily take, for our sakes. So if we, like Paul, must learn the lesson of being brought low: let us remember our Lord knows all about it: He has walked that road before us; and none ever went so low as He.
“In every-(matter) and in all-(circumstances) I-have-been-initiated (or, I-have-been-taught-the-secret) both to-be-filled (or, to-have-plenty) and to-be-hungry, both to-run-over (or, abound) and to-be-in-want” (Phil. 4:1212I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:12)).
“I have been initiated” is another word found nowhere else in Scripture. It comes from the same root as our word mystery. It was used of the secret religious rites of paganism: and of the initiation into them. These were jealously guarded from common knowledge, like Freemasonry today; and admission into these secrets was sought by people of all kinds, from Roman emperors downward: with the special hope of freedom from evil in this life and the next. Paul’s use of this word to supply language for Christian experience is very suggestive. The knowledge of the peace of God, of utter contentment, is indeed an open secret, open to ‘whosoever will’ learn of Him’. But it is a secret, a mystery, none the less. (See Moule).
`I-have-been-initiated is in the perfect passive, suggestive of the work of Another, who with pains and care initiated him; and also of the abiding character of the initiation. It is a secret all believers may learn: but it must be learned. I think it tells of self-denial; and earnest, fervent prayer; of diligently keeping ourselves from the entanglements of this life: and these may be legitimate affairs: but affairs that have lost their attraction to ‘the initiated’.
“In every matter and in all circumstances” is literally: “In every(thing) and in all-(things)”. This is another rare construction. In Gal. 1:11Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) (Galatians 1:1), we get a plural and a singular together; not of things, but of men. Here, in Philippians, I think the thought is that in every separate thing, and in all collected circumstances of life, Paul had been initiated. It is somewhat the same as we had in verse 6, “In everything by prayer.... let your requests be made known unto God.” ‘Everything’ sees all together: ‘your request’ sees each individual request alone by itself.
“I-have-strength-for all-(things) in the-(One) empowering me” (Phil. 4:1313I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13)). What wonderful words to come from a man in prison, one who was apparently in most abject circumstances, and in no small danger: one who was unable to do anything, as men would say. But faith speaks according to God, and the one who could do nothing, in the judgment of others, is the very one who could say he had strength for all things:— not in himself, truly, but— in the One empowering him. The word translated ‘empowering’ is the word from which we get dynamite and dynamo; what mighty power is expressed in each of those words: but the One who empowered Paul was mightier than all dynamite and all dynamos. He is the One who could say: “All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth.” And therefore we are to go into all the world and preach the gospel. And it is because all power is given unto Christ that we may take up Paul’s language (for we have the very same One to empower us) and say: “I have strength for all things in the One empowering me.” Our Lord Jesus said truly: “Without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:55I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)). But here we have the other side: “In the One empowering” us, we can do all things.
“People sometimes say, ‘We are such poor things we can do nothing.’ This may sound very humble, but it is not Christianity. Paul’s Christ is ours, and His strength avails for us as it did for him. He never sends any a warfare at their own charges. If He calls you to pursue a certain path, or to do a certain work for Him, He will give you strength for both. His commands are all enablings. This triumphant note in closing the epistle to the Philippians contrasts with the closing words of the Thessalonian epistles. There it is the coming of the Lord; here it is the work, the warfare, and the triumphs and trials and difficulties. He is in full harness, still pressing on in the fight, and singing as he advances, because he knows God is with him, and Christ’s strength is sufficient for him” (Lincoln).
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“Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness”