PHILIPPIANS 4
Survey of the chapter
The apostle has referred twice to the fact that just as the city of Philippi was a colony of Rome, (making the citizens of Philippi citizens of Rome), so believers are to act as those who are citizens of heaven. He had used two related words to refer to this citizenship. In 1:27 the idea was of a manner of life suited to heaven. In 3:20 he had referred to the actual city-state of heaven, stating that it “is” in heaven; in other words, it is a reality, not merely an aspiration.
Having expressed his desire to press forward to the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, he wants to live the life of heaven now, so that when the Lord comes the transition to heaven will only involve the change of the body. In view of this, we could look at chapter four as being foretastes of heaven, in the following ways:
(a) Verse 1
The anticipation of the results of the judgement seat in terms of the Philippian saints being his joy and crown.
(b) Verses 2-3
The adjustments that need to be made on earth to be suited to a heavenly walk, given that our names are in the book of life.
(c) Verse 4
The adoration which shall mark the believers in heaven should mark them now.
(d) Verses 5-7
The absence of anxiety that shall characterise heaven should be in our hearts now.
(e) Verses 8-9
The atmosphere of heaven which should be breathed now.
(f) Verses 10-20
The account in heaven, which records all that has been done by way of giving for His cause.
(g) Verses 21-23
The amiability in heaven which should be known now.
(a) Verse 1
The anticipation of the results of the judgement seat in terms of the Philippian saints being his joy and crown.
4:1
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
Therefore- so that, that being the case. As a consequence of the Saviour’s ability as Lord Jesus Christ to subdue all things to Himself, 3:21, they are to stand fast, for their position is unshakeable.
My brethren- not their master, even though responsible for their conversion; they have but one Lord. As far as Christian position is concerned, he is a brother like the rest.
Dearly beloved and longed for- his love for them has not diminished because he is absent from them. He loved them at the moment of writing, and earnestly anticipated his reunion with them.
My joy- as he thought of them as those who had progressed in Christian things in the past and the present.
And crown- as he thought of the future day of reward.
So stand fast in the Lord- since they are beloved and longed for, their behaviour must meet the approval of the apostle. He exhorts them to continue with the same attitude, confident of their position under the protection of the one who will soon show Himself to be Lord of all.
(b) Verses 2-5
The adjustments that need to be made on earth to be suited to a heavenly walk, given that our names are in the book of life.
4:2
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntche- a prime example of those not standing fast in the Lord, but seeking the ascendancy over one another. Note the apostle’s even-handed approach, not taking sides, mentioning them in alphabetical order. If they are to be of the same mind, it must be in subjection to the same Lord, which, in turn, means they will be subject to the same expression of the mind of the Lord in His word.
That they be of the same mind in the Lord- If each is minded to be subject to His lordship, then they will be subject to one another, and not strive for the higher place. We are not told what they disagreed about, so that the general principle might be established.
4:3
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow- the most likely suggestion is that Paul turns to Epaphroditus at this point, (he may have been writing down what the apostle expressed, as some Bibles give him as the amanuensis), and exhorts him to help these two women once he gets back to Philippi, if it should be that they had not settled their differences beforehand. This unorthodox touch would serve to help him when he arrived at Philippi, for he would be able to show that the apostle gave him a mandate to intervene in the dispute.
Help those women which laboured with me in the gospel- this rules out Timothy and Luke being the true yokefellow, or else it would surely be “laboured with us in the gospel”, given that Timothy and Silas were with Paul when he first went to Philippi. There is much for the sisters to do in the furtherance of the gospel; encouraging, inviting, giving, praying. Sadly they were striving against one another rather than in the gospel. Division and disputing always detracts from the testimony; see for instance, Numbers 12, where the people journeyed not till Miriam was restored. Strife always hinders progress, whether personally or assembly-wise.
Whose names are in the book of life- God writes in a book the names of those who live on earth, Exodus 32:32; Psalm 139:16. (Note that the unborn are written there as well, showing that God reckons them to be alive, and real people, before they are born). The order of events as given by the apostle in his address on Mar’s Hill was, “life, and breath, and all things”, so life comes before breathing, contrary to what some would say.
Then there is a book of those who shall live in heaven. All men are in the first by natural generation; only believers in the second, and that by regeneration. In one by birth, in the other by new birth, those who will live in harmony together in heaven, should live on earth like that too, Sadly, Euodias and Syntche have their names in the epistle to Philippians as well for the wrong reason.
4:4
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Rejoice in the Lord alway- this is the antidote to rivalry. The more we are taken up with the Lord, the less we shall try to lord it over others, resulting in friction.
Again I say- he knew the lesson needed to be reinforced, given the atmosphere of rivalry that existed in the Philippian assembly. There is no rivalry in heaven, and before He came, Christ Jesus was eternally in harmony with the other members of the Godhead, none of them asserting themselves over the other. So shall it be in heaven; why cannot it be like that in the assembly now, seeing our conversation is in heaven?
4:5
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Let your moderation be known unto all men- by moderation is meant mildness, gentleness, fairness, sweet reasonableness. It is difficult to strive with those who manifest such characteristics. “Yielding pacifieth great offences”, Ecclesiastes 10:4. We should be well-known for giving place to others when no truth is at stake.
The Lord is at hand- that is, at our elbow to give support in difficult situations where there is strife. The apostle knew this support at his final trial before Caesar, see 2 Timothy 4:14-17.
(d) Verses 6,7
The absence of anxiety that shall characterise heaven should be in our hearts now.
4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Be careful for nothing- of course this does not mean that we should not attend to our affairs with care and diligence. Believers should be noted for the meticulous care they give to the things they are responsible for. The idea behind the word “care” is anxious, worrying care and concern, the sort that Martha had when she was “careful and troubled about many things”, Luke 10:41. Mary, on the other hand, was commended for choosing the “good part”, calmly sitting at the Lord’s feet. We must not think that she was doing this to avoid helping her sister, for Luke tells us that Mary “also sat at Jesus’ feet”; that is, as well as helping Martha, she also sat at the Lord’s feet, for she knew that the things Martha was fussing about were not necessary, and could safely be left for another time.
But in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God- instead of acting as if we are alone in carrying the burden we have to bear, we should be “casting all our care upon him, for he careth for you”, 1 Peter 5:7. Or as the psalmist exhorted us, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved”, Psalm 55:22.
Prayer is the general expression of dependence upon God, whereas supplication is that special sort of prayer when our souls are in deep need. All the while, we should not forget to record our thanks to God for His past interventions.
4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding- it is a great puzzle to the men of the world as to how Christians can bear up under the most intense strain, and do so cheerfully. It surpasses their understanding.
Shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus- remember this is a promise only to those who make their requests known to God. Those who are determined to fend for themselves will not know this peace. Those who cast their care upon God will find that their hearts are kept through Christ Jesus as He intervenes on their behalf and thus displays His love to them. Their minds will be kept through Christ Jesus, for they will not be in a state of disturbance, having left everything to Him.
(e) Verses 8-9
The atmosphere of heaven which should be breathed now
4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true- the apostle lists eight things that mark heaven, and which should mark those who are citizens of heaven already. Just as the customs and behaviour of Rome were to mark the Philippian colonists, so these features should mark those whose citizenship is in heaven. Heaven is marked by reality; there are no illusions there, or misunderstandings.
Whatsoever things are honest- there will be no underhand dealings in heaven, for the sin-principle will be eliminated at the resurrection.
Whatsoever things are just- all the injustices believers have suffered down through the centuries will be past.
Whatsoever things are pure- nothing that defiles shall ever enter heaven. The angels who guard the gates of the heavenly city will see to that.
Whatsoever things are lovely- we shall appreciate the beauty of holiness as never before. Heaven shall be filled with that which is pleasing to the spiritual mind, just as Eden was filled with all that was pleasant to the natural eye. This world is marked by the ugliness of sin.
Whatsoever things are of good report- there is no gossip in heaven, but the saints shall constantly discuss the truth of God. No doubt the report that Isaiah gave of the Messiah will feature largely in that conversation.
If there be any virtue- any other characteristic that has the mark of excellence about it should be the subject of our thinking, as it will be in heaven.
And if there be any praise, think on these things- the praise that is rendered to a noble and heavenly thing is attached to the praiseworthy thing, so closely are they connected. Only things worthy of praise will be praised in heaven. It should be the same with us now. We must beware of thinking well of carnal things. We shall be prevented from doing this if we concentrate our minds on the things the apostle has listed in this verse. There is perhaps also the idea that the virtues listed are not always praised by men on earth; nevertheless they should be persisted in.
4:9
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do- we should not be content with pondering excellent things, for our God plans works for us to do. These works should be done in accordance with what we have learned from the apostles, and we should be careful to receive their doctrine wholeheartedly. The Philippians had clearly heard from others elsewhere how the apostle behaved himself when absent from them. They also knew what he was like when they could see him, he being present. He can confidently enjoin obedience to the same things they had seen in him, for he was a follower of Christ.
And the God of peace shall be with you- with conscience clear as to their character and behaviour, they may be assured of that calmness of spirit which marks those who love God.
(f) Verses 10-20
The account in heaven, which records all that has been done by way of giving for His cause.
We may divide this section as follows:
| Verses 10-13 | The attitude of the apostle to want |
| Verses 14-16 | The attitude of the Philippians to his need |
| Verses 17,18 | The acceptableness of their gift as God sees it |
| Verse 19 | The assurance to those who give |
| Verse 20 | The adoration to God who is glorified in the gift |
Special note on the way the apostle supported himself
It was a saying amongst the Jews which went something like “If a man does not teach his son a trade, it is as if he taught him to steal”. So it was that Joseph had taught Jesus his trade as a carpenter, Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3. (It is only in Mark’s servant-gospel that we learn the Lord’s trade). So there is no shame in manual work. The rabbis all had a trade, and taught the law as well. Saul of Tarsus’ father had taught him the trade of tent-making, most likely from the goat’s hair for which the district of Cilicia, where Saul lived, was famed.
At least six times the apostle mentioned that he laboured with his own hands to support himself. The references are as follows:
1. “Or I only and Barnabas, have we not power to forbear working?” 1 Corinthians 9:6. So apart from the apostles Christ chose, and Matthias who replaced Judas Iscariot, Paul and Barnabas were the only ones with authority to expect to be entirely supported by others. But they did not use this right, preferring to labour to support themselves to forestall any suggestion that they were preaching for gain.
2. “Even unto this present hour, we…labour, working with our own hands”, 1 Corinthians 4:11,12. So even in difficult and trying circumstances the apostle persisted with his policy.
3. “Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. And 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”, 2 Corinthians 11:7-9.
4. “For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God”, 1 Thessalonians 2:9. By “night and day” the apostle means, “labouring at night time if I was preaching in the daytime, and labouring in the daytime if I was preaching in the night”.
5. “Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be charegeable to any one of you. Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat”, 2 Thessalonians 3:8-10.
6. “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive”, Acts 20:33-35.
Verses 10-13
The attitude of the apostle to want
4:10
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.
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again- because He is Lord, Christ had moved the Philippians to give in an intelligent and timely way. Because they loved the apostle, they were full of care and concern for him, as his converts. It is the principle laid down in Scripture that those who sow spiritual things may reap carnal things, 1 Corinthians 9:11, and again, “For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their carnal things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things”, Romans 15:27. The Philippians owed a debt to the apostle for bringing the gospel to them, and they responded by seeking to support his work elsewhere.
Wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity- the transmission of money was very difficult in those days, for it had to be physically transported, with all that meant in terms of danger and risk. They took advantage of the fact that Epaphroditus was willing to go to Rome for them.
4:11
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Not that I speak in respect of want- he had not solicited funds from the Philippians in any way. Their gift was entirely spontaneous, but superintended by the Lord, so that it was in a very real sense “according to his riches in glory”, verse 19.
For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content- he had learned this from Christ, who said “learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”, Matthew 1:29. Christ was marked by humble dependence upon His Father, and even when hungry in the wilderness did not deviate from His Father’s will. If no word comes to make stones into bread, then He is content to be hungry. So it was with the apostle, for he exhorts us to follow his example, just as he followed Christ’s, 1 Corinthians 11:1.
The word for learn has the idea of being initiated into a mystery. So what was the mystery? In Old Testament times it was the case, as the psalmist said, “O fear the Lord, ye his saints: For there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing”, Psalm 34:9,10. Divine favour was shown by Divine provision, so that God pledged to supply His people if they obeyed Him. Now things have changed, and the Christian lives in a hostile environment, (not in the society of Israel where it was an obligation to look after the poor amongst them), and this means that the believer is often brought into harsh conditions. So despite being faithful to the Lord, the apostle is in conditions of hardship, but he has learned the secret of the change in God’s dealings, and is content.
4:12
I 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.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound- these words were used of rivers when they ran low and when they were in full flood. Elijah had the experience of the brook drying up, so the Lord sent him to a widow in Zarephath. It seemed as though her brook had dried up too, for she was about to make her last meal when the prophet arrived. But by his intervention her “brook” abounded, for her barrel of meal was not empty, nor did her cruse of oil run dry until the Lord sent rain and the harvests were back to normal. So the miraculous provision was not for the rest of her life, but depended on the harvests after the drought ended. The lesson she and the prophet learned during the time of hardship would stand them both in good stead in later years. The widow’s son would also profit from the experience.
Every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need- Elijah was being taught lessons by all these experiences, and so was the apostle Paul, for he was instructed by them, and learned the lessons well, verse 11. No matter where he was, and no matter what the particular need was, he had learned to trust God in every situation. This is the life of faith in action, and is open to all of us, not just prophets and apostles. The particular circumstance that caused the apostle to suffer need at this point was his imprisonment, forcing him to cease his normal tent-making.
4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me- not all things absolutely, of course, but all the things he had just mentioned, such as being abased or abounding, being full or hungry, or abounding or suffering need. Christ strengthened him by reminding him of His experiences when down here, and by His high priestly work of succouring them that are tempted, Hebrews 2:18.
Verses 14-16
The attitude of the Philippians to his need
4:14
Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.
Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction- despite the foregoing, where he assures the Philippians that he can cope in any situation through the power of Christ, he is grateful for their support. It was a good exercise on their part, for they were being used of God to relieve his affliction. Prisoners in Roman gaols were only supplied with the minimum to survive, and relied on the generosity of their friends for the rest of their needs. The word communicate reminds us of Hebrews 13:16, “But to do good and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased”. To have communion with someone is to share, and it is the Christian’s duty to share with others the good that God has entrusted to him. God sees such giving as a sacrifice, and so does the apostle, as he will make clear in verse 18.
4:15
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel- it is not so much that they knew what he is about to write, but they were being told it as he wrote. They are being encouraged by the thought that when they sent more than once to him, it was to fill a very real need, the extent of which they did not know when they sent, but which the Lord knew.
The beginning of the gospel means the first successes the gospel had in Europe when the apostle responded to the Macedonian Call, Acts 16:6-12. Philippi was the first stopping place on that journey.
When I departed from Macedonia- Luke uses the word depart three times in connection with the departure of the apostle from Philippi. He left because the magistrates ordered it, he having been falsely accused and imprisoned. He does not view it as a disorderly retreat, however, but a dignified withdrawal under the hand of the Lord.
No church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only- even though he had not travelled far from Philippi, (Thessalonica was about one hundred miles away), they had sent to him, perhaps because they knew he had not been able to support himself at Philippi, and also because he faced difficulties at Thessalonica and Berea, and had to move on. it seems that there was no Jewish synagogue in Philippi, so the opportunity to meet fellow-craftsmen in the synagogue, (who sat together according to trade), was absent. It was not that, in general, the Philippian believers were rich, for the apostle speaks elsewhere of their deep poverty, 2 Corinthians 8:2.
4:16
For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.
For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity- we know from his epistles to the Thessalonians, that the apostle was harassed by the Jews at this time, and this could very well have prevented him plying his trade. As already noted, the various trade guilds sat together in the synagogue, making contact with those of like abilities easily recognizable. So even though the apostle had only just left them, the Philippians were exercised, as his converts, to supply his needs, in gratitude for his labour in bringing the gospel to them. Note that they sent to relieve his necessity, for they knew that his experiences at Philippi had not helped when it came to tent-making.
Verses 17,18
The acceptableness of their gift as God sees it
4:17
Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
Not because I desire a gift- as he said to the elders from Ephesus, he had coveted no man’s silver, gold or apparel. The apostle was completely disinterested in worldly and material things. His mind was set on the things of heaven, as ours should be.
But I desire fruit that may abound to your account- what he did desire was that in a coming day, the Philippians would receive the credit for the gifts they had sent him. They had laid up treasure in heaven, and would be rewarded at the Judgement Seat of Christ. They were living in the good of the words of the Lord Jesus to those who claimed to be His disciples, “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”, Luke 12:33,34.
4:18
But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
But I have all, and abound- this is his official receipt for their recent gift sent through Epaphroditus. It is important that those who receive gifts be careful to acknowledge them promptly; not so that the senders can preen themselves, but out of Christian courtesy. It is important, also, that those who have the responsibility of handling assembly funds should do so in an open and transparent way. When he was teaching the Corinthians about the importance of giving, the apostle wrote this concerning himself and his fellow-labourers, “avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men”, 2 Corinthians 87:20,21.
The result of the gift was that he abounded. As he wrote to the Corinthians, “For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God”, 2 Corinthians 9:12. So the need was met from God, and there was a return to God in the form of his abundant thanksgivings to God.
I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you- the apostle has had all his current needs met by their gift, for the Lord knew the measure of his need, and exercised the Philippians to supply that need. Epaphroditus had been faithful in the task given to him by the Philippians to transport the gift to Rome. This was no light undertaking, for he seems to have journeyed on his own. By “the things” we may understand that Epaphroditus did not just bring money, but other needed things also. There are many and varied ways in which we may supply the needs of poor saints. Money is not always the best way.
An odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God- by this three-fold description the apostle gives us his spiritual appreciation of what the gift meant to God. Christ gave himself for us as “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour”, Ephesians 5:2, and now the same sort of language is used of a gift from believers. The Philippians have learnt to value the sacrifice of Christ, and have been exercised to give in response, and God sees in that gift a reflection of what His Son did at Calvary. Notice it is of a sweet smell, so it does not partake of the character of a sin offering, as if the Philippians had a conscience about something and were trying to make amends with a gift. Their gift was like Christ’s sacrifice, the outcome of a pure and willing heart. We might say that it was a sweet smell like the frankincense of the meal offering, a sacrifice like the peace offering, and it was well-pleasing to God like the burnt offering.
It was a sacrifice, for as David said, “neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing”, 2 Samuel 24:24. (Note the expression “my God”, the same words as Paul uses in this chapter). It would be sad to offer the Lord that which we have finished with and were going to discard anyway. It should really cost us to give to the Lord, even if it is only the cost of not buying something for ourselves with the money. The apostle assures us here that the gift is well-pleasing to God, for it is a reminder to Him of the supreme sacrifice of His Son at Calvary, and His gift of His own Son there. The writer to the Hebrews stated, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister”, Hebrews 6:10. It is reasonable to suppose that just as the prayers of saints are held in heaven, Revelation 8:3,4, so also are their works, and the fragrance that they emitted will fill heaven, just as the odour of Mary’s ointment filled the house, John 12:3.
Verse 19
The assurance to those who give
4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
But my God shall supply all your need- the wise man said, “He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again”, Proverbs 19:17. So the Philippians had lent to the Lord by giving a gift to the apostle, but they have the promise that should they be in need in the future the Lord will see to it that their need is supplied.
“Need” is defined by the Lord Jesus as food and drink and raiment, Matthew 6:31,32. As the apostle said elsewhere, “But godliness and contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us therewith be content”, 1 Timothy 6:6-8.
According to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus- in view of the fact that gifts given are held by God, are the “riches in glory” the treasures that the Lord’s people have laid up in heaven by their giving? They are His riches because given in His name, but do they form the capital out of which He moves saints to give to those in need? Since, as we have seen, “He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again”, are gifts believers give not only given to fellow-believers, but lent to the Lord, and He keeps them in His treasures. At the appropriate time He releases those resources to the giving believer, either so he can give them again, or to supply his current need.
Verse 20
The adoration to God who is glorified in the gift
4:20
Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen- the apostle gives to us a sense of what it will be like in heaven, when all that the believers have done through the years is gathered up, and He is glorified by the accumulated treasure. This glory will be for ever and ever. This makes Christian generosity a very worthwhile thing.
(g) Verses 21-23
The amiability in heaven.
4:21
Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you.
Salute every saint in Christ Jesus- the word used for “salute”, (which is also translated “greet” in this verse), was a technical one to be used at the end of a letter. He had sought grace and peace for “all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi”, 1:1, and now he gives them his closing greeting. As saints they were separated from Philippi, as being in Christ Jesus they were united to Christ Jesus, the Man risen and glorified in heaven. As such they were certain of being in heaven in God’s good time.
The brethren which are with me greet you- sadly, at his second imprisonment he had to say “only Luke is with me”, 2 Timothy 4:11.
4:22
All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.
All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household- now he takes in all the believers at Rome, but singles out those who were of Caesar’s household. He has already told us that his imprisonment had worked out for the furtherance of the gospel, in that his testimony could reach to the palace, 1:13, so there had been those converted who were in the palace in Rome. But why the special mention of those of Caesar’s household? As Philippi was a Roman colony, there may have been family links between the officials of the empire in Philippi and those in Rome, and they may have had a special bond as being converts of the apostle. As such they were in a special danger, given the demands of Caesar regarding worshipping him, so this greeting assures their fellows in Philippi that they are surviving, and that they trust they are too.
4:23
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen- this is the customary desire of the apostle at the end of his letters, and his prayer is that we may be in the good of all that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ has brought within our reach. When he closed his second epistle to the Thessalonians, (in which he warned about forged letters supposed to have come from him), the apostle wrote, “the salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen”, 2 Thessalonians 3:17,18, There are those who think that since the mention of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is found at the end of the epistle to the Hebrews, then the apostle must have written that epistle. But any forger could easily have inserted a mention of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ at the end. But no forger could reproduce the apostle’s style of writing as he penned those closing words. It is not the actual words that prove his authorship, but the style of handwriting, which may have been affected by his poor eyesight, Galatians 4:15.