Philipians 4:1-9 – Paul’s Final exhortations
Paul’s Final Exhortations
or “Standing Firm in the Lord”
THE NEED FOR STEADFASTNESS 4:1
“Therefore , my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.”
The word therefore ties the exhortation to steadfastness to the promise of glorification in 3:21. This is a companion verse to
I Corinthians 15:58 where Paul concludes the great resurrection chapter with a call for the believer to be steadfast in the light of his coming glorification. Steadfastness is also needed because of the many who are enemies of the cross (3:l8).
THE CALL FOR UNITY 4:2-3
“I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. 3Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.”
THE FEUD 4:2
The Appeal to the Women
The urge is repeated to each woman individually. Paul is being fair and evenhanded; each is exhorted in the same way and with the same words. Being an apostle, Paul has the right to command, but instead he encourages. This gives both women a chance to exhibit obedience to the will of God by their own free choice.
The Cause of the Friction
We can say that the friction was not due to doctrinal disagreement because Paul would have corrected that directly. Perhaps these two ladies had a personality clash or a failure to understand one another’s viewpoint. Which one was wrong? We do not know; perhaps both.
The Cure for the Problem
This is found in the words live in harmony in the Lord. The Greek word is phroneo, which means to adopt an attitude. It is the same word used in 2:5 and translated have this attitude. The attitude required is that of willingness to consider the interests of another ahead of one’s self.
THE FRIEND 4:3
This verse demonstrates the value of a third party. The man who was called upon to help heal the rift between the two women was especially qualified. The word comrade means yokefellow and refers to one who was able to work side-by-side with another in pulling a load.
THE SIGNS OF MATURITY 4:4-7
JOY 4:4
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”
First, the term in the Lord points to the source of the joy. It looks at who the Lord is and what He has done. Second, the word always describes the scope of the joy. This does not require that we rejoice for everything, but it does demand that we rejoice in the midst of every circumstance. It recognizes that in every circumstance God has His good purpose, even if the purpose is not obvious to us. Third, notice that the command is repeated in the last half of the verse. Why repeat? We repeat in order to clarify, and we repeat in order to enforce an idea.
REASONABLENESS 4:5
“Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.”
The word forbearing is best understood by knowing its antonym, which is to strictly claim one’s rights. The spirit of the word is found in Philippians 2:3-4. Letting this spirit be known to all men does not mean to advertise it. It is not saying, “Look at me!” It means we are to make this attitude an undeniable part of our lives. The motiva-tion for obedience here is the nearness of the Lord, and it is one of the chief motivators of believers in both the Old and New Testaments.
TRUST 4:6-7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The Contradiction of Trust: Worry 4:6a
The words be anxious tell us that worry is a habit. The present tense of the verb preceded by a negative commands the cessation of something one is constantly doing. “Stop the habit of worrying!” The verb means to pull in different directions and expresses the concept of opposing forces tugging within one.
The Expression of Trust: Prayer 4:6b
The word but is a strong adversative. The negative command not to worry is replaced with the positive one. One does not solve the problem of worry by concentrating on not worrying. The formula is: Replace worry with prayer. In worry we talk to ourselves; in prayer we talk to God. Worry is self-centered; prayer is God-centered.
The Scope of Trust: Everything 4:6b
The words in everything are emphatic and come before the four words for prayer. We are to hold back nothing. Why? Certainly not because God does not know if we don’t tell Him. We are to hold back nothing from our heavenly Father because it is mentally, spiritually, and emotionally healthy to express all things to Him.
The Protection of Trust: Peace 4:7
In speaking of the peace of God, Paul is referring to the tranquility of mind that God gives when we handle worry the way He tells us to handle it. The term which surpasses all comprehension indicates the absolute sufficiency of God’s peace. Shall guard is a military metaphor for a sentry standing guard at a gate. The word heart points to the emotions while mind points to the intellect. God protects us mentally and emotionally.
THE SUMMARY OF ATTITUDES 4:8-9
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true , whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.”
THE CHARACTER OF MATURE THOUGHTS 4:8
These two verses are the final exhortations of the book. They tell what our minds should dwell upon. All of these things are foreign to man by nature. The thinking of the believer, however, is to be both disciplined and directed.
It is interesting to note that the first item in the list relates to truth. Why is truth placed first? Because truth is the foundation upon which all else rests. The word honorable refers to things or people who are worthy of veneration and respect. The word pure empha-sizes moral purity; and lovely refers to something that endears one to others. The expression of good repute refers to anything worth complementing or praising. The word if shifts to a conditional statement that requires the reader to exercise his own discrimina-tion. It forces us to get actively involved in the process of identify-ing worthwhile things.
THE EXPRESSION OF MATURE THOUGHTS 4:9
Verse 9 moves from thinking to doing. They are to practice what they have been taught and what they have observed in Paul. The preposition with means to be in the midst of.
APPLICATION FOR LIVING
The cure for anxiety lies in our willingness to commit matters to the Lord in prayer (4:6).
The habit of doing this guarantees mental and emotional protection (4:7).
Latest posts by Chester McCalley (see all)
- Jonah 3:1-4:11 – The Obedient Prophet – February 7, 2013
- Jonah 1:1-2:10 – The Disobedient Prophet – February 7, 2013
- Setting for Ruth: “The Days When the Judges Governed” – January 27, 2013
- The Tragedies of Moab: Ruth 1:1-18 – January 27, 2013
- The Welcome to Bethlehem: Ruth 1:19-22 – January 27, 2013