Philippians
1. PAUL’S APOSTOLIC SALUTATION AND PRAYER (1:1–11)
The opening verses of Paul’s Letters often introduce the major themes of the epistle, and Philippians is no exception. Here Paul presents the great theme of the Philippians’ partnership with him in the gospel that characterizes the entire epistle and introduces the idea of humble service for the sake of the gospel.
A. Address and salutation (1:1–2). Paul begins by introducing himself as the writer, naming the recipients of the letter, and giving a short personal note, concluding with a warm and joyous tone with his blessing.
1:1. In this introduction, Paul lists Timothy along with himself, not as a coauthor but as a companion (1:1a; see 2:19–23). By mentioning Timothy’s name with his own, Paul both gives honor to Timothy and shows the Philippians how important they are to him and the church in Rome. Paul presents himself and Timothy as “servants of Christ Jesus,” who became servants for the sake of the church (see 2:6–11).
Paul then addresses the congregation, calling them “saints” (1:1b). The use of “in Christ Jesus” reminds them that it was not through their own ability that they became God’s people but because of what God has done in Christ. Paul then addresses two groups of people within the Philippian church: the overseers and deacons. There were multiple “overseers” in each church who functioned as leaders. The word “deacon” refers to those within the Philippian congregation who were responsible for managing and distributing food and goods to the poor and needy. Paul is thanking these people likely because they helped organize the aid sent to him with Epaphroditus (see 2:25).
1:2. Paul concludes his greeting by first wishing them “grace,” which is the unmerited favor of God, and then “peace,” which is the result of God’s grace at work in the lives of the believers.
B. Paul’s thanksgiving and confidence (1:3–8). 1:3–6. Paul thanks God when thinking of the Philippians and prays for them with joy in spite of his position in prison (1:3–4). The reason for his joyful prayer is that the church at Philippi has partnered with Paul in the work of the gospel (1:5). This “partnership” is best understood in terms of their fellowship with Paul in his proclamation of the gospel.
While Paul is still in chains and standing trial, he is confident about the future of the Philippian congregation, that God will continue to work in their hearts and transform them. Since God “started a good work,” Paul trusts in God’s faithfulness to continue the work until it is completed on the day Christ returns (1:6).
1:7–8. Paul goes on to open his heart to the Philippians (1:7). Not only does he care deeply for them, but his affection for them is understandable because they are sharing in God’s grace with him, a reference to the gifts of aid the church at Philippi sent to Paul. By sharing in Paul’s suffering, they also share in the grace Paul is receiving from God as a result of that suffering. Paul is fighting for the sake of the gospel when he is on trial; but regardless of what he is doing, the Philippians have been there for him, and he holds them in his heart (1:8).
C. Paul’s apostolic prayer (1:9–11). Paul begins his prayer for the Philippians with a supplication for the congregation to grow in love and discernment and states the purpose of this love: being blameless on the day of Christ (1:9–10). Paul desires for the Philippians to have love and discernment so that they may live a life of holiness and obedience to God. This life of holiness is itself a proclamation of the truth of the gospel. In the final part of his prayer, Paul explains the basis for this holy living in that they have been filled with the “fruit of righteousness” because of their union with Christ for the purpose of honoring God (1:11). Christ is the source of the fruit that will show itself in the Philippians’ lives if they abound in love.
2. PAUL’S AMBITION AND JOY IS THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST (1:12–26)
In this section, Paul addresses the anxiety of the Philippians on his behalf. He knows that they care for him, as evidenced by their aid and the message sent through Epaphroditus (2:25). Paul also knows that his imprisonment is distressing to them and that they consider it a detriment to the advancement of the gospel.
A. The condition and mission of the gospel (1:12–18a). 1:12–14. First and foremost, Paul wants to help the Philippians understand that his condition has not hurt the mission of the gospel but benefited it (1:12). The good news of the life, death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus Christ and its proclamation is the central fixture upon which Paul has hung all his hopes and to which he has devoted his life. Paul tells the Philippians that people are beginning to understand the reason for Paul’s imprisonment, and therefore, the gospel is being “advanced” because of his imprisonment (1:13). Paul is in chains not merely because of Christ but for Christ. Second, Paul’s suffering for Christ has inspired many in the church in Rome to preach God’s word with boldness and fearlessness (1:14).
1:15–18a. Next, Paul recognizes that some in the Roman community might be preaching the gospel for less than noble reasons (1:15–17), reasons that are incompatible with true Christian humility (see 2:4). But Paul does not worry about people’s motives; he simply rejoices in the proclamation of the gospel. Those who proclaim the gospel “out of envy and rivalry” (1:15) are still preaching the gospel, and that is advantageous in Paul’s thinking (1:18a). It does not matter whether Paul is liked or not, whether he is suffering or not; it matters only that God’s work is being done and that the cause of the gospel is moving forward.
B. Paul’s own condition (1:18b–26). 1:18b–20. Paul now rejoices that the gospel is being advanced regardless of his circumstances (1:18b–19). He confidently states that he will be delivered/saved (the Greek word could carry either meaning; see the CSB footnote for 1:19). Paul states that his goal for his life is to exalt Christ in his body (1:20a). He desires the courage to glorify God no matter the circumstances.
Paul goes on to add the short and powerful statement “whether by life or by death” (1:20b). These words split the path that Paul’s deliverance might take. As a prisoner who is about to stand trial, Paul could be delivered by being released from prison. Yet, it is also possible that he could be executed for the cause of Christ. While these two paths seem polar opposites, they actually lead to the same end of glorifying God.
1:21–26. It is in this context that 1:21 can be understood. While Paul is alive, all that he strives for and the strength by which he lives and moves is found in Christ. While he lives he will continue to serve God and preach the gospel. Yet if Paul dies, he will then be with Christ, which “is far better” (1:23). Paul prefers not martyrdom but service to the church (1:24). In this he is following the example of Christ, who became a servant (2:7). Like Christ, he would choose martyrdom only if service to the gospel and the church demanded it, not because it would be better for him. Paul is confident he will be there to see the Philippians grow in Christ and to rejoice with them (1:25–26).
3. THE GREAT EXAMPLE OF CHRIST AND LIFE LIVED ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL (1:27–2:18)
Confident of the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel, Paul now calls them to lead a life worthy of the gospel. Only by modeling their lives on Christ’s life can a Christian community hope to achieve true unity and proclaim the gospel in humility and righteousness. The Christ hymn of 2:6–11 is one of the most famous NT passages. But it is important to see it in its context. The supreme example of Christ is part of Paul’s pastoral exhortation to the Philippian church, and he expects those who follow Christ to embody the same characteristics as the Lord they serve in order to solidify the unity of the body.
As in many other places in the NT, believers are encouraged to count suffering for Christ as a privilege (Php 1:29–30; cf. Mt 5:10–12; Ac 5:41; 2 Tm 1:8; 1 Pt 4:12–16).
A. An exhortation to a life worthy of the gospel (1:27–30). 1:27. Paul is confident that he will see the Philippians again; this confidence comes from Paul’s love for the community and the fact that he knows that they still need him as their pastor. Paul acknowledges that he may come to see them or he may only hear about them (either in prison or in death), but he nonetheless desires that they live lives worthy of the gospel of Christ. Paul calls the Philippians to stand in one spirit and as one body, contending as a faith community for the gospel as a witness to the world.
1:28–30. Paul hints at the similarities between the situation of the Philippians and his own situation in Rome. The Philippian church is meeting opposition in Philippi and is being tried and tested. Paul reminds them that their rescue is from God and that following Christ means taking up the way of suffering for others (1:28–29). Paul calls their struggle the “same” (1:30) in order to remind them of what he said in 1:7—namely, that by sharing in his suffering they share in the grace that God is pouring out on him.
B. A call to corporate life in Christ (2:1–4). 2:1–2. After calling the Philippians to authentic Christian life as the people of God, Paul makes a series of rhetorical remarks. The series of “if” statements (2:1) are conditions that find their fulfillment in the command of 2:2a. Paul urges the Philippian church to complete his joy, which assumes that the encouragement, consolation, fellowship, affection, and compassion found in their union with Christ is true.
Unity with Christ is seen through personal godly behavior (2:2b) of members of a Christian community instead of merely a collection of Christian people. As a community, they are to be like-minded. They are to show the love of Christ, tenderness and compassion, both as individuals and as a community. They are to be one in spirit and purpose, meaning that there should be an end to any factions or divisions formed by personal interests.
2:3–4. A second important virtue in a life worthy of the gospel is humility. The Christian life is centered outside oneself. Paul uses the same term as he used in 1:16 (“selfish ambition”) to talk about those who preached the gospel in order to frustrate him, because he does not want such an attitude to prevail among the Philippians (2:3). In humility, they are to live a life in which their focus is on God and others. It is not necessary for them to ignore their own lives and interests, but they are to put the needs and interests of others above their own (2:4). Humility and unity are what truly demonstrate the Christian life.
C. The supreme example of Christ (2:5–11). 2:5. A mere list of virtues or an explanation of concepts is not enough to truly understand what it means to follow Christ as both an individual and a community. So Paul recalls the story of Jesus to illustrate the life he calls them to in 1:27, calling them to follow Christ’s example. [Early Christian Hymns]
2:6. The section that follows (2:6–11) is organized in a poetic pattern and is often referred to as “the Christ hymn.” Paul uses these verses to display the prime example and goal of the Christian life—Jesus Christ. The Christ hymn follows a pattern of increasing humiliation followed by increasing exaltation. Paul refers to Christ’s preincarnate state: Jesus was “in the form of God” before his incarnation (2:6a). The term “form” denotes both the appearance of God (glory, power, majesty) and the essence of God. Christ, who was God in appearance and truth, did not consider his divine privileges as needing to be asserted (2:6b).
2:7. The next verse explains how Jesus did not cling to his divine privileges but rather gave of himself for others. He made himself nothing and took upon himself the nature of a servant (see Mk 10:45). Paul is, by pointing out Christ’s servant nature, calling the Philippians to a life of service in response. The rest of the verse emphasizes that Christ took on human nature completely, with all its weaknesses and restrictions. He set aside the glory that was his right, to live not merely within a human body but as a human, dealing with all the trials and pains of life.
2:8. Although taking on human identity humbled Christ from his divine status and glory, his path of humiliation did not end there. Even after he became incarnate, “he humbled himself,” “becoming obedient to the point of death.” This is the example that both Paul and the Philippians are to turn to in their lives. Suffering for Christ is only to be done in obedience to God, not through self-assertion. Christian unity comes about as believing communities surrender their own will and prerogatives for the good of others, living as crucified with Christ (2:4). This submission to God may take place in the face of persecution and may even be to the point of death.
2:9–11. The hymn does not end with Christ’s death, as no true story about Christ can. “For this reason” shows that what follows is a result of what came before. Because of his obedience, “God highly exalted him” (2:9). After descending to the depths, Christ was brought up to the highest heights. Not only is the name Jesus above all other names, but it also has been so exalted by the Father that it will cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess Christ’s lordship (2:10–11; see Is 45:23). These are things of which only God is worthy. When Jesus is exalted to this level, he is restored to his greater glory as the Son of God.
In Php 2:6–11, Paul is paralleling Christ with Adam. Adam was created in the image of God and chose a life of disobedience and self-exaltation (Gn 3:5). Jesus, however, resisted the temptation to take what was his by right and chose instead to obey the Father and submit himself to the Father’s will. While Adam was self-assertive and self-centered, Christ allowed God to exalt him and lived his life in service to God and others.
Jesus’s path is therefore traced from his preincarnate status as the Son of God to the depths of the cross and back to the exaltation given to Jesus by the Father. This path is the example that Paul sets before the Philippians. Their lives are to be ones of humility and service, thereby bringing glory to God the Father (2:11).
D. A call to Christlike obedience (2:12–18). 2:12–13. Paul now calls the Philippians to a life of obedience following the example of Christ. In light of his current imprisonment, Paul calls them to obey while he is away, as he has known them to obey when he is there (2:12). When Paul is absent, their obedience is a greater indication of their true character.
Paul’s command to “work out your own salvation” (2:12) is often misinterpreted. Paul indicates here that believers have responsibility in light of the grace they have received. Salvation is a reciprocal and communal venture. Salvation is not earned or achieved. It is a gift given by God. But it is a gift that entails obligations, with both individual and, perhaps primarily, communal dimensions. The phrase “with fear and trembling” (2:12) emphasizes that even this act of obedience is to be done in humility and reliance on God (2:13).
2:14–18. Paul warns the Philippians against spreading disunity in the Christian community (2:14). He calls for their Christian lives to be blameless for their own sakes and so that they might shine as lights for God in the world (2:15). Paul has worked and labored in love for this congregation, and he greatly desires at the final day to boast in all that they have become (2:16). He does not want all the love he has given to end up being for nothing.
Paul’s statement in 2:17 suggests the possibility of martyrdom. Even though his life would be sacrificed, the Philippians’ faith would be a part of that sacrifice. They have offered their love and support to Paul and have genuinely shared in his pain and suffering (see 1:7; 4:14). Paul is full of joy because of their faith and the hope he has for God’s work in that community. And if Paul can rejoice in the face of death, then the Philippians should be able to rejoice along with him (2:18).
4. JUDGE THOSE WHO WORK AMONG YOU BY THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL (2:19–30)
In this section, Paul discusses Timothy and Epaphroditus and resolves to send them to the Philippians as living examples of the Christian life of self-sacrificing unity. Both men put the needs of the church and the gospel ahead of their own interests and have a genuine concern for the welfare of the Philippian church.
2:19–24. Paul begins with Timothy, whom he is sending for at least two purposes: to receive news about how the congregation is doing and to encourage them about his own situation in Rome (2:19). Timothy is an outstanding example of a true Christlike leader who is not concerned with himself but looks to the interests of others, especially the Philippians (2:20–21). Just as Paul called the Philippians to look to others’ interests (2:4), he is going to send to them someone who exemplifies this aspect of the Christian life. Because of his character and adherence to the gospel, Timothy can represent Paul as his forerunner, even as Paul hopes that he himself will be able to follow soon (2:22–24).
2:25–30. Paul then moves on to the example of Epaphroditus. As the messenger the Philippians sent to Paul (2:25), Epaphroditus most likely has delivered their financial aid to the apostle. Epaphroditus has a heart for the Philippians to the degree that he longs for them just as Paul does (2:26; cf. 1:8). Through his work with Paul and the delivery of financial aid, Epaphroditus has given what the Philippians themselves could not give (2:30). Yet his greatest act of obedience has come in continuing to serve despite his illness (2:27). Paul commends him as a man worthy of honor, since he “came close to death for the work of Christ” (2:29–30).
5. PAUL’S LIFE AS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL (3:1–21)
The tone of the letter changes abruptly in 3:2, and a new subject is introduced rather unexpectedly. This change of tone and subject has led several scholars to suggest that Php 3 is actually a fragment of an earlier letter that has been grafted into the main body of the epistle. There is, however, no manuscript evidence to support such a claim, and although the change of tone is striking, there is a basic similarity in theme between Php 3 and the rest of the letter. The change in tone is likely because Paul was faced with the danger of those who insist on circumcision in addition to Christ, and he must warn the Philippians about those who do not preach the true gospel.
A. Beware of those who oppose the truth of the gospel (3:1–3). 3:1–2. Paul uses the Greek expression to loipon (“in addition,” 3:1) to draw his readers’ attention to what follows: he wants to warn them to be watchful in the face of a recurring danger (see “Literary Unity” in the introduction to Philippians).
Paul obliquely names those who threaten the church and almost certainly points to either Jews or Judaizing Christians. He calls his opponents “dogs,” a term Jews often used to refer to impure Gentiles (3:2). He then uses the phrase “those who mutilate,” which is a play on the Greek word for circumcision. Paul appears to be turning the claims of his opponents against them: their circumcision is really mutilation.
3:3. The text of 3:3 leaves little doubt that circumcision is the central issue in his debate with these opponents. Here he contrasts “those who mutilate the flesh” (3:2) with those who are “the circumcision,” among whom he includes himself. Those who have the right to the title of “the circumcision” are characterized by three things. The first is that they worship in the Spirit given by God. The second is that they boast of Christ and show his humility and servanthood in their lives. Third, they trust only in Christ, not in fleshly circumcision.
A portion of the Egnatian Way, the major Roman road that passed through Philippi
B. Paul’s life illustrates the truth of the gospel (3:4–14). Paul now offers himself as an example of what it means to “not put confidence in the flesh” (3:3). Jews and Gentiles stand on equal footing in Christ, and Paul counts the superiority of knowing Christ as nullifying any ethnic advantages he may have had. This union with Christ in no way depends on circumcision other than circumcision of the heart. Instead, it demands that Paul give up everything to “be found in him” (3:9), just as Christ gave up everything to “come as a man” (2:8).
3:4–6. The contrast between “mutilation” and “circumcision” in 3:2–3 sets the stage for Paul’s defense. Paul is willing to compare himself with anyone who “thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh” (3:4), because he has more. Three of the reasons Paul gives are ethnic: he was born a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin; he was circumcised according to Jewish law; he was raised as a culturally pure, Hebrew-speaking Jew (3:5).
Paul’s personal convictions prior to submitting to Jesus also gave him reason to boast of his Jewish distinctives: his attitude toward the law was that of the strict sect of the Pharisees (3:5); he was a zealous persecutor of the church; he was faultless in his strict observance of the law (3:6). Few Jews could match Paul’s claims, and Paul’s Jewish credentials show that he is fully competent by Jewish standards to judge any issue involving Jewish law or “confidence in the flesh.” Paul’s opposition to those who wish to require Gentile circumcision does not come from ignorance about the law.
3:7–8. But “knowing Christ Jesus” (3:8) has brought about a dramatic change in Paul’s life. He now considers all his former advantages as a Jew, the things that he used to consider “gain,” to be a total “loss” for the sake of knowing Christ (3:7). He would give up his heritage entirely in order to not be separated from the Lord. This reversal in Paul’s life has occurred because of the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (3:8). It is the greatness of this revelation, not a deficiency in the Jewish law or Paul’s righteousness, that makes his former life appear as “loss.”
3:9–11. Paul makes it clear that being found in Christ excludes “having a righteousness of my own from the law” (3:9a). Being found in Christ means that Paul can no longer be found in the Jewish law (3:6)—the two are mutually exclusive. Now Paul’s righteousness, and the righteousness of all who follow Christ, comes from God through faith in Christ (3:9b). Paul reminds the Philippians that accepting circumcision and embracing the Jewish law as necessary for right standing before God undermines one’s position in Christ and “the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus” (3:8).
This new position in Christ has also brought new knowledge of Christ, marked by the experience of “the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings” (3:10). The vivifying power of Christ has made possible Paul’s new life in Christ and Paul’s participation in the sufferings of Christ. This is true participation in the gospel—one enters into the experience of suffering as one knows the power of the new life in Christ. Suffering in Christ is an extension of Christ’s death on the cross. As Paul participates in Christ’s sufferings and is conformed to Christ’s death, he always looks forward to the experience of “the resurrection from among the dead” (3:11).
3:12–14. Paul continues to stress the purpose toward which his whole life is oriented. One of the most striking aspects of this account of Paul’s life is that Paul sees “knowing Christ Jesus” (3:8) not only as something in which he already participates but also as a goal he continues to pursue. This double sense of purpose, Christ as both motivation and goal, is explained in these verses: Christ has grasped Paul, so Paul presses on to grasp Christ, the goal of his life. Those things he now counts as “loss,” and he looks only at the goal that lies ahead—the “prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” (3:14). Christ is the basis of this call as well as the prize, and the divine call in Christ provides the power Paul needs to attain the goal (3:12). Being in Christ means being shaped by Christ’s death and resurrection, so the events of the Christ hymn of Php 2:6–11 find their counterpart in the way Paul presents his experience in Php 3:4–14. As Paul empties himself of all but Christ and becomes “conformed to his death” (3:10), he embodies the gospel he preaches.
C. Follow the example of Paul as he follows the example of Christ (3:15–21). Christ has so claimed Paul’s life that he can offer himself to the Philippians as a model of what it means to live a life conformed to the truth of the gospel, and here he urges them to join him in allowing Christ to claim their lives.
3:15–16. The Greek phrase touto phroneō of 2:5, translated as “adopt the same attitude,” is echoed in the touto phroneō of 3:15, translated as “let all . . . think this way.” Paul wants the Philippians to have the mind of Christ, and he is so confident that his message and his life exhibit the truth of the gospel that he can exhort them to join in imitating him as he imitates Christ (3:17). The Greek word for “mature” has the idea of a goal toward which one is striving; those who are mature have in mind the same goal as Paul. He is so confident of the truth he has stated that he can invoke God to illumine the minds of those who do not share his convictions. So he merely urges them to “live up to whatever truth we have attained” (3:16). Since the Philippians are already following the standard Paul has set, all they need to do is keep walking in the same way.
3:17–19. Here Paul holds up his life to the Philippians as a pattern to be imitated (3:17). He contrasts his example with those who are enemies of Christ, whose lives are characterized by opposition to the gospel and its message of the renunciation of power, privilege, and selfish interests (3:18–19). They are consumed with earthly desires and self-centered aims. The gospel demands one to sacrifice for the good of others, and thus they live as enemies of the cross.
3:20–21. Paul reminds his readers that those who have the mind of Christ have their citizenship in heaven (3:20). Their minds are not set on earthly things, for they “eagerly wait for a Savior” from heaven and the resurrection power that he will bring, which will vivify their bodies and renew God’s creation. Those who embrace the crucified Christ and become “conformed to his death” (3:10) will be made into the “likeness of his glorious body” (3:21) when he brings all things under his control. This conforming of the believer to the image of Christ both in death and in glory is accomplished by the enabling power at work in him. One day the image of Christ will be revealed in all who have experienced the heavenward call of God in Christ Jesus.
6. ENCOURAGEMENTS, APPRECIATIONS, AND GREETINGS (4:1–23)
Having reminded the Philippians of their heavenly citizenship and their glorious destiny, Paul returns to the pastoral concerns of the present. The Philippian church needs to have the mind of Christ and stand firm in the unity of the gospel. Then they can truly live in joy and contentment and experience the fullness of the grace of God in their community.
A. Encouragements to steadfastness and unity (4:1–3). 4:1–2. Paul begins this section with “so then” (4:1; cf. 2:12) as he gathers all of what he has told the Philippians into a single restatement of his message: the Philippians, whom Paul loves, are to remain faithful to the Lord. Paul then addresses two women, Euodia and Syntyche (4:2). These women are more than mere members of the Philippian community; Paul calls them coworkers who have labored beside him in the mission of the gospel (4:3). These women, along with Clement, have a leadership role in the Philippian community and should be demonstrating the unity of the gospel, not living in strife and dissension.
Here Paul continues his theme of using fellow servants to demonstrate the truth of the gospel as he exhorts Euodia and Syntyche to “agree” (this echoes 2:2, where the same Greek phrase is translated as “thinking the same way”). Whatever the disagreement was, Paul suggests that they resolve it through agreeing “in the Lord” because it is the Lord’s interests and opinion that are ultimately important, not those of either woman.
4:3. In addition, Paul invokes the help of a “true partner” to aid the sisters in the resolution of their issue. The identity of this individual is uncertain, but Paul assuredly uses the term “partner” in order to remind this person of his or her relationship to Paul, the gospel of Christ, and the community of faith. In this reminder, Paul empowers this person to resolve the dispute along with the help of Clement and other leaders who labor in the gospel.
B. Encouragements to prayer and noble-mindedness (4:4–9). 4:4–5. While external conflicts and anxieties may be present in the community, the Philippians are still called to rejoice because they belong to the Lord and he is watching over them (4:4). This joy is not empty but rests on the assurance of God’s goodness and grace. It is their faith “in the Lord” that allows them to rejoice in their trials. The Philippians are further called to let their “graciousness” be expressed to all people (4:5). Being “gracious” means that they must respond to their trials with love and peace, not retaliation. Paul reminds them that “the Lord is near” and that he will set things right.
4:6–7. Paul calls the Philippians to prayer as a response to their current adversity (4:6). They do not need to be anxious, because God is with them. They are called to entrust God with all their concerns by presenting specific requests before God. These requests are to be made not with a self-serving attitude but with an attitude of thanksgiving, which will take their minds off of their circumstances and help them focus on the good things that God has done. As a result, they will receive the peace that comes from God so that they may remain faithful and joyful regardless of their circumstances (4:7).
Since Philippi was a Roman colony, meaning the Philippians were Roman citizens, they would have listened carefully when Paul reminded them of their heavenly citizenship in Php 3:20 (cf. Php 1:27).
4:8–9. Paul concludes this section with a list of ethical descriptions. The Philippians need to set their minds on heavenly things and not “on earthly things” (3:19–20). They must “dwell on” these heavenly virtues (4:8), or better yet, allow these virtues to shape the way they view and move through the world even now. While this list could be understood as virtues that were common to moral philosophy in Paul’s time, the apostle states that the virtues they must follow are found in Paul’s example and teaching and the teaching and life of Christ (4:9). If these virtues are put into practice, the peace of God and the God of peace will be with them.
C. Appreciation of the Philippians’ gift (4:10–20). As he approaches the conclusion, Paul reveals his personal reasons for sending this letter. The Philippian congregation sent financial aid to Paul through Epaphroditus (4:18; cf. 2:25–30), and Paul wishes to thank them for their generous gift.
Although Paul refused to accept monetary support from the Corinthian church, he gladly received such support from churches in Macedonia (see 2 Co 8:1–7; 11:8–9; Php 4:10–19).
4:10–13. Paul rejoices not only for the gift that he has received but also for the love and care that this gift allows the Philippians to show (4:10). Paul states that he is content no matter the circumstances, which is a reference to his situation in prison (4:11). He concentrates on what is truly important: the preaching of the gospel, the imitation of Christ, and living as a citizen of heaven. As long as the gospel is being advanced and Christ is exalted, Paul is content with life in prison, martyrdom, or freedom (4:12; cf. 1:15–20). Plenty and poverty do not affect Paul’s ability to rejoice, because God’s strength gives him contentment (4:13).
4:14–17. Paul’s contentment is not meant to discourage the Philippians. Their giving is still a good thing (4:14). In fact, he reminds them of all they have done for him and the great degree to which he appreciates it. From the beginning of his ministry to them, the Philippians have constantly supported Paul, even when others refused or persecuted him (4:15). The Philippians became his partners and coworkers in the mission of the gospel, and Paul says that they have given aid “several times” (4:16). Their gift to him is like an investment that continues to accrue interest even as it furthers the mission of the gospel (4:17).
4:18–20. Paul also sees this gift as a sacrifice on the part of the Philippian congregation and one that is pleasing to God (4:18). The use of the personal pronoun in 4:19 (“my God”) shows Paul’s closeness to God and his dependence on God for the provision of both his physical and spiritual needs. Paul claims that this same God will fulfill all the Philippians’ needs, because God lacks nothing and indeed is overflowing in the “riches in glory” (4:19).
D. Greetings and benediction (4:21–23). Paul concludes his letter the same way he opened it—by greeting God’s people and commending them to God’s grace. In his benediction he shows the same concerns and pastoral sensibilities that he has maintained throughout the letter. He greets “every saint,” emphasizing the theme of unity that has been addressed throughout the letter (4:21). Paul also sends greetings from the Christian community in Rome and particularly the imperial members and servants of Caesar’s household (4:22) who have come to faith in Christ through interaction with Paul. Last, Paul wishes that the grace of Christ be with the Philippians’ spirit (4:23). Even in his final greeting, Paul calls the Philippians to focus on Christ and rely on his grace to unify and strengthen them.