The Secret of Contentment & My Thanks For Your Support
In conclusion4, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable. Put into practice what you learned and received from me, both from my words and from my actions. And the God who gives us peace will be with you. In my life in union with the Lord it is a great joy to me that after so long a time you once more had the chance of showing that you care for me. I don’t mean that you had stopped caring for me—you just had no chance to show it. And I am not saying this because I feel neglected, for I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me. But it was very good of you to help me in my troubles. You Philippians know very well that when I left Macedonia in the early days of preaching the Good News, you were the only church to help me; you were the only ones who shared my profits and losses. More than once when I needed help in Thessalonica, you sent it to me. It is not that I just want to receive gifts; rather, I want to see profit added to your account. Here, then, is my receipt for everything you have given me—and it has been more than enough! I have all I need now that Epaphroditus has brought me all your gifts. They are like a sweet-smelling offering to God, a sacrifice which is acceptable and pleasing to him. And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs. To our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen. Greetings to each one of God’s people who belong to Christ Jesus. The believers here with me send you their greetings. All God’s people here send greetings, especially those who belong to the Emperor’s palace. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Phil 4:8-23
In the previous Gem I focused on Verse 8 only. Now i have given you the whole passage which remains for us to look at. Much has been said of the division of this section. The first verse of Chapter 4 is in itself problematic as it floats between sections in many translations as I have indicated before. I don’t actually like referring to the divisions in Paul’s letters as chapters because he didn’t write his letters that way. That way of looking at his writings was influenced by Robert Estienne with the way he divided Scripture into chapter and verse. Paul did not make those divisions. Rather, Paul’s thoughts poured forth in a continuous stream. You may wonder why I have divided the sections between Phil 4:7 and Phil 4:8. I am following what I believe to be Paul’s divisions.
- Τὸ λοιπόν:- In conclusion, finally, for the rest, and now, now then, so then, it remains, for the rest, that’s about it, whatever happens, Dear friends
- Συμμιμηταί μου:- Imitate me, follow me. follow my example, stick with me, be like me, pattern your lives after me, imitate my walk with God, Dear friends
- Ωστε:- Therefore, so, so then, so that, so as, wherefore, Dear friends
- Τὸ λοιπόν:- In conclusion, finally, for the rest, summing it all up, and now one final thing, Dear friends
Let me draw your attention to Phil 3:1 which begins with Τὸ λοιπόν and Phil 4:8 which begins with Τὸ λοιπόν. As you can see in the list above we have a concluding particle here. Finally dear friends and Finally dear friends. Much has been made by the commentators about the fact that Paul concludes this letter twice. Finally friends . . . Finally friends. There are those who cast doubt on the fact that Paul closes the letter twice, suggesting that there is no connection whatsoever between the thoughts. Some even suggest Paul concludes with reference to the Stoics by using a Stoic term aretē in verse 8 which the KJV translated as virtue, or moral excellence – a strong Stoic term Then they develop the thought that Paul was appealing to Stoic thought and there is no connection to what went before it. Much has been made about Paul saying Finally . . . Finally. Oh come on, we all do that at one time or another. Now for my final point . . . finally we will conclude with [this]. I do it, why couldn’t Paul have done it too. We don’t have to go off into Stoic thought to work out what Paul is doing. Let’s take a sane approach to what Paul has written and keep the main thing, the main thing.
I mentioned Covid in the previous Gem. Allow me to express it this way. In these Covid times we are constantly bombarded with negative thought patterns, argument and counter argument, negativity and suspicion at every turn. News and false news, your truth and my truth. Why can’t Paul begin his last section with an appeal to the Philippians to stop the negative thinking and in contrast think positively. Finally dear friends, let me remind you to think on the things which are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honourable. Everything about Philippians 4 is logical and it connects logically to Philippians 3 which flows from Phil 2:5 – Have this mind in your which was also in Christ Jesus.
Look how Paul’s thought then flows into “Put into practice what you learned and received from me, both from my words and from my actions.” Paul often puts forward his teaching (some call it theoretical) and then encourages the hearer or readers to put it into practice. Follow my example; follow the example of all who follow Christ. (2:12, 2::19-30, 3:15, 3:17, 4:9). Learn from Paul and learn from all who follow in Christ’s footsteps and exemplify this teaching. Paul is not talking here theoretically and drawing on Stoic philosophy to make a point. That is nonsense. Neither is he losing his train of thought and concluding first on one thing and then lurching off to some other conclusion which appeals to the Stoics. Who cares about Stoic philosophy? Paul is talking to his dear friends, the saints in Philippi, whom he cares for deeply and knows personally after spending time with them and having gone through struggles with them. He has them on his heart and so he is clearly writing a LETTER not a treatise on Greek thought. He is wanting us all to put these principles into practice:
- The recipients of this letter who are dear to him:
- all the saints in the house churches in Philippi
- possibly all the saints in Macedonia and into the Roman Province of Asia*
- even the saints who would follow Christ in the future
- even down to us in the 21st Century.
Paul’s letters were copied and circulated all over the wider area. There is no reason to suspect that he didn’t know that. I am sure he had an idea his thoughts were extended further than those to whom he wrote personally.
Expect Paul’s thoughts to be connected. It is the way he writes, logically, connectedly in layers. Once we get that we will begin to see how the pieces fit together. Notice how Paul refers back to the peace he has mentioned in verse 7. The NLT has this element as a stand alone.
And the God who gives us peace will be with you.
Phil 4:9
But again it is not an afterthought. Paul has just been focusing their attention on the peace of God which passes all understanding. Now he mentions the peace again only this time the construction changes. Now it is no longer the peace per se, now the focus is on the God of peace, i.e. the God who gives that peace that passes understanding. God Himself will be with you. Know God; Know peace. No God; No peace. The peace flows from God. Once you have God you have everything! Philippians, saints in the 21st Century, learn the secret of contentment. When you have Christ’s mind in you and you follow in His footsteps, everything else falls into place. Peace comes and everything else because when you have God you have everything else. It’s a package deal. You won’t find peace and contentment apart from God, but when you find God you stumble across everything else.
Now Paul’s thoughts naturally turn toward his personal connection with the saints in Philippi and all they mean to him. Those in Philippi, Macedonia have been the ones who supported him the most in his ministry. When he talks of God’s kindness to him through the churches in Macedonia (2 Cor 8:1) think primarily of the church in Philippi, those who are appear most dear to him. There is a strong connectedness there. Now Paul gets really personal with the saints in Philippi and we can glean something more of the strong bond there was between Paul and the Philippians.
In the next Gem we will turn our attention to investigating this last section of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. But although I have artificially divided Paul’s letter into sections and given it titles; don’t be fooled, it all flows together. Dividing the Bible into sections with titles (pericope) is something those of us who do Bible Study like to do . It helps us get a handle on what the biblical writer is telling us. But it is something superimposed on the Bible. it was never there in the original text. Just remember that as we dissect this last section.
- The Secret of Contentment & My Thanks For Your Support
- The Secret of Contentment
- My Thanks For Your Support
- The Secret of Your Support
- My Thanks for God’s Contentment
It’s all the same.
I quoted Alanis Morisette in Gem 1999 – “Peace of mind for five minutes, that’s what I crave.” Oh we all want peace of mind for more than five minutes. Alanis was hinting at the fact that peace of mind seems so elusive. Like the song My Elusive Dreams.
I know you’re tired of following
My elusive dreams and schemes
For they’re only fleeting things
My elusive dreams.
How do we gain more than just an allusory sense of peace and contentment which will last beyond five minutes? Something that will stay with us?
Hang on to your hat; Paul is about to tell us, if he hasn’t already.
Know God; Know peace. No God; No peace.
Anonymous
Contentment is not when you have everything, but when you really want nothing.
Jose Carol
If you are not content with what you have, you’ll never be content with what you want.
Ian Vail
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be a full stomach or hunger, plenty or want.
Philippians 4:12
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 16:33