Letters often ended with words of greeting: “Say hi to so-and-so” or “So-and-so says hi.” And in some ways, this is true of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. But Paul uses even this simple convention for a pastoral purpose: he wants the Philippians to know that God is at work, and that they are not alone.
Friendships in the ancient world carried reciprocal expectations. Paul has already used the language of the marketplace to speak of the Philippians’ gift as being “credited” to their account, and now he says that he’s “received full payment” (4:18). But it’s not that Paul thinks they owe him. He wants them to think of their friendship differently, as a three-way relationship that includes God.
Though Paul wants the Philippians to hear his gratitude, he also wants to make sure they hear it rightly. “It’s not about the gift itself,” he tells them, again, in a way that might sound a bit rude. But he points them instead to the deeper reason for his gratitude.
The last words of a letter are important, especially in a context where letters to churches were read aloud. What thoughts would Paul want to leave ringing in the Philippians’ ears? The final theme is friendship, and Paul expresses deep appreciation for their loyal support over the years.
Philippians 4:13 is one of Paul’s best-known sayings, often rendered as "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" on Christian keepsakes. Taken out of context, it might sound like Paul is saying that God will him the power to do anything . But is that what he means?
Seen from the outside, Paul is in an awkward spot. The Philippians have sent a generous gift, and he appreciates their thoughtfulness and love. At the same time, however, he doesn’t really need the gift in the way they might have expected. How does he say this? As always, he turns the situation into a teaching opportunity.
What did your parents teach you about the polite way to acknowledge a gift? And what if it was something you didn’t really want or need? Here, near the end of Paul’s letter, the apostle finally gets around to saying “Thank you” for the gift the Philippians sent, and at first, his words may sound ungrateful…
Anxiety can drive anyone into a negative spiral of thoughts and emotions, and Paul offers his friends in Philippi some wise pastoral counsel. We can learn from his counsel, too. This episode explores four personal implications for how we deal with our own troubles.
In chapter 3, Paul told the Philippians to follow his example. In chapter 4, he tells them that they should focus their thoughts on things that remind them of God’s goodness and sovereignty. And Paul himself is an example of thinking that way—as demonstrated in the way he handles the tension between Euodia and Syntyche.
Research suggests that our brains easily skew toward negativity. One can imagine the Philippians being anxious about the possibility of persecution, and finding it difficult to cope. Paul has already told them to pray with joy and gratitude. But he also suggests that they can change the way they think, by intentionally choosing what they think about .
Knowing the situation the Philippians are in, Paul instructs them to cultivate joy by gratefully remembering what God has done for them in Jesus, and taking all of their concerns to God in prayer. But with that command comes a promise. Echoing the rich biblical concept of shalom , Paul promises that God’s peace will guard their hearts and minds in Jesus.
If you’re anxious about something, you don’t want someone to tell you to “cheer up.” Nor do you want them to just say, “Don’t worry.” When we read Philippians 4, it can sound like Paul is saying exactly that. But what he wants is to help the Philippians cope with their anxiety by going to God in prayer and remembering the reasons they have to be grateful.
To many of us, the word “joy” probably means something like extreme happiness and is incompatible with sadness. But that’s not what Paul means by the word when he tells the Philippians to rejoice. Nor does he mean that Christians are supposed to act happy no matter what they’re feeling. He wants the Philippians to cultivate joy by reminding themselves and each other that God is near, even in the face of suffering.
Given the concern Paul may have had about the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche and how it threatened the unity of the church, it may be surprising that he only devotes two verses to dealing with it directly. But there’s a great deal of pastoral wisdom embedded in those two verses. This episode sketches four practical implications of his words for dealing with conflict in the church.
Paul has called the Philippians his brothers and sisters. But as in any family, siblings fight. It is here in chapter 4 that Paul finally brings up the conflict between the two women, Euodia and Syntyche, and pleads with them to reconcile.
As we begin the fourth and final chapter of the letter, we can see Paul beginning to wrap things up. He calls the Philippians his brothers and sisters, and expresses his love and longing for them. But even this is done with an eschatological perspective, as he encourages them to continue persevering toward the glorious future he envisions.
The Philippians were citizens of the Roman Empire, and as such were expected to be loyal to the emperor. Their allegiance to Christ was therefore problematic and put them at odds with their neighbors. certain behaviors and loyalties were expected of them. But Paul continues to try to get them to think eschatologically, teaching them that they are citizens of heaven and not just Rome.
It is a gift to have people who model for us a faithful Christian life. But these days, we have a tendency to admire so-called “celebrity Christians” whose success often ends on a tragic note. Paul warns about something similar in his letter. We should look for and imitate good examples, but we should be wise and thoughtful about who we admire and why.
Many of us have been thrust into situations for which we felt poorly prepared, and secretly wished for someone to show us what to do, to mentor us. Paul is just that kind of mentor to the Philippians, giving them a living example of the Christian life. And he’s not shy about it: he explicitly tells them to follow his example, or that of others who live the same way.
Good stories don’t just meander; they go somewhere. Through an ongoing plot, they link the past and present to an anticipated future. So too with our own stories, and with Paul’s. He’s already told the Philippians what he thinks of his past, and how he presses on toward the future—and encourages them to think the same way about their own lives.
Life can get so busy that our minds are completely occupied by the things that need to be done today, this week. We may barely think about the future, especially the distant future. But again, Paul thinks eschatologically, and wants the Philippians (and us!) to do the same. His own way of thinking about his life and ministry is to view it as a race, in which he does everything he can to press toward the finish line.
As we’ve seen, Paul knows that even if he were to be executed by Rome, physical death would not be the end of his story—he would go to be with Jesus. And he teaches elsewhere that resurrection is the ultimate destiny of every believer. But the resurrection isn’t just a future reality; resurrection power is available now to help the faithful endure suffering.
We see it in Scripture and hear it from the pulpit: the Christian life involves sacrifice and suffering. Jesus tells us that we must take up our cross, and Paul says that he not only wants to know Jesus, but to “become like him in his death” (3:10). Paul doesn’t have a literal death wish—but how should we understand what that means for us?
In an earlier episode, I suggested that the following Jesus isn’t just a matter of asking “What would Jesus do?” but “How would Jesus think?” Paul has taken a good portion of his letter trying to teach the Philippians to have the humble mindset of Jesus. And using himself as an example, he tells them that his own values and priorities have changed dramatically since meeting Jesus. Can we have the same mindset when we’re in conflict with someone else?
Paul has to counter the argument of the Judaizers, and does so in two moves. First, he plays the bragging game, and shows that he has more religious cred than they do. But then second, he insists that none of that matters anymore. Compared to the privilege of personally knowing the Jesus he used to persecute, all of the things in which he used to take pride are garbage to him now.
As suggested in an earlier episode, we can’t seem to help comparing ourselves to others. Often, we see ourselves as better and look for subtle or not-so-subtle ways to brag. Those who would undermine the gospel might think themselves religiously superior in some way. Paul has strongly advocated for humility; how could he argue against such people? Ironically, he does so by playing the bragging game and turning it on its head.
Christians share some central beliefs, but do not all believe exactly the same thing, not even with the same church. Some of these differences are on the level of “agree to disagree.” But some are much more important to the integrity of the gospel. The Jewish converts that Paul called “dogs”—scholars call them “Judaizers”—were suggesting a compromise that would undermine the very message of grace. Paul was not about to allow such beliefs to take hold in Philippi.
To the Jews of Paul’s day, Gentiles were “dogs”—a horrible insult. But when Paul, at the beginning of chapter 3, tells the Philippians to “Beware of those dogs” (3:2), he’s referring to fellow Jews . Not only that, he was probably referring to Jewish Christians . So how could Paul say such a thing? What had they done to deserve such a tongue-lashing?
Before Timothy arrives in Philippi, Epaphroditus will have already returned with Paul’s letter. Paul seems to love Epaphroditus as much as he loves Timothy, and for similar reasons: he’s a servant of the gospel. Compared to heroic stories of missionary work, though, Epaphroditus’ service was rather mundane—delivering a gift. Nevertheless, Paul is willing to give him the label of “apostle.”
Paul is sending his letter to the Philippians with Epaphroditus. Soon after, Timothy will visit them too, bringing the latest news from the apostle. Paul loves Timothy like a son, but it’s not because he’s the one who led Timothy to Jesus. It’s because Timothy is a lot like Paul in important ways—and most importantly, in his devotion to the work of the gospel.
