The apostle began this epistle by sharing some personal information about his situation in Rome (1:12-26). He now returned from his concerns for the Philippians (1:27-4:9) to his own circumstances (4:10-20). Notice the somewhat chiastic structure of the epistle. This epilogue balances the prologue (1:3-26).
"Nowhere else in all of Paul's letters nor in all of the letters of antiquity that have survived until the present is there any other acknowledgment of a gift that can compare with this one in terms of such a tactful treatment of so sensitive a matter . . .
"The very structure of this section makes clear what has just been said. It exhibits a nervous alternation back and forth between Paul's appreciation on the one hand (vv 10, 14-16, 18-20), and his insistence on his own independence and self-sufficiency on the other (vv 11-13, 17)."168
". . . Paul's point is that his joy lies not in the gifts per se--these he really could do with or without--but in the greater reality that the gifts represent: the tangible evidence, now renewed, of his and their long-term friendship, which for Paul has the still greater significance of renewing their long-term partnership/participation' with him in the gospel."169
First, Paul thanked his brethren for their recent gift that Epaphroditus had delivered to him (vv. 10-14).
4:10 The "But"(Gr. de) that opens this section in the NASB is a bit misleading. It does not imply a contrast with what precedes but simply introduces a new idea.
Paul was glad that the Philippians had again expressed their loving concern for him by sending him a gift. Their care of him had "blossomed afresh"(NEB). It had been some time since they had done so.
"Like a person rejoicing over the signs of spring after a hard winter, so Paul rejoiced to see again the signs of personal concern from Philippi after a long interval of silence."170
Their failure seems to have resulted from some apparently unavoidable circumstance. The apostle understood this and did not chide them for their lack of attentiveness to his needs.
"In this section we see that the first attitude which makes giving and receiving a joy is concern for the work of the gospel and for those who do the work of the gospel. When the minds of the givers and receivers are focused on the work and on the workers rather than on the gift itself, financial matters will be kept in the right perspective."171
4:11 Paul did not want the Philippians to misunderstand him. He was not rejoicing primarily because their gift had met his need, but because their gift expressed their love and concern for him. Paul had learned to be content and to rejoice regardless of his physical circumstances. Such contentment is not a natural gift.
"It [the aorist tense of the Greek verb emathon, translated "learned"] implies that Paul's whole experience, especially as a Christian, up to the present has been a sort of schooling from which he has not failed to master its lessons."172
Every Christian needs to learn to be content. Evidently when Paul urged his readers to rejoice in the Lord always (v. 4) he was preaching what he practiced (vv. 5-8). The apostle's contentment and joy even in prison indicate his spiritual maturity, and it challenges us all.
4:12 Specifically Paul could be equally content with little or with much materially because he was rich spiritually. Both poverty and wealth bring temptations with them (Prov. 30:7-9). The apostle had learned how to handle both need and abundance in every individual situation (en panti) and in all situations (en pasin).
"Prosperity has done more damage to believers than has adversity."173
4:13 How could he do it? His contentment did not come through will power or the power of positive thinking. Paul was not a member of the Stoic philosophic school. It was Jesus Christ who enabled him to be content.
"The secret of Paul's independence was his dependence upon Another. His self-sufficiency in reality came from being in vital union with One who is all-sufficient."174
Earlier in this letter Paul explained that the most important thing in life was to center on Christ (2:7-11). Contentment is a fruit of doing so. "All things"in the context included being content with little or much materially, but Christ can enable His children to do much more than this (cf. Matt. 19:26; Luke 1:37).
"Paul . . . never allowed his weaknesses or perceived weaknesses to be an excuse for inactivity, or for a failure to attempt the impossible task. They in a sense became his greatest assets, and surrendering them to Christ he discovered that they were transformed for his own enrichment and for the enrichment of others."175
4:14 In view of Paul's attitude the Philippians might have wondered if they should have bothered to send him the gift. Paul hastened to add that it was good of them to send it. He evidently appreciated it more because it showed a proper spirit in the givers than because it eased his discomfort (v. 18).
"We know that God loves a cheerful giver, but I believe we also need to stress that God loves a cheerful receiver. Cheerful receivers make giving and receiving a joy. It is especially important that the called workers of the church learn to be gracious, cheerful receivers. This is not necessarily an easy task. The art of being a gracious, cheerful, thankful receiver may be even more difficult than being a cheerful giver. If we learn to accept the compliments and the special personal gifts which we receive in a gracious, cheerful manner, we will help make giving and receiving a joy for ourselves and for our people."176
Paul seems to have intended the references in these verses to previous gifts that the Philippians had sent him to dispel any doubts they may have had about the genuineness of his gratitude.
4:15 The Philippians had been very thoughtful and generous with Paul when he left their town after planting their church on his second missionary journey. He had travelled south into the province of Achaia. Probably the gift to which he referred in this verse is the same one he mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:8, the gift that reached Paul in Corinth.
4:16 Even before Paul arrived in Corinth the Philippians had sent him gifts in Thessalonica, the next town he visited after leaving Philippi (Acts 17:1). Perhaps these were smaller gifts since they were not as memorable.
"There is good evidence from the Greco-Roman world that the actual expression of thank you' was not a part of friendship as such. As strange as it may seem to us, true friends did not need to express thanksgiving directly in order for it to be received. What Paul is most likely doing here in keeping with social convention is thus expressing his thank you' indirectly, but even more tellingly, by rehearsing their history in this way."177
4:17 However the most important thing to Paul was not the gifts themselves. It was the spiritual reward that would come to the Philippians because of their financial investments in his ministry.
"They themselves will be Paul's eschatological reward' (2:16; 4:1); their gift to him has the effect of accumulating interest' toward theireschatological reward.'"178
Throughout this section dealing with gifts Paul used common business terminology (i.e., "the matter of giving and receiving,"v. 15; "profit"[NASB] or "credited to your account"[NIV], v. 17; "received . . . in full"[NASB], v. 18). Paul was very aware of business matters. Perhaps this reflects his Jewish heritage. His writings reveal a consistent concern over good investments that he regarded mainly as investments yielding eternal rewards.
4:18 Paul felt fully satisfied. He had received the Philippians' recent gift in full. This acknowledgment was his written receipt for their donation as well as a thank you note. He also viewed their gift as an offering ultimately made to God that was acceptable to Him. Sweet savor offerings in Israel were sacrifices made in worship more than to atone for sin. The Philippians were serving as believer-priests by sending their gifts to Paul.
Other sacrifices Christians can make to God beside our material possessions (v. 18) include our bodies (Rom. 12:1-2), our converts (Rom. 15:16), our praise (Heb. 13:15), and our good works (Heb. 13:16).
4:19 This promise harmonizes with previous revelation concerning how God supplies the needs of His people (cf. Prov. 11:25; Matt. 5:7; 6:33). Note that it is needs that He will meet, not "greeds."God will supply them all. He will do so commensurate with His riches in glory, not simply out of them. As His riches are lavish, so He will give lavishly.
Why do so many Christians suffer because they lack food, clothing, or money in view of this promise? Perhaps it is because some of our greatest needs are not material. To meet these needs God sometimes does not make us rich or even financially comfortable. Remember too that God gave this promise to generous and sacrificial givers. We may be able to think of examples that appear to be exceptions to this promise. However, I believe if we could see things from God's perspective we would realize that God has been completely faithful to His Word.
Note too that the supply of our needs comes through Jesus Christ. They come through His sovereign control, through His vast resources, through His infinite wisdom, through His loving heart, and through our union with Him.
4:20 Paul closed this section with a doxology in which he praised God for His providential care. God's care comes to us through His Son, and He often uses His people as His channels of blessing. Nevertheless ultimately God is the provider of His people's needs. May we ever be mindful of this truth and be grateful to Him!
We cannot read this pericope (vv. 10-20) thoughtfully without appreciating the apostle Paul's sensitivity to his Philippian readers. He was careful to balance what he said. He wanted them to understand his genuine gratitude for their gifts on the one hand and his contentment with whatever God sent his way on the other. In our day we tend to go to one of these extremes or the other in dealing with those who give us gifts. We may give these people the impression that we do not appreciate their gift, or we may lead them to conclude that we are greedy. A proper balance must rest on genuine contentment and must communicate both appreciation and faith.
William Dalton identified four elements common in both the prologue (1:3-26) and the epilogue (4:10-20). The return to these ideas in the epilogue ties the book together and gives it unity.
". . . we seem to have evidence of an inclusion which binds the whole letter into one unit. First of all, the idea of partnership is strongly expressed at the beginning and the end. Thus in 1:5 Paul is thankful for your partnership (koinonia) in the gospel'; and in 4:15 he records that no church entered into partnership in giving and receiving except you only.' This partnership is reiterated in another parallel: in 1:7 the Philippians are sharers (sugkoinonous) of grace with Paul; in 4:13 they are sharers (sugkoinonesantes) with him in his trouble. At both beginning and end we have the same idea expressed in different ways: the long-standing partnership of the Philippians with Paul: from the first day until now' (1:5), and in the beginning of the gospel' (4:15). And finally the reciprocal attitude of sympathy between Paul and the Philippians is expressed in the same phrase; in 1:7 he says it is right for me to feel this about you' (touto phronein huper panton humon), and in 4:10, You have revived your concern for me' (to huper emoi phronein)."179
