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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
4:10-20 Thanksgiving for the Philippians' Gift; Paul's Contentment in God. Paul thanks the Philippians for their gift to him and assures them that God will in turn supply all of their needs.
4:10-11 Paul is grateful for the Philippians' support, but he wants them to know that even in difficult circumstances he has learned . . . to be content.
4:12-13 The secret of living amid life's difficulties is simple: trusting God in such a way that one can say, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. This does not mean God will bless whatever a person does; it must be read within the context of the letter, with its emphasis on obedience to God and service to God and others.
4:14-16 The Philippians share in Paul's ministry, not just at the spiritual level but at the practical level of financial support (cf. note on 1:3-5). They contributed to his work after he had left Macedonia (4:15) as well as when he was just down the road in Thessalonica, which was also in Macedonia (v. 16; cf. Acts 17:1).
4:17 Lest they imagine he has moved away from the service-centered perspective of the earlier chapters, Paul reminds the Philippians that even his reception of their gifts is ultimately for their benefit. Likely using a business metaphor, he is seeking the fruit that increases to your credit (cf. ESV footnote: "the profit that accrues to your account"). God sees their sacrifice and is pleased.
4:18 Paul is well supplied by the Philippians' gift, and because it has been offered to him for the service of the gospel, he can return to images drawn from Israel's worship. The gift is a fragrant offering (the Gk. osmēn euōdias occurs often in the Septuagint in connection with the "pleasing aroma" of sacrifices to God; see Gen. 8:21; Ex. 29:18; Lev. 4:31) and a sacrifice acceptable to God. While the literal offerings of the OT system have been done away with in Christ, the principle behind them of costly devotion to God remains.
4:19 Those who are generous toward God will find that he is generous toward them and will supply their every need . . . in Christ Jesus.
