Being humble in all circumstances

by Mike Ratliff

12 οἶδα καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι, οἶδα καὶ περισσεύειν· ἐν παντὶ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν μεμύημαι, καὶ χορτάζεσθαι καὶ πεινᾶν καὶ περισσεύειν καὶ ὑστερεῖσθαι· 13 πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με. (Philippians 4:12-13 NA28)

12 I know both how to be humbled and how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to have lack. 13 I can do all things in the one empowering me. (Philippians 4:12,13 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

The enemy of our souls, Satan, does not attack believers in such a way that we should recognize him as being who he is. Instead, he comes disguised as the voice behind the theologian from the best seminary who may be the leader with a huge church empire and also be the author of many best-selling books. How does he attack what we call the Orthodox Christian faith? You know, the preaching of the gospel, the weekly opening of the Word of God, the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s supper, et cetera. He attacks that by putting people in place that both insist on and those who promise to deliver “more.” You know, taking emphasis away from all that stuff above and giving people “what they really want!” Sometimes the leaders doing this think this is what the people really want, but it is not. That is when the sheep go to their pastors and ask to be fed rather than be entertained. What happens most of the time nowadays when that takes place? 

In this post, we will look at the concluding chapter of Philippians in which the Apostle Paul continues to encourage the Philippians while seeking reconciliation between two women in disagreement. He also calls for them to pursue joyful faith and disciplined thinking.

1 Ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοὶ καὶ ἐπιπόθητοι, χαρὰ καὶ στέφανός μου, οὕτως στήκετε ἐν κυρίῳ, ἀγαπητοί.
2 Εὐοδίαν παρακαλῶ καὶ Συντύχην παρακαλῶ τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ἐν κυρίῳ. 3 ναὶ ἐρωτῶ καὶ σέ, γνήσιε σύζυγε, συλλαμβάνου αὐταῖς, αἵτινες ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ συνήθλησάν μοι μετὰ καὶ Κλήμεντος καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν συνεργῶν μου, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ἐν βίβλῳ ζωῆς.
4 Χαίρετε ἐν κυρίῳ πάντοτε· πάλιν ἐρῶ, χαίρετε. 5 τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ὑμῶν γνωσθήτω πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. ὁ κύριος ἐγγύς. 6 μηδὲν μεριμνᾶτε, ἀλλʼ ἐν παντὶ τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ δεήσει μετὰ εὐχαριστίας τὰ αἰτήματα ὑμῶν γνωριζέσθω πρὸς τὸν θεόν. 7 καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ ὑπερέχουσα πάντα νοῦν φρουρήσει τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.
8 Τὸ λοιπόν, ἀδελφοί, ὅσα ἐστὶν ἀληθῆ, ὅσα σεμνά, ὅσα δίκαια, ὅσα ἁγνά, ὅσα προσφιλῆ, ὅσα εὔφημα, εἴ τις ἀρετὴ καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος, ταῦτα λογίζεσθε· 9 ἃ καὶ ἐμάθετε καὶ παρελάβετε καὶ ἠκούσατε καὶ εἴδετε ἐν ἐμοί, ταῦτα πράσσετε· καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης ἔσται μεθʼ ὑμῶν. (Philippians 4:1-9 NA28)

1 So then, my beloved and longed for brothers, the joy and my crown, stand firm in the Lord. 2 I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree in the Lord.  3 Yes, I ask you also true yoke-fellow, assist them who contended in the gospel alongside me with both Clement and my co-workers whose names are in the Book of Life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to all men. The Lord is near.  6 Be anxious in nothing, but in everything, by prayer and by petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God 7 and the peace of God surpassing all understanding will guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.
8 As to the rest, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever honorable, whatever righteous, whatever pure, whatever lovely, whatever well-spoken of, if any virtue and if any praise, take account of these things,  9 which you both learned and received as you heard and saw them in me. Practice these and the God of peace will be with you.  (Philippians 4:1-9 translated from the NA28 Greek text) 

It is obvious that Paul had a close and intimate relationship with the believers at Philippi. Here he calls them the joy and his crown. They were not so just because they believed the gospel, but because of their perseverance and growing into maturity in Christ. Here, he exhorts them to continue to stand firm and makes sure that everyone understands that true perseverance is always “in the Lord.” Not one of us can do it through sheer will power. No, we do so as we abide in Christ (John 15).

In vv2,3 Paul mentions Euodia and Syntyche whom he appeals to agree in the Lord. What an exhortation! Paul knows what the conflict is, but does not mention it. Notice that it is not a doctrinal issue and simply appeals that they reconcile in the Lord. How often do believers hold petty differences that are simply held in the bitter parts of our hearts as trophies of pride? Paul’s answer is to forget that and agree in the Lord. Peace in the Body of Christ is worth far more than petty differences like what color to paint the walls. He also calls on all those hearing this letter or reading it to assist these women in making up.

What is the next step? Rejoice in the Lord. I promise you, those two women were not doing that while in conflict. Christians must start here and then let their reasonableness be known to all men. This disposition seeks what is best for everyone not just for oneself. What is the admonition? The Lord is near! When he returns, it is as judge. I for one do not want things like this to be outstanding when I stand before him to give an account.

In vv 8,9 Paul gives us a list of things to fill our minds with that will inspire worship of God and service of others. If we will do this, what will be the result? The God of peace will be with us.

10 Ἐχάρην δὲ ἐν κυρίῳ μεγάλως ὅτι ἤδη ποτὲ ἀνεθάλετε τὸ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ φρονεῖν, ἐφʼ ᾧ καὶ ἐφρονεῖτε, ἠκαιρεῖσθε δέ. 11 οὐχ ὅτι καθʼ ὑστέρησιν λέγω, ἐγὼ γὰρ ἔμαθον ἐν οἷς εἰμι αὐτάρκης εἶναι. 12 οἶδα καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι, οἶδα καὶ περισσεύειν· ἐν παντὶ καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν μεμύημαι, καὶ χορτάζεσθαι καὶ πεινᾶν καὶ περισσεύειν καὶ ὑστερεῖσθαι· 13 πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με. 14 πλὴν καλῶς ἐποιήσατε συγκοινωνήσαντές μου τῇ θλίψει. 15 οἴδατε δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς, Φιλιππήσιοι, ὅτι ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, ὅτε ἐξῆλθον ἀπὸ Μακεδονίας, οὐδεμία μοι ἐκκλησία ἐκοινώνησεν εἰς λόγον δόσεως καὶ λήμψεως εἰ μὴ ὑμεῖς μόνοι, 16 ὅτι καὶ ἐν Θεσσαλονίκῃ καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς εἰς τὴν χρείαν μοι ἐπέμψατε. 17 οὐχ ὅτι ἐπιζητῶ τὸ δόμα, ἀλλʼ ἐπιζητῶ τὸν καρπὸν τὸν πλεονάζοντα εἰς λόγον ὑμῶν. 18 ἀπέχω δὲ πάντα καὶ περισσεύω· πεπλήρωμαι δεξάμενος παρὰ Ἐπαφροδίτου τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν, ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας, θυσίαν δεκτήν, εὐάρεστον τῷ θεῷ. 19 ὁ δὲ θεός μου πληρώσει πᾶσαν χρείαν ὑμῶν κατὰ τὸ πλοῦτος αὐτοῦ ἐν δόξῃ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. 20 τῷ δὲ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ ἡμῶν ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν.
21 Ἀσπάσασθε πάντα ἅγιον ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ ἀδελφοί. 22 ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι, μάλιστα δὲ οἱ ἐκ τῆς Καίσαρος οἰκίας.
23 Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν. (Philippians 4:10-23 NA28)

10 I greatly rejoiced in the Lord that you now at last have revived your concern of me. You were thinking of me, but were lacking opportunity to help.  11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever my circumstances to be content.  12 I know both how to be humbled and how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to have lack. 13 I can do all things in the one empowering me.  14 Nevertheless, you did well in having become partners with me in my affliction. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I went from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in an accounting of expenditures and receipts except you only. 16 Because indeed, in Thessaloniki, both once and again you sent help to me.  17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit increasing to your account. 18 But I have all things and I abound. I have been filled having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant odor, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God. 19 And my God will fill every need of yours according to his wealth in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be  the glory into the ages of the ages. Amen.
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers with me greet you.  22 All the saints greet you and especially the ones of Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Philippians 4:10-23 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In vv10-13 Paul talks about the gift the Philippians sent to him via Epaphroditus. He uses this to talk about contentment and the need for believers to be generous for spiritual reasons. The contentment Paul talks about here is an alien thing to this flesh bound world. Paul told them that he had learned to be content when hungry or when full, when he had nothing or when had plenty. From where did he say this ability came? In v13 he said, “I can do all things in the one empowering me. ” What this means is that God empowers believers to obey Him in service to Him and to others. God used the fires of tribulation, thorns in the flesh, et cetera, to train Paul in growing in Grace to this level of maturity.

Notice that the Philippians were special to Paul because they not only prayed for his ministry, but they helped fund it through financial support. They contributed to his work long after he left Macedonia.

Paul used the metaphor of an offering at the Temple in reference to the gift given to Paul’s ministry by the Philippians. He called it a fragrant odor, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God. The principle remains for us today. If we are generous toward God, we will find that he is generous toward us and will supply all our needs in Christ Jesus. What more do we need?

Soli Deo Gloria!