29 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Philippians 4 This chapter contains exhortations to various duties becoming Christians, the apostle's thankfulness to the Philippians for their present to him, and the conclusion of the epistle with the salutations of the brethren: in Philippians 4:1; the apostle exhorts the saints with great affection to perseverance in the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore, my brethren,.... Not in a natural but spiritual relation; having the same Father, being of the same family, and household of faith: seeing that on the one hand there were false teachers, who stand described by various characters in the preceding chapter, by whom they were in danger of being carried away from the simplicity of the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Exhortations to several Christian duties, as stedfastness, unanimity, joy, &c., ver. 1-9. The apostle's grateful acknowledgments of the Philippians' kindness to him, with expressions of his own content, and desire of their good, ver. 10-19. He concludes the epistle with praise, salutations, and blessing, ver. 20-23. Various Exhortations. (a. d....
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. It is a great joy to a minister, as it was to the apostle Paul, to have converts; but that joy is greatly diminished when they do not stand fast: then, indeed, every supposed joy becomes a sorrow, and instead of the roses which...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the lord, my dearly beloved. Paul had a very warm affection for the church at Philippi. You remember how that church was established,-first with the baptized household of Lydia, and afterwards with the baptized household of the jailer. These saints at Philippi...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, do stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. You know that the church at Philippi was very dear to the apostle’s heart. He could never forget the time when he and Silas prayed with the women at the river side, and afterwards prayed and sang praises unto God in the prison,...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
This Epistle was written by Paul when he was in prison, with iron fetters about his wrists; yet there is no iron in the Epistle. It is full of light, life, love, and joy, blended with traces of sorrow, yet with a holy delight that rises above his grief. Php_4:1. Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche,.... Two women, who were members of this church at Philippi, and who seem to have been at variance; either with each other, on account of some temporal and civil things, as often is the case of the dear children of God, who fall out by the way; and it becomes a very hard and difficult task to reconcile them,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I entreat thee also, true yoke fellow,.... Not his wife, as some think (d), for he had none, as appears from 1 Corinthians 7:7, at the writing of which epistle he was at Ephesus, where he stayed some little time, and then went to Jerusalem; where he was quickly apprehended, and sent a prisoner to Rome, and where he now was as such; and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Rejoice in the Lord alway,.... This is a repetition of the exhortation in the preceding chapter; [See comments on Philippians 3:1]; with this addition "alway"; for there is always cause and matter for rejoicing in Christ, even in times of affliction, distress, and persecution; since he is always the same; his grace is always sufficient; his blood...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Let your moderation be known unto all men,.... The Vulgate Latin reads, "your modesty". The Syriac and Arabic versions, "your meekness", or "humility"; graces which accompany moderation, and are very necessary to it, but not that itself. The Ethiopic version renders it, "your authority", which by no means agrees; for moderation lies not in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Be careful for nothing,.... This must be understood not in the most extensive sense, but with a limitation and restriction. There are many things that saints are to be careful for, as men and Christians; they are to be careful of their bodies, as well as of their souls; of the health of them, which is to be preserved by all lawful means, and not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the peace of God which passeth all understanding,.... Not that peace which God calls his people to among themselves in their effectual calling; and which he requires of them to cultivate and maintain; and which he encourages in them by the promise of his gracious presence among them; and which indeed he is the author of, and therefore is so...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,.... To close all with respect to the duties of Christianity incumbent on the professors of it, the apostle exhorts to a regard to everything that is true; that is agreeable to the Scriptures of truth, to the Gospel the word of truth, or to the law and light of nature; and whatever was really so, even...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
These things which ye have both learned,.... Meaning from himself, in a doctrinal way: and received; not only into their heads but hearts, had embraced cordially, with great affection, in the love thereof, as well as given a full assent to: and heard; either publicly or privately, from the pulpit, or in conversation; or had heard of him when...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly,.... The apostle proceeds to the last part of this epistle, and to take notice of the present which these Philippians had sent him, on account of which this his rejoicing was; and which was not small but great, and was not of a carnal but spiritual kind; it was a joy in the Holy Ghost, which is opposed to meats...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Not that I speak in respect of want,.... Either of want of will in them; of their slowness and backwardness in their care of him, postponing him to others, caring for him last of all; this gave him no uneasiness, he did not take it ill, knowing and owning himself to be less than the least of all saints: or of his own want before this present came;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I know both how to be abased,.... Or "humbled"; to be treated with indignity and contempt, to be trampled upon by man, to suffer hardships and distress, to be in a very mean and low condition, to work with his own hands, and minister to his own and the necessities of others in that way; yea, to be in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I can do all things,.... Which must not be understood in the greatest latitude, and without any limitation; for the apostle was not omnipotent, either in himself, or by the power of Christ; nor could he do all things that Christ could do; but it must be restrained to the subject matter treated of: the sense is, that he could be content in every...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Notwithstanding ye have well done,.... This he says lest they should think he slighted their kindness, and lest they should be discouraged from doing any such thing of this kind another time, either to himself or others; for though he was so well contented with his state, and knew how to be abased and to suffer need, and could do all things...