The Poor Mans Commentary-Book of Philippians

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Looking Ahead Philippians 3: Cleaning Out The Files Philippians 3: The Pudding Guy Philippians 3: Trampling Temptation Philippians 3: Past, Present, Future Philippians 3: Occupied With Heaven Philippians 3: Change Of Address Philippians 3: A New Edition Philippians 3: Astonished Joy Philippians 3: We Will Be Like Him! Frozen Heads Philippians 4: Conflict Resolution Philippians 4: The Worry Box Philippians 4: Break the Cycle Philippians 4: Unheralded Champions Philippians 4: Rejoice No Matter What!

Gratitude or Grumbling Philippians 4: Arranging Your Mind Philippians 4: Cast Your Cares Philippians 4: Assembly Required Philippians 4: How Gentle Are You? God Incidents Philippians 4: Prayer With Thanksgiving Philippians 4: Forget Worry Philippians 4: Keeping Away the Elephants Philippians 4: Is It Time To Pray? Prescription For Anxiety Philippians 4: Uncertain Times Philippians 4: Down But Not Out Philippians 4: Peaceful Anxiety Philippians 4: War … Then Peace Philippians 4: The Search For Peace Philippians 4: How To Have Peace Philippians 4: Do You Talk To Yourself?

Something To Think About Philippians 4: Buds Of Beauty Philippians 4: Think Together Philippians 4: The Gift Of Thought Philippians 4: What Is That to You? Fast Feet Philippians 4: On The Fringe Philippians 4: Be Content Philippians 4: Free To Choose Philippians 4: Little Or Much Philippians 4: Happiness Is … Philippians 4: A Good Surrender Philippians 4: The Power Of Weakness Philippians 4: Choose Your Color Philippians 4: Always Available Philippians 4: The Strength We Need Philippians 4: A Note Of Thanks Philippians 4: God's Checks Never Bounce Philippians 4: The Little Things Too Philippians 4: The Lord Will Provide Philippians 4: Lunch Provided Philippians 4: The Ultimate Giver Philippians 4: Philippians 1 Philippians 2 Philippians 3 Philippians 4.

Looking Out for the Interests of Others Philippians 2: Joyful Living in a Grumpy World Philippians 1: Can I Lose My Salvation?

David Guzik :: Study Guide for Philippians 4

The Life That Wins Philippians 1: Joy in the Trenches Philippians 2: Making God's A-Team Philippians 3: From Rubbish to Jesus Philippians 3: Go for the Gold Philippians 3: What Is Heaven Like? Think on These Things Philippians 4: Will Be a Happy New Year? See also Vincent's full commentary on Philippians below. The Joy of Joining In Philippians 1: Christ Exalted Philippians 1: Extraordinary People Philippians 3: Beware of the Dogs! Paul's Thanks and Prayers for Churches. Apostolic Address and Salutation. Saints, Bishops, and Deacons. Grace Comes from God.

Ministers Servants of Christ. Paul's Greeting to the Philippians. The Blessings of the Gospel. The Honour of Serving Christ. The Saints At Philippi. Paul's Gratitude for Good Men. Thanksgiving for Their Fellowship in the Gospel. Blessed Remembrance and Joyful Prayers. Pleasant Memories and Bright Hopes. The Apostle's Intercession and Assurance.

The Introduction to the Epistle. The True Spirit of Prayer. Our Fellowship in the Gospel. Paul's Activity and Prayerfulness. Present Rewards of Christian Work. Begun, Continued, and Ridded in God. Means of Progress in the Divine Life. The Basis of Paul's Confidence. The Danger and Security of the Christian. The Day of Jesus Christ. The Faithfulness of God. The Good Work Within. The Grounds of the Apostle's Thanksgiving.

The Perfection of God's Works. The Perseverance of the Saints.

The Truest Guarantee of Perseverance. The Communion of Saints. Reasons for Paul's Confidence. The Apologetic Value of Paul's Bonds. The Fellowship of the Gospel. The Heart of Paul and the Heart of Christ. The Unifying Influence of Christian Love. Paul's Tender Regard for the Philippians.

Saints Longing for Saints. The Bowels of Jesus Christ. Universality of Christian Love. Advancement in Knowledge Must be Constant. Knowledge the Basis of Love. Love Abounding Through Knowledge. Love Inseparable from Christian Life. Love Rich in Purse. The Excellence of Love. The Importance of Christian Knowledge. The Love of God Without Knowledge. The Training of Love. The Things that Excel. Love -- the Heart's Eye. Perseverance to the Day of Christ. Paul's Prayer for the Philippians. The Life of God in the Soul of Man. The Recorded Prayers of St. Discerning with a Purpose. Discernment the Result of Experience.

One Fault May Spoil a Life. Sincere and Without Offence. The Day of Christ. The Discernment of Things Excellent. The Things that are Excellent. Advantages of Advanced Piety. The Fruits of Righteousness. Christianity Promoted by Being Persecuted. Furtherance of the Gospel Through the Apostle's Imprisonment. A Grand Principle and a Splendid Example. Good Out of Evil.

Paul's Bonds in Christ Exhibited. Paul's Sorrows and Joys. The Advantage of Disadvantage. John Bunyan, in Bedford Jail. The Furtherance of the Gospel. The Gospel Furthered by Opposition. The Gospel in Rome. The Gospel Promoted by Persecution.

The Ministry of Paul the Prisoner. The Powerlessness of Persecution. The Triumphs of the Gospel. Unfavourable Circumstance, May be Turned to Advantage. Thoughts Suggested by His Captivity. An Imprisoned Preacher's Thoughts. Christ Preached by Love. Christ Really Though Inadequately Preached.

Paul's Joy in the Preaching of His Enemies. Power of Christ Preached. Power of the Bible Even in Faulty Versions. The Defence of the Gospel. The Influence of the Gospel. The Motives of Paul's Enemies. The Opponents of St. The Preaching of Christ. The Real and Counterfeit in the Christian Ministry.

He knew how to show a holy gentleness to her. This word describes the heart of a person who will let the Lord fight his battles. They know that vengeance is Mine, says the Lord Romans It describes a person who is really free to let go of His anxieties and all the things that cause him stress, because he knows that the Lord will take up his cause. Be known to all men: The sphere is broad. We show this gentleness to all men , not just to whom we please.

The Lord is at hand: When we live with the awareness of Jesus' soon return, it makes it all the more easy to rejoice in the Lord and to show gentleness to all men. We know that Jesus will settle every wrong at His return, and we can trust Him to make things right in our falling-apart world. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;.

Be anxious for nothing: This is a command, not an option. Undue care is an intrusion into an arena that belongs to God alone. It makes us the father of the household instead of being a child. But in everything by prayer and supplication: Paul wrote that everything is the proper subject of prayer. There are not some areas of our lives that are of no concern to God. These two aspects of prayer are similar, but distinct. Prayer is a broader word that can mean all of our communication with God, but supplication directly asks God to do something. Many of our prayers go unanswered because we do not ask God for anything.

Here God invites us simply to let your requests be made known. He wants to know. God already knows our requests before we pray them; yet He will often wait for our participation through prayer before granting that which we request. This guards against a whining, complaining spirit before God when we let our requests be made known.

We really can be anxious for nothing, pray about everything, and be thankful for anything. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

And the peace of God: The Bible describes three great aspects of peace that relate to God. Paul continually used this as an introduction to his letters; it reminds us that our peace comes to us as a gift from God. This describes a relationship that we enter into with God through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This is the peace spoken of in Philippians 4: It is beyond "all mind"; that is, beyond our power of thinking.

The unruffled serenity of the infinitely-happy God, the eternal composure of the absolutely well-contented God. Which surpasses all understanding: It isn't that it is senseless and therefore impossible to understand, but that it is beyond our ability understand and to explain - therefore it must be experienced. This peace doesn't just surpass the understanding of the worldly man; it surpasses all understanding. Even the godly man can not comprehend this peace. Guard your hearts and minds: The word guard speaks of a military action.

This is something that the peace of God does for us; it is a peace that is on guard over our heart and mind. When people seem to "lose" their heart or mind, it often is connected to an absence of the peace of God in their life. The peace of God then does not act as a guard for their hearts and minds. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.

Whatever things are true: Paul's list of things on which we should meditate translates well from the Greek to the English; there is no great need for elaboration upon each item.

Noble … just … pure … lovely … good report … virtue … praiseworthy: These, Paul would say, are the fruit and the food of the mind that is guarded by the peace of God. When we put these good things into our mind, they stay in our mind and then come forth from us. Meditate on these things: Much of the Christian life comes down to the mind. What we choose to meditate on matters. What Paul describes here is a practical way to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

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The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do: Paul had the integrity to present himself as an example of all these things to the Philippians. He really could say, "Follow me as I follow Jesus. And the God of peace will be with you: If the Philippians did as Paul has instructed, not only would they have the peace of God, but the God of peace would also be with them. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.

Your care for me has flourished again: This refers to the financial support brought by Epaphroditus Philippians 2: Paul didn't want to imply that the Philippians didn't care before, only that before they lacked opportunity. When they had the opportunity then their care for Paul flourished again. Not that I speak in regard to need: Paul reminded the Philippians that his thankfulness for the Philippians' giving wasn't because he was needy though he was in fact in need , but because it was good for them to be givers.

I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: This was how Paul could say that his thankfulness was not based upon his own need. Even though Paul was in need, he was content where he was at - even in his Roman imprisonment. Paul had to learn contentment; it isn't natural to mankind. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound: Paul reminds us that his contentment was not only theoretical. He actually lived this. Paul had been financially well-off; he had been financially needy.

Paul knew how to be abased. And see how powerfully the grace of Christ supported him under the whole! How few of those who are called Christian ministers or Christian men have learned this important lesson! When want or affliction comes, their complaints are loud and frequent; and they are soon at the end of their patience. Paul also knew how to abound.

When they are put down into the pit with Joseph, they look up and see the starry promise, and they hope for an escape. But when they are put on the top of a pinnacle, their heads grow dizzy, and they are ready to fall.

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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me: This refers to Paul's ability to be content in all things. To achieve this contentment, he needed the strength of Jesus Christ. Pride and ambition are a part of our fallen nature, inciting us to compete with others, rather than to contribute to their well-being. If we are truly humble, we are not impressed with ourselves, and we are not desperately seeking to enhance our own standing.

The translations differ here, and some are misleading, in my opinion.

Study Guide for Philippians 4 by David Guzik

It means, as verse 4 indicates, that we set the interests of our brothers above our own. Their interests are to come higher on our agenda than our own selfish interests. It may be my lunch hour, and I am on my way out the door to get something to eat at a nearby restaurant. An ambulance may arrive just as I am leaving, bringing in a street person who has overdosed on drugs.

Indeed, this person might even be a murderer. Yet at the moment, his life is in great peril. Without prompt attention, this man will die. Regardless of his previous sins, and without regard for my desire to eat, I give this man my full attention and seek to provide medical assistance to him. Humility prompts me to serve others, assigning my interests a lower priority than their needs. I should hasten to say that putting the interests of others ahead of my own does not mean that I should be subject to the selfish desires and whims of everyone who makes ungodly demands of me.

We need to begin this section with a few observations. First, we must observe the structure of this passage. As mentioned earlier, verses fall into two major parts: Second, let us constantly keep in mind the monumental importance of this text. While we do not have the time to pursue this matter in detail, this passage was hotly debated in the fourth century because of its implications regarding the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks to the courage and tenacity of Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, the church stood behind the true and orthodox position that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. Undiminished deity took on perfect and sinless humanity at the incarnation. We may not be able to fully comprehend this mystery, but we must acknowledge it to be true because the Bible says so. Fourth, Paul is not teaching some new doctrine, nor is he seeking to defend a doctrine; Paul is calling attention to a doctrine commonly and strongly held by the church as the basis for maintaining unity and harmony in the church.

In the Book of Galatians, Paul strongly defends the doctrine of salvation by grace, apart from works i. But while the doctrine taught here is foundational to the Christian faith, Paul does not feel obliged to defend it. It is not under attack, at least by those inside the church. Finally, as we study these verses, we should beware of becoming lost in the multitude of details and minute observations which could be made here, and concentrate on the point which Paul is trying to make. This is where some commentaries can be very frustrating, pointing out many small details, and not focusing on the argument Paul is developing.

Understandably such a passage has elicited an enormous amount of scholarly attention, which will not detain us here…. Two matters are important as we approach the passage: Paul has been exhorting the Philippian saints to practice unity and harmony among themselves. He has indicated that the basis for such unity is humility, considering the best interest of others more important than our own 2: Paul now moves to the ultimate example of humility—our Lord Jesus Christ 2: He begins by establishing His position and status, which would give Him claim to certain rights and prerogatives.

Taking into account the additional information supplied by other biblical texts, the essence of verses 2: Our Lord Jesus Christ has always existed as the second person of the Godhead, and He was actively involved in the creation of this world John 1: He existed as God and was fully equal with the Father in His essence.

Even though He was equal with God the Father, He did not seize 43 this as an opportunity to independently further His own interests. How different our Lord was from Satan. Equality with God was never a possibility for Satan because he was a created being, vastly inferior and subordinate to God.

Nevertheless, Satan sought to assert himself and to attain equality with God Isaiah This brought about his downfall and will ultimately end in his eternal destruction Revelation Satan later tempted Adam and Eve to do likewise, assuring them that in disobeying God by eating of the forbidden fruit, they would gain knowledge that would make them like God Genesis 3: It was, of course, a lie, resulting not only in the sin of Adam and Eve but also in the fall of the human race.

Satan sought to do the same thing to our Lord when he sought to tempt Him in the wilderness Matthew 4: Satan sought to persuade our Lord to lay hold of His rights as the Son of God, so that he would act independently of the Father. Though equal with God or, we might say, equally God , our Lord did not seize this as an opportunity to further His own interests at the expense of the Father. It cannot mean that our Lord set aside His deity, that He ceased to be God when He took on human flesh, or even that He diminished His deity, becoming less God however that could be.

Our Lord did not set aside any of His divine attributes. What He set aside, so to speak, was the pursuit of His personal interests, interests that would have been in competition with the Father.

Here is the best illustration that comes to mind. You can imagine some of the ways that a businessman could seize the power of that office as the opportunity to further his own business interests. He could insist that all government agencies use his products. He could punish foreign countries trade agreements, tariffs, customs inspections for not using them. He could use his position and power to destroy his competition. This is why a man who runs for office divests himself of his business interests, usually by placing his business in a kind of blind trust that leaves decisions and control to someone else, making it difficult if not impossible to further his own interests by the misuse of his position and power as a public official.

The businessman does not give away all that he owns; he simply divests himself of the power to profit from his position. He did not cease to be God; He divested Himself of self-interest, so that He could glorify the Father and bring about the salvation of lost sinners. Our Lord did not reduce His deity by taking on human flesh; He added perfect, sinless humanity to His deity, and this was prompted by His humility. The humbling process had several facets. Think of this for a moment. It would be like owning a chauffer-driven limousine, and choosing to give that mode of transportation up to ride a broken-down bicycle.

It would be like living in a castle, constantly attended by servants, always having the finest in food and clothing, and choosing to live in the squalor and poverty in the streets of Calcutta. Since the glory of heaven is beyond our human ability to comprehend it, we have difficulty grasping the sacrifice that was required for our Lord to leave heaven and to live on earth. But that is not all. This is implied by the writer to the Hebrews:.

Our Lord not only suffered as a man, He suffered by living among men. Think of the agony of living among unbelieving men who were hard-hearted Matthew Even the disciples of Jesus were hard-hearted Mark We should not be surprised when we read,. How long must I endure you? Even His closest friends failed to grasp what Jesus taught. When He spoke of His crucifixion, they were thinking and arguing about who was the greatest among them. As He prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, they were thinking about the privileges they would enjoy in the kingdom.

Jesus humbled Himself by taking on humanity, by becoming a man; He humbled Himself by living among sinful men. Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a man, and by dwelling among sinful men. His humbling goes beyond this, however. Our Lord came to earth as a man.. He was, of course, without sin, the spotless Lamb of God John 1: Jesus could have come as One born of noble blood, but instead He was born into a very poor family.

He was born in Bethlehem, and raised in Nazareth, not places of great standing see John 1: But beyond this, He came as a servant, a slave. The Lord of Glory came to earth as a man, not as a man of nobility, but as a most humble man, a servant. His humbling is not yet complete.

It was not enough for Him to come as a man, even as a servant. He came to bear the wrath of God in the place of lost sinners. He came to die the most cruel and ignoble death possible—crucifixion. He who stooped so low in His humility was elevated to the highest possible place of honor by the Father. He who dwelt among men, and who was rejected and crucified by men; is the one to whom every knee will someday bow. Every tongue will confess Him to be Lord of all.

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