4:1 {Longed for} (epipothˆtoi). Late and rare verbal adjective (here alone in N.T.) from epipoqew. {So stand fast} (houto stˆkete). Present active imperative of stekw (late present from perfect hesteka from histemi). See #1:27. They were tempted to defection. Standing firm is difficult when a panic starts.

4:2 {Euodia} (Euodian). this name means literally "prosperous journey" (eu, hodos). It occurs in the inscriptions. {Syntyche} (Suntuchˆn). From suntugcanw, to meet with and so "pleasant acquaintance" or "good-luck." Occurs in the inscriptions and identified with Lydia by some. Klopper suggests that each of these rival women had church assemblies in their homes, one a Jewish-Christian church, the other a Gentile-Christian church. Vincent doubts the great influence of women in Macedonia held by Lightfoot who also suggests that these two were ladies of rank or perhaps deaconesses of the church in Philippi. Schinz suggests that in such a pure church even slight bickerings would make a real disturbance. "It may have been accidental friction between two energetic Christian women" (Kennedy).

4:3 {True yokefellow} (gnˆsie sunzuge). All sorts of suggestions have been made here, one that it was Lydia who is termed Paul's wife by the word sunzuge. Unfortunately for that view gnˆsie is masculine vocative singular. Some have suggested it as a proper name though it is not found in the inscriptions, but the word does occur as an appellative in one. Lightfoot even proposes Epaphroditus, the bearer of the epistle, certainly a curious turn to take to address him. After all it matters little that we do not know who the peacemaker was. {Help these women} (sunlambanou autais). Present middle imperative of sunlamban", to seize (#Mt 26:55), to conceive (#Lu 1:24), qen to take hold together with one (associative instrumental case), to help as here (#Lu 5:7). "Take hold with them." {They labored with me} (sunˆthlˆsan moi). First aorist active indicative of sunaqlew (for which see #1:27) with associative instrumental case (moi). {With Clement also} (meta kai Klˆmentos). There is no evidence that he was Clement of Rome as the name is common. {In the book of life} (en bibl"i zwes). The only instance of this expression in the N.T. outside of the Apocalypse (#3:5; 13:8; 17:8, etc.). Hence real Christians in spite of their bickerings.

4:4 {Again I will say} (palin er"). Future active indicative of defective verb eipon. {Rejoice} (chairete). Present active imperative as in #3:1, repeated for emphasis in spite of discouragements. Not in the sense of "Farewell" here.

4:5 {Your forbearance} (to epieikes humwn). "Your gentleness," "your sweet reasonableness" (Matthew Arnold), "your moderation." Old adjective (epi, eikos) as in #Jas 3:17; 1Ti 3:3. Article and neuter singular here= hˆ epieikeia (#Ac 24:4; 2Co 10:1) like to chrˆston in #Ro 2:4. {The Lord is at hand} (ho kurios eggus). "The Apostle's watchword" (Lightfoot), as in #1Co 16:22 (maran aqa, Aramaic equivalent, Our Lord cometh). Unless, indeed, eggus here means near in space instead of {nigh} in time.

4:6 {In nothing be anxious} (meden merimnate). Present imperative in prohibition, "stop being anxious." See me merimnate in #Mt 6:31. {With thanksgiving} (meta eucharistias). In all the forms of prayer here named thanksgiving should appear.

4:7 {The peace of God} (hˆ eirene tou qeou). See in #2Th 3:16 "the Lord of peace" (ho kurios tˆs eirˆnˆs) and verse #9 for "the God of peace" (ho qeos tes eirenes). {Shall guard} (phrourˆsei). "Shall garrison," future active indicative of frourew, old verb from frouros (pro-horos, prooraw, to see before, to look out). See #Ac 9:24; 2Co 11:32. God's peace as a sentinel mounts guard over our lives as Tennyson so beautifully pictures Love as doing.

4:8 {Finally} (to loipon). See on ¯3:1. {Whatever} (hosa). Thus he introduces six adjectives picturing Christian ideals, old-fashioned and familiar words not necessarily from any philosophic list of moral excellencies Stoic or otherwise. Without these no ideals can exist. They are pertinent now when so much filth is flaunted before the world in books, magazines and moving-pictures under the name of realism (the slime of the gutter and the cess-pool). {Honorable} (semna). Old word from seb", to worship, revere. So revered, venerated (#1Ti 3:8). {Pure} (hagna). Old word for all sorts of purity. There are clean things, thoughts, words, deeds. {Lovely} (prosphilˆ). Old word, here only in N.T., from pros and filew, pleasing, winsome. {Of good report} (euphˆma. Old word, only here in N.T., from eu and feme, fair-speaking, attractive. {If there be any} (ei tis). Paul changes the construction from hosa (whatever) to a condition of the first class, as in #2:1, with two substantives. {Virtue} (arete). Old word, possibly from areskw, to please, used very often in a variety of senses by the ancients for any mental excellence or moral quality or physical power. Its very vagueness perhaps explains its rarity in the N.T., only four times (#Php 4:8; 1Pe 2:9; 2Pe 1:3,5). It is common in the papyri, but probably Paul is using it in the sense found in the LXX (#Isa 42:12; 43:21) of God's splendor and might (Deissmann, _Bible Studies_, p. 95) in connection with "praise" (epainos) as here or even meaning praise. {Think on these things} (tauta logizesthe). Present middle imperative for habit of thought. We are responsible for our thoughts and can hold them to high and holy ideals.

4:9 {In me} (en emoi). Paul dares to point to his life in Philippi as an illustration of this high thinking. The preacher is the interpreter of the spiritual life and should be an example of it. {These things do} (tauta prassete). Practise as a habit (prassw, not poiew).

4:10 {I rejoice} (ecaren). Second aorist passive indicative of cairw, a timeless aorist. I did rejoice, I do rejoice. {Greatly} (megal"s). Old adverb, only here in N.T., from megas (great). {Now at length} (ˆdˆ pote). In N.T. only here and #Ro 1:10. pote is indefinite past (interval), ede immediate present. {Ye have revived} (anethalete). Second aorist active indicative of old poetic word (Homer), anaqallw, to sprout again, to shoot up, to blossom again. So in the LXX five times, though rare and literary word. {Your thought for me} (to huper emou phronein). Accusative case of the articular present active infinitive the object of anethalete used transitively. "You caused your thinking of me to bloom afresh." {Wherein} (ef' hwi). "In which,"upon which" (locative case). A loose reference to Paul's interests as involved in their thinking of him. {Ye did indeed take thought} (kai ephroneite). Imperfect active, "ye were also (or had been also) thinking." {Ye lacked opportunity} (ˆkaireisthe). Imperfect middle of akaireomai, late and rare word, here only in N.T., from akairos (a privative, kairos), not to have a chance, the opposite of eukairew (#Mr 6:31).

4:11 {In respect of want} (kaq' husterˆsin). Late and rare word from husterew, to be behind or too late, only here and #Mr 12:44 in N.T. {I have learned} (emathon). Simply, "I did learn" (constative second aorist active indicative of manqanw, to learn, looking at his long experience as a unit. {In whatever state I am} (en hois eimi). "In what things (circumstances) I am." {To be content} (autarkes einai). Predicate nominative with the infinitive of the old adjective autarkes (from autos and arkew, to be self-sufficient), self-sufficing. Favorite word with the Stoics, only here in N.T., though autarkeia occurs in #2Co 9:8; 1Ti 6:6. Paul is contented with his lot and he learned that lesson long ago. Socrates said as to who is wealthiest: "He that is content with least, for autarkeia is nature's wealth."

4:12 {I know how} (oida). Followed by the infinitive oida has this sense. So here twice, with tapeinousthai, to be humbled, from tapeinos, and with perisseuein, to overflow. {Have I learned the secret} (memuˆmai). Perfect passive indicative of muew, old and common word from mu", to close (Latin _mutus_), and so to initiate with secret rites, here only in N.T. The common word musterion (mystery) is from mustes (one initiated) and this from muew, to initiate, to instruct in secrets. Paul draws this metaphor from the initiatory rites of the pagan mystery-religions. {To be filled} (chortazesthai). Old verb from cortos (grass, hay) and so to fatten like an animal. {To be hungry} (peinain). Old verb from peina (hunger) and kin to penes, poor man who has to work for his living (penomai).

4:13 {I can do all things} (panta iscuw). Old verb to have strength (iscus). {In him that strengtheneth me} (en twi endunamounti me). Late and rare verb (in LXX) from adjective endunamos (en, dunamis). Causative verb to empower, to pour power into one. See same phrase in #1Ti 1:12 t"i endunam"santi me (aorist tense here). Paul has such strength so long as Jesus keeps on putting power (dunamis) into him.

4:14 {That ye had fellowship} (sunkoin"nˆsantes). First aorist active participle (simultaneous action with the principal verb kalws epoiˆsate). "Ye did well contributing for my affliction."

4:15 {In the beginning of the gospel} (en archˆi tou euaggeliou). After he had wrought in Philippi (#2Th 2:13). {Had fellowship} (ekoin"nˆsen). "Had partnership" (first aorist active indicative). {In the matter} (eis logon). "As to an account." No other church opened an account with Paul. {Of giving and receiving} (dose"s kai lˆmpse"s). Credit and debit. A mercantile metaphor repeated in verse #17 by eis logon humwn (to your account). Paul had to keep books qen with no other church, though later Thessalonica and Beroea joined Philippi in support of Paul's work in Corinth (#2Co 11:8f.). {But ye only} (ei me humeis monoi). Not even Antioch contributed anything but good wishes and prayers for Paul's work (#Ac 13:1-3).

4:16 {Once and again} (kai hapax kai dis). "Both once and twice" they did it "even in Thessalonica" and so before Paul went to Corinth." See the same Greek idiom in #1Th 2:18.

4:17 {I seek for} (epizˆt"). Old verb, in N.T. only here and #Ro 11:7 (linear present, I am seeking for). Lightfoot calls it "the Apostle's nervous anxiety to clear himself" of wanting more gifts. Why not say his delicate courtesy?

4:18 {I have all things} (apecw panta). As a receipt in full in appreciation of their kindness. apecw is common in the papyri and the ostraca for "receipt in full" (Deissmann, _Bible Studies_, p. 110). See #Mt 6:2,5,16. {I am filled} (peplˆr"mai). Perfect passive indicative of plerow. "Classical Greek would hardly use the word in this personal sense" (Kennedy). {An odor of a sweet smell} (osmˆn eu"dias). Osmˆ, old word from oz", to smell. Eu"dia, old word from eu and oz". In #Eph 5:2 both words come together as here and in #2Co 2:15 we have eu"dia (only other N.T. example) and in verse #2Co 2:16 osmˆ twice. Eu"dias here is genitive of quality. {Sacrifice} (qusian). Not the act, but the offering as in #Ro 12:1. {Well-pleasing} (euareston). As in #Ro 12:1.

4:19 {According to his riches in glory} (kata to ploutos autou en doxei). God has an abundant treasure in glory and will repay the Philippians for what they have done for Paul. The spiritual reward is what spurs men into the ministry and holds them to it.

4:20 {The glory} (he doxa). "The doxology flows out of the joy of the whole epistle" (Bengel).