Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: PHILIPPIANS #5 - 4:1-23)
K. 4:1-9 PAUL'S 4-FOLD HEART FOR FELLOW-WORKERS AND BELIEVERS
1. 4:1 A HIGH EXHORTAION
HOSte, a-delPHOI mou a-ga-peTOI [27]kai e-piPOthe-toi [1973],
So that, my brethren beloved and longed for,
chaRA [5479] kai STEpaNOS mou, HOUtos STEke-te [4739]en KuRIo, a-ga-peTOI.
my joy and crown, thus stand fast in theLord, beloved.
2. 4:2-3 PAUL'S HEART FOR FELLOW-WORKERS
a. 4:2 I exhort Euodia, and exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in theLord.
Eu-oDIan pa-ra-kaLO[3870], kai SunTUchen pa-ra-kaLO,auTO phroNEIN [5426]en KurRIo.
b. 4:3 A REQUEST TO HELP WORTHY FELLOW-WORKERS
nai, e-roTO[2065]KAI se, GNEsi-e [1103]SUNzu-ge [4805], sun-lamBAnou [4815]auTAIS,
Yes, I ask you also, genuine yokefellow, help them,
HAIti-nes en toeu-ag-geLIosuNETHle-SAN [4866]moi,
who have shared my struggles with me in the gospel,
meTA KLEmen-tos, kai ton loiPON su-nerGON [4904]mou, hon ta oNOma-ta en BIBlozo-ES.
with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in thebook of life.
3. 4:4-7 WORTHY EXHORTATIONS FROM PAUL
a. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: again I will say, Rejoice.
CHAIre-te [5463] en KuRIoPANto-te: PAlin eRO, CHAIre-te.
b. 4:5a Let your gentleness be known to all men.
to e-pi-eiKES [1933] huMON gnosTHEto[1097]PAsin anTHROpois.
c. 4:5b The Lord is near. ho KUri-os egGUS.
d. 4:6 ALSO FOR PRAYER FOR ALL THINGS
In nothing be anxious; but in everything by :prayerand supplication with thanksgiving
ta aiTEma-ta [155]huMON gno-riZEStho[1107]pros ton TheON.
let your :requests be made known unto :God.
e. 4:7 THE PROMISE: GOD'S GUARDIANSHIP THROUGH PEACE
kai he eiREnetou TheOU, hehu-peREchou-sa [5242]panTA noun,
And the peace of :God, which passes all understanding,
phrouREsei [5432]tas karDIas huMON kai ta noEma-ta [3540]huMON en ChrisTOIeSOU.
shall guard your :hearts and your :thoughts in Christ Jesus.
4. 4:8-9 A CLOSING WORD
a. 4:8 FINALLY: EIGHT THINGS TO RECKON
To loiPON, a-delPHOI, HOsa esTIN a-leTHE[227], HOsa semNA [4586],
Forthe rest, brethren, whatever thingsare true, whatever arehonorable,
HOsa DIkai-a [1342], HOsa hagNA [53], HOsa pros-phiLE [4375], HOsa EUphema [2163];
whatever arejust, whatever arepure, whatever are lovely, whatever areof good report;
ei a-reTE[703], kai EI tis Epai-nos [1868], TAUta loGIzes-the [3049].
if there be any virtue, and if any praise, take account thereof.
b. 4:9 GOD'S PEACE: REWARD FOR FOLLOWING PAUL'S EXAMPLE
ha kai eMAthe-te [3129] kai pa-reLAbe-te [3880]
What thingsyou both learned and received
kai eKOUsa-te [191]kai EIde-te en eMOI, TAUta PRASse-te: kai ho TheOS tes eiREnes EStai meth' huMON.
and heard and saw in me, these do:and the God of :peace shall be :with you.
I. 4:10-20 A REMARKABLE INSIGHT FROM PAUL ON GIFTS
a. 4:10 COMMENDATION FOR HELP RECEIVED
E-CHAren [5463]DE en KuRIo meGAlos [3171],
But I rejoiced in theLord greatly,
HOti EdepoTE a-neTHAle-te[330]to huPER eMOU phroNEIN [5426];
that now at length you have revived your :thought for me;
eph' hokai e-phroNEIte, e-kaiREISthe [170]de.
in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.
b. 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatever stateI am, to be content.
ouch HOti kath' husTEre-sin [5304]LEgo: eGOgar Ema-thon [3129], en HOIS ei-mi, auTARkes [842]EInai.
c. 4:12 PAUL'S SECRET IN MIDST OF CONTRASTS
OIda kai ta-peiNOUSthai [5013], OIda kai pe-risSEUein [4052]:
I know how to be abased, and I know also howto abound:
en panTI kai en PAsin meMUe-mai [3453]
in everythingand in all thingshave I leaned thesecret
kai chorTAzes-thai [5526] kai peiNAN [3983], kai pe-risSEUein [4052] kai hu-steREISthai [5302].
both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want.
d. 4:13 I can do all thingsin him that strengthens me.
PANta isCHUo [2480]en toen-du-naMOUN-TI [1743]me.
e. 4:14 Howbeit you did well that you had fellowship with my :affliction.
plen kaLOS e-poiEsa-te sun-koi-noNEsanTES [4790]mou te THLIpsei [2347].
f. 4:15-16 CHURCH OF PHILIPPI: ONLY ONE HELPING PAUL
OIda-te de kai huMEIS Phi-lipPEsi-oi HOti en arCHE tou eu-ag-geLIou,
And you Philippians also know that in thebeginning of the gospel,
HOte eXELthon aPO Ma-ke-doNIas, ou-deMIa moi ek-kleSIa e-koiNOne-sen [2841]
when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me
eis LOgon DOse-os [1394]kai LEMpse-os [3028]ei me huMEIS MOnoi;
in thematter of giving and receiving but you only;
HOti kai en Thes-sa-loNIkekai HApax kai DIS eis ten CHREIan [5532]moi ePEMpsa-te.
16for even in Thessalonica you sent both once and twice unto my :need.
g. 4:17 PAUL'S DESIRE: NOT GIFTS FOR SELF - BUT FRUIT FOR BELIEVERS
ouch HOti e-pi-zeTO[1934]to DOma [1390];
Not that I seek for the gift;
alLA e-pi-zeTOton karPON ton ple-oNAzon-ta [4121]eis LOgon huMON.
but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.
h. 4:18 GIFT FROM PHILIPPI: MOST ACCEPTABLE TO GOD
aPEcho[588]de PANta, kai pe-risSEUo[4052]: pePLEro-mai [4137],
But I have all things, and abound: I am filled,
deXAme-nos paRA E-pa-phroDItou ta par' huMON,
having received from Epaphroditus the thingsfrom you,
osMEN [3744]eu-oDIas [2175], thuSIan [2378]dekTEN, euAres-ton [2102]toTheO.
an odor of sweet smell, sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to :God.
i. 4:19 RECOMPENSE IN SUPPLY COMES FROM GOD
ho de TheOS mou pleROsei [4137]PAsan CHREIan [5532]huMON
And my :God shall supply your every need
kaTA to PLOUtos [4149] auTOU en DOxe[1391]en ChrisTOIeSOU.
according to his :riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
j. 4:20a Now to our :God and Father the glory unto the ages of the ages.
tode TheOkai paTRI heMON heDOxa eis tous aiOnas [165]ton aiOnon.
k. 4:20b Amen. aMEN.
J. 4:21-22 THE IMPORTANCE OF GREETINGS
a. 4:21a Salute every saint in Christ Jesus.
AsPAsas-the [782] PANta HAgi-on [40] en ChrisTO IeSOU.
b. 4:21b The brethren :with me salute you.
AsPAzon-tai huMAS hoi sun eMOI a-delPHOI.
c. 4:22 All the saints salute you, and specially they of the household of Caesar.
asPAzon-tai huMAS panTES hoi HAgi-oi, MAlis-ta [3614] de hoi ek tes KAIsa-ros oiKIas.
K. 4:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ bewith your :spirit.
HeCHAris tou KuRIou IeSOU ChrisTOU meTA tou PNEUma-tos huMON.
NOTE: From 1953 to 1958 we pastored the Kostner Avenue Baptist Church of Chicago, a year after I graduated from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary.
This church was founded by Dad Crittenton, former Superintendent of “Pacific Garden Mission” of Chicago, and Kimball Piano CEO. His picture was at the back of the church, and under it a caption, “Just a Little word for Jesus.” He was a faithfulwitness to the wonder of having Jesus as one's Savior and Lord. He was also noted for being one of whom no one had ever heard a critical word pass from his lips concerning a fellow-believer. One man challenged him - “I'll bet you've even got a good word for the devil.” That temporarily stopped him. But soon he brightened and responded, “Well, we couldemulate his zeal!”
This church had seen better days prior to our coming to it in 1953. One of the first things we inaugurated was a “Through the Bible in a Year” reading program. It was the first time the majority of the members had ever read the Bible through. Very soon we had 90% or more of the membership do so. It grew from 16 members in 1953 to 200 in 1958, and in a few years went right on to 800 members. Our members learned to “fast”, and before Revival came, we were having 13 prayer meetings a week. In 1957 we had Pastor Dutchie Booth of Bogalusa, Louisiana come and minister for 8 days. 8 souls came to Jesus at that time, and within 9 months 92 more came, and all stuck!
Many members started not only reading the Bible through in a year, but started memorizing it by chapters and books. My wife Marie memorized the entire book of Philippians at the time our 3 children came! Quite an accomplishment, and quite a book. On September 27th, one day after our oldest son Jim's birthday, we mailed one of the first of the 5 Greek Interlinear Numeric NT readings on this book.
Some 30 years ago, Bob Mumford spoke at the Seattle Arena to some 6000 attendees. When he came to Philippians 4:2, he mentioned that these two ladies were obviously having a somewhat major difference that needed settling. He said, “If you have a church with only two members - these two will be there. 'Euodia' tends to see some others as 'You are odious', and 'Syntyche' tends to be 'Soon Touchy'.” Of course this is a play on words, but what a challenge for us to bring peace between two such personalities. And Bob added - “If you have only two members in your church, you will be one of these two!”
Well - Paul helps us solve such problems, and chapter 4 of Philippians - and the whole book - is a marvelous problem-solving letter! - J.A.W.