A distinctive feature of the righteous in all the times was considered, if not as a total indifference, at least, as a sober calm relation towards these circumstances of life, in which it was. And the problem here is not in the ascetic indifference to everything which takes place all...
A distinctive feature of the righteous in all the times was considered, if not as a total indifference, at least, as a sober calm relation towards these circumstances of life, in which it was. And the problem here is not in the ascetic indifference to everything which takes place all around, but in this system of values and priorities of the life, which is inherent to everyone, going on the way of righteousness. We could have said that to the one who put himself on this way, it does not simply remain time for lamentations about the difficulties of life, also, as for the demonstrations of exuberant joy about their absence. But the problem is not only in it: the way of righteousness supposes the understanding by man of the simple fact that the question of good and evil, quite as the question of choice between them (the key issue on the way of righteousness) is connected not at all with the question on the difficulties of life or with their absence.
Neither poverty, nor wealth in themselves justify any sin. When it comes to the spiritual way of the Christian, all this is true to an even greater extent. Indeed, the way of the righteous in the pre-Christian era meant the choice of the laws of the Kingdom, despite the fact that the Kingdom had not entered our world and our lives yet. After the coming of Christ, opens to every Christian the possibility of joining this Kingdom, to try what is that life, of which the righteous of early eras could only guess.
On the background of this new life, the difficulties of the old life, the life of our not yet transformed world, only go to the second plan, unless the life of the Kingdom really became for us a reality, if we are Christians in deeds, and not only in our own imagination. And Paul, for whom the Kingdom and his life became an absolute reality, witnesses of his own indifference to the difficulties of life and the external conditions, as of something obvious. That is only how the Christian should look at everything which doesn’t influence on his life in the Kingdom.
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4:10 I rejoiced greatly - St. Paul was no Stoic: he had strong passions, but all devoted to God. That your care of me hath flourished again - As a tree blossoms after the winter.Ye wanted opportunity - Either ye had not plenty yourselves, or you wanted a proper messenger.
4:11 I have learned - From God. He only can teach this.In everything, therewith to be content - Joyfully and thankfully patient. Nothing less is Christian content. We may observe a beautiful gradation in the expressions, I have learned; I know; I am instructed; I can.
4:12 I know how to be abased - Having scarce what is needful for my body. And to abound - Having wherewith to relieve others also. Presently after, the order of the words is inverted, to intimate his frequent transition from scarcity to plenty, and from plenty to scarcity. I am instructed - Literally, I am initiated in that mystery, unknown to all but Christians.Both to be full and to be hungry - For one day. Both to abound and to want - For a longer season.
4:13 I can do all things - Even fulfil all the will of God.
4:15 In the beginning of the gospel - When it was first preached at Philippi. In respect of giving - On your part.And receiving - On mine.
4:17 Not that I desire - For my own sake, the very gift which I receive of you.
4:18 An odour of a sweet smell - More pleasing to God than the sweetest perfumes to men.
4:19 All your need - As ye have mine. According to his riches in glory - In his abundant, eternal glory.