Lecture 2 — Contentment through Christ

^4:10^ Now I rejoice in the Lord exceedingly that now at length your thought for me has flourished again, as you also once thought; but you were busy. [n. 165]

^4:11^ I do not speak on account of my want. For I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. [n. 169]

^4:12^ I know both how to be brought low, and I know how to abound (everywhere and in all things I am instructed): both to be full and to be hungry: both to abound and to suffer need.

^4:13^ I can do all things in him who strengthens me. [n. 174]

^4:14^ Nevertheless, you have done well in communicating to my tribulation. [n. 175]

^4:15^ And you also know, O Philippians, that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, except you alone. [n. 176]

^4:16^ For unto Thessalonica also you sent once and again for my use. [n. 177]

^4:17^ Not that I seek the gift: but I seek the fruit that may abound to your reason.

^4:18^ But I have all and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things you sent, an odor of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. [n. 179]

^4:19^ And may my God supply all your want, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. [n. 180]

^4:20^ Now to God and our Father be glory, world without end. Amen.

^4:21^ Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.

^4:22^ The brethren who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you: especially they that are of Caesar’s household.

^4:23^ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

165. Above, the Apostle showed how the faithful should conduct themselves in regard to the future; here he commends them for past benefits conferred by them.

First, he gives the commendation;

second, he ends the epistle with a prayer and a greeting, at and may my God supply.

In regard to the first he does two things.

First, he commends them for past favors;

second, he explains the favor more fully, at I do not speak.

The first is divided into three parts:

first, he expresses the joy he experienced from their favor;

second, he commends their favor, at that now at length;

third, he excuses their slowness, at but you were busy.

166. He says, therefore: I urged you to rejoice; but** now I rejoice, because of what you have done and for the things themselves, but I do so in the Lord**: I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (Hab 3:18). I rejoice, I say, exceedingly, because of my children.

167. Then he states the reason for his joy when he says, that now at length your thought for me has flourished again. Good works are acts of mercy and they are called flowers, because just as the fruit is produced after the flower, so from acts of mercy the fruit of eternal life is received: my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit (Sir 24:17). Therefore, when a good work is interrupted and then resumed, it is said to flower again. But they once provided for the Apostle, and now they provided again; therefore he says that they have** flourished again**. He explains this when he says that it was your thoughts for me that flourished, i.e., you sympathized with me: as it is right for me to think this for you all (Phil 1:7); you are to be called the king’s friend and you are to take our side and keep friendship with us (1 Macc 10:20). As you also once thought, of old, namely, when you provided for me. And you have done this now at length, i.e., although it is late, you have done something. Always in my prayers making request, if by any means now at length I may have a prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you (Rom 1:10).

168. Then when he says, but you were busy, he excuses their slowness. As if to say: I do not lay it to negligence but to necessity, because you were busy with the tribulations you suffered: much labor was created for every man (Sir 40:1).

169. Then when he says, I do not speak on account of my want, he begins to comment on the favor they did.

First, why it is a reason for joy;

second, he mentions a past favor, at and you also know;

third, he commends it, at but I have all and abound.

In regard to the first he does three things: first, he excludes a supposed reason for joy;

second, he mentions his own constancy of mind, at for I have learned;

third, he approves their kindness, at nevertheless, you have done well.

170. He says, therefore: I do not rejoice** on account of my want **being relieved by you, although it was serious: I have tried you in the furnace of poverty (Isa 48:10); yet it depresses only the spirit of those who are delighted with riches or who glory in their substance.

171. Therefore, the Apostle is not saddened by poverty. The reason for this is his constancy of mind, which he mentions first; and second its cause, at I can do all things.

First, he mentions his constancy in a particular case;

second, universally in all things, at everywhere and in all things.

172. He says, therefore: I do not fear poverty, because I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. For nothing so well demonstrates the mind of a perfect wise man as knowing how to make use of every state in which he finds himself. For just as a good leader in any army is the one who acts as circumstances require, and a good tanner is one who makes the best leather from each hide; so he is perfect who knows how to make the best of his state: if he is in lofty state, he is not lifted up; if in the lowest state, he is not dejected. Therefore he says, I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content: the Lord God has opened my ear and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward (Isa 50:5).

If I have a little, it is enough; if I have much, I know how to be moderate. He explains himself, saying, I know . . . how to be brought low. Now, abasement sometimes denotes a virtue: he who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 18:14); and sometimes a low condition: his feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron (Ps 105:18). This is what he means when he says, I know . . . how to be brought low, i.e., how to endure a lowly condition with equanimity, as is becoming.

And because men are exalted by riches and humbled by poverty, there is danger in each of these conditions: because abundance may raise the mind against God, and poverty withdraw it; hence it is stated in Proverbs: give me neither poverty nor riches (Prov 30:8).

173. But the Apostle knows how to employ virtue in both; therefore, eveywhere and in all things, i.e., in all places, affairs, states and conditions I am instructed: in all things let us conduct ourselves as God’s ministers (2 Cor 6:4).

174. Then when he says, I can do all things, he reveals the cause of his constancy saying, I can do all things in him who strengthens me. As if to say: I would not be able to endure want, unless the hand of God supported me: the hand of the Lord was strong upon me (Ezek 3:14); they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isa 40:31).

175. But are the things we sent superfluous, since you know how to endure want? No, because although I know how** to suffer need**, which is a virtue, you ought not withdraw your help: contribute to the needs of the saints (Rom 12:13); you had compassion on the prisoners (Heb 10:34).

176. Second, he recalls a past favor, at and you also know, O Philippians. For he had received nothing from certain ones, such as the Corinthians and Thessalonians, because the Corinthians were covetous and became annoyed when they ministered to him; and because the Thessalonians were given to idleness, he labored, giving them an example of work. Yet the Philippians were good, whether he was present or absent; hence he says in 2 Corinthians: I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you (2 Cor 11:8). **No church communicated with me as concerning giving **temporal things and receiving spiritual things **except you alone. If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? (1 Cor 9:11)

177. For unto Thessalonica also you sent once and again for my use. This is the reason why the Pope can take from one church to help another; but not without cause.

Not that I seek the gift. Here it should be noted that when a person gives something to someone else, two things should be considered: the substance of the gift and the merit of the donor. One who takes joy in temporal things rejoices in the substance of the gift and looks only for donors; this is a hireling. But one who looks at the merit of the donor looks for the fruit of virtue and justice; such a one is a shepherd.

178. But I seek the fruit that may abound to your reason. Reason is said in two ways. Either according as it is a power of the soul, and in this way every virtue is of the reason: your rational worship (Rom 12:1). Sometimes it is accounting and calculation: who wanted to settle accounts with his servants (Matt 18:23). Therefore, he says, abound to your reason, because they gave more than they were required: for some gave while he was among them, but others even gave while he was in Rome.

179. **But I have **what you sent. I am filled, having received these things you sent, an odor of sweetness, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. A pleasing odor to the Lord (Lev 4:31). For the devotion of the offerer is a sweet odor to God; and of all offerings an alms is very beneficial: do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God (Heb 13:16).

180. Then when he says, may my God supply all your want, he brings the epistle to a close with a prayer, and first he provides the prayer: and may my God. There is one God of all men by creation and power; but he is my God, because I serve him in a special way: for God is my witness whom I serve (Rom 1:9). May he** supply all your want**, because you have supplied mine. The Lord can do this because he abounds according to his riches: the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him (Rom 10:12); hence he says, according to his riches. And this, in glory, because in glory all his desires will be satisfied: as for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness (Ps 17:15). I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear (Ps 102:5). And this, in Christ Jesus, i.e., through Christ: by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises (2 Pet 1:4).

For all these things, to God, to the Trinity, and our Father be glory: to the only God, be honor and glory, world without end (1 Tim 1:17). A world is the space or duration of a generation or of the memory of men.

181. Then he gives the greeting when he says, greet every saint in Christ Jesus, i.e., those who believe in Christ, because they were sanctified by Christ: so Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood (Heb 13:12).

Especially they that are of Caesar’s household. This shows that he converted many from Caesar’s household: so that my bonds are* *made manifest in Christ, in all the court and in all other places. (Phil 1:13). But although it is stated in Matthew that those clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings (Matt 11:8), nevertheless to help the good and to hinder the wicked, it seems to be lawful for holy men to dwell in the courts of kings, but not for the sake of voluptuous pleasures and desires. Therefore, he says, they that are of Caesar’s household, in order to arouse their joy and faith.

Then he writes a greeting in his own hand: the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.