 |  |
should remember that before there was a complete N.T. the truth of God was learned,
received, heard and seen in the lives and practice of the Apostles. They were indeed a
living Bible! May we in our measure live the truth every day in the sight of others who
are often totally ignorant of God and His Word.
No.50.
The Epistle to the Philippians (17).
pp. 21 - 25
The Apostle Paul now gives attention to the gift the Philippian church had sent by
means of Epaphroditus (4: 18):
"But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye have revived your thought for
me; wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity" (4: 10 R.V.).
The arrival of the gift caused great rejoicing in the Apostle's heart to the Lord. Paul
was a man who was obviously sensitive where gifts of money or goods were concerned.
The last thing he wanted was for anyone to think that he expected them to give him
presents. He had a natural independence that could never stoop to begging. Yet on the
other hand, when such gifts were made as a free expression of love, he was deeply
touched and showed his appreciation. This is seen quite clearly in the context we are
considering.
He declared that the Philippians' concern for him had flourished again. Not that they
had forgotten his needs, but they had had no previous opportunity of showing practically
their regard for him. Anethalete is found only here in the N.T. but is used in the LXX of
Ezek. 17: 24 of trees `blooming again'. Ekaireisthe (you were unable to find occasion)
is another word occurring only once in the N.T. and rarely elsewhere. Normally Paul
supplied his own needs by working with his own hands, although he had declared that
those who proclaim the gospel should live of the gospel (I Cor. 9: 11-15), yet he hated to
be a burden to anyone:
". . . . . I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents,
but the parents for the children" (II Cor. 12: 14).
Although he was obviously in need in his Roman prison, yet he would never complain
about it, and now he is going to explain to the Philippians how it was possible to be
completely independent of circumstances:
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,
therein to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in
everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry,
both to abound and to be in want. I can do all things in Him that strengtheneth me"
(Phil. 4: 11-13, R.V.).
The Apostle had indeed "learned", but it was not from a book but rather in the
school of experience. Autarkes is yet another word only occurring here, meaning