Stand fast in the Lord

MY joy and my crown – My honour and greatest ornament; or for whose knowledge and profiting in the Gospel through my labours among you, a crown is laid up for me in heaven, 2 Tim 4:8.

so stand fast – He exhorteth them not barely to stand, but so to stand that they did not fall, 1 Cor 10:12. in the Lord – Hereupon he adds in the Lord, i. e. Considering their relation unto Christ, they would derive power and virtue from him, into whom they were implanted, to persevere conformable to his will, in Christian concord, till they were made like to him, Phil 3:21, with 1:27; John 15:4, 7; 1 Cor 15:58; 16:13; Gal 5:7; Eph 6:11, 14.

I beseech Euodias, and I beseech Syntyche – After his general persuasive to perseverance he doth here particularly by name with great affectionateness importune two women, who had been very useful in that Church for the furtherance of the Gospel that they would come to a better understanding of each other, and the interest of Religion amongst them who received the Gospel upon Paul ‘s preaching, Acts 16:13. that they be of the same mind in the Lord – As he had moved all to love, unity, and amity, (as it became disciples of Christ) Phil 2:2. So he doth here especially move them unto unanimity according to the mind of the Lord, and his way, for the sake of him whose honour is to be preferred to all private concerns, Rom 15:5.

I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche – Two women, who were members of this church at Philippi, and who seem to have been at variance; either with each other, on account of some temporal and civil things, as often is the case of the dear children of God, who fall out by the way; … or else with the church, having entertained some sentiments in religion different from it; being drawn aside by false teachers from the simplicity of the Gospel, and their steadfastness in the faith; and this may rather be thought to be the meaning, since the apostle would scarcely take notice of a private difference in so public a manner, and since this exhortation follows so closely the former.

true yoke-fellow – By yoked-fellow the Apostle understandeth not his wife, as some of the ancients imagined: for he had no wife when he wrote his first Epistle to the Corinthians, as appears, 1 Cor 7:7, and we read not that ever he married afterwards; but either he understandeth the husband of one of the women he mentioned before, or some chief and principal pastor to whom the Epistles of the Apostles were usually addressed, and by them afterwards read before all the congregation.

And I intreat thee also, true yoke-fellow … Some conceive by yoke-fellow here is meant the lawful husband of one of the forenamed honourable matrons: others, one called by that proper name in Greek but the Epithet annexed doth not so well suit. It may suffice to say it was an intimate colleague and sincere companion of Paul ‘s who was a like affected with him drawing in the same yoke, for the furtherance of the Gospel, his genuine helper. … with Clement also – Clement probably was some Church Officer of Roman extract in that Colony at Philippi, (whether he, about whose order in the Catalogue of Roman Bishops, Historians dispute, there is no certainty.)¹

And I entreat thee also, true yoke fellow – besides, the word used is of the masculine gender, and designs a man and not a woman: some think it is the proper name of a man, who was called “Syzygus”, and so the Arabic interpreter seems to understand it; … but it seems most likely to have been one that was under the same yoke of the Gospel, and who had been employed with him in preaching of it, a fellow labourer; such an one as Barnabas, Silas, and Timothy, and might be one of those; or rather Epaphroditus, who was minister in this church, and by whom the apostle sent this letter, and whom he might address and importune in this manner.

Rejoice – He doth here, considering the importance of Christian cheerfulness, which he had twice before put them upon, 2:18; 3:1, stir them up to true rejoicing, not only by repetition of the injunction but by extending the duty. … and again I say Rejoice – Under all conditions. For though there be woe to the enemies of Christ’s cross, who laugh at his followers, Luke 6:25, yet they who are really found in him, have evermore ground of rejoicing, for all the benefits of God they have through him, and the far more excellent, they do expect to receive upon his account, John 16:33; 1 Cor 1:31; 1 Thess 5:16; 1 Pet 1:8.

Rejoice in the Lord alway – This is a repetition of the exhortation in the preceding chapter; … with this addition “alway”; for there is always cause and matter for rejoicing in Christ, even in times of affliction, distress, and persecution; since he is always the same; his grace is always sufficient; his blood has a continual virtue in it, and always speaks for peace and pardon; his righteousness is an everlasting one, and so is his salvation, and such is his love; … [and] again, I say, rejoice; this is what was continually inculcated by him, as being of great importance and use for the comfort of believers, and the honour of Christ.

Let your moderation – Exercising an even temper of mind, in governing the sensual appetite, with modesty, patience, and gentleness, in opposition to all impetuousness, and inordinacy of affections, yea to all excess and exorbitances in words and actions. be known unto all men – Both in the Eye of the Church, and those without, according to our Saviour’s Sermon and example, Matt 5:16, 39–⁠41; 17:27, not rigorously insisting upon our own rights, but with due self denial putting the best construction upon the words and deeds of others, not troubling our hearts, John 14:1, banishing that solicitude about the good things of this life, which he doth in the next verse caution against so, 1 Cor 7:29–⁠31. … The Lord is at hand … But still we must remember, when we conceive of the Lord’s being at hand in regard of death and judgment, we must not take our own but God’s measures, in waiting our appointed time during his pleasure, Matt 24:36; Acts 1:7.

Let your moderation be known unto all men – for moderation lies not in exerting authority and power to the uttermost, at least with rigour, but in showing clemency and lenity; not dealing with men according to the severity of laws and strict justice, but according to equity, and with mildness and gentleness; giving up strict and proper right, receding from what is a man’s due, and not rigidly insisting on it; putting up with affronts and injuries, and bearing them with patience; and interpreting things in the best sense, and putting the best constructions on words and actions they will bear; and in using inferiors and equals with all humanity, kindness, and respect: … this is the moderation here meant, and not moderation in eating and drinking, and in apparel, and in the love and use of, and care for the things of this world; though such moderation highly becomes professors of religion; and much less moderation in religion, or towards the false teachers, thinking and speaking well of them.

supplication with thanksgiving – So David beginneth very often with supplication and tears, but endeth with thanksgiving.

by prayer – By petition or apprecation² of good to ourselves, or others; mercies or blessings temporal spiritual and eternal. and supplication – And by a deprecation of evils felt or feared, wrath and judgments deserved. with thanksgiving – With a grateful acknowledgment of mercies received, benefits conferred, and deliverances vouchsafed (implying that no prayer is acceptable to God, without this ingredient of thankful resentment of his favours.) let your requests be made known unto God – Our affectionate desires should be opened to God, and powered forth before him, not that he is ignorant of us, or our wants in any circumstances, but that he accounts himself glorified by our addresses to him, in seeking to be approved and assisted of him in every condition.

Be careful for nothing – This must be understood not in the most extensive sense, but with a limitation and restriction. … but the carefulness the apostle speaks of, is an anxious solicitude for worldly things, an immoderate concern for the things of life, arising from diffidence, or negligence, of the power, providence, and faithfulness of God: saints should not be anxiously, or in a distressing manner concerned for the things of this world, but be content, whether they have less or more; nor be over much pressed with what befalls them, but should cast their care upon the Lord, and carry every case to him, and leave it there.

peace of God … The true spiritual and incomprehensible rest and quietness of mind wrought by God’s Spirit in your hearts will keep you from all terror, anxiety and trouble. See Romans 5:1. hearts and minds – He divideth the heart and the mind; by the heart, understanding the will and affections; by the mind, the understanding, or intellective faculty.

And the peace of God which passeth all understanding – but either that peace which is made with God by the blood of Christ, and is published in the Gospel of peace, which passes and surprises all understanding of men and angels, that it should be; … or else that peace of conscience, which arises from a view of peace made by Christ; of justification by his righteousness, and atonement by his sacrifice; and which may be called “the peace of Christ”, as the Alexandrian copy reads; both because it is founded upon, and springs from him, and is what he is the donor of.

Finally brethren – As to what remains, he doth with the fair compellation of Brethren furthermore propose to their serious consideration living in the neighbourhood of the Gentiles what he doth here hastening to a conclusion heap up and fold together especially whatever, whatsoever things are true – Agrees with truth in doctrine, in word; and conversation which show candour and sincerity of conscience, both with reference to believers and to infidels, Ps 15:4; Eph 4:14–⁠15, 25. … honest – Venerable and grave as becometh the Gospel, Phil 1:27, to adorn the Gospel of God our Saviour, Rom 12:17; 13:12; Titus 2:10, avoiding what may argue levity or dishonesty in gesture, apparel, words and deeds, 2 Cor 8:2. whatsoever things are just – Giving what is due to every one by the law of nature, or nations, or the Country, without guile and not injuring any one, Ruth 3:13; Neh 6:11; Matt 22:21; Rom 13:7–⁠8; Col 4:1; 1 Tim 5:8; Titus 1:8; 2:12.

Those things which ye have both learned – He recommends to their serious practice not new things, but those weighty matters which they had before learned of him, when preaching amongst them. … and seen in me – And that all things might be more lively and affecting with an increase of words, he moves with this that his doctrine was exemplified by his own practice when amongst them as he had hinted before, 3:17) expressing the same thing by his life, which he did by his word, 1 Tim 4:12; 1 Pet 5:3.