Just as Christ endured death, even death on a cross, knowing that God would exalt Him on the other side of the cross, so also Paul could endure any physical suffering or lack, even to the point of death, knowing that his union with the exalted Christ ensured his own eventual exaltation as well.

Rejoicing in All Circumstances

Perhaps the best-known example of Paul’s admonition to rejoice in all circumstances is found in Philippians 4:10–13. Paul expresses his joy that the Philippians have renewed their concern for him by sending Epaphroditus to him. Though their love for him had not changed, they did not have an opportunity to express that concern in a tangible way (Phil. 4:10). Although this had brought him joy, Paul is also quick to point out that his joy did not depend on the Philippians’ aid (Phil. 4:11). As Hansen points out, “His great joy had nothing to do with the fact that the receipt of gifts met his dire needs.”¹ Rather, his joy was in the Philippians’ ongoing concern for him, and this joy flows from the deeper reality of their shared union with Christ.

He had learned in every circumstance to be “content” (autarkēs). This noun in Philippians 4:11 is unique in the New Testament, and a cognate noun only appears twice.² The word also appears in the Psalms of Solomon, an early Jewish document written sometime in the first or second century BC, where it refers to a “sufficient supply” of God’s provision (Pss. Sol. 5:16).³ All of these texts reflect an attitude of contentment and faith in the Lord’s provision of what is necessary.

Paul prefaces this expression of contentment by insisting that he is not speaking of being in need (Phil. 4:11). For a prisoner in an imperial jail in Rome, this is a curious statement to make. We might assume that since Paul’s basic needs were met, he would be content; however, this fails to recognize the often destitute condition of a prisoner in first-century Rome. Paul would have been completely dependent on others to provide most of his basic necessities.⁴ Nevertheless, he did not look to the Philippians to provide his most fundamental needs.⁵

Read More