It’s common in Christian books and messages to discuss principles. By themselves, they can feel dry and abstract. But when they’re backed up by the experience of the writer or speaker, they hit home.
That’s what the apostle Paul does toward the end of his letter to the Philippians. He blends cultural ideas and practices with the spiritual formation of his character and ministry. Here’s the passage (Philippians 4:10-14 in the NASB) I’m referring to:
“10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act.”
“11Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances I am.”
“12I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”
“13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
“14Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my difficulty.”
I indented the verses and used different colors to show how Paul employs a chiastic structure to make his points. This form allows him to repeat himself without boring his audience. It also aids memorization.
In the passage, verses 10 and 14 share a common idea, as do verses 11 and 13. Verse 12 stands by itself. We can think of these as concentric circles (circles within circles like the target at the top of the page). Verses 10 and 14 form the outer ring, verses 11 and 13 make up the inner circle, and verse 12 is the bullseye.
What’s Paul trying to get across in this structured paragraph? With Greco-Roman labels, the key concepts are:
- Patronage (verses 10 and 14)
- Autarky (verses 11 and 13)
- Mystery (verse 12)
I’m sure not a day goes by that you don’t toss around these terms in casual conversation! They may seem odd to us, but these were relevant to Paul’s society. Here’s what they mean in more contemporary language:
- Generosity
- Self-sufficiency
- Secrecy
Over the next three posts, we’ll take a look at each one to learn how Paul thought of himself and his ministry. And then how this impacts our commitment to Jesus Christ.
Patronage/Generosity
According to N. S. Gill, “The people of ancient Rome were divided into two classes: wealthy, aristocratic patricians and poorer commoners called plebeians. Patricians, or upper-class Romans, were patrons to plebeian clients. The patrons provided many types of support to their clients who, in turn, rendered services and loyalty to their patrons.” Without the contributions of their patrons, many lower class people would suffer and their projects would never get done.
It’s amazing that Paul would humble himself by treating the Philippian church as his patron. That must’ve been quite a compliment to those believers! Even if Paul didn’t mean it in a literal sense, he intended to commend the church for its generosity. He was grateful and he let them know it.
And this is something we can apply to our life with the Lord. As we prosper, we have the potential of supporting other believers and ministers. We don’t have to copy what they do, but we can help underwrite their service.
Let’s consider the other side, too. If we oversee a ministry, we shouldn’t turn away the gifts of others. (Unless they’re bribes!) The Spirit leads the members of Christ’s body to care for one another, so it’s no failing if we find ourselves as recipients of grace. That’s how patronage operates in the kingdom of God. Thank the Lord!
Yet Paul’s comments have a touch of restraint. Both verses start with adversatives: “but” in verse 10 and “nevertheless” in verse 14. Why add those words? What’s he contrasting with the generosity of the Philippians? I almost get the impression Paul’s chagrined at having the church support him. But he’s so positive about their care that this seems unlikely. There’s something else at play here.
And we’ll dig into it next week!
