. 1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:1-7 ESV
As Paul begins to draw his letter to a close, he repeats a phrase he used at the very beginning.
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel… – Philippians 1:27 ESV
Paul bookended his letter with the same thought, and he used the Greek word, stēkō to convey it. It is a word that conveys the idea of standing fast, even in the face of adversity. Paul was encouraging his flock to persevere and persist in their faith, no matter what happened around them. There would be opposition and obstacles, but they were to remain solidly committed to the cause of Christ – together. Remember, Paul is addressing the whole community of believers. He is speaking to them as if they are one because he knows that their unity will be the key to their growth and effectiveness. This idea of standing firm was a staple in Paul’s letter, and its repeated use reveals his firm belief in its importance.
With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. – 2 Thessalonians 2:15 NLT
So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. – 1 Thessalonians 3:7-8 NLT
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT
Notice that Paul linked this perseverance to a variety of things. He described its foundation as being the clear, unadulterated teaching of the gospel. And that gospel message was to be based on the Lord, Jesus Christ, and Him alone. Which belief in that gospel message requires faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
And here in chapter four, Paul reminds his readers to stand firm in the Lord. It was their faith in Jesus that would make possible their perseverance and persistence in the faith. Any deviation or distraction from the pure gospel message of faith in Christ alone would leave them unstable and capable of anything, including disunity, immorality, and a failure to shine as lights “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation” (Philippians 2:15 ESV).
Having reiterated his call to perseverance, Paul turns his attention to a specific case where it was desperately needed within the local congregation at Philippi. Most likely, Paul had been made aware of the ongoing problem between Euodia and Syntyche by Epaphroditus when he arrived in Rome to minister to Paul. We are not given any clue as to the nature between these two individuals, but they were clearly members of the church family in Philippi, and they were experiencing some kind of conflict between themselves that was having an impact on the entire congregation. Perhaps there were others who were taking sides with one or the other of these women, and the dispute between them was beginning to divide the church.
Regardless of the cause of their conflict, Paul calls them to “agree in the Lord.” On closer inspection, we can see that Paul is actually revisiting a phrase he used earlier in his letter, when he told the church to “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 ESV). Paul used the Greek words, touto phroneō. Here in chapter 4, when addressing these two women, Paul used the same basic words, autos phroneō. He wanted them to have the attitude or mindset of Christ. He was calling them to view their conflict as Christ would. With humility, selflessness and a willingness to put the needs of the other ahead of their own.
And Paul points out that these two women had been key participants in spreading the gospel in Philippi. They had labored side by side with him during his time in the city. So, their personal disagreement was having a negative influence on the flock. And Paul was concerned enough to mention these two women by name and to solicit the involvement of others in mediating a solution. He specifically mentions someone whom he describes as his “true companion” or “loyal yokefollow.” We are not told who this individual was, and there are some translators who believe that this designation should be translated as a proper name, Syzygus. But whoever this individual was, Paul wanted them to get involved. The unity of the body was at stake and the cause of Christ was too important to allow this disagreement to continue.
Paul’s reference to these women’s’ names being written in the book of life lets us know that he was convinced of their salvation. These were not two unbelievers bringing their conflict into the local body of Christ. It was a case of two mature Christ-followers allowing their personal and, most likely, petty disagreement to disrupt the unity of the church. They were not exhibiting the mindset of Christ. And they were not standing firm in the faith.
While the next verse seems to indicate that Paul is done addressing the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche, I would suggest that he is making a direct appeal to them. Rather than bickering and fighting with one another, Paul challenges them to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4 ESV). It is difficult to remain fixated on what you believe to be a personal slight when your eyes are focused on Jesus. It is almost impossible to see yourself as suffering injustice if you keep in mind all that Christ suffered on your behalf. And rejoicing in the Lord and arguing with your neighbor is virtually impossible to do at the same time.
And Paul calls on these two women, and everyone else in the church, to practice “reasonableness.”
The Greek word contains connotations of gentleness, yielding, kindness, patience, forbearance, leniency, and magnanimity. (Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on Philippians).
Those characteristics are antithetical to a spirit of disagreement and disunity. And Paul reminds these two women that their decision to seek unity will be a tangible demonstration of what it means to have the mind of Christ. Their choice to resolve their disagreement will be a witness to the resurrection power Paul talked about earlier in this letter.
Again, while the words contained in these verses most certainly applied to the entire congregation, it seems likely that Paul was still addressing the situation between Euodia and Syntyche. And his message to them was clearly aimed at each and every believer in Philippi. He reminds them that the Lord is at hand. In other words, He is coming back and they should live with their eyes focused on the promise of His return, not their petty disagreements and personal slights. They were to live as if the Lord could return at any moment. And Paul knew that if they lived as if eternity was right around the corner, the cares of this world would lose their power over them. And he also knew that their disagreement was most likely based on a fear of being taking advantage of. There was something personal driving the conflict between them. Which is why Paul states, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6 ESV).
If they felt they were being taken advantage of, they were to take the matter to God. Rather than disputing with one another, they should be taking their cares and concerns to God. Addressing the problem of lawsuits being filed between members of the church in Corinth, Paul asked, “Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?” (1 Corinthians 6:7 NLT). If in the pursuit of peace and unity, you suffer loss, you can take your need to God. Demanding your rights before men will never substitute for the joy of sharing your needs with God. You may win an argument, but you won’t enjoy peace. You may get the upper hand in a dispute, but you’ll never know what it is like to have God’s blessing.
And Paul reminds every single believer in Philippi that taking their problems, cares, conflicts and concerns to God will always bring the best outcome.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 4:7 NLT
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson