3. Their Gift as a Fragrant Offering (4:18-20)
3. Their Gift as a Fragrant Offering to God (4:18-20)
18I have received full payment and even more; I1 am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19And my God will meet2 all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
20Το our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
These sentences belong intimately with vv. 14-17,3 continuing the commercial metaphor while offering reciprocity to their meeting his "need" in v. 16, thus concluding the narrative begun in v. 10. The reason for isolating them is to highlight their relationship with what has preceded and to demonstrate that the passage as a whole is anything but reticent thanks. With a considerable change of metaphors, Paul suggests that the ultimate recipient of their service to Paul is none other than the living God. Their material gift to Paul functioned as a sacrificial offering to God.
Although still using metaphors, this is about as straightforward as one gets in Paul. In v. 18, keeping to the commercial/friendship metaphors from vv. 15 and 17, he specifically acknowledges their gift, sent by way of Epaphroditus (cf. 2:25-30), which he further describes with a sacrificial metaphor. In v. 19, referring back to their meeting his "need" from v. 16, he indicates that God himself will pick up Paul's end of the reciprocity by meeting all their needs. All of which, especially v. 19, leads to a final outburst of praise in the form of a typical Pauline doxology (v. 20).
At the same time, word plays and repetitions abound, some of which are difficult to express in translation, but all of which tie these final sentences to what has immediately preceded (vv. 10-17) as well as to the earlier mention of their gift to him in 2:25-30.4 He begins in v. 18 by capping off the commercial metaphor from vv. 15 and 17 (= "you have paid me in full," Goodspeed), to which he immediately appends the twice repeated verb from vv. 11-12, "I am in plenty"! He starts the next sentence with the verb "I have been filled to the full," which he repeats in v. 19 of God's reciprocation, "God will fill you to the full." His description of their gift as an "acceptable sacrifice" echoes the same metaphor used to refer to their suffering in 2:17 while the metaphor as a whole echoes the language of Epaphroditus's "priestly ministry" on their behalf in 2:25 and 30. That God will "fill to the full" their "need," picks up their ministering to his "need" in v. 16 (and 2:25); while the mention of God in the first position in v. 19, designated as "my God," is picked up again, also in the first position but as "our God and Father," in the doxology in v. 20. And God's supplying their needs in keeping with his riches "in glory" leads to the doxology, where Paul ascribes "glory" to God through eternal ages. All together it is an altogether exquisite passage.
18 With a slightly contrastive "but"5 Paul finally ("at long last" for Western tastes) mentions their gift directly. And he says it expansively, piling up verbs at the beginning6 by which he indicates how richly his own needs have been met by their lavish generosity, and concluding with a change of metaphors expressing God's pleasure over their gift. Apparently concluding the commercial/friendship metaphor, he thus begins, "I have received (payment) in full."7 In this context that probably refers first of all to the matter of their "giving" and his "receiving," hence "full payment." If so, the language is metaphorical, pure and simple, indicating that his "receipt" of what they have "given" puts the "obligation" of friendship back on his side.
But his use of "all things" as the object of the verb, plus his immediately adding "and I abound," seems equally intended to recall vv. 11-13. Paul, who knows both how to be "abased" and how to "abound," has experienced both in his present imprisonment — "humiliation" from the imprisonment itself, the "abounding" at least in part from their gift, as he now acknowledges. Thus, he who has learned to be "content" in all situations "in Christ who empowers him," can say, in acknowledgment of their generosity, "I have all things; indeed, I have more than enough."
As clear indication that this passage is not "thankless," Paul starts all over again, this time with the verb for "being filled to the full."8 As the NIV puts it, and in keeping with the context, "I am amply supplied." The rest of the verse modifies this verb, in two ways: first, by directly mentioning their gift(s) (lit., "the things from you") and their agency ("having received [them] from Epaphroditus"); second, by describing the gift(s) with a metaphor from the OT sacrifices ("a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice"9 ), so as also to indicate divine approval with what they have done ("pleasing to God" 10 ).
On Epaphroditus and his role in bringing their gift to Paul, see on 2:25-30. Paul has already referred to Epaphroditus's "ministry" as a "priestly service" to Paul on their behalf. Here he spells out what that means with language borrowed directly from the LXX, used to indicate the interplay between the human and the divine in the sacrifices. The imagery is that of the burnt offering, which was understood as a "fragrant offering" to God. The picture is that of the "aroma" of the sacrificial fire wafting heavenward — into God's "nostrils," as it were. Properly offered, it becomes "an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to him." This, Paul says, is what their gift has amounted to from the divine perspective.
In its own way this sentence thus responds directly to v. 17. Although he does not "seek the gift" as such, in fact he has received their gift and it has resulted in his now "having plenty." What he does seek, he told them, is "an accrual of interest against your divine account." That, he now tells them with this splendid shift of metaphors, is exactly what has happened. Their gift, which has met Paul's material needs, has by that very fact pleased God, who from this point on becomes the focus of the rest of the passage.
19 The mention of God at the end of the preceding sentence leads directly to this final wrapup of his "rejoicing in the Lord" over their gift, which serves as evidence both of their care for him (v. 10) and their longstanding friendship with him (vv. 15-16). Friendship presupposes reciprocity, mutual giving and receiving. This sentence is a master stroke.11 Although he cannot reciprocate in kind, since their gift had the effect of being a sweet-smelling sacrifice, pleasing to God, Paul assures them that God, whom he deliberately designates as "my God," will assume responsibility for reciprocity. Thus, picking up the language "my need" from v. 16 and "fill to the full" from v. 18, he promises them that "my God will fill up every need of yours."
They obviously have the better of it! First, he promises that God's reciprocation will cover "every need of yours," especially their material needs, as the context demands — but also every other kind of need, as the language demands.12 One cannot imagine a more fitting way for this letter to conclude, in terms of Paul's final word to them personally. In the midst of their "poverty" (2 Cor 8:2), God will richly supply their material needs. In their present suffering in the face of opposition (1:27-30), God will richly supply what is needed (steadfastness, joy, encouragement). In their "need" to advance in the faith with one mindset (1:25; 2:1-4; 4:2-3), God will richly supply the grace and humility necessary for it. In the place of both "grumbling" (2:14) and "anxiety" (4:6), God will be present with them as the "God of peace" (4:7, 9). "My God," Paul says, will act for me in your behalf by "filling to the full all your needs."13
And God will do so, Paul says, "in keeping with his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." The Philippians' generosity toward Paul, expressed lavishly at the beginning of v. 18, is exceeded beyond all imagination by the lavish "wealth" of the eternal God, who dwells "in glory" full of "riches"14 made available to his own "in Christ Jesus."15 God's "riches" are those inherent to his being God, Creator and Lord of all; nothing lies outside his rightful ownership and domain. They are his "in glory" in the sense that his "riches" exist in the sphere of God's glory, where God "dwells" in infinite splendor and majesty, the "glory" that is his as God alone.16 It is "in keeping with"all of this — not "out of" his riches, but in accordance with this norm, 17 the infinite "riches" of grace that belong to God's own glory — that God's full supply will come their way to meet their every need. The language is deliberately expansive; after all, Paul is trying to say something concrete about the eternal God and God's relationship to his people. That is why the final word is not the heavenly one, "in glory," but the combined earthly and heavenly one, "in Christ Jesus." Because Paul has beheld the "glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus" (2 Cor 4:6), expressed in this letter in the majestic Christ narrative in 2:6-11, Paul sees clearly that Christ Jesus is the way God has made his love known and available to his human creatures. This is what the letter has ultimately been all about. It began "in Christ Jesus"; it now concludes "in Christ Jesus." Indeed, even the customary closing greetings focus on Christ Jesus. For Paul, "to live is Christ, to die is gain." Thus the final word in the body of the letter proper is this one, "every need of yours in keeping with the wealth that is his in glory made available to you in Christ Jesus."
This says it all; nothing more can be added.18 So Paul simply bursts into doxology before concluding with his customary greetings.
20 It is no wonder that Paul now concludes the preceding sentence with doxology. The indicative yields to the imperative of worship. When one thinks on the "riches of God" lavished on us in Christ Jesus, what else is there to do but to praise and worship? Christ is indeed the focus of everything that God has and is doing in this world and the next, but God the Father is always the first and last word in Paul's theology. "My God" is now "our God and Father "; and the living God, the everlasting one, who belongs to the "ages of ages,"19 and who dwells "in glory," is now ascribed the "glory" that is due his name.20 All of this, because the Philippians have sent him material assistance to help him through his imprisonment! True theology is doxology, and doxology is always the proper response to God, even — especially? — in response to God's prompting friends to minister to friends.
This passage thus belongs to several such doxologies in the Pauline corpus, which come at varied moments and reflect Paul's true theological orientation. The "amen" with which they conclude, taken over by Christians from the Jewish synagogue, is the last word, our "so be it," not only to the doxology itself but especially to the ultimate eschatological words, "forever and ever." This is our way of acknowledging that "glory to God forever and ever" is the way it is and will be, no matter what we do. So let us, God's people in all times and climes, join the chorus.
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1. Apparently uncomfortable with the asyndeton on this sentence, P46 and 2495 have added a δέ. As with the other expressions of asyndeton in this letter (3:1, 2; 4:4-9), it is part of the letter's rhetorical power, in this case of the cumulative effect of the piling up of verbs expressing lavish generosity.
2. A significant group of early MSS (including D* F G Ψ 6 33 81 104 326 365 1175 1241s 1739 1881 and the entire Latin tradition, plus the Sahidic) read an optative (πλήρωσαι) for Paul's future indicative (πληρώσει). While the change is understandable and fits what Paul well might have done (praying that God will supply their needs in light of their supply of Paul's), the (almost surely original) indicative, besides having the better support (P46 S A B D2 Ρ Maj bo) also better fits the overall sense of the passage, especially the reciprocation of friendship. Contra Wiles (Intercessory Prayers, 101-7, followed by Martin, Hawthorne, and O'Brien), who argues that even though it is declarative, it nonetheless functions as a summarizing wish-prayer. That is to divest it of its contextual roots for the sake of "pan-liturgism." This is not prayer, nor does it function as such. It is theology in the interest of friendship (i.e., reciprocity). Worship comes next (v. 20), as a direct response to the theology expressed in this promise.
3. Indeed, one can no more justify a paragraph break here than at v. 14 or 2:8. See n. 12 on 4:10-20.
4. Not to mention some interesting parallels to the prayer in 1:9-11, pointed out by Wiles (Intercessory Prayer, 104-6); cf. O'Brien, 543-44.
5. Gk. δέ, used in this case to set what follows in contrast to the final demurrer of v. 17, that he is not seeking their gift as such. "But in fact," he now goes on, I have received it as "full payment."
6. Paul's sentence reads, άπέχω δε πάντα και περισσεύω, πεπλήρωμαι . . . (lit.,"I have received in full all things and I abound; I have been filled to the full . . ."). That may be "thankless thanks," in the sense of not using the verb, but it is not "thankless." To the contrary, these words abound with gratitude without using the unnecessary (for friends) verb εύχαριστεΐν (see n. 31 on 4:16).
7. In commercial papyri, the verb, which generally means "I have received," means something close to "paid" (= "to receive a sum and give a receipt for it"); see the sources cited in BAGD; cf. Deissmann (Light, 111-12,331). The combination άπέχειν πάντα would thus mean something like "paid in full." On the other hand, Lightfoot (166) points out the frequency of this combination among Stoic writers, as a near equivalent of αύταρκεία. Just as the "wise man" is "self-sufficient (contented)," so he also "has all things" in this philosophical sense (see, e.g., Epictetus 3.2.13, 3.24.17; Diogenes L. 7.100). Although the present usage may thus conclude the commercial metaphor, the combination άπέχω πάντα xαί vv. 11-13, and thus at the same time brings closure to that theme by way of their gift.
8. Gk. πεπλήρωμαι, which can also mean to "fulfill" or "complete" (as in 2:2), but here and in v. 19, as in 1:11, it carries its basic denotation of "filling up."
9. For this imagery see n. 51 on 2:17.
10. Gk. εύάρεστον τω θεω; for this imagery in Paul see on Rom 12:1-2; 14:18.
11. Because of its content (simultaneously concluding the friendship motif with the most exalted of theological language), not its "form." The attempts to divide the sentence into two halves (by Lohmeyer, followed by Wiles, into a 123/123 scheme; by Schenk, followed by O'Brien, into a 123/321 scheme) are less than persuasive, and each cancels the other out as evidence that Paul's sentence is not self-evidently poetic.
12. Gk. πάσοtv χρείαν υμών; it is the addition of the otherwise unnecessary πάσαν, plus the expansive conclusion, "in keeping with his wealth in glory in Christ Jesus," that makes one think Paul is embracing both their material needs and all others as well. Contra Meyer, Kennedy, Jones, Plummer, Wiles, Martin, et al., who see the combination of the future tense of the verb with the prepositional phrase έν δόξη ("in glory"), in some cases combined with an eschatological reading of v. 17, to refer to eschatological fulfillment exclusively. That an eschatological dimension is inherent in the promise I would not deny (after all, Paul's basic theological framework is his "already/not yet" understanding of present existence); but this object ("every need of yours") makes very little sense as an exclusively — indeed, even as a primarily — eschatological referent. On the other hand, to limit the phrase to material needs in the present, as Hawthorne does, is likewise to miss the force of its sweeping grandeur. Paul could easily have said "your needs"; rather, reflecting on "God's riches in glory in Christ Jesus," he says on an equally grand scale,"every need of yours." It is precisely the expansive quality of this sentence that makes Sampley's suggestion that χρεία also implies "request" come aground (see n. 30 on v. 16, a view that is linguistically suspect at best).
13. This kind of theology, promissory as it is in expression, has inherent in it that"God's riches in glory" and "every need of theirs" are "filled to the full" in God's way and in keeping with his (only good) purposes, not at the Philippians' (or our) beck and call, as it were.
14. Gk. κατά τό πλούτος αύτοϋ. The noun is the common one for "wealth," but occurs with that sense only in 1 Tim 6:17 in the Pauline corpus. Beginning in Romans, and extensively so in the Prison Letters, Paul uses it primarily to refer to some specific aspect of God's "wealth" (Rom 2:4; 9:23; 11:33; Col 1:27; Eph 1:7, 18; 2:7; 3:8, 16). See the useful overview by H. Merklein in EDNT, 3.115-17.
15. These kinds of exquisite moments call for worship (v. 20) because all of our analogies and metaphors are too impoverished to try to catch the sense. One thinks of Annie Johnson Flint's
His love has no limit,
His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto men,
For out of his infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
Wrap up all the personal moments of "riches" into one (the small boy given full rein in the ice cream shoppe; landing on a patch of wild blackberries so full that one could not pick them all in a day; finding pool upon pool of eighteen to twenty-four inch trout in an unfished stream in the Sierra Nevada; and many such experiences) and one can only catch a faint glimmer of what Paul is here recognizing of God's wealth and lavish love for his people — expressed to the full "in Christ Jesus."
16. Gk. έν δόξη, which I take to be locative here (as with the following έν Χριστώ Ίησοϋ), not meaning "in heaven" as such (which is rightly objected to by most scholars), but referring to the ineffable and eternal "glory" in which God dwells, as the context within which God lavishes his riches on his own in Christ Jesus. This is not the common view — indeed the locative is very often dismissed out of hand — but it seems to make the best sense of the sentence as a whole, in which (a) this phrase follows the phrase κατά τό πλοϋτος αύτοϋ, and therefore more naturally qualifies it than the verb, (b) most immediately follows the pronoun αύτοϋ, which refers to God (= the riches of him, in glory), and thus (c) naturally leads to the final qualifier, "in Christ Jesus," as indicating both where and how the riches that belong to God's own ineffable glory are made available to his people.
This view thus solves the inherent difficulties that most interpreters have with the phrase, which they acknowledge, yet reluctantly adopt one option over the others. See n. 12 for a rejection of the totally eschatological view. The other two options are equally difficult to sustain contextually and/or grammatically. Some (e.g., Vincent, Rienecker- Rogers) would take it as adverbially modifying the verb "will fill to the full" (= will gloriously fill to the full), thus indicating the mode or manner of fulfillment. This is possible, but would seem more likely had it immediately followed the verb or otherwise preceded, not followed, "in keeping with his riches." One wonders how the hearer of the letter in Philippi could ever had heard it this way. Others take it, as I do, to modify the preceding phrase: but with an indefensible jump in grammar they turn the adverbial idea of "gloriously" into an adjective "glorious," so as to produce the translation represented by the NIV ("his glorious riches," cf. GNB, NAB, Confraternity, Phillips; the REB's "out of the magnificence of his riches," where an adverbial prepositional phrase now becomes a noun, seems to be based on grammatical wishfulness altogether). This is conceptually congenial, and in the case of Eph 1:18 is grammatically justifiable since "glory" appears in the genitive (= a "descriptive genitive") and may be translated "the riches of his glorious inheritance" (NIV). Even there an adjectival interpretation is unnecessary and seems to miss the sense of the noun "glory" — but how does one justify that grammatically in this instance where there is no genitive? One wonders whether the concept of "dynamic equivalent" should ever allow one to dismiss grammar so casually.
17. While the context of the sentence may also imply "out of," the preposition κατά in fact refers to a standard or norm in accordance with which something is done. Thus Michael's oft-quoted words, "in a manner that befits His wealth — on a scale worthy of His wealth" (226).
18. We need to add a final theological word, however, since this sentence offers the theological basis for everything else in the letter. It is because Paul has caught a glimpse of "God's riches in glory, made available in Christ Jesus," that he speaks as he did in vv. 11-13; in the light of such "wealth," lavishly given in Christ, present "want" or "plenty" has very little bearing. This is also the reason for his counting all things but loss for the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (3:8-10) and for his straining every effort in order to secure the eschatological prize, "the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (3:13-14). Paul has caught a glimpse of God's "riches in glory," put on full display "in Christ Jesus." For Paul that determines everything. And this is the glory that he longs for his Philippian friends to see and experience. Thus the whole letter finds its theological focus in this final word.
19. Gk. είς τους αιώνας τών αιώνων; lit. "unto the ages of the ages," most often translated "for ever and ever." A semitism (although usually in the singular), it occurs in Paul in Gal 1:5; 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Tim 4:18; cf. 1 Pet 4:11 and throughout the Revelation.
20. For this use in doxologies in Paul, see Gal 1:5; Rom 16:27; Eph 3:21; 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Tim 4:18. The word "glory" is one of those biblical words that has entered the casual vocabulary of the church, which in fact is extremely difficult to pin down with precision. See the useful discussions in EDNT, 1.344-48 (H. Hagermann); NIDNTT, 2.44-48 (S. Aalen); TDNT, 2.233-53 (G. Kittel); DPI 348-50 (R. Gaffin).