Philippians 4:12
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul doesn't just mean he's used to hardship and plenty; he uses a word that means "initiated into a mystery." This means he's learned a profound, secret truth about contentment that goes beyond mere habit, a truth only those initiated into Christ's way truly grasp.
Paul is writing from prison, expressing deep gratitude for the Philippian believers' generous gift, which they sent to him despite their own financial struggles. He then transitions to explain that his contentment isn't dependent on their support or his circumstances, which have varied greatly throughout his ministry. This verse serves as the foundation for his declaration in the following verse that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.
Paul uses a surprising word here, borrowed from ancient mystery religions. What does it mean to be 'initiated' into contentment?
The apostle Paul drops a powerful word here: 'I have learned the secret' (or 'I have been initiated'). The Greek word (memuemai) was used for those who were initiated into the secret rites of ancient mystery religions. These initiations revealed profound truths only to those who went through the process.
Paul is saying that his ability to be content in any circumstance – whether in plenty or in hunger, abundance or need – is not accidental. It's a learned, deeply ingrained discipline. It’s a secret knowledge, a spiritual understanding, that the world doesn't grasp.
This isn't just about putting on a brave face; it's about an internal transformation. He's been trained in this unique way of living, a way that transcends external conditions.
Does 'being content' mean just putting up with whatever life throws at you? Paul's words suggest something much richer.
Paul's teaching here isn't about passively accepting his lot in life. He 'knows how to be brought low' and 'how to abound.' This implies active engagement with his circumstances.
The crucial insight is that both extremes require specific grace and learned responses. Prosperity can be just as spiritually perilous as poverty. Paul’s learned secret is how to live rightly before God in both conditions.
Understand the original words
tapeinousthai · Greek Verb
To be brought low or humbled, often referring to a state of being brought down from a position of prosperity or status to one of poverty or difficulty. In a Christian context, it relates to the trials that test faith.
perisseuein · Greek Verb
To have more than enough or to overflow; it is used here to describe a state of material or situational prosperity. It signifies an abundance that exceeds immediate requirements.
mystērion · Greek Noun
The Greek word 'mystērion' refers to a truth hidden in God's eternal plan but now revealed to His people. It is a spiritual secret or truth that is not discernable by human wisdom but is known through revelation.
The 'secret' Paul learned wasn't just about enduring hardship, but a profound spiritual discipline developed through years of varied experiences – from founding churches and facing persecution to periods of relative comfort and periods of extreme need, all understood through the lens of his intimate relationship with Christ.
c. AD 49
Council of Jerusalem
The early church grappled with how Gentile believers should live, affirming that salvation is by grace through faith, not adherence to Mosaic Law. This established a foundational understanding for Paul's ministry to the Gentiles.
c. AD 50-52
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
During his time in Corinth, Paul supported himself by tentmaking and faced significant opposition and hardship, demonstrating his resilience and reliance on God.
c. AD 57
Imprisonment in Ephesus or Caesarea
Paul experienced severe trials and imprisonment, which he recounts in letters like 2 Corinthians. These experiences tested his faith and taught him profound lessons about contentment in all circumstances.
c. AD 60-62— this verse
Paul's House Arrest in Rome
While under house arrest in Rome, Paul was able to receive visitors and continue his ministry. The Philippian believers sent Epaphroditus with a generous gift to support him during this time, prompting this letter.
This passage reveals God's intention to teach His people that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God, highlighting the spiritual sustenance that is more crucial than physical provisions, a truth Paul lived out.
1 Kings 17:8-16This story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath shows God providing miraculously in times of extreme scarcity, demonstrating that even in dire need, faithfulness to God can lead to unexpected provision.
2 Corinthians 11:23-28Paul's own testimony here details a life of severe hardship, hunger, and need, directly illustrating the 'abased' state he describes in Philippians 4:12, yet he perseveres in his ministry.
Matthew 6:25-33Jesus teaches His followers not to worry about their physical needs, but to seek God's kingdom first, assuring them that God will provide, which aligns with Paul's learned contentment regardless of circumstance.
1 Timothy 6:6-8This passage emphasizes that godliness with contentment is great gain, stating that believers brought nothing into the world and can take nothing out, so having food and clothing should be enough, echoing Paul's learned sufficiency.
barnesPhilippians 4:12: "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."
I know both how to be abased - To be in circumstances of want. And I know how to abound - To have an abundance. lie had been in circumstances where he had an ample supply for all his needs, and knew what it was to have enough. It requires as much grace to keep the heart right in prosperity, as it does in ad…
gillPhilippians 4:12: "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."
I know both how to be abased,.... Or "humbled"; to be treated with indignity and contempt, to be trampled upon by man, to suffer hardships and distress, to be in a very mean and low condition, to work with his own hands, and minister to his own and the necessities of others in that way; yea, to be in hunger…
Paul doesn't just mean he's used to hardship and plenty; he uses a word that means "initiated into a mystery." This means he's learned a profound, secret truth about contentment that goes beyond mere habit, a truth only those initiated into Christ's way truly grasp.
Paul is writing from prison, expressing deep gratitude for the Philippian believers' generous gift, which they sent to him despite their own financial struggles. He then transitions to explain that his contentment isn't dependent on their support or his circumstances, which have varied greatly throughout his ministry. This verse serves as the foundation for his declaration in the following verse that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.
Paul is writing from prison, expressing deep gratitude for the Philippian believers' generous gift, which they sent to him despite their own financial struggles. He then transitions to explain that his contentment isn't dependent on their support or his circumstances, which have varied greatly throughout his ministry. This verse serves as the foundation for his declaration in the following verse that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him.
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c. AD 62-64
Writing of Philippians
Paul writes the letter to the Philippians from his Roman imprisonment, expressing gratitude for their gift and offering profound teachings on joy, contentment, and Christian living, including his famous statement about learning to abound and be abased.
"I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." — Paul doesn't just mean he's used to hardship and plenty; he uses a word that means "initiated into a mystery." This means he's learned a profound, secret truth about contentment that goes beyond me…
