Philippians 4:12-13
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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul uses a word that means "initiated into mysteries" to describe his learned contentment, suggesting that a truly satisfied heart in any circumstance is a profound secret revealed only to those who are initiated into Christ's way of life. This implies it's not just about willpower but a deeper, spiritual understanding of where true sufficiency lies.
Paul is responding to the Philippian church, who had sent him financial support through Epaphroditus after a long time. He reassures them that he doesn't want them to worry about him, for he has learned a profound contentment, a "secret" that allows him to thrive whether he has much or little. This learned contentment is not just about enduring hardship, but about maintaining a right heart and mind in every circumstance, whether abundant or scarce.
Ever feel like you're constantly chasing the 'next thing'? Paul had a radical approach to satisfaction, no matter his circumstances.
Paul wasn't just saying he could handle tough times; he was declaring mastery over his own needs and desires.
Two Sides of the Coin
Paul had learned to navigate both extremes, finding a stable inner life regardless of external fortunes. It wasn't a passive acceptance, but an active, learned skill.
Paul uses a word that suggests a secret club or hidden knowledge. What was this profound secret he learned?
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The Greek word Paul uses, often translated as 'instructed' or 'learned,' literally points to being initiated into sacred mysteries.
The Mystery of Contentment
This implies that true contentment isn't just a mental state but a divinely imparted wisdom, a 'secret' accessible to those who are 'initiated' through Christ.
Life is rarely a straight line. Paul understood the unique challenges that come with constant change.
Paul highlights that life isn't lived in stable conditions but in constant flux. The real test of his learned contentment came in the transitions between states.
Navigating Life's Shifts
This teaches us that our spiritual growth isn't just about weathering storms, but about learning to adjust our sails gracefully when the winds change direction.
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.
endynamounti · Greek Verb
The act of being physically strengthened or empowered. In the New Testament, it refers to the divine infusion of power (dynamis) by the Holy Spirit or Christ that enables the believer to live for God and endure trials.
Paul's profound ability to be content in any circumstance, whether abundance or scarcity, stems from a deep, learned 'initiation' into God's ways, not merely outward conditions. This inner discipline was forged through his lifelong experiences of severe hardship and surprising provision as he lived out his apostleship.
c. AD 40-50
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul undertakes extensive missionary journeys across the Roman Empire, facing numerous hardships, including shipwrecks, imprisonment, beatings, and severe poverty, as he spreads the gospel.
c. AD 55-57
Imprisonment in Ephesus or Caesarea
Paul likely experiences periods of imprisonment, where he might have been more reliant on the support of churches like Philippi.
c. AD 60-62— this verse
Imprisonment in Rome
Paul is imprisoned in Rome, awaiting trial. During this time, he is under house arrest but still able to receive visitors and write letters, including the Epistle to the Philippians.
c. AD 62
Philippians Receive Paul's Letter
The church in Philippi receives Paul's letter, which was written during his Roman imprisonment. They had recently sent financial support to Paul, prompting this expression of his contentment.
This passage shows Job's profound contentment and trust in God, even when stripped of everything material, echoing Paul's ability to be content in 'abased' circumstances.
Proverbs 30:8-9Agur prays for neither extreme poverty nor riches, seeking contentment with just enough. This reflects the balance Paul has learned, avoiding the pitfalls of both excessive want and overwhelming abundance.
2 Corinthians 11:23-27Paul lists his numerous hardships and sufferings, demonstrating his experience with 'being abased' and 'suffering need' for the sake of the Gospel, aligning with his learned contentment.
Matthew 6:25-33Jesus teaches his followers not to worry about material needs but to seek God's kingdom first. This sermon provides the foundational principle for the practical 'secret' Paul claims to have learned.
1 Timothy 6:6-8This passage directly links godliness with contentment, stating that 'godliness with contentment is great gain' and that 'we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.' It amplifies Paul's understanding of true 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 uses a word that means "initiated into mysteries" to describe his learned contentment, suggesting that a truly satisfied heart in any circumstance is a profound secret revealed only to those who are initiated into Christ's way of life. This implies it's not just about willpower but a deeper, spiritual understanding of where true sufficiency lies.
Paul is responding to the Philippian church, who had sent him financial support through Epaphroditus after a long time. He reassures them that he doesn't want them to worry about him, for he has learned a profound contentment, a "secret" that allows him to thrive whether he has much or little. This learned contentment is not just about enduring hardship, but about maintaining a right heart and mind in every circumstance, whether abundant or scarce.
Paul is responding to the Philippian church, who had sent him financial support through Epaphroditus after a long time. He reassures them that he doesn't want them to worry about him, for he has learned a profound contentment, a "secret" that allows him to thrive whether he has much or little. This learned contentment is not just about enduring hardship, but about maintaining a right heart and mind in every circumstance, whether abundant or scarce.
"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. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." — Paul uses a word that means "initiated into mysteries" to describe his learned contentment, suggesting that a truly satisfied heart in any circumstance is a profound secret revealed only to those who…
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