Philippians 4:9

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) Ye have both learned, and received.—The reference is here to St. Paul’s teaching, which he “delivered” to them (see 1Corinthians 15:1-3; Galatians 1:12) as a message, “received” by revelation of God, and which they “received” accordingly.

Heard, and seen in me.—Here the reference is to his example, as subsidiary to his teaching and confirmatory of its truth.

The God of peace.—The inversion (compared with Philippians 4:7) is striking. To have the “peace of God” with us is much; to have “the God of Peace” Himself with us is more. With this promise the Letter itself ends. What follows is but postscript.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:2-9 Let believers be of one mind, and ready to help each other. As the apostle had found the benefit of their assistance, he knew how comfortable it would be to his fellow-labourers to have the help of others. Let us seek to give assurance that our names are written in the book of life. Joy in God is of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it. It more than outweighs all causes for sorrow. Let their enemies perceive how moderate they were as to outward things, and how composedly they suffered loss and hardships. The day of judgment will soon arrive, with full redemption to believers, and destruction to ungodly men. There is a care of diligence which is our duty, and agrees with a wise forecast and due concern; but there is a care of fear and distrust, which is sin and folly, and only perplexes and distracts the mind. As a remedy against perplexing care, constant prayer is recommended. Not only stated times for prayer, but in every thing by prayer. We must join thanksgivings with prayers and supplications; not only seek supplies of good, but own the mercies we have received. God needs not to be told our wants or desires; he knows them better than we do; but he will have us show that we value the mercy, and feel our dependence on him. The peace of God, the comfortable sense of being reconciled to God, and having a part in his favour, and the hope of the heavenly blessedness, are a greater good than can be fully expressed. This peace will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus; it will keep us from sinning under troubles, and from sinking under them; keep us calm and with inward satisfaction. Believers are to get and to keep a good name; a name for good things with God and good men. We should walk in all the ways of virtue, and abide therein; then, whether our praise is of men or not, it will be of God. The apostle is for an example. His doctrine and life agreed together. The way to have the God of peace with us, is to keep close to our duty. All our privileges and salvation arise in the free mercy of God; yet the enjoyment of them depends on our sincere and holy conduct. These are works of God, pertaining to God, and to him only are they to be ascribed, and to no other, neither men, words, nor deeds.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do - That is, what you have witnessed in me, and what you have learned of me, and what you have heard about me, practice yourselves. Paul refers them to his uniform conduct - to all that they had seen, and known, and heard of him, as that which it was proper for them to imitate. The same thing, substantially, he urges in Philippians 3:17; see the notes at that verse. It could have been only the consciousness of a pure and upright life which would make such counsel proper. How few are the people at this day who can urge others to imitate all that they have seen in them, and learned from them, and heard of them.

And the God of peace shall be with you - The God who gives peace; compare Hebrews 13:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; see also the notes at Philippians 4:7. The meaning here is, that Paul, by pursuing the course of life which he had led, and which he here counsels them to follow, had found that it had been attended with the blessing of the God of peace, and he felt the fullest assurance that the same blessing would rest on them if they imitated his example. The way to obtain the blessing of the God of peace, is to lead a holy life, and to perform with faithfulness all the duties which we owe to God and to our fellow-men.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. both—rather, "The things also which ye have learned … these practice"; the things which besides recommending them in words, have been also recommended by my example, carry into practice.

heard—though ye have not yet sufficiently "received" them.

seen—though ye have not as yet sufficiently "learned" them [Bengel].

and—"and then," as the necessary result (Php 4:7). Not only "the peace of God," but "the God of peace" Himself "shall be with you."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Those things, which ye have both learned; he recommends to their serious practice not new things, but those weighty matters which they had before learned of him when preaching amongst them.

And received, and heard; yea, and approved as worthy to be kept.

And seen in me; and that all things might be more lively and affecting, with an increase of words, he moves with this, that his doctrine was exemplified by his own practice when amongst them, (as he had hinted before, Philippians 3:17), expressing the same thing by his life which he did by his word, 1 Timothy 4:12 1 Peter 5:3.

Do; whereupon he would have them to be doers also of the same things, 1 Thessalonians 1:6 2:13 Hebrews 13:7 Jam 1:22.

And the God of peace shall be with you; and in this practice you have comfort from the presence of the God of peace, (as above, Philippians 4:7), who will embrace and prosper you, being reconciled to you in Christ, and at peace with you: so Romans 15:5,33 16:20 2 Corinthians 13:11 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

These things which ye have both learned,.... Meaning from himself, in a doctrinal way:

and received; not only into their heads but hearts, had embraced cordially, with great affection, in the love thereof, as well as given a full assent to:

and heard; either publicly or privately, from the pulpit, or in conversation; or had heard of him when absent, or from him when present:

and seen in me: in his life and conversation, which were well known, and were a pattern to them that believe; and therefore he adds,

do; practise the same things which they had learned from him as their duty, and had heard him urge as such, and had seen exemplified in himself:

and the God of peace shall be with you; to give that peace which is beyond the conception of a natural man, and the expression of a spiritual one, and is the great preservative through Christ; and to enable to do and to continue to do the above things, and to keep them from all harm, and every enemy of their souls; to favour them with his gracious presence here, and with endless peace hereafter.

Geneva Study Bible

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Php 4:9. It is hardly possible, with Ell[41]., to refer ἃ καὶ κ.τ.λ. immediately to the preceding, without forcing the construction.—ἐμάθ. κ. παρελ. plainly refer to the definite Christian teaching he had set himself to give them. παραλαμβάνω is used regularly of “receiving” truth from a teacher.—ἠκ. κ. εἴδ. ἐν ἐ. This is the impression made upon them by his Christian character, apart from any conscious effort on his part. Cf. chap. Php 3:17.—ὁ Θ. τ. εἰρ. See on Php 4:8 (ad init.). It is quite possible that he has partly in view the disregard of these ethical qualities as threatening the harmony of the Church, and as, so far, to blame for the divisions already existing.

[41] Ellicott.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. Those things &c.] On the apparent egotism of this appeal, see on Php 3:17. R.V. renders, somewhat better, The things &c.

have doth learned &c.] Better, both learned &c. The verbs are aorists, and the reference is to his long-past residence at Philippi.

received] Cp. 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 1:9; Colossians 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:1. In all these cases the verb is used of learning a truth passed on by another.

seen] Saw. See note 1 on this verse. in me] As specimen and model. See note on Php 1:26. Strictly speaking, the “in me” refers only to the “saw”.

do] Practise, as a holy habit.

and] See first note on Php 4:7.

the God of peace] Author and giver of the peace of God. Cp. for the phrase Romans 15:33; Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20. And see 2 Thessalonians 3:16. In 1 Corinthians 14:33 we have, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace”; and there the “peace” is evidently Christian social peace, rather than that which resides in the spirit of the saint, or has to do with his personal relations with God (and cp. 2 Corinthians 13:11). But the two are closely connected; the Divine peace in the individual tends always, in its right development and action, to the peace of the community, for it means the dethronement of the spirit of self. St Paul may thus have had in view here the need of more harmony among the Philippians, and of a nobler moral and spiritual tone (Php 4:8) as an aid towards it. But the whole context is so full of the highest aspects of Christian experience that we take the present phrase to refer primarily, at least, to God as at peace with His people, and making peace within their hearts; the “Lord of the sabbath” of the soul.

Bengel's Gnomen

Php 4:9. Ἃ καὶ) Those things which also [But Engl. Vers. “which ye have both learned and,” etc.] Καὶ, also, connects this verse with the following words, not with the preceding words. He makes a transition from what is general (ὅσα, whatsoever) to what regards Paul. There would have been place for the καὶ, and, before ἃ, which [i.e. but for the Asyndeton], the word καὶ, also, still remaining [i.e. in order to connect this ver. with what follows bearing on Paul in particular].—ἠκούσατε, ye have heard) although you have not yet sufficiently (παρελάβετε) received them.—εἴδετε, ye have seen) although ye have not as yet sufficiently learned them (ἐμάθετε).—[54] Ὁ ΘΕῸς Τῆς ΕἸΡΉΝΗς, the God of peace) not only the peace of God, Php 4:7, but God Himself.

[54] καὶ ὁ Θεὸς, and the God) This refers also to (think on) have respect or regard to (λογίζεσθε).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do. St. Paul turns from contemplation to practical life: they must translate into action the lessons which they received from him. The verbs are aorists and refer to the time when he was among them. He taught not by word only, but by living example; they saw in him when present, and heard of him when he was absent, a pattern of the Christian life. And the God of peace shall be with you. God dwells with those who think holy thoughts and live holy lives; and with him comes the peace which is his, which he giveth (comp. Romans 15:33). Philippians 4:9