It seems that Saint Paul takes the relations that bind Christians together and applies them to the Philippians and himself. By them he obliges them to obey him and fulfill what he desires from them.
He begins from afar. All Christians are united among themselves in the Lord. Though they may not know one another personally, only say that a certain Christian needs consolation, and every Christian is ready, and feels compelled, to help him as he can.
The Apostle speaks as if to say: Suppose that you and I do not know one another, but are only united in the Lord. I am a man in need, and you are able to help me.
I turn to you as Christians. I need consolation. Console me for the Lord’s sake.
If you recognize the obligation to console a Christian who needs it, if such consolation exists, and if you belong to the circle of those among whom it acts, then give it to me.
If Christians, besides communion in the Lord, have entered into mutual relations and shared active love with one another, then they naturally find delight both in mutual communion and in mutual help.
The Apostle takes this second case and says: if you have tasted the delight of active Christian love, and know how much blessedness it gives to both sides, then by this very delight I implore you, give it to me.
The communion of love may touch only the outward sides of life. But there is also communion in spirit, spiritual, higher, and deepest. Such is, for example, the communion between disciple and teacher, and still more between the preacher of the Gospel and the believers.
The spirit of the preacher of the Gospel is communicated to all and unites all in itself. Here a spiritual kinship arises that cannot be dissolved.
Saint Paul takes this communion in the third place and speaks as if to say: Do you know spiritual communion? Do you know how closely it binds those who enter it? By this communion I ask you to give me joy.
The last form of communion is mercy and compassion. Here Saint Paul leaves that ladder of communion among Christians and turns to the natural feeling of compassion, speaking as if to say: if you have a heart.
Or he ascends further on the same ladder and has in view precisely those acts of compassion and mercy which the Philippians had shown him until now. By this they had shown that they were ready to share everything with the Apostle.
He speaks to them as if to say: by this tenderness of yours, by this readiness of yours to do everything for me, I ask you to gladden me. The latter meaning is more fitting.
Since this passage is somewhat difficult, we shall cite paraphrases from the holy Fathers to make it clearer.
Chrysostom says: “See how the blessed Apostle implores the Philippians for what is profitable to them. See how eloquently, how persuasively, and with what strong feeling he speaks: ‘If there is any consolation in Christ,’ that is, if you have any consolation in Christ. It is as though he said: if you are at all attentive to me, if you love me, if you have ever received any kindness from me, then do this. We use this form of speech more in recalling bodily relations. For example, a father might say to his son: if you have any respect for your father, do this or that. But Paul speaks otherwise. He mentions nothing fleshly, but everything spiritual. The meaning of his words is this: if you wish to give me any delight in temptations and encouragement in Christ, any communion in the Spirit, if you have any mercy and compassion in your heart, then fulfill my joy. Or again: if, he says, I may receive any delight from your love, if I may have communion with you in the Spirit and communion with you in the Lord, if I may hope for mercy and compassion from you, then repay all this with love. I have received all this if you love one another.”
John of Damascus writes: “Wishing to incline them to concord, he binds them as with an oath, saying: I adjure you by the consolation with which Christ has consoled us. I adjure you by the love and communion of the Spirit, by the mercy and compassion of God. Fulfill my joy, that is, be of one soul.”
These are the words of Oecumenius: “If you wish to give me consolation in temptations, or any delight moved by love, if you have communion with me in the Holy Spirit, and if there is any mercy and compassion in you, fulfill my joy. Love one another. It is as though he said: if you must repay me for my labors for your sake, then repay me with this: be of one soul and one mind.”
However one understands the terms used here, it is clear that the holy Apostle sets forth things dear to the Philippians themselves. He shows that they will offend these very things if they do not do what he commands them.
At the same time it is clear that if they do for him what he indicates, and if they fulfill his exhortation, they will give him consolation in the Lord, the delight of love, and spiritual communion expressed with mercy and compassion.
The Apostle’s speech is fatherly and moving.
THEOSIS