Philippians 2:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If this feeling were stronger among those who bear the Christian name, everything would disappear that degrades Christian societies and makes them like ordinary sinful human societies. Everything that hinders the Church of God from growing and being strengthened on earth would disappear.

As long as you regard another as worthy of honor, and he regards you likewise, nothing unpleasant will ever occur. For humility is the cause of every good." "Selfhood, or egoism, makes itself the goal and others the means. Christian love, born of self-denial, makes others the goal and itself the means. From the first comes division, but from the second a living union. In a living organism each member does only what is needed for the others. So also in society, when each cares for the good of others, there will be an organic, living union of all, where each cares for all and all for each. Therefore the Apostle Paul here points to the most powerful means toward concord" (Bishop Theophan).

This vow is firm by royal law. It is firm by the name of God. It is firm in each of us by the heart's disposition toward the King.

Therefore, if the charge of violating this vow were to fall upon anyone among us, it would painfully wound not him alone, but all of us.

Yet the more we all value fidelity to the King, the more each of us must be attentive to possess this quality in full strength and perfect purity.

The King, according to the true understanding of him, is the head and soul of the kingdom. Do not object to me that the law should be the soul of the state.

Law is necessary, venerable, and beneficent. Yet law in charters and books is a dead letter.

For how often has it been seen in kingdoms that the law in the book condemns and punishes crime, while crime is committed and remains unpunished?

The law in the book orders public ranks and their affairs, yet meanwhile they fall into disorder. Law, dead in the book, comes alive in those who act.

The supreme agent of the state, who also arouses and animates the subordinate agents according to the law, is the King. Therefore the King, according to the true understanding of him, must be the soul of the kingdom.

As soul and body are one, so the King does not separate himself from his kingdom. Therefore he requires fidelity from us not only to himself as a separate person, but also to himself as living one common life with the kingdom.

He requires fidelity not only for himself, but also for the good of the kingdom. From this it follows that the man fully faithful to the King is the one who orders his activity according to his position in the kingdom.

He orders it so that, as far as possible, it corresponds to the lawful will of the King and to his care for the common and private good.

The purity of fidelity will be defined for an attentive man by his conscience. It will inwardly bear witness that he performs the works required by fidelity from a sense of duty and love for the King and the Fatherland.

It will also bear witness that he does not act from personal designs, and does not cover unlawful and vicious motives with plausible deeds as with a mask.

For these thoughts about fidelity to be successfully brought into public and private life, and turned into corresponding deeds, there is nothing better than this.

Let faithful sons of the earthly kingdom follow the guidance given in the word of God to the faithful sons of the prepared and awaited Kingdom of heaven:

"That you be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one soul and one mind. Do nothing through rivalry or vainglory, but in humility of mind let each esteem the other better than himself. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:2-4).

In a great society, with the multitude and diversity of subjects and affairs about which one must think, deliberate, compose laws, rules, and decisions, and put them into action, some difference of mind is unavoidable.

But if difference of mind grows strong, then the unrestrained struggle of opinions may serve not to build up the common good, but to destroy it.

Therefore, you who wish to be faithful to the common good, strive as far as possible "that you all be of the same mind," that you be "of one mind."

But how can one attain unity of mind when, among many people, different views of matters and differences of opinion are unavoidable because of differences in character, education, and direction?

For this, strive to be "of one soul." Set the common good as the center of your aspirations. Unite in the desire for the common good.

A man's good will has a great and beneficent power over his own mind. Kindness of soul also easily inclines the minds of others toward itself.

When passions do not divide hearts, truth enters without hindrance and unites minds.

There are obstacles also to public unity of soul. People have many private desires and personal designs that divide them, or produce collision instead of union.

Against this the apostolic word gives the following instruction: "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

By the law of society, it is permitted to seek "one's own": one's needs, one's safety, one's peace, even one's advantage and one's precedence.

Yet because human desires are without limit, if no boundary is placed on the seeking of "one's own," the common good will be torn apart. Even the foundation of society will be shaken.

For the foundation of society consists in sacrificing a greater or lesser share of small personal and private powers and means, and in return making use of the great powers and means of society.

Since the advantages and privileges of some members, or of one part of society, often affect others by limiting their advantages and privileges, the danger grows.

The more immoderately some seek their advantages and privileges, the more they dispose others to dissatisfaction and opposition. From this an inward and harmful struggle may arise in society.

Be provident, then. Preserve yourselves and others from unpleasantness and difficulty. Limit your seeking of "your own." Better still, beyond this, "look also to the interests of others."

Strive, as far as possible, that your welfare not only does not hinder the welfare of others, but even favors it.

You who have authority, do not seek only "your own." Do not love arbitrary rule, ungoverned by law, justice, and goodness.

"Look also to the interests of others." Moderate your authority, as far as this is compatible with preserving order. Do not constrain the freedom of those under authority, as far as it is useful and not abused.

The more this is so, the more honored authority will be, and the more faithful obedience will be.

But you also, who are under authority, do not seek only "your own." Do not strive selfishly and willfully to diminish your obligations before authority or to enlarge your freedom.

"Look also to the interests of others." Consider that the one who has authority over you has it for the ordering and preservation of your good.

Give him the means for this through your voluntary obedience and steadfast fulfillment of your duties. Then you will be more dear to authority.

Then you will give greater opportunity for its care to relieve your difficulties and improve your condition.

You who possess wealth, do not seek only "your own," namely, the increase of wealth. "Look also to the interests of others."

Do not miss occasions to help the needy. Do not choose, for the increase of your possessions, means that constrain or exhaust others.

And you, humble one of the earth, who by some labor for others obtains your daily bread, do not look only to "your own," but also to the interests of others.

Do not think only of having bread and payment for your labor securely. Just as faithfully, without negligence, omission, substitution, or deception, do the work entrusted to you for the benefit of others.

Do this as faithfully and without loss as you desire to receive your recompense.

Thus in every rank and condition, let us arouse and direct our activity not by self-love and self-interest, but by goodwill and love for our neighbors, both generally and particularly.

Then each of us, according to his measure, can aid the public good and good order. We can appear truly faithful not only before the King and the Fatherland, but also before God.

For God will reward the one "faithful in a little" with "much" in His Kingdom (Lk 16:10). Amen.

"When each, leaving his own things, cares for the good of another, so that this results: I care for what is yours, and you for what is mine, then from this comes not a human life, but an angelic one" (Oecumenius). "Where this happens, there is no longer room for vainglory, combative zeal, or any evil at all. There divine life is established" (blessed Theophylact). The Apostle presents the model of all virtues disposing us to this in Christ the Savior, who humbled Himself for our sake (2:5-11).