Therefore my dearly beloved brethren and most desired, my joy and my crown: so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
ωστε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι και επιποθητοι χαρα και στεφανος μου ουτως στηκετε εν κυριω αγαπητοι
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse
"So," in what manner? As you stood unbending. See how, after the exhortation, he adds praises: "my joy and crown." Not only joy, but glory; not only glory, but a crown.
Nothing is equal to that glory, when they make up Paul's crown. "So stand in the Lord, beloved," that is, in hope in God. "I entreat Euodia, and I entreat Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord."
He says, then: although you see them rejoicing and being glorified, stand as you have stood. Stand in hope that we shall be glorified with Christ, and do not fall away from this hope.
Notice with what praises he exalts them. He says, "brethren," and not simply that, but "beloved." Besides this he adds, "longed for," meaning those whose countenance my soul desires to behold.
Again he says, "my joy," and not only this, but also "my crown," than which nothing is more glorious to him. Before the exhortation he praised them, and afterward he praises them again.
They were therefore dear to Paul, since he deemed them worthy of such great honor.
Paul calls them to stand in the faith, saying that now their steadfastness is his joy, and in the future his crown. For when the disciples conquer in the contest, the teacher is deemed worthy of the crown.
He gives instruction and at the same time writes a great praise, for he says, "I boast and glory in you."
Love and reverence, the sum of all virtues for a Christian, cannot exist unless the faithful possess one being, are established in one, and think upon one.
Therefore, beloved brethren, Paul says, be established now in the Lord. From this I understood that they could think upon one, since Paul says, "beloved brethren."
Then he too will be loved by those who think upon one and are established in one. In whom? Certainly in Christ. For when they all believe alike in Christ, they are established in Him.
The opposite and destructive example of false teachers who forget the highest purpose of life. The Holy Apostle gives this example as a clear proof of the falsity of the teaching of fanatical zealots for Judaism, who tried to draw the Philippians after themselves. As a good tree is distinguished from a bad one by its fruits, so by one's life it is always possible to know who is a true teacher and who is a false teacher. Phil 3:17-4:1. Look at how these Judaizing false teachers live. They are those "of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears," as enemies of the Cross of Christ (Phil 3:18). "Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame. They mind earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ," and so forth. "Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved!" (Phil 3:19-20).
Giving his concluding instructions to the Philippians, the Apostle exhorts them to stand firm in the Lord according to the admonitions already given. He addresses them with various affectionate names: beloved and longed-for brethren, his consolation and crown of glory in the Lord. It is "as though his soul were insatiable in expressions of warm and sweet love. In no other Epistle are such declarations of heartfelt union with those to whom he writes made so often" (Bishop Theophan). In particular, the Apostle exhorts two women, Euodia and Syntyche, to unity of mind in faith. They had once been distinguished by their zeal in assisting the preaching of the Apostle Paul, Saint Clement, and the other Apostles, who gained eternal remembrance from God.
He asks one of his closest fellow workers, whom he calls his yokefellow, to guide these women. Saint Methodius used the same kind of name for his brother Cyril. This fellow worker shared in plowing the soil for the planting of Christian teaching. Though these women were renowned, by their feminine nature they needed strengthening for a firm and unshakable standing in the faith. Saint John Chrysostom says: "It seems to me that those women were important in the Church of Philippi. The Apostle entrusts them to a man, certainly worthy of admiration, whom he also calls a fellow worker. Perhaps he was accustomed to entrust the local Church to him as a helper, companion in struggle, participant, and brother." "There is no need to investigate with complete precision who he was. It is enough to know: a sincere brother, a true man." "He calls him a fellow worker as one who draws with him the same yoke of piety." "And how does he testify to the virtue of the other Apostles? What Christ said to the Apostles, 'Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you, but that your names are written in heaven' (Lk 10:20). Saint Paul gives as the same testimony in the words used there: whose names are in the book of life." During persecutions of Christians, the heads of the Church were the first to be exposed to danger. Therefore it is understandable why the Apostle does not name the one to whom he entrusts pastoral guidance in the newly founded Church of Philippi. To him this Epistle had first to be entrusted.
Having told the dear Philippians to hold firmly to what he had taught them (v. 1), the Apostle turns with a special exhortation to two women and to a certain sincere fellow worker of his, whose name, however, he does not mention.
He asks them to help his fellow workers in the work of preaching Christ (vv. 2-3).
"Therefore," ωστε, is a concluding and inferential particle. The Apostle concludes what he has just said about progress in Christian life. This life must consist in taking up the Lord's Cross and following after Him. Its hope is that, through sharing in His sufferings, one may also obtain the glorious resurrection at His Second Coming. "So stand fast in the Lord." Stand fast as I have explained to you. Be firm in faith and in life according to faith, as I have known you until now. Stand fast "in the Lord," in hope in the Lord, to the Lord's good pleasure, in the Lord's work, praying to the Lord for this. With what tender names the Apostle surrounds this exhortation!
Not only "brethren," but "beloved brethren." Not only "beloved," but also "longed-for," that is, those toward whom the soul is irresistibly drawn. They are those with whom one would always wish to be and to live inseparably in the embraces of love. "My joy," because they gladdened him by the sincerity of their faith and purity of morals. "My crown," because by their perfection in Christianity they adorned his apostolic ministry. These two titles are great praise for the Philippians. At the end he again says, "beloved," as though his soul were insatiable in expressions of warm and sweet love. In no other Epistle are such declarations of heartfelt union with those to whom he writes made so often.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS