Philippians 4:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He entrusts them to a man, certainly worthy of admiration, whom he also calls a fellow worker. Perhaps he was accustomed to entrust matters to him as a helper, companion in struggle, participant, and brother. He does this also in the Epistle to the Romans, saying, "I commend to you Phoebe our sister, a deaconess of the Church at Cenchreae" (Rom 16:1). "Fellow worker." Thus he calls either some brother of theirs or the husband of one of them. It is as though he said: now you are a sincere brother, now you are a true husband, because you have become a member. "Who labored together with me in the Gospel." Your honor is in you, not in friendship, but in good works. "Who labored together with me." What are you saying? Women labored together with you? Yes, he says; they helped not a little. Although he had many fellow workers, women also helped among the many. Therefore the Churches then grew not a little. Much good came from the fact that honorable men and women enjoyed such honor from others. First, the rest were stirred up to equal zeal. Second, through the honor they received benefit. Third, they themselves became more zealous and eager. Therefore you see that Paul everywhere takes care for this and sets such people in view. He says this also in the Epistle to the Corinthians: "That it is the firstfruits of Achaia" (1 Cor 16:15). Some say that the name "fellow worker" is a proper name. But whatever the name may have been, there is no need to investigate with complete precision. Rather, one should marvel that he commands such great honor to be shown them.

"Who labored together with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers." He says that they too helped me not a little, though with the help of many others. Therefore the Apostle says, "who labored together with me." Truly, at that time the Churches were in firm union with one another, because each honored the other and helped the other. But now, alas, in what state do we find ourselves? We cast one another down, and in this we differ completely from those who lived then. "Whose names are in the book of life." Do you see what virtue he ascribes to a woman? What the Lord said to the Apostles, "Your names are written in heaven" (Lk 10:20), Paul ascribes also to women. Their names too, together with the others, are written in the book of life, that is, in the knowledge and judgment of God. Or else he has assigned life to them, looking to their faith, just as the unbeliever is already condemned (Jn 3:18). Consequently, he is written in the book of death. This alludes to the preceding word σύζυγον, literally, one who draws the same yoke.

Perhaps he was accustomed to entrust matters to him as a helper, companion in struggle, participant, and brother." "With Clement." By this person one usually understands Saint Clement, who later became the third bishop of Rome, following Linus and Anacletus.

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.

Who is the one whom Saint Paul addresses? “True yokefellow.” A yokefellow is one who draws the same yoke.

The Apostle’s yoke was the preaching of the Gospel and the ordering of the Churches. In every place where he founded Churches, the first believers, as firstfruits, helped him spread the Gospel further.

To them he entrusted the young Churches when he left those places. This true yokefellow, whom Saint Paul now addresses, was one of such men.

He does not name him, because both he and all the others knew to whom the word was directed. Perhaps this was the jailer, as blessed Theophylact says.

Saint Chrysostom says of him: “It seems to me that those women were important in the Philippian Church. The Apostle entrusts them to a man, certainly one worthy of admiration, whom he calls a fellow worker. Perhaps he was accustomed to entrust the Church there to him, as to an assistant, companion, and brother.”

Concerning other opinions, Saint Chrysostom says: “There is no need to investigate with complete precision who he was.” It is enough to know that he was “a sincere brother, a true man.”

Yet let us cite one opinion refuted by Theodoret and others, and by Saint Chrysostom himself. “By the word ‘yokefellow,’ some have foolishly understood the Apostle’s wife.”

They did not attend to what is written in the Epistle to the Corinthians. There the Apostle ranks himself among the unmarried, saying, “I say to the unmarried and to widows, it is good for them if they remain even as I am” (cf. 1 Cor 7:8).

It is clear, then, that whether he was unmarried or widowed, he had no wife. It is more certain that he was unmarried, because he was called while still a young man.

Therefore the Apostle calls “yokefellow” the one who draws the same yoke of piety with him. He asks him to become the helper of the valiant women and to establish oneness of mind in them.

The Apostle exalts the women themselves with great praise. He shows that it is worth laboring for them. It would be lamentable if such persons remained with such a stain.

It would also be lamentable if even their inscription in the book of life were brought into uncertainty.

“They labored with me in the Gospel.” “What are you saying? Women labored with you? Yes,” he says, “they too helped not a little.”

Although he had many co-workers, women also assisted among the many. Great good came from such honor being enjoyed by the glorious, both men and women.

First, the others were stirred to equal zeal. Second, those who honored them received benefit through this honor. Third, those praised co-workers themselves became more zealous and eager.

Therefore you see that Saint Paul everywhere strives to set such persons before the eyes of all.

Where and how they labored with the Apostle is not evident. Perhaps it was in Philippi itself, or nearby, both during the Apostle’s first stay there and during his repeated visits to that city.

Yet their association with Clement and the other co-workers suggests another thought. Either they had been in Rome temporarily and had now returned to Philippi, or they were themselves Roman women who had only now moved to this city.

While in Rome, they helped the Apostle, together with Clement and others, to spread the faith throughout Rome. The Apostle, being in chains, could receive those who came to him, but he could not go out himself.

Those whom he sent out in his place replaced him in this: Clement and others. These women also labored among them.

“Whether this was so or otherwise,” the highest praise for these women is that the Apostle calls them participants in enduring dangers for the Gospel, as blessed Theodoret says.

If the proposed supposition is accepted, there is no difficulty in understanding Clement to be Saint Clement of Rome.

“Whose names are in the book of life.” He says: I do not write their names here. They are written in a better book, from which their glorious names will not be erased unto the ages of ages.

This applies not only to Clement and the other co-workers, but also to the women themselves. For this reason it is especially lamentable if they risk losing so exalted a privilege.

That loss could not be compensated by anything. The women heard this. What could have subdued them more powerfully to oneness of mind in the Lord, if any trace of discord still remained in them?

“Do you see how he bears witness to their virtue? What Christ said to the Apostles, ‘Do not rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but that your names are written in heaven’ (Lk 10:20), Saint Paul also testifies to these persons by saying, ‘whose names are in the book of life,’” as Saint Chrysostom says.

That is, all of them are already reckoned among the undoubted heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven. So highly, before the face of the Lord, is assistance in spreading the holy Christian faith esteemed.