Letters often ended with words of greeting: “Say hi to so-and-so” or “So-and-so says hi.” And in some ways, this is true of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. But Paul uses even this simple convention for a pastoral purpose: he wants the Philippians to know that God is at work, and that they are not alone. 

Friendships in the ancient world carried reciprocal expectations. Paul has already used the language of the marketplace to speak of the Philippians’ gift as being “credited” to their account, and now he says that he’s “received full payment” (4:18). But it’s not that Paul thinks they owe him. He wants them to think of their friendship differently, as a three-way relationship that includes God. 

Though Paul wants the Philippians to hear his gratitude, he also wants to make sure they hear it rightly. “It’s not about the gift itself,” he tells them, again, in a way that might sound a bit rude. But he points them instead to the deeper reason for his gratitude.

The last words of a letter are important, especially in a context where letters to churches were read aloud. What thoughts would Paul want to leave ringing in the Philippians’ ears? The final theme is friendship, and Paul expresses deep appreciation for their loyal support over the years.
 

Philippians 4:13 is one of Paul’s best-known sayings, often rendered as "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" on Christian keepsakes. Taken out of context, it might sound like Paul is saying that God will him the power to do anything. But is that what he means? 

Seen from the outside, Paul is in an awkward spot. The Philippians have sent a generous gift, and he appreciates their thoughtfulness and love. At the same time, however, he doesn’t really need the gift in the way they might have expected. How does he say this? As always, he turns the situation into a teaching opportunity.

What did your parents teach you about the polite way to acknowledge a gift? And what if it was something you didn’t really want or need? Here, near the end of Paul’s letter, the apostle finally gets around to saying “Thank you” for the gift the Philippians sent, and at first, his words may sound ungrateful…

Anxiety can drive anyone into a negative spiral of thoughts and emotions, and Paul offers his friends in Philippi some wise pastoral counsel. We can learn from his counsel, too. This episode explores four personal implications for how we deal with our own troubles.

In chapter 3, Paul told the Philippians to follow his example. In chapter 4, he tells them that they should focus their thoughts on things that remind them of God’s goodness and sovereignty. And Paul himself is an example of thinking that way—as demonstrated in the way he handles the tension between Euodia and Syntyche.

Research suggests that our brains easily skew toward negativity. One can imagine the Philippians being anxious about the possibility of persecution, and finding it difficult to cope. Paul has already told them to pray with joy and gratitude. But he also suggests that they can change the way they think, by intentionally choosing what they think about.