Philippians 4:15

“And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when. departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only”

“Also know”: “Paul gratefully acknowledges the fact that the present gift was the continuation of. series of gifts” (Hendriksen p. 207). “ Also you Philippians know means: as well as. know and will never forget” (Lenski p. 892). “By sending him. gift now they were repeating earlier acts of kindness. They did not need Paul's reminder of these: but it was encouraging for them to realize that Paul still recalled their kindness with gratitude” (Bruce p. 152). “Ye Philippians”: Compare with 2 Corinthians 6:11; Galatians 3:1. Very rarely does Paul address his readers by name. Another key to contentment is remembering past blessings received. Gratitude is an essential ingredient to happiness, contentment, and just good mental health. “That in the beginning of the gospel”: When the gospel was preached for the first time in the Macedonian region (Acts 16:1). The beginning of the gospel from the standpoint of the Philippians. “When. departed from Macedonia”: And went to preach in Greece (Acts 17:15). “Going by way of Athens to Corinth” (Vincent p. 460). “No church”: That is, no congregation. “Had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only”:

“Giving and receiving”: This passage has become one focal point in the debate over what is known as the Sponsoring Church Arrangement, that being where one congregation receives funds from another congregation(s) and then distributes those funds to yet another congregation(s) or to individuals or an individual outside of the receiving and sponsoring church.

When some people read 1 Peter 4:15 they see the following: “What the apostle appears to be saying is this: after he left Macedonia, no church, expect the Philippian congregation, became his partner, keeping the ‘books' containing the ‘debits and credits' of his missionary work. Philippi ‘received' the funds from other churches (2 Corinthians 11:8 ff) and ‘disbursed' them to the apostle” (Jackson pp. 87-88). J.W. Roberts argued, “Many commentators have argued that the instances of 1 Peter 4:15 and 2 Corinthians 11:8. included the same arrangements and urge that the ‘churches' of 2 Corinthians 11:8. sent funds to the congregation at Philippi and that that church ‘only' kept the expense account of this fellowship and forwarded money to Paul. Thus, according to the argument, we would have precedent for one church to receive funds from several congregations to and forward those funds to another work”. [Note:. Gospel Advocate, August, September, October 1955; reprinted in 'How Churches Can Cooperate', Lewis Hale. pp. 132ff.] Before. respond to the above,. would like to say that it doesn't matter to me, what pattern of cooperation God desires.. have no personal preference, yet. number of considerations cause me to reject the above view:

If Philippi is simply receiving funds from other churches and passing them on, then why do they get all the praise? Why does not Paul praise the other congregations?

Is the church that keeps the books more important that the other congregations that enable something to be actually on the books? Paul only praises the Philippians for this contribution. He specifically talks about the Philippians concern for him (Philippians 4:10 “you have revived your concern for me--but you lacked opportunity”). This context doesn't end in Philippians 4:15. Why does not Paul talk about the "fruit" that would come to the other congregations, if, other congregations were involved? (Philippians 4:18)

2 Corinthians 11:8 does not demand. Sponsoring Church type arrangement. Nothing in the text demands that the "other churches" mentioned in Philippians 11:8 acted through the Philippian congregation. One would have to assume such. Robert Turner notes, “It was ‘churches' he ‘robbed'--not. pooled fund. Paul did not say he was supplied by. special missionary fund under the control of one church; he said, ‘I robbed other churches. taking wages of them'” [Note:. The Arlington Meeting. pp. 267-268] The text of the NASV on 1 Peter 4:15 is somewhat misleading. For it says, “ after. departed from Macedonia”. From that translation one could infer that from that point onward, the only church that supported Paul was the church in Philippi. But the ASV and the KJV say “ when. departed”. Hence 1 Peter 4:15 and 2 Corinthians 11:9. do not necessarily refer to the same gift. One would have to assume that the brethren from Macedonia, includes only the brethren from the congregation at Philippi, yet Macedonia contained other congregations as well (Thessalonica, Berea). In the final analysis, too many assumptions have to be taken to embrace the Sponsoring Church arrangement. In addition: The question of congregational autonomy remains in. plain passage (1 Peter 5:1), and the clearest passages on giving and receiving have money being sent directly to the congregation in need (1 Corinthians 16:1). Seeing that this context only mentions Paul and the Philippians, it seems more consistent to view the "giving and receiving" mentioned in Philippians 4:15, as they gave and Paul received.

For me, trying to force. Sponsoring Church type of arrangement into this context removes much of the warmth found in these verses. Such. view must admit that the Philippians didn't lack the money (Philippians 4:10), for other churches were contributing the money, and the Philippians "concern" was more about getting the money to him, than raising it themselves. Instead of this being. freewill offering, it would be rather funds that were both owed and overdue. It is wise of God not to fund red tape, machinery and middle men.