Philippians 4:15

Philippians 4:15. and ye yourselves also know. That he may more folly show how well he remembers their care of him, and that he meant no reproach by his words in Philippians 4:10, he proceeds to recall to them their former liberality in his need.

ye Philippians. The name stands emphatically in the original, and is inserted as a mark of deep regard, as he might say, ‘the church of my special joy.'

that in the beginning of the Gospel. When St. Paul first preached in Philippi was the beginning of the Gospel to them. He had visited Philippi at least twice afterwards (Acts 20:1-2; Acts 20:6), but at his first visit, when he was driven away to Thessalonica, his needs must naturally have been very great; for from prisoners treated as he and Silas had been, we may be very sure that the rude representatives of law had taken all they had.

when I departed from Macedonia. This seems to show, what we might almost have gathered from the Acts (Acts 17:14), that the congregation of Philippi took charge of St. Paul in his whole journey through Macedonia, and were the brethren who sent him sway to the sea, and conducted him, and supplied the means for his journey to Athens.

no church had fellowship with me. At Thessalonica he met with little success or sympathy, as far as we see from the history. Yet to this church was sent the first of his Epistles in order of time which we possess, and it was probably written before that Second Missionary Journey, in which St. Paul first visited Europe, came to an end. There must therefore have teen formed the beginning of a congregation, which through the labours of those left behind was nursed into greater strength. At Berœa there was more sympathy exhibited for the apostle's teaching, but neither the Thessalonians nor Berceans helped him with their means.

in the matter of giving and receiving, but ye only. The phrase of the apostle is taken from the keeping of accounts. He pictures the transaction as a matter of debtor and creditor. They give, and he receives, and so there is an account on both sides on his of debt, on theirs of claim. And he is willing, nay glad, that it should stand so: he would not have it wiped out or lessened; for what they, of their free will, have given unto him, has been given unto God, and will receive its reward at His hands; and it is at the same time an outward sign of the work of grace and faith in their souls grace because they are conscious of how much they owe for the consolations of the Gospel; faith because they bestow, looking for nothing again, but giving unto the Lord.