Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Philippians 4:18

Philippians 4:18. But I have all things, and abound. Your bounty has completely supplied my every need. As a gift, it has done what was intended to the full. I am filled, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you. And no doubt the zealous service of the messenger did more than anything else to make the apostle feel that all his wants were supplied. For with the material help there came a loving and enthusiastic brother, who felt that he was sent as the messenger of all the Church, and must strive to exhibit in his service the love of those whom he represented as well as his own.

an odour of a sweet smell. The picture is drawn from the offering of incense; and both to Jews and Gentiles this conveyed the idea that the powerful odour ascending up reached, and was pleasing unto, the Deity. On the offering of incense in the Jewish rites, cf. Exodus 30:8-10. Aaron was to burn incense morning and evening on the special altar, and make an atonement with blood there once in the year. The words of this clause are most nearly correspondent with Jdt 16:16 : ‘All sacrifice is too little for a sweet savour unto thee, and all the fat is not sufficient for thy burnt-offering.' The figure is employed by St. Paul again, 2 Corinthians 2:15; Ephesians 5:2.

a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. This is the crowning feature in the character of their gift; it was a sacrifice on their part, and was well-pleasing not to the apostle only, but to Him who could repay the debt which St. Paul for his part could only make record of.

Continues after advertising

BibliaPlus

Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Philippians 4:18

Old Testament

New Testament