Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Philippians 4:2

Philippians 4:2. I exhort Euodia. The verb implies something stronger than the ‘beseech' of the Authorised Version. The apostle calls on these sisters by the authority of his office. Euodia (not Euodias, as Authorised Version) was one of those godly women of which the early church made much use, and who in this case were worthy to be called ‘fellow-strugglers' with St. Paul for the cause of Christ's Gospel. It was to the women especially that the first preaching at the proseucha in Philippi was addressed (Acts 16:13-14), and a woman is the first Christian convert mentioned there, the first-fruits of apostolic labour in Europe.

and I exhort Syntyche. The repetition of the verb is very emphatic, and probably is meant to indicate that the exhortations could not be given at the same time. These two may have been forming parties in the church, and have been regarded as leaders by favourers of one opinion or the other. It is impossible to divine what subjects may have threatened to rend the peace of the congregation, whether Jewish prejudices ranged against Gentile freedom, or matters peculiar to Philippi alone; but we can see from the apostle's language, that though at variance in opinion, these women were still earnest in the cause of Christ.

that they be of the same mind in the Lord. He gives with his exhortation both the reason for following it, and the means whereby it may be fully followed. They are ‘in the Lord,' servants of the same Master, baptized in the same name, and striving for the same object. If then, remembering this, they seek to their Master for aid, the unity of spirit will be bestowed. When believers fix their gaze on Christ, the smaller concerns, by which the church must ever be surrounded in this life, sink down to their proper level, far below the life in Christ, and are seen not to be worthy of consideration, if they are to cause a rending of the oneness of the church, which is Christ's witness on earth.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Philippians 4:2

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