Analysis of the Chapter.

THIS chapter comprises the following points :

I.       Exhortations.
II.       Solemn commands to live as became Christians.
III.      The expression of a grateful acknowledgment of the favours which he had received from them; and,
IV.      The customary salutations.

I.       Exhortations, (vv. 1-3)
          A.      He exhorts them to stand fast in the Lord, (v. 1).
          B.      He entreats Euodias and Syntyche, who appear to have been alienated from each other, to be reconciled, (v. 2).
         C.     He entreats one whom he calls a “true yokefellow” to render assistance to those women who had labored
                  with him in the gospel,  (v. 3).
II.      Commands, (vv. 4-9)
          A.      To rejoice in the Lord always, (v. 4).
          B.      To know their moderation be known to all, (v. 5).
          C.      To have no anxiety about worldly matters, but in all their necessities to go to God. (vv. 6-7).
          D.      To do whatever was honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, (vv. 8-9).
III.    A grateful acknowledgment of their kindness, (vv. 10-19).
          A.      Paul says that their care of him had been manifested again, in such away as to be highly grateful to his
                   feelings, (v. 10).
           B.      Paul did not indeed say that he had suffered, for he had learned, in whatever state he was, to be content, (vv. 11-13); but they had shown a proper spirit in endeavoring to relieve his necessities, (v. 14).
           C.      Paul remarks that their church was the only one that had aided him when he was in Macedonia,
                    and that they had sent to him more than once when he was in Thessalonica; and says that their favor now
                   was an offering acceptable to God, who would abundantly reward them, (vv. 15-20.

This final chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Philippians is one of the great discourses on the Doctrine of Peace, such as Psalm 23 in the O.T. and John 14 in the N.T.  Paul expresses his primary concern that the Philippian believers will experience peace in their relationship to the Lord and to each other in triumphing over anxiety.  One of his important objective in this epistle is to bring the Philippian Christian together in a peaceful and loving relationship to each other.  This is first in his list of prayer petitions in 1:9, and now is made more specific in his exhortation to Euodias and Syntche in 4:2.  This is followed by the exhoration to pray with thanksgiving to achieve peace of heart, with further instruction on how to have peace of mind in vv. 8-9.