![]() ![]() The question is, does Paul’s ability to be content in all situations exhaust the meaning of being able to “all this” through Christ. ![]() ![]() In the previous verse Paul said that “In any and every circumstance” (en panti… kai… en pasin), and the suggestion is that the “all things” goes at least back to v 12.Īs is often the case, Greek gives us the range of possibilities but ultimately it is context that helps us make a decision. There is also a bit of a word play going on. In other words, the Greek shows that the “all” is referring back to not any one specific word but opens the door to referring back to an idea or group of ideas. The clue is that the adjective is neuter, when Greek wants to refer back not to a specific word but to a group of ideas or to a general concept, the adjective (or pronoun) is put in the neuter. We do the same thing in English, Clint Eastwood’s old movie title, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, illustrates the use of adjectives as if they were nouns. “All things” is actually the adjective “all” There is no noun for it to modify, so we say it is functioning substantivally (i.e., as if it were a noun). This is why the TNIV properly limits the scope of the statement when it says, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” But does the scope of “all this” perhaps go back further to the other items he has been discussing such as focusing on only what is true (v 8), replacing anxiety with prayer (v 6), etc? The immediate context suggests that Paul is thinking at least of his God-given ability to be content in all circumstances. The fact of the matter is that there are many things beyond our ability to do even with the help of the Spirit (like never again sin), and so common sense exegesis shows that the verse needs some interpretation. Within that context Paul says, “I can do all things (panta) through him who strengthens me.” “All things”? Run faster than a speeding bullet? Leap over tall buildings? Sounds ridiculous, but then again some people take it that way in a Christian sense. Because Paul’s culture was so quid pro quo - I give you a gift so that at the right time I can require one back from you - he quickly follows with a disclaimer that he was okay without the gift he has learned to be content in all situations. He thanks them for their financial gift - prisoners in Rome were responsible for their own expenses. Paul has been encouraging the Philippians towards joy, reasonableness, lack of anxiety and God’s peace, to focus on that which is true. Because of attributes such as case, number, and gender, Greek often gives clues to meaning that cannot be brought into English, unless your translation philosophy is very dynamic. One of the joys of knowing Greek is to be able to follow all the internal links that an inflected language gives us. ![]()
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