Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

Always in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy (Philippians 1:4)

Paul here makes it plain that this thanksgiving was for all of the saints at Philippi. There is no division at this church as is found at Galatia and Corinth,^[1] so he can easily speak to all of the holy ones. He says that he finds joy in remembering them in prayer; he could give thanks without praying for issues they were going through.

Always. The Greek adverb (πάντοτε pantote) has the sense of always, at all times, all the time and on every occasion, and forever. (Mk 14:7; Lk 15:31; Jn 6:34; Ro 1:10; Gal 4:18; 2Ti 3:7; Heb 7:25) Paul is emphasizing much here. Paul works tirelessly on their behalf, showing them that they are always present in his mind. He has always (pantote) remembered them in his prayers.

In every prayer of mine. This is clear evidence of Paul’s special love and affection for the Philippian Christians. Paul had traveled 10,000+ miles, suffered great persecution regularly as he started numerous congregations throughout the Roman Empire. His mind and his thinking must have been taxed to the limit. So many people and churches needed his prayers, yet he has always (pantote) remembered them in his prayers.

For you all. This is a reference to each individual within the church. Paul has now spoken of all of them three times in four verses, further evidence of how much he loves them all in the same way. He hopes that he might more positively motivate them to express the same love, compassion, kindness, generosity, and altruism.

Making my prayer with joy. With Paul’s joy at his reliable, constant walk through the most challenging times, and his compassionate, caring life, combining the expression of his gratitude toward God with his prayers given his holy walk.

[1] We find a brief reference by Paul at the end of this letter to a division between two women (Euodia and Syntyche) but this appears to be minor and only gets a reminder from Paul to agree in the Lord.