The ultimate Christian positive thinking power mantra is emblazoned upon shirts, mounted on walls and repeated silently when facing challenges. Is not this verse on some people’s minds as they tackle the gym, business goals and other such challenges?
Might not the unspoken assumption be Christ empowers me to achieve what I want? Might Paul have intended a different nuanced meaning and application?
Paul’s literal words are: "All I am strong in the one who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). Unlike English versions, Greek texts present Philippians 4:12-13 as forming one sentence. Let’s take a closer look.
Another interesting observation involves "all." In Greek when an adjective, such as "all," is not tied to a noun, for example men, women, cars, things, etc., the context along with the gender of the adjective determine what the adjective describes.
In this case, we first encounter "all" without an accompanying noun in Philippians 4:12. Â Since Paul opens this sentence by referring to a range of circumstances, English versions appropriately supply "situation" or "circumstance" to identify what "all" denotes. Thus the NET reads, "In any and every circumstance."
Paul then presses into the latter part of this sentence explaining how he could walk through both abundance and poverty. He tells us what he learned.
He was strong in all of these circumstances because he was in Christ who strengthened him. For Paul, the idea of being in Christ is huge.
What Paul seems to be asserting is that being in Christ, the Messiah provided the necessary strength to support him to be strong in whatever situational state he encountered. Would it be correct to claim that Paul’s focus was upon Christ’s faithfulness to uphold him through every situation and not Christ’s empowerment to make him a superman achieving his goals?
As I read this context, Paul describes that as he lived for Christ he experienced super support in the Messiah. He could be content regardless of the circumstances because he knew who could and would strengthen him.
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