The passage
      v4. This letter contains quite a number of references to joy, 1:4, 18, 2:17, 18, 3:1. Paul's exhortation to the Philippians is that in all circumstances they should rejoice. The enabling of such joy comes through Christ. When we are in an intimate relationship with Jesus we can be filled with joy, no matter where we are or what the circumstances.
      v5. Here Paul encourages a show of goodwill toward all people. The word "gentleness" means something like: goodwill, fairness, friendliness, forbearance. It is opposite to claiming our rights over another. The exhortation is supported by the truth that Christ will soon return. The term, "the Lord is near", could mean that Jesus is nearby watching us, but it is more likely a reference to the Lord's close return.
      v6-7. The cares of this age can very easily squeeze in on us and affect the stability of our lives. Jesus even warned that the cares of this age ("life's worries, riches and pleasures") can choke the life-giving Word from our lives. For this reason, we need to pass those cares onto the Lord and leave them in his keeping. We can then respond with thanksgiving in the knowledge that he will carry our load. Paul defines the business of prayer in the terms of: "by prayer" - by supplication or request to God; "petition" - asking; "with thanksgiving" - with a grateful acknowledgment of past mercies.
      v8. Instead of focusing on the cares of this age, Paul encourages his readers to think on more positive things. We are to give our energy to eternal verities. We should focus on all that is morally excellent and worthy of praise (ie. approved of God):
        i] The truth - God's Word is truth;
        ii] Worthy, honorable and noble things;
        iii] Matters of justice;
        iv] Moral purity;
        v] The beauty of creation, all that is lovely;
        vi] Things that are reputable, decent.
      v9. Paul finally encourages his readers to put into practice all that he has taught them, both by example and teaching. The result of such is not only the peace of God, but the God of peace will touch them personally; he will manifest himself to them.

A careless life
      "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you", 1 Peter 5:7.
      Anxiety is something we live with every day of our lives, and particularly so when we follow Christ. We have to struggle with the application of Jesus' teachings in our dealings with the world and the church. We are always wrestling with the "why" of every action. Am I seeking to please God or self? Is this action of mine for good or for evil?. Then there is our constant wrestle with the drive for self-satisfaction. The shadows attract us and therefore, we are continually bothered with the compromises of life. We also find ourselves a target for the powers of darkness. The fact that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (ie. the real fight is not physical), but rather that we wrestle against spiritual powers in heavenly places, leads to a great deal of stress in our lives. In the end, being a Christian is a stressful business.
      There are those who say worry is a sin for it shows a lack of faith. The truth is, anxiety is a common human condition. We must not condemn ourselves, or others, for being laden with care. Anxiety will always be there, and to hide it, or deny it with a hypercritical smile, is far from healthy or helpful. If we either deny the cause of our stress, or deny the stress itself, we will disconnect from reality.
      So then, given that we will always face stress in our lives as we seek to follow Christ, how do we manage anxiety? It is an important question, for we all know of someone who has given up their faith because they found the going too hard. From our passage we are given one important clue for the management of stress in the Christian life. It is found in the prayer of faith. We are to hand the matter over to the Lord with a sense of thanksgiving. Although the circumstances may conspire, their ultimate outcome will conform to the sovereign grace of God. Therefore, we hand the matter over to the Lord and leave it at that.
      It is when we respond in trust to the Lord that we receive the gift of his peace. A sense of ease covers all our complicated musings. Our fears and dreams take on their right proportion, for then we stand in the presence of Jesus. When Jesus invades our person, encircling us with his love, it is then that the clamor and clatter of the shadows seem muffled, and there is peace.

v5
      to epieikeV subs. adj. "gentleness" - pertaining to being gracious and forbearing*. Not retaliating, demanding, but being gracious and kind as God is both gracious and kind, Ps.86:5. Possibly in the sense of a legalistic/pharisaic attitude, "you must make it common knowledge that you never insist on the letter of the law", Barclay.
      egguV adv. "near" - Either a spacial or temporal sense is intended. Most commentators opt for a temporal sense where the second coming of Christ serves as a motivation for faithful discipleship. This always seems a crude weapon to use against our inclination toward selfishness. There is much to be said for a spacial sense, as it is never easy to drag Jesus into our sin. "Never forget the nearness of your Lord", Phillips.

v6
      Some commentators argue that this verse promotes the idea that Jesus will deal with all our concerns in a practical way when we bring them to him in prayer. The problem is, it doesn't quite say this. Paul's exhortation is that we should not be burdened by the cares of this world, cf. Matt.6:25-34. To achieve this state, "in everything", ie. in all circumstances, we should make our requests to Jesus concerning the circumstances, and do so with an awareness of his mercy toward us in the past. Prayer must be "according to the will of God". Any request for God's intervention needs to consider how God has promised to intervene. The prayer of faith must address God's will, which "will" is outlined in the scriptures.
      mhden merimnate (merimnatw) pres. imp. "do not be anxious about anything" - in nothing be anxious. "In the face of life's circumstances, do not have an overly anxious concern about the chaos of life, given that God is bringing all things into subjection to himself."
      en panti "in everything" - The sense may be temporal, "always", or local, "in all things / situations", "in every circumstance of life tell God ...", Barclay. It is possible that the "in everything" = "in all prayers and petitions", "in all your prayers ask God for what you need", TEV.
      meta eucaristiaV (a) "with thanksgiving" - "Always asking him with a thankful heart", TEV.
      proV ton qeon "to God" - toward God. Possibly relational, "in the presence of God", O'Brien.

v7
      kai "and" - This conjunction is often consecutive when following an imperative, "and as a consequence, if we do this ...."; "so shall", Moffatt.
      hJ eirhnh (h) "the peace" - When we respond in trust to the Lord, we then receive the gift of his peace. A sense of ease covers us and overrides all our complicated musings, ideas, plans, fears...... It is because we are "in Christ" (in an intimate relationship with him) that this sense of ease continues, protecting us from the "cares of the world". The peace which God gives is a peace of mind. Lightfoot puts it this way, "God's peace shall stand sentry, shall keep guard over your hearts." Kennedy writes, "The peace of God is a garrison of the soul in all the experiences of its life, defending it from external assaults of temptation and anxiety..."
      tou qeou "[the peace] of God" - Possibly: i] a genitive of source or origin, "God is the source of peace"; ii] a descriptive genitive, "the tranquility that eternally belongs to God"; iii] an objective genitive, "our being at peace with God"; iv] a subjective genitive, "the peace that comes to us from God"; v] an attributed genitive, "the peacemaking God"; vi] a genitive of production, "the peace produced by God." O'Brien suggests both ii and iv, Hawthorne ii, Wallace vi.
      hJ uJperecousa (uJperecw) pres. part. "which transcends all understanding" - surpassing all. The participle is adjectival, attributive, modifying the noun "peace". A difficult participle phrase to translate, particularly as there is no direct object. Commonly translated as NIV, expressing the idea that the peace is such that "no one can completely understand", CEV. Possibly meaning that God's peace is better at removing anxiety than any human scheme; "surpasses all our dreams", Moffatt.
      frourhsei (frourew) fut. "will guard" - will guard, keep, protect. In a military sense of soldiers keeping guard for the purpose of protection.
      taV kardiaV "[your] hearts" - the heart [of you]. The seat of reason and moral intent.
      ta nohmata (a atoV) "minds" - "Thoughts", JB
      en cristw/ "in Christ" - In union with Christ, in relationship with, is a better sense than say, under the subjection of or influence of, "in obedience to his authority and the submission of his will", Martin (Tyndale). "God's peace will stand guard over the hearts and minds of those who are in union with Christ Jesus", O'Brien.

v8
      "In conclusion, if there is anything that is good and if there is anything worthy of praise [and of course there is], then think continually on those things that are true and honourable and just and pure and lovely and reputable."
      to loipon "finally" - the rest, remaining. "In conclusion", TEV.
      ei "if" - Introducing a conditional clause where the apodosis is assumed, and is assumed to be true - as bracketed above. The indicative verb "to be" must be supplied.
      areth (h) "excellent" - moral excellence. "Good", TEV.
      epainoV (oV) "praiseworthy" - praise. "Admirable", NEB.
      oJsa pro. "whatever [is]" - as many things as.
      logizesqe (logizomai) imp. "think about [such things]" - consider, calculate. Think on, in the sense of meditate on, absorb and apply. "Your thoughts must continually dwell on", Barclay.
      alhqh adj. "true" - true. "Sincerity"
      semna adj. "noble" - reverend, honorable. "Worthy", Moffatt; "honorable", Phillips.
      dikaia adj. "right" - just.
      aJgna adj. "pure" - being without moral defect or blemish and hence pure*
      prosfilh adj. "lovely" - "Lovable", NEB.
      eufhma adj. "whatever is right" - worthy of praise. "Reputable", Bruce; "decent" NAB.