9 The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
What things ye have learned, and received, and heard By this accumulation of terms he intimates, that he was assiduous in inculcating these things. "This was my doctrine -- my instruction -- my discourse among you." Hypocrites, on the other hand, insisted upon nothing but ceremonies. Now, it was a dishonorable thing to abandon the holy instruction, [1] which they had wholly imbibed, and with which they had been thorouglly imbued. You have seen in me Now, the main thing in a public speaker [2] should be, that he may speak, not with his mouth merely, but by his life, and procure authority for his doctrine by rectitude of life. Paul, accordingly, procures authority for his exhortation on this ground, that he had, by his life no less than by his mouth, been a leader and master of virtues. And the God of peace He had spoken of the peace of God; he now more particularly confirms what he had said, by promising that God himself, the Author of peace, will be with them. For the presence of God brings us every kind of blessing: as though he had said, that they would feel that God was present with them to make all things turn out well and prosperously, provided they apply themselves to pious and holy actions.
1 - "C'eust este vne chose dishonneste aux Philippiens de delaisser la sainte doctrine et instruction;" -- "It would have been a dishonorable thing for the Philipplans to abandon the holy doctrine and instruction."
2 - "En vn prescheur;" -- "In a preacher."
Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do - That is, what you have witnessed in me, and what you have learned of me, and what you have heard about me, practice yourselves. Paul refers them to his uniform conduct - to all that they had seen, and known, and heard of him, as that which it was proper for them to imitate. The same thing, substantially, he urges in Philippians 3:17; see the notes at that verse. It could have been only the consciousness of a pure and upright life which would make such counsel proper. How few are the people at this day who can urge others to imitate all that they have seen in them, and learned from them, and heard of them.
And the God of peace shall be with you - The God who gives peace; compare Hebrews 13:20; 1-Thessalonians 5:23; see also the notes at Philippians 4:7. The meaning here is, that Paul, by pursuing the course of life which he had led, and which he here counsels them to follow, had found that it had been attended with the blessing of the God of peace, and he felt the fullest assurance that the same blessing would rest on them if they imitated his example. The way to obtain the blessing of the God of peace, is to lead a holy life, and to perform with faithfulness all the duties which we owe to God and to our fellow-men.
Those things, which ye have - learned - From my preaching and writing;
And received - By faith, as a revelation from God;
And heard - From my preaching, and that of those who labored with me; and heard from me, in my private communications with you; and heard of me from other Churches;
And seen in me - While living and labouring among you;
Do - Take them for the rule of your faith and practice.
And the God of peace - He who is the author of peace, the lover of peace, and the maintainer of peace; he who has made peace between heaven and earth, by the mission and sacrifice of his Son, shall be ever with you while you believe and act as here recommended.
These things which ye have both learned,.... Meaning from himself, in a doctrinal way:
and received; not only into their heads but hearts, had embraced cordially, with great affection, in the love thereof, as well as given a full assent to:
and heard; either publicly or privately, from the pulpit, or in conversation; or had heard of him when absent, or from him when present:
and seen in me: in his life and conversation, which were well known, and were a pattern to them that believe; and therefore he adds,
do; practise the same things which they had learned from him as their duty, and had heard him urge as such, and had seen exemplified in himself:
and the God of peace shall be with you; to give that peace which is beyond the conception of a natural man, and the expression of a spiritual one, and is the great preservative through Christ; and to enable to do and to continue to do the above things, and to keep them from all harm, and every enemy of their souls; to favour them with his gracious presence here, and with endless peace hereafter.
both--rather, "The things also which ye have learned . . . these practice"; the things which besides recommending them in words, have been also recommended by my example, carry into practice.
heard--though ye have not yet sufficiently "received" them.
seen--though ye have not as yet sufficiently "learned" them [BENGEL].
and--"and then," as the necessary result (Philippians 4:7). Not only "the peace of God," but "the God of peace" Himself "shall be with you."
The things which ye have learned - As catechumens. And received - By continual instructions. And heard and seen - In my life and conversation. These do, and the God of peace shall be with you - Not only the peace of God, but God himself, the fountain of peace.
*More commentary available at chapter level.