God’s Word for You
Philippians 4:14-16 Joy in Fellowship
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Sunday, April 26, 2026
14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in giving and receiving, except you alone. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs a few times.
In verse 14, Paul shows that his gratitude was genuine, and that the help the Philippians gave to him was both necessary and welcome. Otherwise, he would not describe their gathering and sending such a gift as “sharing my trouble.”
In verse 15, Paul reminds his readers that in the early days, when he first came to Europe with the word of God, which he calls “the beginning of the gospel” (meaning the beginning of the gospel’s work among them), they were already generous toward him. As he traveled across the north shore of Macedonia (which included Philippi) and down along the coastlands to the south, through places like Amphipolis, Apollonia and Thessalonica (Acts 17:1), and Berea (Acts 17:10-14), he gained many followers, but many enemies as well. The men who traveled with him sent Paul away to Athens by sea on purpose to throw off any threat to his life (Acts 17:14-17). But in those early days of preaching and teaching in northern Greece, the Philippians constantly sent him help.
In verse 16 Paul makes the remarkable statement that the Philippians helped him “even in Thessalonica,” and that they did this “a few times.” Paul was only in Thessalonica preaching for the length of “three Sabbath days” (Acts 17:2), which would be at minimum, fourteen or fifteen days, and at most, twenty-six or twenty-seven days. During that brief stay, the Philippians sent him help. The Greek phrase hapax kai dis (ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς) means literally “once and twice,” which can be the same as our “again and again,” as Paul also says in 1 Thessalonians 2:18. The Greek translators also use this phrase in the Old Testament for either “again and again” in places like Deuteronomy 9:13 (I have seen them again and again,” but also for “once or twice” such as in 1 Samuel 17:39, “David tried walking around a few times,” and “Once or twice the merchants spent the night outside Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 13:20). So here, Paul could mean either “again and again” or “once or twice.” Because of the briefness of his stay in Thessalonica, I have chosen to translate “a few times” to allow for either possibility and to catch the flavor of the Greek phrase.
The Philippians were showing their support of Paul and their understanding of the doctrine of Fellowship. When we do not share a unity in our teaching, we should not support one another’s ministry efforts. John proclaims: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work” (2 John 1:10-11). And Paul warns, “Watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them” (Romans 16:17). Notice that in both cases, fellowship is based on teaching; an agreement over the word of God. Paul also warned, “The time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). And our Lord Jesus said: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” (John 8:31).
When we do agree with one another in what we say, and there are no divisions among us (1 Corinthians 1:10), we discover that we are indeed in fellowship with one another. We will want to pray for one another, worship together, and support ministry together. The Philippians were doing all of these things. This mutual support does more than support church work; we mutually encourage one another’s faith (Romans 1:12), and we build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11), encouraging one another (Hebrews 10:25).
Our more recent edition of the Catechism has this definition of our mutual work in fellowship: “The word synod means ‘walking together.’ A synod is a group of congregations that unite in fellowship (walk together) to carry out the ministry opportunities God has placed in front of them. Training pastors, teachers, and staff ministers; conducting foreign mission work; and publishing materials that are faithful to God’s Word are works of ministry that are more easily accomplished when congregations work together” (Luther’s Small Catechism, 2017 NPH, p. 208).
“The fellowship of believers with one another is not a human work. A person does not join the believers by following his own knowledge and will. God gathers his believers through the Word and keeps them gathered around his Word through the power of the Word in spiritual fellowship with one another. Whoever is filled with true faith through the Word is also attached to the one universal, invisible church” (Hoenecke, Ev, Lutheran Dogmatics, Vol. IV., p. 158).
While the Philippians were delighted to support Paul and his work, they also showed us what benefits we gain even today from that sharing. Their work helped sow seeds throughout Europe, and it set an example for us to follow. Not an example of any obligation or requirement, but as everything to do with the Philippains, this was an example of pure joy.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.