whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Phil. 4.11). While most are
aware of this passage, few are conscious of its rich meaning.
To be “content”, in the English tongue, means simply to live “in a state of
peaceful happiness; satisfied with a certain level of achievement, good fortune,
etc., and not wishing for more; accept as adequate despite wanting more or
better; a state of satisfaction.” Hence, the English Bible reader might come away
with the idea that Paul learned merely to be satisfied with his surroundings and
then-present circumstances. Thus, some are disposed to aver that although he
was in jail and being persecuted, he nonetheless learned to be happy with these
undesirable surroundings, and thus never attempted to be justly freed from
incarceration. However, the Greeks had a word, which Paul here used, that meant
vastly more than merely being satisfied with one’s surroundings, and inherent in
that meaning is a valuable lesson for every child of God to learn.
Paul’s word, in the original Greek, is autarkes. Unanimously, Greek scholars
agree that the word means “sufficient in oneself; self-sufficient, adequate,
needing no assistance” (Vine’s); “sufficient for oneself, strong enough or
possessing enough to need no aid or support; independent of external
circumstances” (Thayer’s); “self-sufficing” (Robertson); or “self-sufficient”
(Earle). It is not merely that Paul was happy with his surroundings, but he was
happy within himself. All he needed in life to be happy was the way he then lived,
in spite of miserable conditions. He believed in God, and thus he served God. The
Christian should view this, and only this, as the true means of obtaining and
maintaining happiness in this life. It should be observed that one cannot be
satisfied with himself if he is not in good standing with the Almighty. A man may
have all the riches in the world, all the friends money can buy, and all the secular
entertainment a man can have, but if he doesn’t have God, he can never be truly
content (cf. I Tim. 6.6-8; Luke 12.15-21; Ecc.1-2; 12.13-14).
Vincent states with regard to this original Greek word, “[It is] a stoic word,
expressing the favorite doctrine of the sect, that man should be sufficient to
himself for all things; able by the power of his own will, to resist the shock of
circumstance. Paul is self-sufficient through the power of the new self: not he,
but Christ in him”. Accordingly, although Christians should learn to be happy
with what they have, chiefly they should learn to be happy even if they have
nothing but themselves and a right relation with God. No wonder Paul continued,
“I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in
all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and
to suffer need” (Phil. 4.12). Why? He was satisfied in himself, for he was a true
servant of Christ. Thus, he concluded, “I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4.13). May we all learn to be self-sufficient in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
