Interpretation Matters Series, Part 6

Sweat runs down his face. He rests the barbell on the stand. Just one more set. Just one more set, he thinks through labored breaths.He glances at the tattoo on his left shoulder: “4:13” in dark ink and stylized font. “I can do this,” he says, and grips the barbell.

She takes a deep breath outside the office door. Her hands fidget in her lap. I have to ace this interview, she thinks. She takes another deep breath, and her favorite verse comes to mind. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” she whispers. She smiles. This job is mine.

We’ve all seen it—on shirts and jerseys, home décor, jewelry, tumblers and mugs, painted on faces. Philippians 4:13 has been applied to almost any situation imaginable. People claim it as a promise that Christ will enable them to succeed at anything. But what about when they fail? Has Christ not delivered on his promise? In reality, we’ve taken this promise out of context and misapplied it.

In Bible study, context is king. We understand the dangers of taking people’s words out of context. Without context, you can twist someone’s words to mean whatever you want. If we want to understand someone properly, we must understand the context in which they have spoken. There are three layers of context to consider in Bible interpretation: literary, historical, and cultural.

Literary Context

What is the immediate literary context of Philippians 4:13? Let’s read it. “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

Those few verses clarify Christ’s true promise here. He isn’t promising inevitable success. Instead, he’s promising strength to be content in any situation, which is far better.

When studying the Bible, it also helps to zoom out and look at the concentric circles of literary context. Philippians 4:13 is part of a letter to the Philippians, which is one of Paul’s letters, which is part of the New Testament, which is part of the whole Bible. We don’t have space to examine all that here, but seeing how a passage fits into those circles of context sharpens and deepens your understanding of it.

Literary context is the most important layer of context to consider. The only way to become familiar with that context is by repeatedly reading it. Seek to read through the whole Bible each year to see the big picture of Scripture, and read the passage you’re studying and the book it’s in multiple times to grasp the immediate context.

Historical Context

Considering the historical context is also vital for Bible interpretation. When was a passage written, in the New Testament or Old? What time period is it talking about—the past, the same time as when the author lived, or sometime in the future?

For Philippians 4:13, Paul wrote this during the early church days in the New Testament era, and he was talking about his current situation. Specifically, Paul wrote this while in prison in Rome, about 60-62 AD (Philippians 1:7, 12-13).

How does this aid our interpretation? As Paul writes this, he is an example of Christ empowering someone to be content in adverse circumstances. His situation also shows, again, that Christ isn’t promising success. After all, being imprisoned for the gospel isn’t very successful—at least not on the appearance of things (but see Philippians 1:12-21).

Cultural Context

Closely connected to the historical context is cultural context. Every time period and people has its own culture, which influences how they communicate. The culture behind Philippians 4:13 doesn’t help us understand the passage more accurately, but it does deepen our understanding.

Consider that in the first century, prisons weren’t government-funded institutions that guaranteed three meals a day and provided prisoners with all kinds of recreational activities. Prisoners were dependent on the kindness of others to provide for their needs, and their living situations fell a bit short of modern standards, to say the least.

In Paul’s situation, he was able to rent a house at his own expense, but he remained under house arrest (Acts 28:16, 30). This meant Paul couldn’t work to earn money, and he was dependent on the gifts of others, like the one the Philippians had sent him (Philippians 4:10-20). He was under constant guard, couldn’t leave his house, and didn’t know where his next gift of financial support would come from. Yet that’s the situation in which he says Christ strengthened him to be content.

To be sure, culture can be overemphasized. God has communicated so that his truth can be understood and applied in all cultures across all time. However, cultural context can shed powerful light on a passage, especially in the Old Testament. If you want to learn more about the Bible’s history and culture, there are many excellent study Bibles, commentaries, Bible introductions, and other resources available. Consult your pastor about which one might help you most.

So, the context of Philippians 4:13 shows that Christ’s strength is not for success at whatever we do but for contentment in whatever situation we’re in—success or failure, rags or riches, shame or honor, pressure or peace, health or sickness, strength or weakness. Such contentment is a far more powerful and precious gift than guaranteed success.