“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity — Paul's joy (chara mega) at the Philippians' renewed gift and concern is unfeigned. 'Revived' (anathalō, bloomed again) suggests earlier concern waned through circumstance, not coldness. 'You were concerned... but had no opportunity' (akairia, lack of time/chance) absolves them of blame. The gift itself is secondary to the love it expresses.
Church Fathers on Philippians 4:10
I have ofttimes said, that almsgiving has been introduced not for the sake of the receivers, but of the givers, for the latter are they which make the greatest gain. And this Paul shows here also. In what way? The Philippians had sent him somewhat, after a long time, and had committed the same to Epaphroditus. See then, how when he is about to send Epaphroditus as the bearer of this Epistle, he praises them, and shows that this action was for the need, not of the receiver,…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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