There is no doubt that Philippians 4: 13 is one of the most well-known and quoted verses. In fact, after John 3: 16, Philippians 4: 13 is often the most-searched Bible verse on the internet... What does Paul mean when he says he can do "all things" through Christ, who gives him strength?
Context is king. This means that when studying a passage of Scripture, the context of a passage is what determines its meaning.
Jeannine Brown comments, “The method of reading select passages here and there, which is rather common in the Christian tradition, can lead to misreading if the literary context is ignored.”
Understanding the immediate context of Philippians 4: 13 is also vital to correctly understanding this verse. What precisely does Paul mean by “all things”? Certainly this cannot mean that Paul thought he could do anything through Christ’s power.
Indeed, the preceding verses clarify Paul’s statement. In verses 11– 12 he declares, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
Paul states that he learned to live contently in any circumstance or situation. He knew how to be content with much (“ abound,” “plenty,” “abundance”) and with little (“ brought low,” “hunger,” “need”). The key phrase is found in verse 12, where Paul states “in any [παντί] and every [πᾶσιν] circumstance.”
- Benjamin L. Merkle, Exegetical Gems from Biblical Greek, 2019.
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