Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Philippians 4:5
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Henry Alford
“These words may apply either to the foregoing – the Lord will soon come, He is the avenger; it is yours to be moderate and clement” (so Dewette, al): or to the following – “the Lord is near, be not anxious:” so Chrys., Thdrt., all. Perhaps we may best regard it as the translation from one to the other: Christ’s coming is at hand – this is the best enforcer of clemency and forbearance: it also leads on to the duty of banishing anxiety. Ho curios is Christ, and the engus refers to the parousia; See on ch. 3:20.” (Greek Testament, An Ecological and Critical Commentary, Vol.III, pp. 186-187.)
Albert Barnes
“They were to govern their appetites, restrain their temper, and to be examples of what was proper for men in view of the expectation that the Lord would soon appear. `The Lord is at hand’ Is near. See Notes, ch.3:20; 1 Cor.16:22.” (Barnes Notes On The New Testament, p. 214.)
A.T. Robertson
“The Apostle’s watchword” (Lightfoot), as in 1 Cor.16:22 (Maran atha, Aramaic equivalent, Our Lord cometh). Unless, indeed, “engus” here means “near” in space instead of “nigh” in time.” (Word Pictures In The New Testament, Archibald Thomas Robertson, p.459.)
“This Aramaic phrase means `Our Lord (maran) cometh (atha)’ or, used as a proleptic perfect, `has come.’ It seems to be a sort of watchword (cf. 1Thes.4:14ff.; James 5:7f.; Phil.4:5; Rev.1:7; 3:11; 22:20), expressing the lively hope that the Lord will come” (op. cit. p.204.)
B.W. Johnson
“A special watchword of the early church in time of trouble. It meant practically, `Deliverance is near.’” (People’s New Testament, p.220.)
Adam Clarke
“A phrase something similar to the Maranatha of 1 Cor.16:22: The Lord is Judge, and is at hand to punish. `Schoettgen supposes, from this verse, taken in connection with the preceding, that Euodias and Syntche were of a `quarrelsome’ disposition, and hence the exhortation and threatening in the third and fifth verses.” (Clarke’s Commentary, p. 506.)
REFERENCE WORKS
Pulpit Commentary
“The Lord is at hand; therefore be not careful to exact your full rights; love is more precious than gold in the treasury of heaven. Compare Jas.5:8, `Be ye also patient, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.’ Others interpret the words, not of the future advent, but of the Lord’s present nearness. Com. Ps.145:18, `The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him.’ But this seems scarcely so appropriate here.” (Edited by J.D.M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, p.156.)
Arndt & Gingrich
[engus] “…of time near…Of the Parousia, Phil.4:5;” A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, p.214.
Thayer
[engus] “of Time; concerning things imminent and soon to come to pass: Mt.24:32; 26:18; Mk.13:28; Lk.21:30,31; Jn.2:13; 6:4; 7:2; 11:55; Rev.1:3; 22:10; of the near advent persons: Ho hurios engus, of Christ’s return from heaven, Phil.4:5 (in another sense, of God in Ps. cxliv. [cxlv.] 18); with the addition epi thurais, at the door, Mt.24:33; Mk.13:29; engus kataras, near to being cursed, Heb.6:8; aphanismou, soon to vanish, Heb.8:13.” A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Joseph Henry Thayer, p. 164.