Bible Study on Philippians 4:13 (“I can do all things through Christ")
Philippians 4:13
“I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” (CSB)
Welcome to the Bible Study Guide for Philippians 4:13, which leverages questions from the CHARA Bible Study Guide when studying this verse. Below are the questions the Chara team chose to ask, in the order they chose to ask them, but feel free to use other questions or change up the order as you dive into this passage. For ANSWERS from the Chara team on these questions, check out the video below.
RESEARCH
Observations & Questions: What observations or questions do you have when you reread the passage more than once? For example, we may read a passage like this and wonder “can we really do ANYTHING through him who gives us strength”? How have you heard this verse used in our culture today?
CONTEXT
Immediate: What is the theme or main idea found in the surrounding paragraph(s)? (Hint: read Philippians 4:10-13). What’s the main idea of that section of scripture?
AUTHOR
Person: Who was the author? (Hint: You can find information about the author in the intro to the book of Philippians in a Study Bible. You can also see the author identified in Philippians 1:1).
Style: What is the literary style or genre the author used (e.g. narrative, poetry, prophecy, letters)? How does that impact how we should read it? (Hint: We learn in the intro to a Study Bible that the literary style of Philippians is a letter. For tips on how to study and read a letter in the Bible, check out the Literary Styles article, where you’ll learn we should treat letters as you would any letter today - read the whole thing in order.)
HISTORY
Who was it written to? (Hint: learn about the recipients of the letter in Philippians 1:1 and check out cross references, like Acts 16, that should give you background on when the author met the recipients)
Where does the narrative take place and where was it written? (Hint: keep reading Philippians 1, through verse 14, so see where Paul is located while writing this letter. Check out cross references and Study Bible notes to see if other verses can give you details on what his circumstances were like.)
What worldview, cultural, religious, political factors and experiences were a part of their world and how did that influence them? (Hint: Check out Study Bible notes and commentaries to learn interesting facts, like that it was common practice in the ancient near east for prisoners to only get food and supplies if they were provided by friends and family)
CONTEXT
Immediate: What is the theme or main idea found in Philippians 4:14-18? How does it help us learn about the relationship between Paul and the Philippians?
AUTHOR
Person: How did Paul’s experiences influence what he communicated? We’ve already learned so much about Paul’s circumstances from Philippians 1 and Acts 16, but take a look at 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 to really understand Paul’s past experiences. Knowing Paul’s background, what insight does it provide into how we should view Paul’s words in Philippians 4:10-13? What is the connection between Paul's “secret of contentment” and the strength he’s getting?
CONTEXT
Bible: Does my interpretation hold true throughout the rest of the Bible? What understanding does another passage in the Bible give? (Hint: use Bible cross references to discover passages like 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 3:16-17 or Romans 8:5-6, 26-27 to see WHO helps us in our weakness)
APPLY
Pray: “Lord, what do you want me to learn and how should I apply this to my life?”
Express: What fears or concerns do you have about applying what you’ve learned?
Reflect: What specific questions do you have upon further reflection of the passage? Is there a verse that you’d like to memorize to speak truth to your heart and mind?
Join the Chara Project team as they study Philippians 4:13 and see their ANSWERS to the questions asked from the CHARA Bible Study Guide.