Matthew Poole and continuators on Philippians 4:10

10 But I rejoyced in the Lord greatly , that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein ye were also carefull, but ye lacked opportunity .

He signifies that he had been much raised in true spiritual (not carnal) joy, that the Lord had by his spirit wrought in them such enlargedness of heart, as did shew it self in their care of him for the sake of Christ.

What follows, a learned Man writes, may be rendred, that now at last, ye could bring to maturity the care of me; for whom indeed ye▪ had been carefull, but had not the ability. The Apostles phrase is borrowed from trees, which in the Winter season keep their sap within the bark, in the spring and Summer grow green, and yield their fruit; so was the Philippians care of Paul suffering in Christ's cause, for the Greek word we translate flourished again, or revived is sometime used actively, and transitively. So in the 70, Ezek. 17.24. (with the Apocryphal writer, Ecles. 1.18. & 11.23. &. 50.11.) and so it may be expounded here, not onely of reviving, growing green, and budding again (which is less than the thing is) but of bringing forth fruit. For their care of Paul was in their heart, but by reason of troubles it could not exert it self, or yield fruit, but onely in the season, (as Mat. 21.34.) which the Apostle softening his speech, alledgeth as an Apology for them: he doth not say there was not any opportunity in respect of himself, but a seasonableness in respect of them. They being destitute of a faculty of bringing forth fruit, v. 17. (which yet they always nourish'd in their most intimate affections towards him) till the present, when at length they had a seasonableness and an ability given them of God, to the perfecting of that fruit for the Apostle. For what we translate wherein, may as, c. 3.12. be translated for where (compare the use of the particle and article, Mat. 18.4. with 26.50. Rom. 5.12.)

Marginal references: 2 Cor. 11.9.; Or, is revived.