For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again unto my necessity.
Read Chapter 4
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Here again is great praise, that he, when dwelling in the metropolis, should be nourished by a little city. And lest, by always withdrawing himself from the supposition of want, he should, as I said at first, render them amiss, having previously shown by so many proofs that he is not in want, he here does it by one word only, by saying needs. And he said not my, but absolutely,— having a care of dignity. And not this only, but what follows too, for since he was conscious that it was a very lowly thing, he again secures it, by adding as a correction,
What great praise is this! When he was dwelling in the great capital city, he was being nourished by this little city of Philippi. He does not want to encourage them to be slack in generosity by telling them that he has no needs whatever. All he has to do is to indicate the bare outlines of his need. .
