I Can Do All Things... Really? An Example Of Inflating The Scriptures

            Philippians 4:12-13 states, “(12) 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.  (13) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

According to John Wesley, Philippians 4:13 means that we “can do all things - Even fulfill all the will of God.”[1]  Wesley not only had a heavy sanctification focus on this text, but I have also seen countless Christians quote verse 13 with a thick accent on I can do all things while having a much lower voice inflection on the phrase through him who strengthens me.  This interpretation is clear evidence of exegetical inflation due to a inflated sanctification presuppositional view.  In other words, an over emphasis or bias towards sanctification has the tendency to inflate the exegetical outcome of a text further than its original context allows. 

So, what Paul is saying?  The words of Paul saying, “I can do all things,” are not to be understood as if the apostle was omnipotent or by the power of Christ he can do anything and everything.  Rather these words need to be considered in the context of verse 12.  In verse 12 we see that Paul is actually stating that the phrase all things needs to framed within the idea that Paul could be content and do all things in facing poverty or abundance.

As noted from above: context, context, context.  Without the context of scripture one’s presuppositional context takes hold and in the case of those who lean towards sanctification, the text inflates according to their perspective and application of the text shifts towards an inflated sanctification emphasis. 

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[1] John Wesley, John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible (Published 1755-1766, Public Domain), Philippians 4:13.