Philippians 4:8-9

(3). General exhortation to Christian progress

( Philippians 4:8-9)

8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest [honorable] whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if 9there be any praise, think on these things. Those [The] things which ye have both [also] learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me [these] do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Philippians 4:8. Finally, τὸ λοιπόν, introduces the conclusion, but does not strictly resume Philippians 3:1 again (Matthies). [This expression indicates an approach to the end, and as Meyer remarks, its recurrence here shows Paul’s reluctance to say the last word of farewell.—H.] It is here added how and wherein the peace of God (Philippians 4:7) is to manifest itself; and as Philippians 4:7 states what God does, so this declares what remains for men to do. (De Wette). The address, brethren, ἀδελφοί, is prompted by the fervor of his feelings; and to this fervor is due also the six times repeated ὅσα. [The words which follow here may be said to be arranged in a descending scale. The first four describe the character of the actions themselves, the two former, ἀληθῆ, σεμνά, being absolute, the two latter δίκαια, ἁγνά, relative; the fifth and sixth προσφιλῆ, εὔφημα, point to the moral approbation which they conciliate; while the seventh and eighth ἀρετή, ἔπαινος, in which the form of expression is changed (εἴτις for ὅσα), are thrown in as an after-thought that no motive may be omitted (Lightfoot).—H.]—Whatsoever things are true, ὅσα ἐστὶν . The ὅσα indicates that all things, without exception, which the category embraces are meant; while ἐστίν implies their actual existence in contrast with the arbitrary supposition of men. Ἀληθῆ is the morally true, in harmony with the objective rule of morality in the gospels. See Ephesians 4:21. It should neither be limited by in sermone (Bengel) nor be taken as merely subjective in the sense of sincerity (Erasmus).—Whatsoever things are honorable (ὅσα σεμνά), designates things of a worthy character corresponding to the essence of the ἀλήθεια (1 Timothy 2:2; Titus 2:2). [They are such as men esteem, regard with respect, veneration.—H.]—Whatsoever things are just (ὅσα δίκαια) signifies the things which accord with the law, as in Ephesians 4:24, and should not be limited by erga alios (Bengel).—Whatsoever things are pure (ὅσα ἁγνά) describes the same qualities or acts intrinsically (2 Corinthians 6:6; 2 Corinthians 7:11; Jam 3:17; 1 Timothy 5:22; 1 John 3:3; ἁγνῶς 1:17). It is not simply ‘chaste’ (Grotius).—Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report (ὅσα προσφιλῆ, ὅσα εὔφημα) comprises again a two-fold relation; both words have reference to the estimation of men, the first however designating what is valuable and dear to the heart of man, (προσφιλῆ), the second (εὔφημα) what is praised, esteemed among men, in word and deed. The first should not be supplemented by τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ τῷ θεῷ (Chrysostom), or restricted by τῷ θεῷ (Theodoret), or interpreted as benigna, quæ, gratiosum faciunt hominem (Grotius). The second does not refer to quæ bonam famam conciliant (Erasmus), or to sermones, qui aliis bene precantur (Storr.), which is opposed to the context.—If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, sums up the preceding; εἴ τις refers to the first two pairs, καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος to the last pair. The former, ἀρετή, used of God, 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3, here and in 2 Peter 1:5, of men, signifies moral rectitude in disposition and action; the latter (ἔπαινος) the moral judgment of men, hence not res laudabilis (Calvin, et al.); virtue (ἀρετή) calls forth praise (ἔπαινον): this presupposes that.—Thus what is in a Christian sense moral, is described in manifold relations, and the Apostle now says of it:—Think on these things, ταῦτα λογίζεσθε, not the same as φρονεῖτε. The Philippians should choose these things as the subject of their meditation, have them ever in their thoughts.

Philippians 4:9. The train of thought leads us here to the province of action.—The things which ye have also learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me. The first καί points to the ἐστίν with ὅσα. [Hence it does not signify both (A. V.), but also, i.e., it adds the Apostle’s example and teaching to the claims of the virtues themselves. Lightfoot makes the first καί responsive to the third, and so connects the verbs in pairs.—H.] Ἐμάθετε καὶ παρελάβετε, refer to instruction, the former indicating the act in this process, as that of the Philippians, the latter, as that of Paul. The second intimates that the first could not have taken place without the second. Ἠκούσατε καὶ εἴδετε refer to examples of which the Philippians had knowledge by report or from personal observation, and which καί joins with the instruction (ὲμάθετε). Ἐν ἐμοί belongs to both verbs, for Paul is an example in word as well as act. Therefore καί καί καί is not “as well as,” nor ἐμάθετε genus, and the others species (Hölemann), nor does ἠκούσατε refer to preaching (Calvin, et al.).—These do (ταῦτα πράσσετε) is parallel to ταῦτα λογίζεσθε; both together, thinking and doing, are what Paul enjoins.—And the God of peace shall be with you, καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης ἔσται μεθ’ ὑμῶν. The particle connects the result (=‘and so,’) with the injunction. The promise points to Philippians 4:7. He has the peace of God as his protection, who has the God of peace with him and in him.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1.Salvation with all its inward wealth and manifold relations, is a unit. It harmonizes with the standard (ἀληθῆ) immanent in it, whereon depends its dignity, its worth (σεμνά), agrees with the rule made objective in the law (δίκαια), so that it is unspotted (ἁγνά), has its echo in the creature (προσφιλῆ), and in the circles formed by it (εὔφημα).

2. Salvation is obtained through a saving union of doctrine and example.3. He who rightfully claims salvation in word, has resting upon him still more the duty of bearing witness to it in his life.[Andrew Fuller:—“The God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9). We cannot experience the peace of God, and joy in the Holy Ghost, unless we have the testimony of our own consciences that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world.—What is this peace? The Christian, the minister who enjoys a well-grounded persuasion that he possesses the favor of Jesus Christ, whose confidence is in Him who sits at the helm of the universe, who walks with God and has the testimony of a good conscience, possesses the peace of God.—H.]

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Starke:—Christians have no need of the teachings of pagan morality, for no virtue can be found, or anything else praiseworthy and glorious, which is not found in God’s word.—Whoever will have the blessings of salvation, must submit to the divine plan of salvation.

Schleiermacher:—In regard to what is honorable, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, there is a true and a false standard, and for this reason the Apostle here places the true at the beginning, that when the following exhortations are presented this fact, which our experience so often discloses, may at once occur to the Christian, and he may be led to examine himself and see whether he also is everywhere seeking for the true.

Heubner:—The Christian should not be one, but many-sided; he should strive after all that is excellent.—The true type of Christian virtue rejects all falsehood.—Klopstock inserts Philippians 4:8 in his ode to the Redeemer at the close of the Messiah.

[Robert Hall:—There are very different virtues. If we would be complete in our Christian profession, we must attend to all the virtues of it;—whatsoever things are true, honest, just, or lovely, as well as those sublimer things which more immediately respect God and Christ, and heaven and eternity. The beauty of the Christian character is not formed so much by the gigantic size of one virtue, as from the harmony and consistency of all. Never, then, let it appear which virtue has been most approved by you, but cultivate every virtue (Philippians 4:8).—H.]

Footnotes:

Philippians 4:4; Philippians 4:4 [This ‘and in the A. V. answers to καί in the common text, which is, however, unwarranted. For the asyndeton which thus occurs, see Winer’s Gram., p. 537. See the notes below on ἐρῶ.—H.]

[6][Neander suggests still another, or at least a modified interpretation. The consciousness that “the Lord is nigh,” furnishes a motive for the exercise of forbearance under provocation. His persecuted people walk in the sight of the Lord and dare not give way to passion in the near presence of Him, who endured every wrong with heavenly patience and long-suffering. This consciousness that the Lord is near will also restrain them from wishing to anticipate His justice, to take the work of retribution into their own hands.—H.]