The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 157

in its widest meaning; while 6l11rm is a to close his Epistle, bnt cannot at once birl special act of snpplication for some farewell to his beloved Philippiane. He particular objeot of need (see Trench, urges them to fill their thoughts with things • Synonyms of the New Testament,' sect. Ii.). good nnd holy. Christ is the Truth: all With tl1anl,Bgiving. Thanksgiving is the that is trne comes from him; the falee, the necessary accompaniment of prayer; it vain, is of the earth, earthy. Perhaps tho ought never to be absent from our devotion a ; verb (la-rlP) maybe emphatic. Sceptics may it springs out of that holy joy which St. deny the existence of nbsolnte truth; men Paul so eonstan tly sets before us in this me.y scoffingly ask, " What is truth?" Epistle ne the bounden duty of Christians. Truth is real, and it is found in Christ, the St. Paul himself is an example of constant Truth. Whatsoever things are honest. thanksgiving. All his Epistles, except those The word (a,µ,v&.) occurs only here and four to the Galatians, I Timothy, and Ti(ua, open times in the pastoral Epistles. It is a word with II th1mksgiving. In the dungeon nt difficult to translate. "Honourable" or" rever- Philippi he and Silns "prayed and sang end" ( the renderings of the R. V.) are better praises unto God" (Acts xvi. 25). Onr equivalents than "honest." It points to a req nests, the things for which we ask, are Christian decorum, a Christian self-respect, to be mu.de known unto God; trpbs -rbv which is qnite consistent with true humility, e,oP, before God, in the presence of God, by for it is a reverence for the temple of God. prayer, the general oonveree of the eonl Whatsoever thingB are just ; rather, per- with God; and by enpplice.tion, direct haps, righteoua, in the widest meaning. petitions for the supply of our necessities. Whatsoever thinga are pure ; not only Indeed, he knows our necessities before we chaste, but free from stain or defilement of ask; but we are encouraged to make them any sort. The word nsed here (a:yv6s) is known before him, as Hezekiah took the not common in the New Testament. The letter of Sennacherib and spread it before adverb occnrs in eh. i. 16, where it is ren- the Lord. dered "sincerely," and implies purity of Ver. 7.-And the peaoe of God, whioh motive. Whatsoever things are lovely passeth all understandmg. The peace which (1rpo11cp,>..11); not beautiful, bnt pleasing, God gives, which flows from the 1ense of lovable; whatsoever things wonld attract his most gracious presence, and consists in the love of holy sonls. Whatsoever things childlike confidence and trustful love. This are of good report, The word ( eliq,71µ.a) means peace passeth all understanding; its calm "well-speaking" (not " well spoken of"), blessedneBB transcends the reach of human and so "gracious,"" attractive;" in classical thought; it can be known only by the inner Greek it means " anspicious," "of good experience of the believer. The similar omen." Of these six heads, the first two de- pnssage, Eph. iii. 20, "Unto him that is scribe the subjects of devout thought as they able to do exceeding abundantly above all are in themselves ; the second pair relate to that we ask or think," seems decisive for practical life ; the third pair to the moral the ordinary interpretation. Bishop Light- approbation which the contemplation of a foot, Meyer, and others take another view holy life excites in good men. If there be of the passage : "Surpassing every device any virtue. This word, so very common in or counsel of man, i.e. which is far better, the Greek moralists, occurs nowhere else in which produces a higher satisfaotion, than St. Paul. Nor does any other of the New all punctilious self-nssertion, all anxious Test.nment writers use it except St. Peter forethought." Shall keep your he&rts and (1 Pet. ii. 9 (in the Greek); 2 Pet. i. 3, 5). minds through Christ 1eB118; rather, as R.V., Bishop Lightfoot says," The strangeness of shall guard your heart8 and your thoughtB in the word, combined with the change of ex- Christ JeBUB, Peace shall guard-" a verbal pression, d ns, will suggest another explana- paradox, for to guard is a warrior's duty" tion: 'Whatever value may reside in your (Bishop Lightfoot). The peace of God old hrnthen conception of virtue, whatever abiding in the heart is a sure and trusty consideration is due to the praise of men ; ' garrison, guarding it so that the evil spirit, as if the apostle were anxious not to omit once cast out, cannot return. The thoughts any possible ground of appe,\l." And if i~sue from the heart; for the heart, as com- there be any praise; comp. Rom. ::tii. 17 monly in the Hebrew Scriptures, is regarded and 2 Cor. viii. 21, where St. Paul bids us as the seat of the iutellect, not of feeling " provide for honest things, not only in the only, In ChriBt JesUB; in the sphere of his eight of the Lord, but also in the sight 0f influence, his presence. True believers, men." Nevertheless, in the highest point abiding in Christ, realize his promise, "Peace of view, the praise of the true Israelite is I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." not of man, but of God. Think on these Ver. 8.-J'inally, brethren, whatsoever things; or, e.e in the mnrgin of RV., takd things are true. He repeats the "finally" account of. Let these be the considerations of eh. iii. 1. He again 1111d 11g11in prepares which guide your thoughts und dirc•ct you, 1.iS THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPlANS, [en. 1v. 1-23.