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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comJamieson Fausset Brown Commentary - Philippians 4:8 - 4:8
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Summary of all his exhortations as to relative duties, whether as children or parents, husbands or wives, friends, neighbors, men in the intercourse of the world, etc.
true - sincere, in words.
honest - Old English for “seemly,” namely, in action; literally, grave, dignified.
just - towards others.
pure - “chaste,” in relation to ourselves.
lovely - lovable (compare Mar 10:21; Luk 7:4, Luk 7:5).
of good report - referring to the absent (Phi 1:27); as “lovely” refers to what is lovable face to face.
if there be any virtue - “whatever virtue there is” [Alford]. “Virtue,” the standing word in heathen ethics, is found once only in Paul’s Epistles, and once in Peter’s (2Pe 1:5); and this in uses different from those in heathen authors. It is a term rather earthly and human, as compared with the names of the spiritual graces which Christianity imparts; hence the rarity of its occurrence in the New Testament. Piety and true morality are inseparable. Piety is love with its face towards God; morality is love with its face towards man. Despise not anything that is good in itself; only let it keep its due place.
praise - whatever is praiseworthy; not that Christians should make man’s praise their aim (compare Joh 12:43); but they should live so as to deserve men’s praise.
think on - have a continual regard to, so as to “do” these things (Phi 4:9) whenever the occasion arises.