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Php_4:8 f. A summary closing summons to a Christian mode of thought and (Php_4:9) action, compressing everything closely and succinctly into a few pregnant words, introduced by τὸ λοιπόν , with which Paul had already, at Php_3:1, wished to pass on to the conclusion. See on Php_3:1. This τὸ λοιπόν is not, however, resumptive (Matthies, Ewald, following the old expositors), or concluding the exhortation begun in Php_3:1 (Hofmann), for in that passage it introduced quite a different summons; but, without any reference to Php_3:1, it conveys the transition of thought: “what over and above all the foregoing I have to urge upon you in general still is: everything that,” etc. According to de Wette, it is intended to bring out what remained for man to do, in addition to that which God does, Php_4:7. But in that case there must have been expressed, at least by ὑμεῖς before ἀδελφοί or in some other way, an antithetic statement of that which had to be done on the part of man.
ὅσα ] nothing being excepted, expressed asyndetically six times with the emphasis of an earnest ἐπιμονή . Comp. Php_2:1, Php_3:2; Buttmann, Neut. Gr. p. 341 [E. T. 398].
ἀληθῆ ] The thoroughly ethical contents of the whole summons requires us to understand, not theoretical truth (van Hengel), but that which is morally true; that is, that which is in harmony with the objective standard of morality contained in the gospel. Chrysostom: ἡ ἀρετή · ψεῦδος δὲ ἡ κακία . Oecumenius: ἀληθὴ δέ φησι τὰ ἐνάρετα . Comp. also Theophylact. See 1Jn_1:6; Joh_3:21; Eph_5:9; 1Co_5:8. To limit it to truth in speaking (Theodoret, Bengel) is in itself arbitrary, and not in keeping with the general character of the predicates which follow, in accordance with which we must not even understand specially unfeigned sincerity (Erasmus, Grotius, Estius, and others; comp. Eph_4:21; Plat. Phil. p. 59 C: τὸ ἀληθὲς καὶ ὃ δὴ λέγομεν εἰλικρινές ), though this essentially belongs to the morally true.
σεμνά ] worthy of honour, for it is in accordance with God. Comp. 1Ti_2:2 : εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι . Plat. Soph. p. 249 A: σεμνὸν καὶ ἅγιον νοῦν . Xen. Oec. vi. 14: τὸ σεμνὸν ὄνομα τὸ καλόν τε κἀγαθόν . Dem. 385. 11; Herodian, i. 2. 6; Ael. V. H. ii. 13, viii. 36; Polyb. ix. 36. 6, xv. 22. 1, xxii. 6. 10.
δίκαια ] upright, as it ought to be; not to be limited to the relations “erga alios” (Bengel, Heumann, and others), so that justice in the narrower sense would be meant (so Calvin: “ne quem laedamus, ne quem fraudemus;” Estius, Grotius, Calovius, and others). Comp., on the contrary, Theogn. 147: ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ συλλήβδην πᾶσʼ ἀρετή ἐστι .
ἁγνά ] pure, unstained, not: chaste in the narrower sense of the word (2Co_11:2; Dem. 1371. 22; Plut. Mor. p. 268 E, 438 C, et al.), as Grotius, Calovius, Estius, Heumann, and others would explain it. Calvin well says: “castimoniam denotat in omnibus vitae partibus.” Comp. 2Co_6:6; 2Co_7:11; 1Ti_5:22; Jam_3:17; 1Pe_3:2; 1Jn_3:3; often so used in Greek authors. Comp. Menand. in Clem. Strom, vii. p. 844: πᾶς ἁγνός ἐστιν ὁ μηδὲν ἑαυτῷ κακὸν συνιδών .
προσφιλῆ ] dear, that which is loved. This is just once more Christian morality, which, in its whole nature as the ethical καλόν , is worthy of love;[184] Plat. Rep. p. 444 E; Soph. El. 972: φιλεῖ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ χρηστὰ πᾶς ὁρᾶν . “Nihil est amabilius virtute, nihil quod magis alliciat ad diligendum, Cic. Lael. 28. Comp. ad Famil. ix. 14; Xen. Mem. ii. 1. 33. The opposite is the αἰσχρόν , which deserves hate (Rom_7:15). Chrysostom suggests the supplying τοῖς πιστοῖς κ . τῷ Θεῷ ; Theodoret only τῷ Θεῷ . Others, as Calovius, Estius, Heinrichs, and many: “amabilia hominibus” But there is no necessity for any such supplement. The word does not occur elsewhere in the N. T., although frequently in classical authors, and at Sir_4:8; Sir_20:13. Others understand kindliness, benevolence, friendliness, and the like. So Grotius; comp. Erasmus, Paraphr.: “quaecumque ad alendam concordiam accommoda.” Linguistically faultless (Ecclus. l.c.; Herod, i. 125; Thuc. vii. 86; Polyb. x. 5. 6), but not in keeping with the context, which does not adduce any special virtues.
εὔφημα ] not occurring elsewhere either in the N. T., or in the LXX., or Apocrypha; it does not mean: “quaecumque bonam famam conciliant” (Erasmus; comp. Calvin, Grotius, Cornelius a Lapide, Estius, Heinrichs, and others, also Rheinwald); but: (Luther), which has an auspicious (faustum) sound, i.e. that which, when it is named, sounds significant of happiness, as, for instance, brave, honest, honourable, etc. The opposite would be: δύσφημα . Comp. Soph. Aj. 362; Eur. Iph. T. 687: εὔφημα φώνει . Plat. Leg. vii. p. 801 A: τὸ τῆς ᾠδῆς γένος εὔφημον ἡμῖν . Aesch. Suppl. 694, Agam. 1168; Polyb. xxxi. 14. 4; Lucian, Prom. 3. Storr, who is followed by Flatt, renders it: “sermones, qui bene aliis precantur.” So used in later Greek authors (also Symmachus, Psa_62:6); but this meaning is here too special.
εἴ τις κ . τ . λ .] comprehending all the points mentioned: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise; not if there be yet another, etc. (de Wette).
ἀρετή used by Paul here only, and in the rest of the N. T. only in 1Pe_2:9, 2Pe_1:3; 2Pe_1:5,[185] in the ethical sense: moral aptitude in disposition and action (the opposite to it, κακία : Plat. Rep. 444 D, 445 C, 1, p. 348 C). Comp. from the Apocrypha, Wis_4:1; Wis_5:13, and frequent instances of its use in the books of Macc.
ἔπαινος ] not: res laudabilis (Calvin, Grotius, Estius, Flatt, Matthies, van Hengel, and many others; comp. Weiss), but praise (Erasmus: “laus virtutis comes”), which the reader could not understand in the apostle’s sense otherwise than of a laudatory judgment actually corresponding to the moral value of the object. Thus, for instance, Paul’s commendation of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is an ἔπαινος ; or when Christ pronounces a blessing on the humble, the peacemakers, the merciful, etc., or the like. “Vera laus uni virtuti debetur,” Cic. de orat. ii. 84. 342; virtue is καθʼ αὑτὴν ἐπαινετή , Plat. Def. p. 411 C. Mistaken, therefore, were such additions as ἐπιστήμης (D* E* F G) or disciplinae (Vulg., It., Ambrosiaster, Pelagius).
ταῦτα λογίζεσθε ] consider these things, take them to heart, in order, (see Php_4:9) to determine your conduct accordingly. “Meditatio praecedit, deinde sequitur opus,” Calvin. On λογίζεσθαι , comp. Psa_52:2; Jer_26:3; Nah_1:9; Psa_35:4; Psa_36:4; 3Ma_4:4; Soph. O. R. 461; Herod, viii. 53; Dem. 63, 12; Sturz, Lex. Xen. III. p. 42; the opposite: θνητὰ λογίζεσθαι , Anthol. Pal. xi. 56. 3.
Php_4:9. The Christian morality, which Paul in Php_4:8 has commended to his readers by a series of predicates, he now again urges upon them in special reference to their relation to himself, their teacher and example, as that which they had also learned, etc. The first καί is therefore also, prefixing to the subsequent ταῦτα πράσσετε an element corresponding to this requirement, and imposing an obligation to its fulfilment. “Whatsoever also has been the object and purport of your instruction, etc., that do.” To take the four times repeated καί as a double as well … as also (Hofmann and others), would yield an inappropriate formal scheme of separation. Καί in the last three cases is the simple and, but so that the whole is to be looked upon as bipartite: “Duo priora verba ad doctrinam pertinent, reliqua duo ad exemplum” (Estius).
ἅ ] not ὍΣΑ again; for no further categories of morality are to be given, but what they are bound to do generally is to be described under the point of view of what is known to the readers, as that which they also have learned, etc.
παρελάβετε ] have accepted. Comp. 1Co_15:1; Joh_1:11; Polyb. xxxiii. 16. 9. The interpretation: “have received” (Vulgate, Erasmus, Luther, Beza, and most expositors, including Rheinwald, Rilliet, Hoelemann, de Wette, Weiss, Hofmann), which makes it denote the instruction communicated (1Th_2:13; 1Th_4:1; 2Th_3:6; 1Co_11:23; Gal_1:9; Gal_1:12; Col_2:6; comp. Plat. Theaet. p. 198 B: παραλαμβάνοντα δὲ μανθάνειν ), would yield a twofold designation for the one element,[186] and on the other hand would omit the point of the assensus, which is so important as a motive; moreover, from a logical point of view, we should necessarily expect to find the position of the two words reversed (comp. Gal_1:12).
ἠκούσατε ] does not refer to the proper preaching and teaching of the apostle (Erasmus, Calvin, Elsner, Rheinwald, Matthies), which is already fully embraced in the two previous points; nor does it denote: “audistis de me absente” (Estius and others, including Hoelemann, Rilliet, Hofmann), for all the other points refer to the time of the apostle’s presence, and consequently not merely the “de me,” but also the “absente” would be purely imported. No, by the words ἠκούσατε and ΕἼΔΕΤΕ , to both of which ἐν ἐμοί belongs, he represents to his readers his own example of Christian morality, which he had given them when he was present, in its two portions, in so far as they had perceived it in him ( ἐν ἑμοί , comp. Php_1:30) partly by hearing, in his whole oral behaviour and intercourse with them, partly by seeing, in his manner of action among them; or, in other words, his example both in word and deed.
ταῦτα πράσσετε ] these things do, is not related to ταῦτα λογίζεσθε , Php_4:8, as excluding it, in such a way that for what is said in Php_4:8 the ΛΟΓΊΖΕΣΘΑΙ merely would be required, and for what is indicated in Php_4:9 the ΠΡΆΣΣΕΙΝ ; on the contrary, the two operations, which in substance belong jointly to the contents of both verses, are formally separated in accordance with the mode of expression of the parallelism. Comp. on Php_2:8 and Rom_10:10.
καὶ ὁ Θεός κ . τ . λ .] in substance the same promise as was given in Php_4:7. God, who works peace (that holy peace of soul, Php_4:7), will be with you, whereby is meant the help given through the Holy Spirit; and His special agency, which Paul here has in view, is unmistakeably indicated by the very predicate τῆς εἰρήνης .
[184] Luther well renders it: “lieblich,” and the Gothic: “liubaleik;” the Vulgate: “amabilia.”
[185] We are not entitled to assume (with Beza) as the reason why Paul does not use this word elsewhere, that it is “verbum nimium humile, si cum donis Spiritus Sancti comparetur.” The very passage before us shows the contrary, as it means no other than Christian morality. Certainly in Paul’s case, as with the N. T. authors generally and even Christ Himself, the specific designations of the idea of virtue, which correspond more closely to the sphere of theocratic O. T. ideas, such as δικαιοσύνη , ὑπακοή , ἁγιότης , ἁγιωσύνη , ὁσιότης , κ . τ . λ ., too necessarily suggested themselves to his mind to allow him to use the general term for morality, ἀρετή , as familiar, however worthily and nobly the Platonic doctrine, in particular, had grasped the idea of it ( εἰς ὅσον δυνατὸν ἀνθρώπῳ ὁμοιοῦσθαι Θεῷ , Plat. Rep. p. 613 A, 500 C, et al.).
[186] Real distinctions have, indeed, been made, hut how purely arbitrary they are! Thus Grotius (comp. Hammond) makes ἐμάθ . apply to the primam institutionem, and παρελάβ . to the exacliorcm doctrinam. Rilliet explains it differently, making the former denote: “son enseignement direct,” and the latter: “les instructions, qu’il leur a transmises sous une forme quelconque.”
REMARK.
It is to be noticed that the predicates in Php_4:8, ἀληθῆ … εὔφημα , do not denote different individual virtues, but that each represents the Christian moral character generally, so that in reality the same thing is described, but according to the various aspects which commended it. Comp. Diog. Laert. ii. 106: ἒν τὸ ἀγαθὸν πολλοῖς ὀνόμασι καλούμενον . Cic. de fin. iii. 4. 14: “una virtus unum, istud, quod honestum appellas, rectum, laudabile, decorum.” That it is Christian morality which Paul has in view, is clearly evident from Php_4:9 and from the whole preceding context. Hence the passage cannot avail for placing the morality of the moral law of nature (Rom_2:14 f.) on an equality with the gospel field of duty, which has its specific definition and consecration—as also, for the reconciled whom it embraces, the assurance of the divine keeping (Php_4:7; Php_4:9)—in the revealed word (Php_4:9), and in the enlightening and ethically transforming power of the Spirit (comp. Rom_12:2).