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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Philippians 4:7 - 4:7
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
7. καὶ. An important link here. Prayerfulness and the Divine peace are in profound connexion.
ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ θεοῦ. The inward serenity, caused by the known presence of ὁ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης (Php 4:9), as His Spirit calms our spirit. Cp. Col 3:15, [ἐνδύσασθε … τὴν ἀγάπην …], καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ χριστοῦ βραβενέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν: and see Joh 14:27, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν.
πάντα νοῦν. “All mind,” all mere thinking power. “It passes the mind of man,” to analyse or describe. Lightfoot renders “ ‘surpassing every device or counsel’ of man, i.e. [producing] a higher satisfaction than all anxious forethought.” But this seems scarcely to harmonize with the lofty tone of the words. Lightfoot himself quotes as in favour of the ordinary rendering Eph 3:20, τῷ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι … ὧν … νοοῦμεν.—Vulg., not happily, omnem sensum.
φρουρήσει. “Shall guard,” R.V. Geneva, “shall defend.” Vulg., custodiat, missing the point of the future tense, with its strong positive promise, far different from an aspiration. For the verb cp. 2Co 11:32, ἐφρούρει τὴν Δαμασκηνῶν πόλιν: 1Pe 1:5, τοὺς ἐν δυνάμει θεοῦ φρουρουμένους διὰ πίστεως εἰς σωτηρίαν.
καρδίας … νοήματα. “Heart” in Scripture includes the whole inner world, with its contents of understanding (a frequent special reference), affections, and will.—Νοήματα are the actions of the νοῦς. Cp. 2Co 2:11, οὐ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ νοήματα ἀγνοοῦμεν (the word is confined to this Ep. and 2 Cor. in the whole range of Biblical Greek).—Even the details of our mental action, as we plan, reason, judge, and the like, shall be shielded from evil by the peace of God.
ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. “In,” not (A.V.) “through.” The Lord is the Place of peace.