Meditate Upon Things Worthy Of Virtue And Praise Series

Date: 7/22/19

Lesson #32

Title: Meditate upon things worthy of virtue and praise

• “Special Notes” and “Scripture” are shown as endnotes.

• NIV Bible is used throughout unless noted otherwise.

Scripture: (Philippians 4:8-9, NIV)

8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Introduction

In our study of Philippians thus far, Paul has told his Philippian friends that they should empty their minds of fear and anxiety and anything else that will detract from their pilgrimage of faith. Now he gives them a list of virtues they should think about and meditate on. Paul’s selection of the eight virtues mentioned in the eighth verse should not be seen as an attempt to list all possible virtues. Rather, we have here examples of the kinds of things that should fill our minds: that which is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and whatever is of good report, or is excellent. Wise people for thousands of years have expressed the idea that we are what we think about. Let us think prayerfully and thoughtfully on the kind Paul has listed here, and with God’s help, these will become a natural part of our day-to-day living.

Paul then follows the virtue-packed sentence with a challenge to action. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (4:9). We are to focus all our energy on being and doing. First, our minds are to be flooded with Christian virtues; then we are to act, to be, to do. The Christian faith, for Paul, is both thoughtful because it is grounded in Jesus Christ, who is the truth, and it is active because it involves journeying with Christ who is alive and active Himself.

In this passage, the apostle explains the method of true teaching. He speaks of the things the Philippians have learned. These are the things in which He personally instructed them. This includes his personal interpretation of the gospel which Paul brought to them. He speaks of the things which the Philippians had received, that is, the fixed Christian tradition as it was at that time. This then stands for the accepted teaching of the Church which Paul had handed on to them.

Commentary

(4:8) Finally (or, in conclusion), brothers and sisters (= fellow believers, my family), whatever is true (or, as many things as are genuine and real), whatever is noble (serious; respectable; dignified by holiness; awe-inspiring), whatever is right (put right; fair; equitable; just; in right relationship with the way pointed out), whatever is pure (Innocent; affection inducing; friendly; directed toward what is liked); whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Finally, brothers and sisters,

The human mind will always set itself on something and Paul wanted to be quite sure that the Philippians would always set their minds on the right things. This is something that is very important, because it is a law of life that, “if a man thinks of something often enough, he will come to the stage when he cannot stop thinking about it.” His thoughts will be quite literally in a rut which he cannot jerk them out of. It is therefore of prime importance that a man should set his thoughts upon the fine things and Paul makes a list of them.

Believers should keep on doing and thinking of what is morally and spiritually excellent. This involves centering their minds on exalted things and then (v. 9) putting into practice what they have already learned from Paul’s teaching and example.

Here (v. 8) Paul has set forth in memorable words a veritable charter for Christian thought. Although this beautiful list of virtues is not exclusively Christian, we need not suppose that Paul has borrowed it from pagan moralists. All the words are found in the Greek versions of the Old Testament, and most of them occur elsewhere in the New Testament.

whatever is true,

There are things that are “true,” and true includes both speech and fact. It has the sense of whatever is valid, reliable, genuine, real, and honest? the opposite of false. It characterizes God (Rom. 3:4) and should also characterize believers. Whatever is true must be understood in the widest sense of all that is true in thought, word, and deed. Many things in this world are deceptive and elusive, promising what they can never deliver, offering a phony peace and happiness which they can never supply. A man should always set his thoughts on things that will not let him down.