PHILIPPIANS 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.”
Instead of focusing on the word think or dwell Paul taught the Hebraic idea of not just using your thought process, but to reckon (calculating or estimating) with your soul, which includes your mind, will, and emotions. Paul also shared regarding the emotional and volitional aspects into this word logizomai (dwell). The Western Greek culture stressed thinking, where the Eastern Hebraic process focused on not only thinking, but also the emotions and applying or doing what the Torah said. Paul is not just exhorting us to think better, he is telling us to convert proper thought and emotion into action.
So, let’s review the definitions of the words that Paul emphasized in Philippians 4:8, so we can pay greater attention to the attributes of God and how He expresses His nature through us.
True – alethe means not concealed or hidden. Paul’s idea is emet (Heb) meaning a reality that is firm, stable and binding. It is confirmed by facts and is connected to observable reality. To be true is to be aligned with what God reveals (faith).
Honorable – comes from kabed meaning to be heavy, weighty with respect, but not fear which makes it difficult to worship. It is essentially whatever delights God, brings Him glory, reverence for His name, and exhibits character in our actions.
Right – dikaios – conforming customs, fulfilled obligations, legal norms and ethical virtues. The context helps us know which one Paul means and the Torah is God-breathed and is a living document but flexible enough to be applied to us.
Pure – hagnos – exciting reverence and to recover wonder, presence, and awe, including being washed on the outside and inside. It can include ritual and moral purity. For Paul it is whatever is necessary to enter into God’s presence (prayer etc.).
Lovely – prosphiles – friendly towards, pleasing, and agreeable, not just beauty. It is anything that moves us toward friendship (phileo) with God. If I am on the wrong way I need to turn around because it is not good for my relationship.
Good Repute – euphema – sounding well, good saying, things spoken in a kindly spirit, with good will to others… gracious. The opposite would be gossip that harms. If you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t say anything at all.
Excellence – arête – a virtuous course of thought, feeling, and action including moral goodness. Be the best God has for you to be according to the gifts that He has given you within your potential, not necessarily what others think you should be.
Worthy of Praise – epainos – this emphasizes God’s approval not recognition and acclaim from others. It is about feeling God’s validation even when the world disapproves.
I hope this summary helps you focus your attention on God’s covenant nature, character and attributes which He is imparting to you. Also a special thank you to Dr. Skip Moen for his research and teachings! (https://www.skipmoen.com)
In His Covenant Love,
