Philippians 4:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Whatever is true.” What is perfectly true is the same as virtue, and falsehood is the same as vice. The pleasure of vice is falsehood, its glory is falsehood, and everything in the world is falsehood.

“Whatever is pure” is said in contrast to the phrase, “they mind earthly things.” “Whatever is honorable” is in contrast to, “their god is the belly.”

“Whatever is just, whatever is of good report,” these are the things, he says, to think on. “If there is any virtue and any praise.”

Here he also instills concern for what concerns other people. “Think on these things,” he says. Do you see that he wants to drive every evil thought from our souls?

For evil deeds come from evil thoughts. [...]

There is nothing so hostile to our nature as vice. How vice is hostile and virtue friendly is evident from everything.

If you wish, let us examine this first with regard to one vice, fornication. Fornication makes people dishonored, poor, ridiculous, and contemptible before all.

It does what enemies usually do. Often it has cast people into sicknesses and dangers. Many have perished because of prostitutes and received wounds.

If fornication produces this, much more does adultery. Are these also the effects of almsgiving? By no means.

On the contrary, like a mother who loves her child, almsgiving makes its offspring very modest, well-ordered, and truly glorious. It moves him to attend to what is necessary.

It does not abandon us, nor distract us from necessary works. It makes the soul most wise. Nothing is more senseless than fornicators.

Would you like to see covetousness? It too does the same thing that an enemy would do to us. How so?

It makes us hated by all. It causes everyone to curse us, both those injured and those not injured. The latter grieve for the former and fear for themselves.

All look upon the covetous as common enemies, as wild beasts, as demons. Everywhere there are countless reproaches, intrigues, and envy, everything that belongs to enemies.

Justice, on the contrary, makes all people our friends, companions, and well-wishers. All pray for us. As a result, our state becomes altogether secure.

There is no calamity, no suspicion. We fall asleep fearlessly and peacefully. We are troubled by nothing and tormented by nothing.

Do you see that it is much better? Tell me, which is better, to envy or to rejoice with another?

Let us examine all this, and we shall find that virtue, like a truly loving mother, makes us secure. Vice casts us into dangers and is an unreliable and dangerous thing.

Listen to what the prophet says: “The Lord is the strength of those who fear Him, and His covenant will show it to them” (Ps 24:14).

The one who is conscious of no evil in himself fears no one. But the one who lives viciously trusts no one. He trembles even before slaves and looks upon them suspiciously.

What do I mean, before slaves? He cannot endure the judgment of conscience. Not only external things, but even inward thoughts trouble him and do not allow him to be calm.

What then, you will say? Must one live for praises? Paul did not say, “Look to praise,” but, “Do what is praiseworthy,” though not for the sake of praise.

“Whatever is true”; praises are false. “Whatever is honorable, whatever is pure.” By honorable he indicates outward dignity; by pure, dignity of soul.

Do not place a stumbling block, he says, and do not give occasion (2 Cor 6:3). Since he said, “whatever is of good report,” he added something so that you would not think he speaks merely of relations with people.

He added: “if there is any virtue and any praise, think on these things; do these things.” He wants them to remain continually in this, to strive for this, and to think on this.

When Paul says, “whatever virtue and praise,” he carefully examines the meaning of things. Since all is accomplished by the grace of God, Who rules and reigns through the Spirit sent into us, and since there is nothing in us ourselves, Paul speaks thus: “whatever virtue.” And if the virtue that is in us is not from us, but from God, then neither is praise from us, if there is any praise.

“If there is any virtue and if there is any praise,” that is, if besides this there is any other virtue, or any other work worthy of praise. “Think on these things,” keep them in mind, and reason about them. In the following words he reminds them what those works are of which he speaks. Verse 9: “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do; and the God of peace will be with you.”

If He spared us when we were far from Him, will He not much more show His love for us when He sees us turning to Him?” According to the thought of our recent interpreter, “what in verse 8 the Apostle considers as the object of thoughts and desires, in verse 9 he presents as the object of action. The connection between the two is clear. Since an action presupposes a thought about it, the thought that called it forth must be pure if the action is to be pure in moral character. Therefore, on the path to moral perfection, man must first be concerned with purifying his thoughts and his heart. For from there, according to the word of the Lord, evil thoughts proceed (Mt 15:19). By requiring the realization of good thoughts, the Apostle shows that thoughts without application to deeds do not constitute perfection. The placing of this demand after verse 7, where it is said that the peace of God will guard your hearts, shows that, in assimilating grace, man must actively participate in the building up of his salvation” (Nazarevsky).

They must constantly think on truth in general, “whatever things are true,” and give this truth its fitting and honorable form, “whatever things are honorable.” In relation to others they must show justice. Their conduct must be unstained. It must make them agreeable members of civil society and bring them praise. In general, they must make virtue their constant aim, together with that praise which falls to the lot of virtuous people. The best example for them in this regard is the Apostle’s life, which fully confirms his instruction and teaching.

“Whatever is true.” True is everything that God has been pleased to reveal to us. Study these truths and fill your mind with them. Then, as soon as it begins to reason, it will reason only according to these truths. And if you begin to speak about anything, you will speak in accordance with them. “I ask you to adorn your words with truth” (Blessed Theodoret).

In practical terms, everything in the world is illusory. It entices but does not give, and therefore it deceives. It is falsehood. Christianity both promises the true good and gives it. It is true.

To say this another way: in sin and passions there is falsehood and deception, but in Christian life and virtue there is truth. Thus Saint Chrysostom says, “What is perfectly true is the same as virtue, and falsehood is the same as vice. For the pleasure of vice is falsehood, and its glory is falsehood, and everything in the world is falsehood.”

“Honorable, just, pure”: honesty, justice, and purity of heart. Here there is a gradation of activity. Honesty and justice embrace outward conduct, while purity embraces inward dispositions and intentions. “By honorable he indicates outward dignity, and by pure the dignity of the soul” (Saint Chrysostom). “Illumine your life with honor and justice” (Blessed Theodoret).

Honesty and justice are indeed manifested in outward conduct. Yet in a Christian they proceed from inward requirements, and are not observed merely for outward considerations. Since his conscience is cleansed and enlightened by the commandments and by grace, not only are his deeds honorable and just, but his very character is honorable and just.

These qualities do not belong to education or origin, but to the Christian race. However low a Christian may stand in society by outward condition, he is always honorable and just. These virtues shine upon his brow. You will not force him into acting dishonorably or unjustly while he remains truly Christian.

So he is in deeds. Yet he is no different in intentions and feelings. For he walks before God, that is, he does not depart from God in consciousness. Therefore, not only in deeds, but also in inward movements, he allows nothing displeasing to God.

“Whatever is pure,” Saint Chrysostom says, “is said in contrast to the expression, ‘those who mind earthly things.’” By this the Apostle urges us “to do what is pleasing to God” (Blessed Theodoret).

The chief matter here is intentions and goals. Nothing for oneself, everything for God. Nothing merely before men, but everything as before the eyes of God. Nothing for oneself, or for one’s own pleasure, or for some advantage, or for glory and honor. Nothing merely before men, that is, not from vainglory or man-pleasing.

In the one in whom all proceeds in this way, self-denial and love for God and neighbor are active. These are the two most essential elements from which purity is composed, or the two foundations on which it stands.

“Whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report” might seem to mean what pleases people and deserves praise from them, and therefore man-pleasing and vainglory. But since one cannot expect the Apostle to be indulgent toward such motives, one must suppose that a person can think and do what is lovely without man-pleasing, and what is praiseworthy without vainglory.

The holy Apostle said of himself that he nowhere allowed himself to live at another’s expense, but supported himself by his own labors. He in no way permitted this glory and praise of his, or this good report, to be made void. But why did he do this? So as not to place an obstacle before the Gospel, and so that the preaching would not be blasphemed.

The one who imitates him does what is praiseworthy not to gain praise for himself, but so that no one may dare blaspheme Christianity. Let Christianity be praised, or the Christian race, as the race of Christ.

What power, and at the same time what self-denial, there is in the one who is ready for anything so that the Christian name may be praised. Such a person does not live alone, but lives in the whole body of the Church. Having everything from her, he sacrifices everything to her.

He also lives in the Lord. For the glory of the Church is His glory, and the glory of the Christian race is the glory of Christ.

Likewise, “whatever is lovely” admits nothing man-pleasing. On the contrary, it even goes against others and speaks the truth plainly to all, yet all this is received as lovely.

Loveliness indicates the tenderness of Christian love. It makes no concession to the vices and passions of others, yet it repels no one. It knows how, in a form that is not bitter, to reach their heart and place there impulses toward correction.

It has in view not itself, but the true good of others, and it suffers for them. Yet through deep sympathy with them, it does not allow itself, by its manner of acting upon them, to produce anything painful in their heart.

Rather, it acts like a plaster. Though at times it stings a little, it also lets one feel the pleasantness of healing. The model of loveliness is the action of a mother who tenderly loves her children.

Here only that side of loveliness is indicated in which it acts for the correction of others. In ordinary order, it is impossible to describe how lovely is the person filled with the true Christian spirit. His very appearance establishes sweet peace and draws everyone to him.

Rules for loveliness cannot be defined. It proceeds of itself from the spirit and life in Christ Jesus, as the fragrance of a rose proceeds from the rose blossom.

“If there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy.” Again, to speak generally, or still more briefly: only what is virtuous and praiseworthy should be the object of your thoughts, undertakings, and labors.

As was said above, praiseworthy means allowing oneself nothing by which the glory of the Christian name may be diminished. Virtue indicates every good deed and every good disposition required by the commandments of God.

This one word embraces everything. Stand before the Lord in the heart and for His glory. In order to please Him, do every good thing to which, as you understand, the combination of circumstances around you obliges you. Do this without self-pity and without sparing yourself.

This seems to define particulars, yet they proceed from one all-embracing spirit of zeal for blameless pleasing of God.

“Think on these things.” “Do you see that he wishes to drive every evil thought from our souls? For from evil thoughts come evil deeds” (Saint Chrysostom).

The good ordering of thoughts is an important matter in the moral life. Our mind moves swiftly and cannot remain idle. Therefore it constantly produces thoughts. All parts of our nature and the whole circle of activity provide it with material for this.

Thus, as the whole man is, so are his thoughts. Conversely, as his thoughts are, so is the man.

When a person turns from sin and passions to virtue and purity, his intention is decisive. Yet not everything in him immediately obeys that intention. What he formerly used to nourish passions and sin long continues to stir sympathy within him and awaken desires.

Although, having resolved not to serve sin, he does not incline toward it, he cannot fail to have disturbance, anxiety, and fear on account of it. In this, thoughts are his first enemies. For everything begins from them.

The objects of sin and passion have already been removed, yet the memory of them continues to crowd into consciousness. Memory, with imagination, composes whole stories for temptation. The enemy sits beside them. From this there is formed an entire army opposing the good aims of the one who is correcting himself and zealously seeking progress.

For this reason, his first task is to scatter this hostile army, to gain mastery over thoughts, and to make them not his enemies but his helpers. The means to this is to occupy the mind with good thoughts.

For just as evil desires are born from evil thoughts, so good desires are born from good thoughts. This is what the Apostle now counsels. Among good thoughts, good undertakings will be formed. Deeds will follow undertakings. A life pleasing to God will progress and be perfected.

Yet “think,” logizesthe, can also have another meaning: take into account, consider valuable, worthy of attention and care. Saint Chrysostom gives this word such a meaning when he says, “The Apostle wishes them to dwell continually in these things, to strive for these things, and to plan such deeds.”

This, too, means to think, but to think in order immediately to do. Here thought is deliberation about how best to act.

However, the one meaning is not far from the other. There is no need to strain oneself to distinguish them strictly and draw a dividing line between them. Nor should one say that one meaning belongs here and the other does not. Both belong, for both converge in one zealot of the good.