Article September 22, 1934 Issue

Bible Notes

"Honest ... of good report" (Phil. 4:8)—The primary meaning of the word "semna," here translated "honest," is "august, venerable or reverend," and then it came to have the sense of "venerated for character, honourable" (Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 573); while "euphema" (of good report) means literally "sounding well"; and Thayer contends that, as employed in this context, it connotes "things spoken in a kindly spirit with good will to others" (ibid., p. 263).

"If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Phil. 4:8)—Several translators propose to read a comma instead of a semicolon before this phrase, thus taking it in closer connection with the preceding list of good qualities or actions. Moffatt renders "arete" ("virtue") and "epainos" ("praise") by "excellence" and "merit" respectively, and translates the complete verse: "Finally, brothers, keep in mind whatever is true, whatever is worthy, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is attractive, whatever is high-toned, all excellence, all merit." Then Goodspeed has: "Now, brothers, let your minds dwell on what is true, what is worthy, what is right, what is pure, what is amiable, what is kindly—on everything that is excellent and praiseworthy." However, Weymouth (5th Edition) prefers: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever wins respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovable, whatever is of good repute—if there be any virtue or anything deemed worthy of praise—cherish the thought of these things."

"The parched ground shall become a pool" (Isa. 35:7)—The Hebrew word "sharab," here rendered "parched ground," means literally "a mirage" (Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 363; Margin of the Revised Version), and when the term is thus taken in its original sense the metaphor becomes a peculiarly vivid one, for the deceptive image of a pool misleading the thirsty traveler in the Syrian desert is to be replaced by the real water he craves.

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