A helpful technique in reflecting on a passage from the Bible is understanding what the opposite of the text looks like and see the contrast. Scripture already supplies such examples as Psalm 1:1-2, Proverbs 8:10 and Romans 8:6.

In this episode, we apply this technique to Philippians 4:8. The apostle Paul supplies a number of things to think on as a Christian. Setting up a list of the opposites places Paul’s actual text in much sharper focus. It helps us to build up our mindset in Christ (the Greek word “phronema” points to this. It is an important part of Eastern Orthodox theology). It is an approach from which we can greatly benefit.