AND THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH SURPASSES ALL COMPREHENSION: kai e eirene tou theou e huperechousa (PAPFSN) panta noun: (1:2; Nu 6:26; Job 22:21; 34:29; Ps 29:11; 85:8; Isa 26:3,12; 45:7; Isa 48:18; 48:22; 55:11,12; 57:19-21; Jer 33:6; Lu 1:79; 2:14; Jn14:27; 16:33; Ro 1:7; 5:1; 8:6; 14:17; 15:13; 2 Cor 13:11; Gal 5:22; Col 3:15; 2 Thes 3:16; Heb 13:20; Rev 1:4) (Eph 3:19; Rev 2:17) (Click for discussion of LORD our PEACE, Jehovah Shalom, Click for more on peace) (MacArthur Php 4:5-7; Php 4:6-8)  

And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] (Amp),

If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand (NLT)

And then the peace of God, which transcends all our powers of thought (Weymouth)

And (kai) connects the previous truth with the present result. It might be paraphrased “and then,” or “and so”, which connects following promise with the preceding precepts on prayer. And so we see that by the practice of the precepts one is enabled to obtain the promise. Have you experienced this promise?

Peace (1515) (eirene from eiro = to joining or binding or joining together what is broken or divided) (Click for more on eirene) means  to set at one again, a meaning convey by the common expression of one “having it all together”. 

Peace is a condition of freedom from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies or inwardly, as in the current context, within the soul. 

The peace of God which replaces anxiety in the life of the prayerful believer is impossible to experience unless one already is at peace with God through faith in Christ.

Every believer has come into an eternal peace with God for Paul writes that

having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (See notes on Romans 5:1 for more discussion of the distinction between the peace of God and peace with God)

Not every believer necessarily experiences the peace of God Paul describes. This peace is a promise which is the result of the practice of thankful prayer to God or as Vincent puts it 

“Peace is the fruit of believing prayer.” 

Stated another way, one may have peace with God without having the peace of God.

Peace with God is dependent upon faith, and peace of God is dependent upon faithful prayer.

Peace with God describes the state between God and the Christian, and the peace of God describes the condition within the Christian.

Calvin writes that

It is on good ground that he calls it the peace of God, inasmuch as it does not depend on the present aspect of things, and does not bend itself to the various shiftings of the world, but is founded on the firm and immutable word of God.

Peace of God (God's peace, the dispeller of anxiety and worry) is the peace which God alone possesses (He is often referred to as the "God of peace") and which He gives to His children.

Peace in the present context is a state without anxiety and worry about how and when our needs (physical or emotional) will be supplied. This peace is the result of going to Him and confidently committing everything into His trustworthy hands.

Although the context is different, the principle in Isaiah is applicable that "The steadfast of mind (the mind that has confidence in God shall not be agitated by the trials to which it shall be subject; by persecution, poverty, sickness, want, or bereavement) Thou will keep (guard, preserve) in perfect peace (Hebrew literally is ‘Peace, peace;’ repetition denoting emphasis = inward peace, outward peace, peace with God, peace of conscience, peace at all times, under all events), because he trusts in Thee." (Isa 26:3)

Henry describes the peace of God as

the comfortable sense of our reconciliation to God and interest in his favour, and the hope of the heavenly blessedness, and enjoyment of God hereafter.

Before God saves us, we are ''at war'' with the Almighty and our peace with Him is ''disturbed''.  When we are justified by faith and reconciled to our Creator by the blood of Christ, we are made positionally at peace with God (see exposition of "peace with God" in Romans 5:1) and are "set at one again" so to speak like Adam and Eve were in Eden before sin entered the world. Paul in this section is describing the "peace of God" which can be a believer's experience (experiential peace) as he or she surrenders their will to His will, submits to His authority and walks in Spirit empowered obedience to His good and acceptable and perfect will. Specifically in the present context this peace is the Spirit borne fruit of thankful prayer. It's logical isn't it? If we can truly thank Him for every circumstance, good or bad, the result is His peace, the peace He gives.

Eadie eloquently explains the experiential "peace of God" writing that...

The Greek Fathers, followed by Erasmus, Estius, Crocius, and Matthies, understand the phrase of reconciliation:— “Peace,” said Chrysostom, “that is, the reconciliation, the love of God”. No doubt this peace is the result of reconciliation or peace before God . But this peace flowing from pardon and acceptance was already possessed by them—they had been reconciled; and what the apostle refers to is a state of mind which has this reconciliation for its basis. The former peace has a special relation to God (Ed note: "peace with God"), the controversy between Him and the soul being terminated—the latter (Ed note: "peace of God") is more personal and absolute. This peace is but another name for happiness, for it is beyond the reach of disturbance. Come what will, it cannot injure—come when it likes, it is welcome—and come as it may, it is blessing in disguise (Ed note: equates with supernatural "fruit" borne by the indwelling Spirit). It (Ed note: "It" refers to whatever circumstance or person might disturb one's peace) can neither dissolve union to Christ, nor cloud the sense of God's forgiving love, nor exclude the prospect of heavenly glory. It is not indigenous: it is the “peace of God.” Man may train himself to apathy, or nerve himself into hardihood—the one an effort to sink below nature, and the other to rise above it. But this divine gift ("fruit")—the image of God's own tranquillity—is produced by close relationship to Himself, is the realization of that legacy which the Elder Brother (Jesus) has bequeathed.

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27

To know that it is well with me now, and that it shall be so forever—to feel that God is my Guide and Protector, while His Son pleads for me and His Spirit dwells within me as His shrine—to feel that I am moving onward along a path divinely prescribed and guarded, to join the eternal banquet in the company of all I love and all I live for—the emotion produced by such strong conviction is peace, ay, the “peace of God.”

The peace of God is a sense of holy repose and complacency which floods the soul of the believer when he is leaning hard upon God.  Frances Ridley Havergal conveyed this truth beautifully in the words of the hymn Like a River Glorious...

Like a River Glorious
play
     Stayed upon Jehovah,
     Hearts are fully blessed;
     Finding, as He promised,
     Perfect peace and rest.

Surpasses (5242) (huperecho from hupér = above, over + écho = have) means literally to hold above and in context means to transcend the reach of man's ability to comprehend. This word speaks of that which is superior to  or of surpassing and exceptional value.

Huperecho is in the present tense which signifies that this peace is continually a peace that baffles men's futile attempts to explain it or rationalize it. Why? Because it is supernatural peace. God's peace continually stands out and is superior and more excelling than the world's peace or any so called peace we might be able to well up because of ''positive thinking'' etc. It is beyond our ability to produce it by our own intellect.

Comprehension (3563) (nous) describes the God given faculty of perceiving and understanding and is the channel through which truth reaches the heart. In the present context nous speaks of the mind in its power of grasp spiritual truth as in Luke 24:45, where it is said that Jesus “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” The spiritual truth Paul describes cannot be grasped. This peace doesn't just surpass the understanding of the worldly man but surpasses all understanding. Even the godly man can't comprehend this peace.  Paul is promising something that is not humanly explicable -- that a man surrounded by care and anxiety and harassment and concern can still live with the tranquility of God in his soul! Who can understand this great promise!

Eadie adds that the

mind cannot rightly estimate this peace or rise to an adequate comprehension of it. It is so rich, so pure, so noble, so fraught with bliss, that you cannot imagine its magnitude.

Paul is not saying that this is a senseless peace but that it is beyond our ability to understand and explain and therefore by implication it must be experienced.

Calvin illustrates "incomprehensible peace" writing that

nothing is more foreign to the human mind, than in the depth of despair to exercise, nevertheless, a feeling of hope, in the depth of poverty to see opulence, and in the depth of weakness to keep from giving way.

Barnes comments on this "incomprehensible peace" that

Those who see it manifested in the lives of Christians cannot understand such peace exhibited despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune encountered by them; even those who possess it cannot fully understand it; but those who have experienced it would not exchange it for anything that the world has to offer.

MacDonald comments that

People of the world cannot understand it at all, and even Christians possessing it find a wonderful element of mystery about it. They are surprised at their own lack of anxiety in the face of tragedy or adverse circumstances.

A person whose cancer has been arrested may say, “I am so thankful to God.” That is praise. But a person who is dying of cancer and in pain may calmly say, “Everything is all right. The Lord doesn’t make mistakes. I have peace in my heart.” That is “the peace that passes all understanding.”

Dwight Pentecost adds a practical note...

You look at a cow in a pasture, and no matter what...is breaking loose around the pasture, that cow is completely unperturbed. She keeps on biting off grass and chewing her cud as though there were no cause for worry in the world. You see, that cow is not sensitive to what is going on. But the peace of God is not a cow-like placidity in which we build up shields around ourselves by ignoring everything that ought to cause us to worry. That is not the promise of this verse. In the midst of things which could break a person’s mind, we can experience the peace of God. Why? Because we can cast everything that would cause us concern into the hands of a God to whom it is no concern at all. We know that no matter what experience comes, we can pass it on to God; it doesn’t have to stay in our hands at all. We simply transfer it to the shoulder of One who welcomes the opportunity to bear His children’s burdens (Pentecost, J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications)

Spurgeon notes that

The understanding of mere carnal man can never comprehend this peace. He who tries with a philosophic look to discover the secret of the Christian's peace, finds himself in a maze. "I know not how it is, nor why it is," saith he; "I see these men hunted through the earth; I turn the pages of history, and I find them hunted to their graves. They wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins, destitute, afflicted, and tormented; yet, I also see upon the Christian's brow a calm serenity. I can not understand this; I do not know what it is. I know that I myself, even in my merriest moments, am disturbed; that when my enjoyments run the highest, still there are waves of doubt and fear across my mind. Then why is this? How is it that the Christian can attain a rest so calm, so peaceful, and so quiet?" Understanding can never get to that peace which the Christian hath attained. The philosopher may teach us much; he can never give us rules whereby to reach the peace that Christians have in their conscience. Diogenes may tell us to do without everything, and may live in his tub, and then think ... that he enjoys peace; but we look upon the poor creature after all, and though we may be astonished at his courage, yet we are obliged to despise his folly. We do not believe that even when he had dispensed with everything, he possessed a quiet of mind, a total and entire peace, such as the true believer can enjoy. We find the greatest philosophers of old laying down maxims for life, which they thought would certainly promote happiness. We find that they were not always able to practise them themselves, and many of their disciples, when they labored hard to put them in execution, found themselves encumbered with impossible rules to accomplish impossible objects. But the Christian man does with faith what a man can never do himself. While the poor understanding is climbing up the craigs, faith stands on the summit; while the poor understanding is getting into a calm atmosphere, faith flies aloft and mounts higher than the storm, and then looks down on the valley, and smiles while the tempest blows beneath its feet. Faith goes further than understanding, and the peace which the Christian enjoys is one which the worldling can not comprehend and cannot himself attain.

Spurgeon goes on to say that

I cannot show you what that peace is, if you have never felt it; but yet I think I could tell you where to look for it, for I have sometimes seen it. I have seen the Christian man in the depths of poverty, when he lived from hand to mouth, and scarcely knew where he should find the next meal, still with his mind unruffled, calm, and quiet. If he had been as rich as an Indian prince, yet could he not have had less care... Picture...Martin Luther standing up in the midst of the Diet of Worms; there are the kings and the princes, and there are the bloodhounds of Rome with their tongues thirsting for his blood — there is Martin rising in the morning as comfortable as possible, and he goes to the Diet, and delivers himself of the truth, solemnly declares that the things which he has spoken are the things which he believes, and God helping him, he will stand by them till the last. There is his life in his hands; they have him entirely in their power. The smell of John Huss’s corpse has not yet passed away, and he recollects that princes, before this, have violated their words; but there he stands, calm and quiet; he fears no man, for he has nought to fear; “the peace of God which passeth all understanding, keeps his heart and mind through Jesus Christ.

SHALL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS: phrouresei (3SFAI)  tas kardias humon kai ta noemata humon en Christo Iesou: (Neh 8:10; Pr 2:11; 4:6; 6:22) (Spurgeon on How to Guard the Heart)  (1 Pet 1:4,5; Jude 1:1)

will be a garrison to guard your hearts and minds in union with Christ Jesus (Weymouth)

will stand sentinel over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Barclay)

will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus (GWT)

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus (NLT)

will keep watch over your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus (Lightfoot)

will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus (Phillips)

Shall guard (5432) (phroureo from phrouros = sentinel) (click for more in depth discussion of phroureo)

The root word "phrouros" is derived from pro = before, toward + horao = behold, take special notice of, stare at more.

Phroureo has three primary nuances:

(1) to maintain a watch, guard (like guarding the city gates from within as a control on all who went out),

(2) to hold in custody, detain, confine as in Galatians where Paul explained that...

"before faith came, we were kept in custody (phroureo) under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed."

This meaning  in fact was The terminology is consistent w. the Roman use of prisons principally for holding of prisoners until disposition of their cases, just as the Law did until we could place our faith in Christ.

(3) to provide security, guard, protect, keep, this being the primary meaning in the present context.

Phroureo means to be a watcher in advance, to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at gates) and figuratively to hem in and to protect.

Phroureo is in the future tense which makes this verb a declaration of what will result when the preceding precepts (4:6) are put into practice.

The picture of phroureo is to protect by a a Roman guard or soldier holding his weapon on guard duty, either to prevent hostile invasion or to keep the inhabitants of a besieged city from flight (ponder this last aspect in the context of the effect that "anxiety" often has on one's psyche - don't you sometimes feel like you just want to take flight or run away?) The armed guard is walking back and forth in front of an open gate so that no one can enter. This picture would have been familiar to the Philippians, since the Romans stationed troops in the Roman colony of Philippi to protect their interests.  Just as the Roman soldiers watched over the city, so God’s peace will actively guard and protect those saints who confidently trust in Him and show their trust by obeying the exhortations in the preceding verse. God's peace mounts guard at the door of one’s heart and mind to prevent anxiety from entering.  He will not allow any menacing worry to enter.

Phroureo was used in Galatians to describe one purpose of the Law, Paul explaining that...

before faith came, we were kept in custody (phroureo) under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. (Galatians 3:23)

John MacArthur adds that the saints in Philippi

"knew what a sentry was, what a guard was, what a garrison was...a protector. And what Paul says...if you know your God and you know your God is near and you confidently trust your God in the midst of any trial, knowing that it is effecting His purpose, and then being thankful in the midst of that for the purpose of God even in the difficulty, you are granted the peace of God, that peace will guard you and protect you from anxiety, difficulty, distress, dissatisfaction, discontent, doubt."

MacArthur goes on to illustrate this principle writing that

"Bunyan had a beautiful picture of this. You remember in Holy War (click to read this classic) he has the picture of the city called Mansoul and it's representative of the soul of man. And he has the Prince Emanuel who, of course, is Christ, and then he has this special character called Mr. God's Peace. And Mr. God's Peace is in the town of Mansoul, he's on patrol and his job is to guard the town. Bunyan writes, "Nothing was to be found but harmony, happiness, joy, and health so long as Mr. God's Peace maintained his office." And Bunyan talks about how the town Mansoul grieved Prince Emanuel. Prince Emanuel left and Mr. God's Peace laid down his commission and chaos resulted. That's what happens in the Christian life. When Christ is out of our thoughts, when we no longer see things in the light of how He views them, when we no longer are under, as it were, the confidence in His sovereignty, then all of a sudden Mr. God's Peace doesn't function anymore and we're left with troubled minds and troubled hearts. But where we have that confident trust in the Lord, so much so that we can thank Him in the midst of our petitions, then we have Mr. God's Peace on duty and he is the protector of the peace of our souls. That couldn't be a clearer perspective for all of us to understand."

Matthew Henry writes that God's peace guards us because it

"will keep us from sinning under our troubles, and from sinking under them; keep us calm and sedate, without discomposure of passion, and with inward satisfaction."

In Christ Jesus (Need encouragement? Click and make a list of what you learn from the 73 uses of "in Christ") signifies that He is the One Who secures and insures our peace and it is through our union with Him. Being in Christ is necessary to experience the peace of God.  (See discussion of related topics In Christ and in Christ Jesus)

Barnes commenting on in Christ Jesus that for us...

To understand all that is meant by these words is to grasp in its fullness the whole theology of the apostle Paul...One may only be amazed that so many commentators pay no attention at all to these most important words."

Shortly before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled)" (Jn 14:27).

Jesus added that

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation (and trials and distress and frustration), but take courage (be of good cheer, be confident and courageous in face of danger); I have overcome the world. (I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you)" (Jn16:33)

Spurgeon adds that

"Without Christ Jesus this peace would not exist; without Christ Jesus this peace, even where it has existed, cannot be maintained. Daily visits from the Savior, continual lookings by the eye of faith to him that bled upon the cross, continual drawings from his ever-flowing fountain, make this peace broad, and long, and enduring. But take Christ Jesus, the channel of our peace away, and it fades and dies, and droops, and comes to nought. A Christian hath no peace with God except through the atonement of his Lord Jesus Christ."

The result of believing prayer is that the peace of God will stand like a sentinel on guard upon our hearts. The way to peace is in prayer to entrust ourselves and all whom we hold dear to the loving hands of God.

The Puritan William Gurnall wrote that

“The peace of God is said to garrison the believer’s heart and mind. He is surrounded with such blessed privileges that he is as safe as one in an impregnable castle” (from his work "A Christian in Complete Armor").

Hearts (2588) (kardia) (Click for in depth word study)  describes the center of each person from which thoughts and affections flow.

John MacArthur explains that...

Paul’s use of the phrase "hearts and minds" was not intended to imply a distinction between the two; he was merely making a comprehensive reference to the believer’s inner person. Once again, Paul reminds his readers that true peace is not available through any human source, but only in Christ Jesus." (MacArthur, J.  Philippians. Page 284. Chicago: Moody Press)

Minds (3540) (noema from noéo = perceive in turn from noús = mind) is literally the result of the activity of the "nous" or mind, that part of man which thinks. Noema means that which is thought (a thought), perceived with the mind (a mental perception), understood, pondered, or considered.

Noema is used 6 times in the NT (5x in 2 Cor; Phil)

BDAG divides noema into two main categories...

1. That which one has in mind as product of intellectual process = thought, design, purpose, intention.
2. The faculty of processing thought = the mind or the understanding

Paul uses noema with a negative connotation in his description of our Adversary writing that...

"in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes (his devices or designs = noema)." (2 Corinthians 2:11)

The basic meaning then is what results from directing one’s mind (nous) to a subject, in the present context case in directing our mind to prayer with thanksgiving. The focus of our mind changes from the problem to the "Problem" solver, from a self centered focus to a "Godward", Christ centered focus and the result is a "guarded, garrisoned" mind! This is supernatural "mind over matter!" 

You may be experiencing little or big trouble this very moment. Most of us have this experience every day. The question is

"Where do you choose to focus your thoughts when the problems and their associated thoughts assail you?"

Do you run into the strong tower of the Name of the Lord, calling on Him, thanking Him for His sovereignty, His faithfulness, His promises, etc? This action does not come naturally but takes continual sober mindedness and steady practice. Next time trouble knocks, let thankful praying and God centered thinking (cf note Philippians 4:8) answer the door. In time, as this becomes the habit of your life, you will begin to progressively experience God's peace in a way that is difficult to fully understand and difficult to explain to someone else.

Vine says noema is "that which is thought out."

Noema refers to the content of thinking and reasoning, to what is thought, conceived or perceived. Stated another way noema is the psychological faculty of understanding, reasoning, thinking, and deciding.  It can also conveys the negative idea (all NT uses except here in Php 4:7 are in a bad sense) of plot, method or scheme and is so used in describing Satan, Paul writing "in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes (wiles, evil plans, purposes, intentions, enterprises, devices, designs, sly ways or cunning, the great number of stratagems which he is constantly using to injure us and to destroy the souls of people) (noema)." (2Cor 2:11) In this same letter Paul explains that although we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh but instead, with the aid of divinely powerful "weapons...are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought (noema) captive to the obedience of Christ" (2Cor 10:3-5)
 

Vincent comments that

"The guardianship is over the source and the issues of thought and will. “Your hearts and their fruits” (Alford)."

MacArthur is probably correct in his comment that

"Paul’s use of the phrase hearts and minds was not intended to imply a distinction between the two; he was merely making a comprehensive reference to the believer’s inner person."

Dwight Pentecost sums up this section noting that...

Many of us worry because of our pride. We think we ought to be big enough to handle any situation that comes, and we are too proud to ask God’s help. We think we ought to be able to accept and bear everything by ourselves. That is not what the Word of God demands. The Word of God asks us to recognize our inability and to transfer any burdens to One who is able. The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 5:7 gave the command, “Casting all your care upon him.” Why is that sufficient? “For he careth for you.” Whatever would cause us anxiety we should cast on Him, because He exercises a providential care over us. We can live without worry, and without fear, and without anxiety, and without nervous exhaustion, and without frustration — but not without God’s help. We must let our worries roll off on God, and He will deliver us from worry. (Pentecost, J. D. The Joy of Living: A study of Philippians. Kregel Publications)

J Vernon McGee draws an interesting conclusion from this section writing

There are those who say that prayer changes things. I can’t argue with that; prayer does change things. But that is not the primary purpose of prayer. Notice that we entered this passage in anxiety, with worry, and we came out of the passage with peace. Between the two was prayer. Have things changed? Not really. The storm may still be raging, the waves still rolling high, the thunder still resounding. Although the storm has not abated, something has happened in the individual. Something has happened to the human soul and the human mind. In our anxiety we want God to change everything around us. “Give us this.” “Don’t let this happen.” “Open up this door.” We should be praying, “Oh, God, change me .” Prayer is the secret of power. We enter with worry, we can come out in peace. Joy is the source of power; prayer is the secret of power. (