I think Ven. Thanissaro, B. Bodhi, B. Gunaratana, V. Anandajoti, all went through a similar reasoning process as you describe in your excellent blog post regarding MN 19 and similar passages that transition into first jhana V&V.
B. Bodhi especially, conspicuously changed between MN first jhana V&V (something like Vism.'s “applied and sustained thought”) , to his current “thinking and pondering” in both first jhana and ordinary V&V.