CONTEXT
CHAP. 3 CONTENTS
In this Chapter, the Apostle warns the Church against false Teachers. He as strongly points out, and that in his own Example, what are the infallible Marks of Grace in the Heart; namely, to win CHRIST, and be found in Him. He closeth the Chapter with the solemn Account of the End of the Carnal, and the blessed Termination of the Life of the Godly.
Robert Hawker, Poor Man’s New Testament Commentary: Philippians–Revelation, vol. 3 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2013), 17.
In this chapter the apostle cautions the Philippians against false teachers, whom he describes as evil men, and exhorts them to walk as they had him, and other faithful ministers for an example. And whereas these judaizing teachers were for drawing them off from Christ, and weakening their joy and glorying in him, he exhorts them in the first place to rejoice in Christ, ver. 1 and to beware of them, whom he describes as dogs, as evil workers, as the concision, ver. 2 and opposes to them the characters of real saints, who are truly what they vainly boasted of, really circumcised persons in a Gospel sense, spiritual worshippers of God, joyful believers in Christ, and such as placed no confidence in outward things, ver. 3. This the apostle illustrates in his own case, who had as much reason for trusting in such things as any man whatever, ver. 4 of which he gives an enumeration in several particulars, ver. 5, 6 upon which he passes his judgment, and shews of what account, and in what esteem they were with him before, and now; that formerly they were reckoned gain, but now loss, ver. 7 and which he explains as referring to every thing short of Christ, and in comparison of the knowledge of him, and which he preferred to every thing; and this he confirms by his willingness to suffer the loss of all things for him; his ends in which were, that he might win him, and be found in him, without his own righteousness, that legal one the false teachers extolled, and with the righteousness of God which faith receives, and is the only justifying one; and that he might know more of him, feel more of his power, have more fellowship with him, and conformity to him, ver. 8, 9, 10. His view in all which was, that he might attain to that glorious and happy state of the resurrection of the dead in Christ, ver. 11 and to prevent mistakes, and anticipate an objection that might be made to him, as if he ascribed perfection to himself in the present state, he owns he had not arrived to it: all he meant was, that it was his desire to enjoy that which Christ had laid hold on him for; in order to which he buried in oblivion what was past, looking and pressing to things before him, even to Christ, and the glory he was called unto, which was with him, ver. 12, 13, 14. Next follow various exhortations, as to be of the same mind with the apostle in pressing after spiritual and heavenly things, to which he exhorts those that had a greater knowledge of them than others; and who, though otherwise minded, the apostle was persuaded would have, the same revealed to them, ver. 15 and both he exhorts, according to their different attainments, to walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing, ver. 16 and to be followers of him, and of them that walked after his example, ver. 17 giving this as a reason, because there were men who walked otherwise, to the grief of him, to the dishonour of Christ, and to their own shame and destruction, whom he describes as sensual and earthly-minded men, ver. 18, 19 and to engage them to follow him, and others, and not such persons, he draws a character of them opposite unto them; that whereas the minds of those others were carnal and earthly, their minds were spiritual and heavenly; their conversation was in heaven, and they were waiting for Christ from hence, ver. 20 and the blessedness they expect from him then, is the resurrection of their bodies, which is illustrated by the efficient cause of it, Christ; the subject of it, their vile bodies, as in this life, and in the grave; the exemplar and pattern of it, the glorious body of Christ; and the means by which it will be effected, the energy and power of Christ, who is omnipotent, ver. 21.
John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 3, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 143.
v.13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; he repeats, in somewhat a different manner of expression, what he had written in the former verse, with a friendly compellation, gently and kindly to insinuate a caution against the false teachers’ suggestion about perfection in this state, from the instance of himself, so eminently called to be an apostle of Christ, (1 Cor. 10:12.) who, after all his labours and sufferings for his sake, did reckon he had not yet arrived to the height of what he was called to. But this one thing I do; but he would have them to understand that he was so intent upon this one thing, for which he was brought by the Spirit into communion with Christ, as if there were not any thing else worthy of his thoughts: as Psal. 27:4; Luke 10:42. Forgetting those things which are behind; like a true spiritual racer, not minding what he had received by grace from him who had took hold of him, or how much he had run of his Christian race, reckoning it was much short of the whole, or the main intended by Christ in taking hold of him. And reaching forth unto those things which are before; but straining forward, as it were, with all his force and skill, casting himself like a dart towards the mark, so running that he might obtain (1 Cor. 9:24) all and the whole, that was his particular portion for ever, to be received from God, as the purchase of Christ, even the total that God had in and by Jesus Christ designed him, and in Christ bestowed upon him, out of his rich grace, as his special allotment.
Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 3 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 698–699.
v.13 – whatever others count as to themselves. He who counts himself perfect, must deceive himself by calling sin infirmity (1 Jn 1:8); at the same time, each must aim at perfection, to be a Christian at all (Mt 5:48).
forgetting those things … behind—Looking back is sure to end in going back (Lu 9:62): So Lot’s wife (Lu 17:32). If in stemming a current we cease pulling the oar against it, we are carried back. God’s word to us is as it was to Israel, “Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward” (Ex 14:15). The Bible is our landmark to show us whether we are progressing or retrograding.
reaching forth—with hand and foot, like a runner in a race, and the body bent forward. The Christian is always humbled by the contrast between what he is and what he desires to be. The eye reaches before and draws on the hand, the hand reaches before and draws on the foot [BENGEL].
unto—towards (Heb 6:1).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 367.
STUDY
v.14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I press toward the mark; he did not look back, Luke 9:62, nor was lazy, but did follow hard, with an eager pursuit, (Matt. 11:12,) after the perfection that was in his eye; not erring from his main scope; considering what he had received was but in part, he did still press for more, upon that ground that Christ had apprehended him for more, as if he were stretching out his hands to lay hold of it. For the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; trusting he should, through grace, be kept all along, maugre all difficulties, in the hand of Christ, till upon his account he should be fully possessed of all that was aimed at, even that which is styled the prize, or victorious palm of our high calling; and the Christians’ may well be termed a high calling, considering their heavenly birth when called, and laid hold of by Christ, John 1:13, and the purchased inheritance eternally settled upon such spiritual, high-born princes, Eph. 1:14; Rev. 1:6; who are by one oblation perfected for ever, Heb. 10:14; which will appear most glorious when they are raised up in Christ, who will then give out all the salvation he hath called us unto.
Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 3 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 698–699.
v. 14 high calling—literally, “the calling that is above” (Ga 4:26; Col 3:1): “the heavenly calling” (Heb 3:1). “The prize” is “the crown of righteousness” (1 Co 9:24; 2 Ti 4:8). Rev 2:10, “crown of life.” 1 Pe 5:4, “a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” “The high,” or “heavenly calling,” is not restricted, as ALFORD thinks, to Paul’s own calling as an apostle by the summons of God from heaven; but the common calling of all Christians to salvation in Christ, which coming from heaven invites us to heaven, whither accordingly our minds ought to be uplifted.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 367.
THE DEDICATION OF A RACER – PHILIPPIANS 3:12–16
Are we preoccupied with our past, or do we, with Paul, constantly reach ahead to follow Christ?
This section continues to develop the line of thought set out in 3:7–11: the apostle thinks of himself as a contestant in the stadium (see also 2:16; 1 Corinthians 9:24; 2 Timothy 4:7f.). He is a “runner” who speeds toward the goal with outstretched, but empty, hands. Although he knows himself to be thoroughly committed to the race, he has not yet attained anything. He therefore strains every muscle to the demands of the course and sprints toward the prize which is still before him. What sustains the apostle in a life of unbroken “running” is the divine constraint in the call of Christ (3:12). On the road to Damascus the exalted Lord laid hold of Paul and made himself known to his athlete as “Lord” (Acts 9:3–6,17). He filled Paul with the power of his resurrection and enrolled him in the fellowship of his sufferings (see also Acts 9:15f.). Paul is content with that. He finds within himself a new kind of zeal. Formerly he had persecuted the church (3:6); now he pursues the fulfillment of God’s plan for his life (3:12) and the prize of the resurrection, “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:14; see also 3:10).
The suggestion that Paul had not yet attained anything provokes in his readers (and us) a protest. Is he not the apostle of Christ to the Gentiles? Do not his knowledge, his work, his clear successes, indicate he has already reached many goals? Paul remains firm: “Not that I have already obtained this” (3:12). With resolute will Paul refuses to look back on the part of the course which now lies behind him (3:13). To speak now of achievements would be to return to the attitude of 3:4–6, which Paul has renounced. He will rely on a new surge of strength, and race on toward the goal in the confidence that responding to the call of Christ carries its own prize (3:14). Jesus Christ is not only the beginning of his life, but also its present reality and its future goal.
Having begun with a threefold “beware” (3:2), Paul now urges the Philippians to consider the relevance for their lives of what he has said in 3:4–14. In the conditions of existence under which Paul lives and labors they are to see the conditions which govern their own existence (3:15). A man becomes conformed to Christ, not as in the Greek culture by a dedication ceremony, but by work, struggle and suffering. While there may be different opinions regarding the details of what this involves, Paul is confident that both he and his readers are on a path which has, in principle, taken the direction marked out in 3:4–14. He urges them to continue in that same direction.
William L. Lane, “Philippians,” in The New Testament Page by Page, ed. Martin Manser, Open Your Bible Commentary (Creative 4, 2018), 752.
DEVOTION
Discover more from Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach 