ACC ~ Philippians 3 v4 - 11

OVERVIEW:

Paul shows that he has not failed by the standards of the law. Listing his credentials in the most impressive order (CHRYSOSTOM), he claims distinction by styling himself a Hebrew of the tribe of Benjamin. Persecution of the church proves his zeal as a Jew (CHRYSOSTOM, THEODORET), but this was only a specious righteousness (AUGUSTINE). Using a metaphor from nature and Scripture (THEODORET, AMBROSE), he counts his former righteousness as refuse, but only by comparison with his new state (CHRYSOSTOM). His legal righteousness was external (AUGUSTINE) and worthless in comparison with that of God-given faith (THEODORET, CHRYSOSTOM). Paul alludes to those baptismal teachings that we must know (THEODORET) but stresses that these are profitable only when apprehended by a faith willing to suffer (CHRYSOSTOM, MARIUS VICTORINUS). This faith is from God (CHRYSOSTOM). Righteousness in this life awaits completion in the future life (MARIUS VICTORINUS).

3:4 | Confidence in the Flesh

BORN A JEW. CHRYSOSTOM: Suppose Paul had been a Gentile and had condemned circumcision (not circumcision itself but those who underwent it inappropriately). It would then have seemed that he might be demeaning it because he did not have the good fortune to be born a Jew. He would have appeared to be ignorant of lofty things, having no experience of them. But Paul speaks as a Jew. He speaks as one who shares in Jewish culture. He does not despise as a nonparticipant but criticizes as one who has made a reasonable assessment, not in ignorance but with intimate knowledge. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 11.3.4.

3:5a | Of the Tribe of Benjamin

WHY HE STATES HIS CREDENTIALS IN THIS ORDER. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul first mentions the very point that was their chief boast, the ritual of circumcision. He was, he says, “circumcised on the eighth day.” So he makes it clear that he comes “of the stock of Israel.” By this language he shows that he is not a proselyte (hence the eighth day), nor was he born of a proselyte background (for he comes of the stock of Israel). And so that no one may suppose that “of the stock of Israel” means from one of the ten tribes, he further specifies that he is “of the tribe of Benjamin.” This is a highly respected Jewish identity, since the affairs of the priesthood fell to the lot of this tribe. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 11.3.5.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BENJAMIN. THEODORET: “My Jewish identity,” he says, “is in no way ambiguous. I do not come from a family that was only partially Jewish. I am a plant of freedom, a son of Rachel the beloved, on whose behalf the patriarch himself endured slavery.” EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.5.

3:5b | A Hebrew Born of Hebrews and a Pharisee

A HEBREW OF THE HEBREWS. CHRYSOSTOM: It was possible to be “of Israel” but not a “Hebrew of the Hebrews.” For there were many who had already misplaced their Hebrew heritage. Long residing among Gentiles, they had become ignorant of their Hebrew tongue. Not so with Paul. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 11.3.5.

3:6a | A Persecutor of the Church

THE IMPLICATION OF HIS FORMER ZEAL. CHRYSOSTOM: “If then it was because of my good breeding and my zeal and my way of life, and I had all the things that belong to life, why,” he says, “did I let go those lofty things, unless I found that those of Christ were greater, and greater by far?” OMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 11.3.6.

BURNING WITH ZEAL FOR THE LAW. THEODORET: “When I was harrying the church,” he says, “I was not driven by love of honor or vainglory or jealousy, like the rulers of the Jews. I was burning with zeal for the law.” PISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.6.

3:6b | Under the Law Blameless

BLAMELESS UNDER THE LAW. AUGUSTINE: Before his conversion Paul fulfilled the law conspicuously, either through fear of the people or of God himself, even if he may have offended the law in his internal affections. But he was fulfilling the law through fear of punishment, not through love of righteousness. ON TWO LETTERS OF PELAGIUS 1.15.

3:7 | Gain Counted as Loss for the Sake of Christ

THE LADDER OF THE LAW NO LONGER NEEDED. CHRYSOSTOM: What do the false teachers say about this passage? “See, the law is a loss; it is refuse. How then do you say it is of God?” In fact, all this is in favor of the law. How so? It is clear from this passage, if we attend closely to the words. He does not say “the law is privation” but “I count it loss.” And when he spoke of gain, he did not say “I count it” but “it was.” For the latter was true by nature, the former in his own estimation. So, whatever gain I had in the law, I count as loss “on account of Christ.” How then was the law ever a “gain,” and not in supposition but in fact? Consider what a great thing it was to restore the human form to people who had been turned to beasts. And without the law, there would be no grace. How so? Because the law served as a bridge. It was not possible to be raised from this extreme lowliness. So the law served as a ladder. Note that when a person has gone up a ladder, he no longer needs it. Yet he does not despise it but gives it thanks, because it is due to the ladder that he is in the state of no longer needing it. … It is not the law that is a privation but apostasy from Christ through adherence to the law. So when it leads us away from Christ it is a loss. When it leads us to him, no longer so. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 12.3.7-9.

3:8 | The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ Jesus

THE HARD PART OF THE CHAFF IS REFUSE. THEODORET: It is not that I flee them as base things but that I prefer what is superior. Having tasted the grain, I throw away the refuse. For refuse means the denser and harder part of the chaff. It carries the grain but is discarded once the grain has been collected. EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.8.

THE REFUSE METAPHOR IN ABRAHAM, JOB AND DAVID. AMBROSE: He had read that Abraham, when he confessed himself to be refuse and ashes, found God’s grace in his extreme humility. He had read that Job, sitting on his refuse heap, had recovered all his losses. He had read in David’s prophecy that “God raises the needy from the earth and the pauper from the refuse.” ON PENITENCE 2.1.4.

3:9a | Righteousness Not His Own

NOT MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS. AUGUSTINE: Now what does he mean, “not having my own righteousness,” when that law was not his but God’s? He can only have called it his own righteousness because, although it was from the law, he used to think that he could fulfill it without the aid of the grace that is through Christ. ON GRACE AND FREE WILL 26.

3:9b | Righteousness Through Faith in Christ

RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD. CHRYSOSTOM: Righteousness comes from faith, which means that it too is a gift of God. For since this righteousness belongs to God, it is an unmerited gift. And the gifts of God greatly exceed any achievements of our own zeal. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 12.3.7-9.

BY FAITH. AMBROSIASTER: If, as he tells the Colossians, “in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” then everything, whatever it is, is to be reckoned of no account, so that we may attain to the height of this wisdom and knowledge. Not only sufficient but superabundant indeed is the righteousness that comes from faith. This salvation is freely given by the grace of God through the knowledge of Christ. It can hardly be said to be a gift of the law. For to know rightly the mystery of his incarnation and passion and resurrection is the perfection of life and the treasure of wisdom. EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.9-10.

3:10a | Knowing Christ and the Power of His Resurrection

THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION KNOWN THROUGH FAITH. CHRYSOSTOM: Knowledge therefore comes through faith, and without faith there is no knowledge. How so? It is only through faith that we know the power of his resurrection. For what reasoning could demonstrate the resurrection to us? None, but it is through faith. And if the resurrection of Christ in the flesh is known through faith, how can the nativity of the Word be comprehended by reason? For the resurrection is far more plausible to reason than the virgin birth. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 12.3.10-11.

KNOWING THE BAPTISMAL CONFESSION THROUGH FAITH. THEODORET: To know “the power of his resurrection” means to know through faith that he is the God and Maker of all, he assumed our nature, he effected our salvation, and he was raised again in the body that he had taken as he conceived the common salvation of all humanity. To know “the power of his resurrection” is to know the purpose of his resurrection. EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.9-10.

3:10b | Sharing in Christ’s Sufferings

SHARE IN HIS SUFFERINGS. CHRYSOSTOM: From faith comes our sharing in his sufferings. How? If we had not believed in him, we would not be suffering with him. If we had not believed that we will abide and reign with him, we would not have endured these sufferings. HOMILY ON PHILIPPIANS 12.3.10-11.

3:11 | Attaining the Resurrection from the Dead

THROUGH SUFFERING TO RESURRECTION. MARIUS VICTORINUS: We who believe in Christ endure sufferings with him and indeed all sufferings, even as far as the cross and death. From the knowledge of all these and from the sharing in suffering comes resurrection. And thus, as we are sharers in his death and his burden, we are enabled to share his resurrection. EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.10-11.

IF IN ANY WAY. MARIUS VICTORINUS: It is because Paul is still persevering in the fellowship of suffering, which is very similar to death itself, that he says “that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” There can be no doubt of his attaining to the resurrection. But what is this attaining to the resurrection of the dead? It is the perfect and full life of every individual which is elicited from the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings by every means, which will appear clearly at that end time when the resurrection from the dead occurs, that is, when the dead come back to life. EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS 3.12.