Philippians 3:10

That I may know him; as consequent upon the former he had by winning of Christ, he doth here insist upon sanctification, which would result from faith's exerting itself in a further saving, experimental knowledge of Christ, to be found in whom, he undervalued all besides coniformity to Christ in holiness, being to have communion with him in righteousness, 1 Corinthians 1:30; God having appointed those who are found in Christ, to be conformed to his image in holiness, Romans 8:29 2 Corinthians 3:18. This saving knowledge is expressed elsewhere in Scripture by the senses, 1 Thessalonians 10:4 2 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:6 Ephesians 1:18 1 Peter 2:3. All and only those found in Christ, do so know him, 1 Thessalonians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 6:46,69 Heb 8:11; and desire so to know him, Philippians 1:9, that they may have a lively sense of his power, communion, and conformity. The power of his resurrection; the power of his resurrection in us; i.e. from the death of the soul, under a privation of spiritual life, and the image of God, unto newness of life, by the effectual working of the same Spirit which raised Christ himself from the dead, Romans 6:4,10 Eph 1:20 2:5,6; called the first resurrection, Revelation 20:5; when the soul is raised from under the dominion of sin where it lay. The fellowship of his sufferings; by communion of Christ's sufferings, is not meant of bearing a part in the merit of his personal sufferings, but of being partaker of his sufferings in his members, or mystical body, whether inward or outward, (though this chiefly), Matthew 20:23 Acts 9:4 Romans 8:17 2 Corinthians 1:7, 2 Corinthians 4:10,11 Ga 5:24 Colossians 1:24 2 Timothy 2:11,12. Being made comformable unto his death; some read, while made conformable to his death, not only in dying to sin, Romans 6:5,6, but in being conformed to his image in suffering, Romans 8:29; dying daily, or always living ready to be delivered to death for Jesus sake upon his call, Romans 8:18 2 Corinthians 4:11. Such was his Christian temper, that he could cheerfully go through sufferings by reason of some communion and conformity he had in them with Jesus Christ.