Philippians 3:7

what things The Greek might almost be paraphrased, "the kindor classof things which"; including anything and everything, as ground of reliance, other than Christ. So more fully, Philippians 3:8.

gain Lit. and better, gains. The plural suggests the proud and jealous care with which the religionist would count over the items of his merit and hope. One by onehe had found them, or had won them; each with its separate value in the eyes of the old self.

those There is emphasis and deliberation in the pronoun.

I counted Lit. and better, I have counted. The perfect tense indicates not only the decisive conviction, but its lifelong permanence.

loss A singular noun. The separate and carefully counted gains are heaped now into one ruthless estimate of loss. From the new point of view, they all sink together.

He does not mean that he discovered his circumcision, ancestry, energy, diligence, exactness, to be in themselvesevil things. But he found them evil in respect of his having used them to shut out the true Messiah from his obedience, faith, and love. As substitutes for Him they were not only worthless, but positive loss. Every day of relianceon them had been a day of delay and deprivation in regard of the supreme blessing.

Wyclif's word here is "apeiryngis," and just below "peirement"; i.e. impairings, losses.

for Christ Lit. and better, on account of the Christ; because of the discovery of Jesus as the true Messiah, and of the true Messiah as no mere supreme supernatural Jewish Deliverer, but as Son of God, Lamb of God, Lord of Life. He cast away entirely all the old reliance, but, observe, for something infinitely more than equivalent.