Philippians 3:5

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; In three particulars he 'might have confidence in the flesh:' (1) His pure Jewish blood (2 Corinthians 11:22); (2) His legal preciseness and high status; (3) His zeal for the law [ peritomee (G4061) oktaeemeros (G3637)] - 'being in circumcision an eighth day person;' i:e., not circumcised in later life as a proselyte, but on the eighth day after birth, as the law directed as to Jew-born infants: not after the thirteenth year, as an Ishmaelite. OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN - son of Rachel, not of the maid-servant: one...

5._Circumcised on the eighth day _It is literally— “The _circumcision of the eighth day.” _There is no difference, however, in the sense, for the meaning is, that he was circumcised in the proper manner, and according to the appointment of the law (173). Now this customary circumcision was reckoned of superior value; and, besides, it was a token of the race to which he belonged; on which he touches immediately afterwards. For the case was not the same as to foreigners, for after they had become _proselytes _they were circumcised in youth, or when grown up to manhood, and sometimes even in old age. He says, accordingly, that he is of the _race of Israel _He names the tribe (174), — not, in my opinion, on the ground that the _tribe of Benjamin _had a superiorityof excellence above others, but for shewing more fully that he belonged to the race of Israel, as

1-11 Sincere Christians rejoice in Christ Jesus. The prophet calls the false prophets dumb dogs, Isaiah 56:10; to which the apostle seems to refer. Dogs, for their malice against faithful professors of the gospel of Christ, barking at them and biting them. They urged human works in opposition to the faith of Christ; but Paul calls them evil-workers. He calls them the concision; as they rent the church of Christ, and cut it to pieces. The work of religion is to no purpose, unless the heart is in it, and we must worship God in the strength and grace of the Divine Spirit. They rejoice in Christ Jesus, not in mere outward enjoyments and performances. Nor can we too earnestly guard against those who oppose or abuse the doctrine of free salvation. If the apostle would have gloried and trusted in the flesh, he had as much cause as any man. But the things which he counted gain while a Pharisee,...

Verse 5. _CIRCUMCISED THE EIGHTH DAY_] This was the time that the law required the males to be circumcised; and we find, from Genesis 17:14, both in the _Samaritan_ Pentateuch and in the _Septuagint_, though the clause is now lost out of the common Hebrew text, that _the male_ _child, which is not circumcised the eighth day, shall be cut off_ _from among his people_: this precept was literally observed in the case of St. Paul. _OF THE STOCK OF ISRAEL_] Regularly descended from the patriarch Jacob. OF _THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN_] The most favourite son of that patriarch and a tribe that did not revolt with Jeroboam, 1 Kings 12:21, nor pollute the worship of God by idolatry. A Hebrew of t

CIRCUMCISED THE EIGHTH DAY - That is, he was circumcised in exact compliance with the law. If there was any ground confidence from such compliance with the law, he had it. The law required that circumcision should be performed on the eighth day Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59; but it is probable that, in some cases, this was delayed on account of sickness, or from some other cause; and, in the case of proselytes, it was not performed until adult age; see Acts 16:3. But Paul says that, in his case, the law had been literally complied with; and, consequently, all the advantage which could be derived from such a c

EXPOSITION PHILIPPIANS 3:1 FINALLY, MY BRETHREN, REJOICE IN THE LORD. This word "finally" (τὸ λοιπόν is frequently used by St. Paul to introduce a practical conclusion after the doctrinal portion of his Epistles: thus it occurs again in Philippians 4:8, and also in 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 6:10; 1Th 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:1. Some render χαίρετε_ _"farewell;" but "rejoice" seems more suitable here. The golden thread of spiritual joy runs through t

CIRCUMCISED THE EIGHTH DAY,.... Circumcision was an appointment of God to Abraham, and his male issue; to him and them God gave the covenant of circumcision: this to Abraham personally was a sign and seal, that the righteousness of faith, which he had while he was an uncircumcised person, should come upon the uncircumcised Gentiles in the times or the Messiah, when the Gospel should come among them; and it was a distinguishing character of the Jews from the Gentiles, until the coming of Christ; it was typical of the effusion of his blood to cleanse from all the impurity of original and actual sin, and represented the circumcision of the heart. The Jews valued themselves much upon it, and treated the Gentiles with contempt for the want of it; and would neither converse with them in a civil or religious way, because they were uncircumcised: but the apostle was no Gentile, or an uncircumcis...

Philippians 3:1. _Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord._ As much as to say, «If this were the last sentence that I should write to you, I would say, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.' It is your privilege, it is your duty, to rejoice in God; not in your health, your wealth, your children, your prosperity, but in the Lord.» There is the unchanging and unbounded source of joy. It will do you no harm to rejoice in the Lord; the more you rejoice in him, the more spiritually-minded will you become. «Finally, my brethren.» That is, even to the end, not with you the bitter end; but even to the end of life, rejoice in the Lord. Make this the finis of everything, the end of every day, the end of every year, the end of life. «Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.» Blessed is that religion in which it is a duty to be happy....

III. CHRIST, THE OBJECT AND THE GOAL CHAPTER 3 __ 1. The true circumcision (Philippians 3:1) 2. Paul's past experience (Philippians 3:4) 3. The one passion (Philippians 3:8) 4. Pressing towards the mark (Philippians 3:12) 5. The goal of glory (Philippians 3:17) Philippians 3:1 Finally (or, for the rest), my brethren, rejoice in the “Lord.” Rejoicing in the Lord, not m

PHP_3:4-9. PRIVILEGE AND RENUNCIATION. The contrast between Jew and Christian leads Paul to refer to himself in a striking autobiographical passage, which, though brief, may be compared for spirit and tone to Augustine's _Confessions._ He begins with his origin and early experience. A Jew punctually circumcised, of the royal tribe of Benjamin, a rigorous Pharisee and persecutor of the Church, he had better claims for boasting on these lines than the wretched denizens of the ghetto at Philippi. Yet he treated all these claims with contempt in exchange for the knowledge of Christ, content to be excommunicated from Judaism in order to gain Christ and the God-given righteousness obtained through faith, all instead of his own righteousness got through the Law....