Philippians 3:8

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, YEA, DOUBTLESS, [ alla (G235) menoun (G3304) (A adds: ge (G1065)) kai (G2532)] - 'nay more.' Not only 'have I counted' those things 'loss for Christ's sake, but, moreover, I even DO count ALL things but loss,' etc. FOR THE EXCELLENCY, [ dia (G1223) to (G3588)...

8._Nay more, I reckon. _He means, that he continues to be of the same mind, because it often happens, that, transported with delight in new things, we forget everything else, and afterwards we regret it. Hence Paul, having said that he renounced all hinderances, that he might gain Christ, now adds, that he continues to be of this mind. _For the sake of the excellency of the knowledge _He extols the gospel in opposition to all such notions as tend to beguile us. For there are many things that have an appearance of excellence, but the knowledge of Christ surpasses to such a degree everything else by its sublimity (183), that, as compared with it, there is nothing that is not contemptible. Let us, therefore, learn from this, what value we ought to set upon the knowledge of Christ alone. As to his calling him _his Lord, _he does this to express the intensity of his feeling. For whom I hav

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 8. _I COUNT ALL THINGS_ BUT _LOSS_] Not only my Jewish privileges, but all others of every kind; with every thing that men count valuable or gainful, or on which they usually depend for salvation. _THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST_] That superior light, information, and blessedness which come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ; justification through his blood, sanctification by his Spirit, and eternal glory through his merits and intercession. These are the blessings held out to us by the Gospel, of which, and the law, Jesus Christ is the sum and substance. _I HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF ALL THINGS_] Some translate δι ον τα παντα εζημιωθην, _for whom I have thrown away all things_-I have made a voluntary choice of Christ, his cross, his poverty, and his reproach; and for these I have freely sacrificed all I had from the world, and all I could expect from it....

YEA, DOUBTLESS, AND I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSS - Not only those things which he had just specified, and which he had himself possessed, he says he would be willing to renounce in order to obtain an interest in the Saviour, but everything which could be imagined. Were all the wealth and honor which could be conceived of his, he would be willing to renounce them in order that he might obtain the knowledge of the Redeemer. He would be a gainer who should sacrifice everything in order to win Christ. Paul had not only acted on this principle when he became a Christian, but had ever afterward continued to be ready to give up everything in order that he might obtain an interest in the Saviour. He uses here the same word - ζημίαν zēmian - which he does in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 27:21, when speaking of the los

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

YEA, DOUBTLESS, AND I COUNT ALL THINGS [BUT] LOSS,.... Not only the things before mentioned, but anything, and everything else but Christ, or that stood in competition with him, or were short of him; as his natural and acquired parts; the whole compass of learning he had attained to; all that honour, credit, reputation, and popularity he was in for knowledge and devotion; all worldly substance, the comforts of life, and life itself; and all his righteousness since conversion, as well as before; of this no doubt could be made by those who knew him, his principles and his practices: and all this FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD: "by the knowledge of Christ" is not meant subjectively the knowledge that is in Christ, or which he has of others, either as God or man; but objectively, that knowledge which believers have of him, who know him not only in his person, as...

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....