Pressing toward the Mark

31 Finally , my brethren , rejoice in the Lord . To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Beware of the dogs , beware of the evil workers , beware of the false circumcision ; 3 for we are the true circumcision , who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh ,

4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh . If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh , I far more : 5 circumcised the eighth day , of the nation of Israel , of the tribe of Benjamin , a Hebrew of Hebrews ; as to the Law , a Pharisee ; 6 as to zeal , a persecutor of the church ; as to the righteousness which is in the Law , found blameless . 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ . 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord , for whom I have suffered the loss of all things , and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ ,

9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law , but that which is through faith in Christ , the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith , 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings , being conformed to His death ; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead .

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Philippians 3:1-11

Commentary on Philippians 3:1-11

(Read Philippians 3:1-11)

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, and had reckoned up, those he counted loss for Christ. The apostle did not persuade them to do any thing but what he himself did; or to venture on any thing but that on which he himself ventured his never-dying soul. He deemed all these things to be but loss, compared with the knowledge of Christ, by faith in his person and salvation. He speaks of all worldly enjoyments and outward privileges which sought a place with Christ in his heart, or could pretend to any merit and desert, and counted them but loss; but it might be said, It is easy to say so; but what would he do when he came to the trial? He had suffered the loss of all for the privileges of a Christian. Nay, he not only counted them loss, but the vilest refuse, offals thrown to dogs; not only less valuable than Christ, but in the highest degree contemptible, when set up as against him. True knowledge of Christ alters and changes men, their judgments and manners, and makes them as if made again anew. The believer prefers Christ, knowing that it is better for us to be without all worldly riches, than without Christ and his word. Let us see what the apostle resolved to cleave to, and that was Christ and heaven. We are undone, without righteousness wherein to appear before God, for we are guilty. There is a righteousness provided for us in Jesus Christ, and it is a complete and perfect righteousness. None can have benefit by it, who trust in themselves. Faith is the appointed means of applying the saving benefit. It is by faith in Christ's blood. We are made conformable to Christ's death, when we die to sin, as he died for sin; and the world is crucified to us, and we to the world, by the cross of Christ. The apostle was willing to do or to suffer any thing, to attain the glorious resurrection of saints. This hope and prospect carried him through all difficulties in his work. He did not hope to attain it through his own merit and righteousness, but through the merit and righteousness of Jesus Christ.