Phili 3:11-17 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 11. The resurrection of the dead. ] That is, the resurrection of those who, having died in the Lord, rise to glory and honour; and hence St. Paul uses a peculiar word which occurs no where else in the New Testament, εξαναστασις. The words, as they stand in the best MSS., are as follow: ειςτηνεξαναστασιν τηνεκνεκων, to that resurrection which is of the dead . This glorious resurrection, and perhaps peculiarly glorious in the case of martyrs , is that to which St. Paul aspired. The word αναστασις signifies the resurrection in general, both of the just and unjust; εξαναστασις may signify that of the blessed only.

‏ Philippians 3:11-17

Verse 11. The resurrection of the dead.] That is, the resurrection of those who, having died in the Lord, rise to glory and honour; and hence St. Paul uses a peculiar word which occurs no where else in the New Testament, εξαναστασις. The words, as they stand in the best MSS., are as follow: ειςτηνεξαναστασιν τηνεκνεκων, to that resurrection which is of the dead. This glorious resurrection, and perhaps peculiarly glorious in the case of martyrs, is that to which St. Paul aspired. The word αναστασις signifies the resurrection in general, both of the just and unjust; εξαναστασις may signify that of the blessed only.

Verse 12. Not as though I had already attained] ουχοτιηδη ελαβον. For I have not yet received the prize; I am not glorified, for I have not finished my course; and I have a conflict still to maintain, and the issue will prove whether I should be crowned. From the beginning of the 11th to the end of the 17th verse there is one continued allusion to the contests at the Olympic games; exercises with which, and their laws, the Philippians were well acquainted. Php 3:11-17

Either were already perfect] ηηδητετελειωμαι. Nor am I yet perfect; I am not yet crowned, in consequence of having suffered martyrdom. I am quite satisfied that the apostle here alludes to the Olympic games, and the word τετελειωμαι is the proof; for τελειωθηναι is spoken of those who have completed their race, reached the goal, and are honoured with the prize. Thus it is used by Philo, Allegoriar. lib. iii. page 101, edit. Mangey: ποτε ουνωψυχημαλιστανεκροφορειννικοφορεινσεαυτηνυποληψη. αραγεουχοταντελειωθηςκαιβραβειωνκαιστεφανωναξιωθης "When is it, O soul, that thou shalt appear to have the victory? Is it not when thou shalt be perfected, (have completed thy course by death,) and be honoured with prizes and crowns?"

That τελειωσις signified martyrdom, we learn most expressly from Clemens Alexand., Stromata, lib. iii. page 480, where he has these remarkable words:-τελειωσινμαρτυριονκαλουμενουχοτιτελοςτου βιουοανθρωποςελεβενωςοιλοιποιαλλοτιτελειονεργον αγαπηςενεδειξατο. "We call martyrdom τελειωσις, or perfection, not because man receives it as the end, τελος, or completion of life; but because it is the consummation τελειος, of the work of charity."

So Basil the great, Hom. in Ps 116:13: ποτηριονσωτηριου ληψομαι. τουτεστιδιψωνεπιτηνδιατουμαρτυριουτελειωσιν ερχομαι. "I will receive the cup of salvation; that is, thirsting and earnestly desiring to come, by martyrdom, to the consummation."

So OEcumenius, on Acts 28: πανταετηαποτηςκλησεωςτουπαυλου μεχριτηςτελειωσεωςαυτουτριακοντακαιπεντε. "All the years of Paul, from his calling to his martyrdom, were thirty and five."

And in Balsamon, Can. i. Ancyran., page 764: τοντηςτελειωσεως στεφανοναναδησασθαι is, "To be crowned with the crown of martyrdom."

Eusebius, Hist. Eccles, lib. vii. cap. 13, uses the word τελειουσθαι to express to suffer martyrdom. I have been the more particular here, because some critics have denied that the word has any such signification. See Suicer, Rosenmuller, Macknight, &c.

St. Paul, therefore, is not speaking here of any deficiency in his own grace, or spiritual state; he does not mean by not being yet perfect, that he had a body of sin and death cleaving to him, and was still polluted with indwelling sin, as some have most falsely and dangerously imagined; he speaks of his not having terminated his course by martyrdom, which he knew would sooner or later be the case. This he considered as the τελειωσις, or perfection, of his whole career, and was led to view every thing as imperfect or unfinished till this had taken place.

But I follow after] διοωκωδε. But I pursue; several are gone before me in this glorious way, and have obtained the crown of martyrdom; I am hurrying after them.

That I may apprehend] That I may receive those blessings to which I am called by Christ Jesus. There is still an allusion here to the stadium, and exercises there: the apostle considers Christ as the brabeus, or judge in the games, who proclaimed the victor, and distributed the prizes; and he represents himself as being introduced by this very brabeus, or judge, into the contest; and this brabeus brought him in with the design to crown him, if he contended faithfully. To complete this faithful contention is what he has in view; that he may apprehend, or lay hold on that for which he had been apprehended, or taken by the hand by Christ who had converted, strengthened, and endowed him with apostolical powers, that he might fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life.

Verse 13. I count not myself to have apprehended] Whatever gifts, graces, or honours I may have received from Jesus Christ, I consider every thing as incomplete till I have finished my course, got this crown, and have my body raised and fashioned after his glorious body.

This one thing I do] This is the concern, as it is the sole business, of my life.

Forgetting those things which are behind] My conduct is not regulated nor influenced by that of others; I consider my calling, my Master, my work, and my end. If others think they have time to loiter or trifle, I have none: time is flying; eternity is at hand; and my all is at stake.

Reaching forth] The Greek word επεκτεινομενος points out the strong exertions made in the race; every muscle and nerve is exerted, and he puts forth every particle of his strength in running. He was running for life, and running for his life.

Verse 14. I press toward the mark] κατασκοπονδιωκω. I pursue along the line; this is a reference to the white line that marked the ground in the stadium, from the starting place to the goal, on which the runners were obliged to keep their eye fixed; for they who transgressed or went beyond this line did not run lawfully, and were not crowned, even though they got first to the goal. See the concluding observations on "1Co 9:27".

What is called σκοπος, mark or scope, here, is called κανων the line, i.e. the marked line, Php 3:16. When it was said to Diogenes, the cynic, "Thou art now an old man, rest from thy labours;" to this he answered: ειδολιχουεδραμονπροςτωτελει μεανειναικαιμημαλλονεπιτειναι; "If I have run long in the race, will it become me to slacken my pace when come near the end; should I not rather stretch forward?" Diog. Laert., lib. vi. cap. 2. sec. 6.

For the prize of the high calling of God] The reward which God from above calls me, by Christ Jesus, to receive. The apostle still keeps in view his crown of martyrdom and his glorious resurrection.

Verse 15. As many as be perfect] As many as are thoroughly instructed in Divine things, who have cast off all dependence on the law and on every other system for salvation, and who discern God calling them from above by Christ Jesus; be thus minded; be intensely in earnest for eternal life, nor ever halt till the race is finished.

The word τελειοι, perfect, is taken here in the same sense in which it is taken 1Co 14:20:-

Be not CHILDREN in understanding-but in understanding be ye MEN, τελειοιγινεσθε, be ye perfect-thoroughly instructed, deeply experienced. 1Co 2:6:-

We speak wisdom among the perfect, εντοιςτελειοις, among those who are fully instructed, adults in Christian knowledge. Eph 4:13:-

Till we all come-unto a perfect man, ειςανδρατελειον, to the state of adults in Christianity. Heb 5:14:-

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, τελειων, the perfect-those who are thoroughly instructed and experienced in Divine things. Let us therefore, says the apostle, as many as be perfect-as have entered fully into the spirit and design of the Gospel, be thus minded, viz. Forget the things which are behind, and stretch forward along the mark for the prize.

If in any thing ye be otherwise minded] If ye have not yet entered into the full spirit and design of this Gospel, if any of you have yet remaining any doubts relative to Jewish ordinances, or their expediency in Christianity, God shall reveal even this unto you; for while you are sincere and upright, God will take care that ye shall have full instruction in these Divine things.

Verse 16. Whereto we have already attained] Let us not lose that part of the race which we have already run, let us walk by the same rule-let us keep the white line continually in view, let us mind the same thing, always considering the glorious prize which is held out by God through Christ Jesus to animate and encourage us.

The MSS., versions and fathers of the Alexandrian recension or edition, and which are supposed by Griesbach and others to contain the purest text, omit the words κανονιτοαυτοπρονειν, and read the verse thus: Whereunto we have already attained let us walk; or, according to what we have already attained, let us regulate our life, There is so much disagreement about the above words in the MSS., &c., that most critics consider them as a sort of gloss, which never made an original part of the text. Dr. White says, Certissime delenda; "Most certainly they should be obliterated."

Verse 17. Brethren, be followers-of me] In the things of Christ let me be your line, and my writings preaching, and conduct, your rule.

And mark them] σκοπειτε. Still alluding to the line in the stadium, keep your eye steadily fixed on those who walk-live, as ye have us-myself, Timothy, and Epaphroditus, for an ensample.