ฟีลิปปี 3:15 วิจารณ์

He cautions them against judaizing seducers (Phi 3:1-3) and proposes his own example: and here he enumerates the privileges of his Jewish state which he rejected (Phi 3:4-8), describes the matter of his own choice (Phi 3:9-16), and closes with an exhortation to beware of wicked men, and to follow his example (Phi 3:17-21).

The apostle, having proposed himself as an example, urges the Philippians to follow it. Let the same mind be in us which was in blessed Paul. We see here how he was minded; let us be like-minded, and set our hearts upon Christ and heaven, as he did. 1. He shows that this was the thing wherein all good Christians were agreed, to make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world. This is that whereto we have all attained. However good Christians may differ in their sentiments about other things, this is what they are agreed in, that Christ is a Christian's all, that to win Christ and to be found in him involve our happiness both here and hereafter. And therefore let us walk by the same rule, and mind the same thing. Having made Christ our all, to us to live must be Christ. Let us agree to press towards the mark, and make heaven our end. 2. That this is a good reason why Christians who differ in smaller matters should yet bear with one another, because they are agreed in the main matter: "If in any thing you be otherwise minded - if you differ from one another, and are not of the same judgment as to meats and days, and other matters of the Jewish law - yet you must not judge one another, while you all meet now in Christ as your centre, and hope to meet shortly in heaven as your home. As for other matters of difference, lay no great stress upon them, God shall reveal even this unto you. Whatever it is wherein you differ, you must wait till God give you a better understanding, which he will do in his due time. In the mean time, as far as you have attained, you must go together in the ways of God, join together in all the great things in which you are agreed, and wait for further light in the minor things wherein you differ."

INTRODUCTION TO PHILIPPIANS 3 In this chapter the apostle cautions the Philippians against false teachers, whom he describes as evil men, and exhorts them to walk as they had him, and other faithful ministers for an example. And whereas these judaizing teachers were for drawing them off from Christ, and weakening their joy and glorying in him, he exhorts them in the first place to rejoice in Christ, Phi 3:1, and to beware of them, whom he describes as dogs, as evil workers, as the concision, Phi 3:2, and opposes to them the characters of real saints, who are truly what they vainly boasted of, really circumcised persons in a Gospel sense, spiritual worshippers of God, joyful believers in Christ, and such as placed no confidence in outward things, Phi 3:3, This the apostle illustrates in his own case, who had as much reason for trusting in such things as any man whatever, Phi 3:4, of which he gives an enumeration in several particulars, Phi 3:5, upon which he passes his judgment, and shows of what account, and in what esteem they were with him before, and now; that formerly they were reckoned gain, but now loss, Phi 3:7, and which he explains as referring to every thing short of Christ, and in comparison of the knowledge of him, and which he preferred to everything; and this he confirms by his willingness to suffer the loss of all things for him; his ends in which were, that he might win him, and be found in him, without his own righteousness, that legal one the false teachers extolled, and with the righteousness of God which faith receives, and is the only justifying one; and that he might know more of him, feel more of his power, have more fellowship with him, and conformity to him, Phi 3:8. His view in all which was, that he might attain to that glorious and happy state of the resurrection of the dead in Christ, Phi 3:11, and to prevent mistakes, and anticipate an objection that might be made to him, as if he ascribed perfection to himself in the present state, he owns he had not arrived to it: all he meant was, that it was his desire to enjoy that which Christ had laid hold on him for; in order to which he buried in oblivion what was past, looking and pressing to things before hint, even to Christ, and the glory he was called unto, which was with him, Phi 3:12. Next follow various exhortations, as to be of the same mind with the apostle in pressing after spiritual and heavenly things, to which he exhorts those that had a greater knowledge of them than others; and who, though otherwise minded, the apostle was persuaded would have, the same revealed to them, Phi 3:15, and both he exhorts, according to their different attainments, to walk by the same rule and mind the same thing, Phi 3:16, and to be followers of him, and of them that walked after his example, Phi 3:17, giving this as a reason, because there were men who walked otherwise, to the grief of him, to the dishonour of Christ, and to their own shame and destruction, whom he describes as sensual and earthly minded men, Phi 3:18, and to engage them to follow him, and others, and not such persons, he draws a character of them opposite unto them; that whereas the minds of those others were carnal and earthly, their minds were spiritual and heavenly; their conversation was in heaven, and they were waiting for Christ from hence, Phi 3:20, and the blessedness they expect from him then, is the resurrection of their bodies, which is illustrated by the efficient cause of it, Christ; the subject of it, their vile bodies, as in this lifts, and in the grave; the exemplar and pattern of it, the glorious body of Christ; and the means by which it will be effected, the energy and power of Christ, who is omnipotent, Phi 3:21.

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained,.... Whatever degree of knowledge of Christ, and the truths of his Gospel, is attained to, let it be retained, and not departed from: let us walk by the same rule; either the doctrine of justification by Christ's righteousness in particular, which is a rule of judgment concerning other things; for so far as they agree or disagree with this, they are to be received or rejected; or the Scriptures of truth, which are the rule of faith and practice, and the standard and test, to which all are to be brought and tried: let us mind the same thing; be of one heart and affection to each other, Rom 12:10, and of the same judgment in the doctrines of the Gospel, Co1 1:10, and pursue the same measures; particularly press towards the same mark, and for the same prize the apostle did, Phi 3:14, and be followers of him, as is exhorted to in Phi 3:17.

And it occurs to me to wonder how some dare call themselves perfect and gnostics, with ideas of themselves above the apostle, inflated and boastful, when Paul even owned respecting himself, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forth to those that are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus." And yet he reckons himself perfect, because he has been emancipated from his former life, and strives after the better life, not as perfect in knowledge, but as aspiring after perfection. Wherefore also he adds, "As many of us as are perfect, are thus minded," manifestly describing perfection as the renunciation of sin, and regeneration into the faith of the only perfect One, and forgetting our former sins.

Or do you think that every believer is entitled to originate and establish a law, if only it be such as is agreeable to God, as is helpful to discipline, as promotes salvation, when the Lord says, "But why do you not even of your own selves judge what is right? " And not merely in regard to a judicial sentence, but in regard to every decision in matters we are called on to consider, the apostle also says, "If of anything you are ignorant, God shall reveal it unto you; " he himself, too, being accustomed to afford counsel though he had not the command of the Lord, and to dictate of himself as possessing the Spirit of God who guides into all truth.

"And if," says (the apostle), "there are matters which ye are ignorant about, the Lord will reveal to you." Accordingly, setting out of the question the confirmer of all such things, the Paraclete, the guide of universal truth, inquire whether there be not a worthier reason adduced among its for the observing of the ninth hour; so that this reason (of ours) must be attributed even to Peter if he observed a Station at the time in question.

For, by progressing in virtue, and attaining to better things, "reaching forth to those things which are before," according to the word of the blessed Paul, we rise ever to the higher beauty. I mean, however, of course, spiritual beauty, so that to us too it may be said hereafter, "The King greatly desired thy beauty."

To neglect these things any further, and to persevere in the former error, what is it else than to fall under the Lord's rebuke, who in the l psalm reproveth, and says, "What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee? When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers." For to declare the righteousness and the covenant of the Lord, and not to do the same that the Lord did, what else is it than to cast away His words and to despise the Lord's instruction, to commit not earthly, but spiritual thefts and adulteries? While any one is stealing from evangelical truth the words and doings of our Lord, he is corrupting and adulterating the divine precepts, as it is written in Jeremiah. He says, "What is the chaff to the wheat? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who steal my words every one froth his neighbour, and cause my people to err by their lies and by their lightness." Also in the same prophet, in another place, He says, "She committed adultery with stocks and stones, and yet for all this she turned not unto me." That this theft and adultery may not fall unto us also, we ought to be anxiously careful, and fearfully and religiously to watch. For if we are priests of God and of Christ, I do not know any one whom we ought rather to follow than God and Christ, since He Himself emphatically says in the Gospel, "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Lest therefore we should walk in darkness, we ought to follow Christ, and to observe his precepts, because He Himself told His apostles in another place, as He sent them forth, "All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." Wherefore, if we wish to walk in the light of Christ, let us not depart from His precepts and monitions, giving thanks that, while He instructs for the future what we ought to do, He pardons for the past wherein we in our simplicity have erred. And because already His second coming draws near to us, His benign and liberal condescension is more and more illuminating our hearts with the light of truth.

If we, because of the tendency to err that lies within the human condition, take the meaning of anything for granted, we are not to refuse increase of understanding through grace.… For the apostle has already explained the thought of those whose thought is perfect. As to those who think otherwise concerning God’s revelation, he hopes that their thoughts will be brought to perfection.

"Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded," saith he. "And if in anything ye are otherwise minded, even this shall God reveal unto you." What sort of thing? That we should "forget the things which are behind." Wherefore it belongs to him who is perfect not to consider himself perfect. How therefore sayest thou, "as many as are perfect"? For tell me, are we minded as thou art? For if thou hast not attained nor art perfected, how dost thou command those that are perfect to be so minded as thou art, who art not yet perfect? Yea, for this, saith he, is perfection. And "if ye are in anything otherwise minded, even this shall God reveal unto you." That is, if any one considers that he has attained all excellence. He puts them on their guard, not by speaking directly, but what saith he? "If in anything ye are otherwise minded, even this shall God reveal unto you." See how humbly he saith this! God shall teach you, i.e. God shall persuade you, not teach you; for Paul was teaching, but God shall lead them on. And he said not, shall lead you on, but "shall reveal," that this may rather seem to spring from ignorance. These words were spoken not concerning doctrines, but concerning perfection of life, and our not considering ourselves to be perfect, for he who considers that he hath apprehended all, hath nothing.

The apostle speaks of himself as both perfect and imperfect: imperfect when he considers how much righteousness is still wanting in him but perfect in that he does not blush to confess his own imperfection and makes good progress in order to attain it.

All of us who are running the race perfectly should be aware that we are not yet perfect. The hope is that we may receive perfection in the place to which we are now running perfectly.

Assuming that this statement is complete and self-contained and need not be linked to his subsequent words, I think it must be understood as follows: “If there is anything in what I have said that you construe or understand in a different way, I allow your understanding to develop.” Remember that he is speaking of the perfect, for so he says so: “we who are perfect.” … “In due time ‘God will reveal this to you,’ since both what you understand and what I have said are fitting.”

What then is this? It is to forget what is behind. It is the mark of a perfect man not to consider himself perfect; for perfection consists in not relying on oneself. Here Paul encourages the Philippians: if, he says, you think that you have done everything, then God will show you, as to those who do not know, what is proper. This is said concerning the perfection of life and so that they would not consider themselves perfect.

Above he showed how he was wanting in final perfection; now he urges others to have the same attitude: first, he gives an exhortation; secondly, what is necessarily expected of them (3:16). He says: Let those of us who are mature be thus minded, namely, think what I think, i.e., that I am not perfect. But if we are perfect, how can we think that we are not perfect? I answer that some are perfect with the perfection of this life, but not with the perfection of the life of heaven, namely, when their entire intention will be actually borne toward God; but in this life they are perfect habitually when they do nothing contrary to God. He says, those of us, because the more perfect a person is the more imperfect he considers himself to be: "I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5); "Solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil" (Heb. 5:14). And if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. Four renditions of this are found in a Gloss: the first two are more literal. One is this: I say that you should think as I do, namely, that you are imperfect; yet if you think otherwise, i.e., better of yourselves than I do of myself, this very thing has been granted to you by divine revelation: and when something loftier is revealed to you than to me, I will not contradict but will yield to your revelation. Nevertheless, I do not want you to separate from the unity of the Church because of this revelation; but in unity, let us hold true to what we have attained. Or another way: I say that if on account of ignorance or weakness you think otherwise than the truth holds, let us admit it humbly and do not defend it stubbornly: "Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes" (Mt. 11:25). Or another way: I say that we should be of the same mind, namely, that we have not yet made it our own; but if in anything you are now otherwise minded than you will be in the future, because "now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face" (1 Cor. 13:12), God will reveal it in the future: "The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness,... and strips the forests bare; and in his temple all cry Glory!" (Ps. 29:9). Or another way: Whether you understand dimly here, or clearly in the future, God will reveal that, because faith is from God. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

The apostle exhorts the Philippians to rejoice in the Lord, Phi 3:1. And to beware of false teachers, Phi 3:2. Shows that Christians are the true circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, Phi 3:3. And that himself had more reason to trust in the flesh than any of the Jews, Phi 3:4-6. But that he counted all things loss for Christ, Phi 3:7-11. He longs after a conformity to Christ in his death, and presses onward to the attainment of his high calling, Phi 3:12-14. Exhorts them to be like-minded, Phi 3:15-17. Warns them against certain persons who were enemies to the cross of Christ, Phi 3:18, Phi 3:19. Shows the nature of their heavenly privileges, and the resurrection and glorification of the human body, Phi 3:20, Phi 3:21.

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 Co1 14:20 : - Be not Children in understanding - but in understanding be ye Men, τελειοι γινεσθε, be ye perfect - thoroughly instructed, deeply experienced. Co1 2:6 : - We speak wisdom among the perfect, εν τοις τελειοις, among those who are fully instructed, adults in Christian knowledge. Eph 4:13 : - Till we all come - unto a perfect man, εις ανδρα τελειον, 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.

WARNING AGAINST JUDAIZERS: HE HAS GREATER CAUSE THAN THEY TO TRUST IN LEGAL RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT RENOUNCED IT FOR CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, IN WHICH HE PRESSES AFTER PERFECTION: WARNING AGAINST CARNAL PERSONS: CONTRAST OF THE BELIEVER'S LIFE AND HOPE. (Phi. 3:1-21) Finally--rather, not with the notion of time, but making a transition to another general subject, "Furthermore" [BENGEL and WAHL] as in Th1 4:1. Literally, "As to what remains," &c. It is often used at the conclusion of Epistles for "finally" (Eph 6:10; Th2 3:1). But it is not restricted to this meaning, as ALFORD thinks, supposing that Paul used it here intending to close his Epistle, but was led by the mention of the Judaizers into a more lengthened dissertation. the same things--concerning "rejoicing," the prevailing feature in this Epistle (Phi 1:18, Phi 1:25; Phi 2:17; Phi 4:4, where, compare the "again I say," with "the same things" here). In the Lord--marks the true ground of joy, in contrast with "having confidence in the flesh," or in any outward sensible matter of boasting (Phi 3:3). not grievous--"not irksome." for you it is safe--Spiritual joy is the best safety against error (Phi 3:2; Neh 8:10, end).

therefore--resuming Phi 3:3. "As many of us then, as are perfect," that is, full grown (no longer "babes") in the Christian life (Phi 3:3, "worshipping God in the Spirit, and having no confidence in the flesh"), Co1 2:6, fully established in things of God. Here, by "perfect," he means one fully fit for running [BENGEL]; knowing and complying with the laws of the course (Ti2 2:5). Though "perfect" in this sense, he was not yet "made perfect" (Greek) in the sense intended in Phi 3:12, namely, "crowned with complete victory," and having attained absolute perfection. thus minded--having the mind which he had described, Phi 3:7-14. otherwise minded--having too high an opinion of yourselves as to your attainment of Christian perfection. "He who thinks that he has attained everything, hath nothing" [CHRYSOSTOM]. Probably, too, he refers to those who were tempted to think to attain to perfection by the law (Gal 3:3): who needed the warning (Phi 3:3), "Beware of the concision," though on account of their former piety, Paul hopes confidently (as in Gal 5:10) that God will reveal the path of right-mindedness to them. Paul taught externally God "reveals" the truth internally by His Spirit (Mat 11:25; Mat 16:17; Co1 3:6). unto you--who sincerely strive to do God's will (Joh 7:17; Eph 1:17).