Philippians 3:11

3:1-11 Sincere Christians rejoice in Christ Jesus. The prophet calls the false prophets dumb dogs, Isa 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.

If by any means (εἴ πως) For the form of expression compare Romans 1:10; Romans 11:14. Not an expression of doubt, but of humility. I might attain (καταντήσω) See on Acts 26:7. The resurrection of the dead (τὴν ἐξανάστασιν τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν). Rev., more correctly, from the dead. Lit., the resurrection, that, namely, from the dead. Compare Acts 4:2. This compound noun for resurrection is found only here, and expresses the rising from or from among (ἐξ), which is further emphasized by the repetition of the preposition ἐκ (from). The kindred compound verb occurs Mark 12:19; Luke 20:28; Acts 15:5, but in neither passage of raising the dead. The word here does not differ in meaning from ἀνάστασις, commonly used, except that the idea is more vividly conceived as a rising from the earth. See Matthew 22:31; Luke 20:35. The phrase resurrection of or from the dead does not often occur in the Gospels, and resurrection ἐκ from the dead only twice in the New Testament, Acts 4:2; 1 Peter 1:3. For the phrase, see on Luke 16:31. Resurrection of the dead is a generic phrase, denoting the general resurrection of the dead, bad and good. Resurrection from the dead, in the only two passages where it occurs, signifies resurrection unto life. In 1 Peter 1:3, it is applied to Christ.

Php 3:11 . Εἴπως , if by any means, in any way ) This denotes the struggle of Paul’s faith; so, εἰ , if , Php 3:12 .— καταντήσω , I may attain ) He gradually passes from the figure of loss and gain to that of a race . Καταντᾷν is to come up to , the very act of attaining and gaining possession.— ἐξανάστασιν [42] ΤῶΝ ΝΕΚΡῶΝ ) i.e. ἀνάστασιν ( Χριστοῦ ) ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν , the resurrection (of Christ) from the dead; comp. Romans 1:4 , note [ 2 Timothy 2:11 ]; for the style of Paul ascribes ἀνάστασιν to Christ; ἘΞΑΝΆΣΤΑΣΙΝ to Christians.[43] But the resurrection of Christ and our resurrection are considered as one resurrection, by reason of the κοινωνία , fellowship . After the mention of the resurrection, he brings in some things suited to his own present state, and interweaves the rest [of the discussion of the resurrection] at Php 3:20-21 . [42] Τὴν ἐκ is read by ABD( Δ ) fg Vulg., Iren. 309, Lucif. 166. Τῶν ἐκ is read by G. Τῶν by Memph. and Rec. Text.—ED. [43] This fact ought to have led Beng. to take ἀναστάσεως above of the resurrection , not the mere appearing of Christ. The phrase, “power of His resurrection,” expresses a parallel idea to Ephesians 1:19-20 , “The exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe , according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead .” Comp. Colossians 2:12 ; Colossians 3:1 ; Romans 6:5 . The same power is needed to quicken the soul as was needed to raise Jesus from the dead.

To have that power (the Holy Spirit) in us, is a pledge of our hereafter attaining the ἐξανάστασις , Romans 8:11 . This word probably implies the rising of the saints first out of the rest of the dead, 1 Corinthians 15:23 ; Revelation 20:5 . Ἐξανάστασις is nowhere else found in N. T.—ED. The Germ. Vers., following the decision of the 2d Ed., adopts the reading τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν , which was reckoned among those not to be approved in the larger Ed.—E. B.

11. If by any means—not implying uncertainty of the issue, but the earnestness of the struggle of faith (1Co 9:26, 27), and the urgent need of jealous self-watchfulness (1Co 10:12). attain unto the resurrection of the dead—The oldest manuscripts read, "the resurrection from (out of) the dead," namely, the first resurrection; that of believers at Christ's coming (1Co 15:23; 1Th 4:15; Re 20:5, 6). The Greek word occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. "The power of Christ's resurrection" (Ro 1:4), ensures the believer's attainment of the "resurrection from the (rest of the) dead" (compare Php 3:20, 21). Compare "accounted worthy to obtain the resurrection from the dead" (Lu 20:35). "The resurrection of the just" (Lu 14:14).

Verse 11. - If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead . The apostle uses the language of humble expectation. For the particles, "if by any means" ( εἴ πως ), comp. Acts 27:12 ; Romans 1:10 ; Romans 11:14 . The verb "attain" means to arrive at the end of a journey; it presents the figure of a pilgrimage. Read, with R.V. and the best manuscripts, the resurrection from the dead. This phrase (used also in Luke 20:35 and Acts 4:2 ) means the resurrection of the blessed dead (comp. 1 Corinthians 15:23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:16 ). This meaning is strengthened here by the repetition of the preposition with the word "resurrection" ( ἐξανάστασις ). The general resurrection is always called the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:11

Php 3:11 . εἴ πως καταντ . This construction closely corresponds to the Homeric usage of εἴ κε or ἤν (as in Odyss. , 3, 83, πατρὸς ἐμοῦ κλέος μετέρχομαι , ἤν που ἀκούσω ) where the protasis really contains in itself its own apodosis “which consists of an implied idea of purpose” or hope (see Goodwin, MT [54]., p. 180; Burton, MT [55]., § 276; Viteau, Le Verbe , pp. 62, 116). Here the clause is almost equivalent to an indirect question. The Resurrection is the Apostle’s goal, for it will mean perfect, unbroken knowledge of Christ and fellowship with Him. Paul knows by experience the difficulty of remaining loyal to the end, of being so conformed to Christ’s death that the power of sin will not revive its mastery over him. So his apparent uncertainty here of reaching the goal is not distrust of God. It is distrust of himself. It emphasises the need he feels of watchfulness and constant striving ( cf. διώκω , Php 3:12 ), lest “having preached to others” he “be found a castaway” ( 1 Corinthians 9:27 . 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 , along with Romans 8:17 , are the best parallel to the passage before us). But, on the other side, he is always reminded that “faithful is He that calleth you” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:24 ).— καταντήσω . Probably aorist subjunctive (as corresponding with καταλάβω in Php 3:12 ).— τὴν ἐξαν . τ . νεκρ . Authority, both external and internal, supports the reading τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν . ἐξανάστ . is found nowhere else in N.T., and never in LXX.

In later Greek it means “expulsion”. It occurs only here in this sense. Holst, suggests that ἐξαν . is used here of the actual resurrection, because ἀνάστασις was used above of believers with an ethical, ideal meaning. We are disposed to believe (with Ws[56]. and others) that Paul is thinking only of the resurrection of believers ( cf. Ps. Sol. 3:13–16 for Jewish thought on this subject, the thought which had been Paul’s mental atmosphere). This is his usual standpoint. In the famous passage 1 Corinthians 15:12 ff. it is exclusively of Christians he speaks. We have no information as to what he taught regarding a general resurrection. But considering that it is with spontaneous, artless letters we have to do, and not with theoretical discussions, it would be hazardous to say that he ignored or denied a general resurrection. For him the resurrection of Christians depends on and is conformed to the resurrection of their Lord. Teichmann ( Auferstehung u. Gericht , p. 67), comparing chap. Php 1:23 with this passage, holds that Paul, although he has replaced the idea of resurrection by that of a continuous existence after death, occasionally (as here) uses the traditional termini technici. This may be so. More probably at one time he would give prominence to the thought of uninterrupted fellowship with Christ after death, while at another his longings would centre round the great crisis when Christ should acknowledge all His faithful servants and make them full sharers in His glory