name of the circumcision (^spiro/j^g) in the following verse. The circumcision of the body was now useless, nay hurtful. See xarars/AVM on the prohibition of cutting the flesh, Lev. xxi. 5 ; 1 Kings xviii. 28. He speaks not without indignation.
3. Tap, for) This gives the reason why in ver. 2 he separates and banishes the others to such a distance, [and also why he calls the external circumcision of the flesh only concision. — V.g.] — YI xepiro/jLri, the circumcision) The abstract for the con crete ; the true people. — nvtv^ari, in the spirit) not in the letter, Rom. ii. 29. — cmu/xar/ ®s& \arpevovrzc;, serving God in the spirit) So Rom. i. 9.1 — /cair/w/^gyo/, glorying^ rejoicing) This is more than irtTroiGoTsg, trusting, having confidence.
4. Kaitftp syu, although I) The singular is included in the preceding plural : we glory, and I glory, although I, etc. ; but because the discourse proceeds from the plural to the singular, / is interposed and is added, because the Philippians had been Gentiles. Paul was of the circumcision. Comp. Rev. xvii. 8, note. — e^v, having) for the construction depends on those things which go before2 : Having, not using. — tine, aXXog, if any other) a word of universal comprehension : other is sweetly re dundant; comp. note ad Gregorii Neocaes. Paneg. p. 195. — kyu /.//aXXov, / more) i.e. syu ///aXXoc T£~o/0a, / have more ground for being confident. He speaks of his former feeling with a Mimesis3 of those who gloried in such outward carnalities ; see the following verse.
5. Ils/p/ro/a^ oTcrajj/^spog,4 circumcision on the eighth day) These heads [of carnal glorying], counted very briefly as it were on the fingers, render the discourse very plain. Moreover, for the sake of brevity, he puts together the abstract and concrete — circumcision, a Hebrew : as in Col. iii. 11. — oxraqpspos, on the eighth day) not putting it off until full age. — Bsv/a/^/V, Ben-
\v ffetpx.1, not in the flesh) in carnal circumcision and origin (stock), ver. 5. — V. g.
2 tya being included in the vj^iis — o/ — •/re-rotors?, constructed with the verb sapsv. — ED.
3 An allusion, in the way of imitation, to his opponents' mode of stating their grounds of confidence. — ED.
* The oldest authorities have ntpiropYi, i.e. Being an eighth day person in respect to my circumcision. &offf Lucif. " circumcisione :" Vulg. u circuin- cisus octavo die." — ED.