ai—25, 855 Ὀσώσω. 23. τοῦτο] δὲ ποιῶ διὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἵνα ° συγκοινωνὸς κ ών αὐτοῦ γένωμαι. sens
24. *Obx ‘ οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ ἐν »σταδίῳ τρέχοντες πάντες μὲν τρέχου- τι a0 118 ow, els δὲ λαμβάνει τὸ ' βραβεῖον; οὕτω τρέχετε ἵνα * καταλάβητε. : Jude'25, 25. was δὲ 6 ® ἀγωνιζόμενος πάντα * ἐγκρατεύεται : ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν 173 een
Eph. v. 11. d See iii. 16. αγωνιζεσθαι σταδιον. Phil. iii. 12 f.; Exod. xv. 9.
Jo. xviii. 36; Sir. iv. 28, etc. i See vii. 9.
e In this sense, N.T. h.l. ; ¢/, Lk. xxiv. 13, etc. f Phil. iii. 14; -evw, Col. ii. 18, iii. 15. h Col. i. 29, iv. 12; 1 Tim. iv. 10, vi. 12; 2 Tim. iv. 7; Lk. xiii. 24;
1,9. -γειν tc. See Herod. v. 22 g In this sense, Rom. ix. 30;
Ἱπαντα, all uncc. but KL, and all anc. verss. but syr. and go.
the practical wisdom of true Christian love and self-denial in the exercise of his office, this he expects will be self-evident to his readers, so well acquainted with his character (2 Cor. i. 12 ff., v. 11). This kind of wisdom is so much more manifestly the fruit in P. of experience under the discipline of the Spirit, as his temper was the more fiery and uncompro- mising’’ (Mr.); ‘‘non mentientis actus, sed compatientis affectus”’ (Aug.). This behaviour appeared to his enemies time- serving and duplicity (2 Cor. i. 12, Iv. 2,
xii. 16, Gal. i. 1ο).
Ver. 23. Paul’s course in its chameleon-.-
like changes is governed by a simple practical aim: ‘But all things I do for the gospel’s sake”. His one purpose is to fulfil his Gospel stewardship (17, iv. τ Π., etc., Acts xx. 24); Phil. iii. 7-14 presents the inner side of the ‘one thing’’ he pursues. The intensity with which this end is sought accounts for the variety of means; the most resolute, in a complicated situation, becomes the most versatile ofmen. διὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ‘‘on the gospel’s account”’, with a view to spread the good news most widely and carry it into effect most completely: for διὰ of the end as a ground of action, Ch MV RA αατε ROMY τν. 25.) .°For himself Paul’s sole ambition is ‘that I may be joint-partaker in it (with those I save) ’—that he may win its salvation along with many others, the fruit of his ministry (cf. 1 Thess. ii. 19 f.; also John xiv. 3, xvii. 24).
§ 30. PauL’s ASCETICISM, ix. 24-27. The last words of § 29 indicate that the writer feels his own salvation to be bound up in his mission to his fellowmen. The self-denial practised for the latter of these objects is necessary, in point of fact, for both. His example should teach the Cor. the need of stern self-discipline on their personal account, as well as in the in- terests of weaker brethren. From ix. 24 onwards to x. 22 P. pursues this line of
warning, addressed to men who were imperilling their own souls by self- indulgence and worldly conformity. Of the danger of missing the prize of life through indiscipline P. is keenly sensible in his own case; he conveys his appre- hension under the picture, so familiar to the Cor., of the Isthmian Games.
Ver. 24. Οὐκ οἴδατε . . .; cf. ver. 13, etc. οἱ ἐν σταδίῳ tpéxovres, πάντες μὲν τρέχονσιν, els δὲ κ.τ.λ.: “Those that run in the stadium, run all (of them), but one receives the prize’”’. As much as to say, ‘“‘Entering the race is not winning it; do not be satisfied with running, but make sure of winning—So run that you may secure (the prize)!”’ The art. is wanting with σταδίῳ, as often after prps., esp. when the noun is quasi-proper ; cf. our! “κα court;?” (in) jchurch:”” The stadion was the race-course, always a fixed length of 600 Gr., or 6062 Eng. ft.; hence a measure of distance, as in Matt. xiv. 24—a furlong.—For the anti- thesis of πάντες and els, conveying the point of the warning, ¢f. the emphatic πάντες of x. 1-4 (see note); also vi. 12, X. 23.—oUTws may point backward to els (‘‘run like that one”: cf. 14, ii. 11), or forward to ἵνα (καταλάβ.)---ᾱ particle substituted for the regular correlative, ὥστε (cf. Acts xiv. 1, John iii. 16), where the result is an aim to be achieved; the latter connexion is more probable, since the following vv. dilate on the conditions of success.