The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 117

"we Ellffer ,rith him." And he who hath admit three different intcrpretnlione : (I) borne> nur griefs and carried our EOITOWB that or A.V., which implies the ellipse ot fpels fnr 11s in his Bncred henrt, being the antecedent "tlmt;" (2) thnt ,i;iven in "t<>ucherl with the ft'elini:- of our infirmities." the m11rgin of H. V., "seeing thnt; " and (8) This fellowship i11 suffering leads through that of the RV., "for which," for whioh his grnoo t.o fellowship in glory (oomp. 2 purpose (that is, that I may preee on and Cor. iv. 10; Rom. ,i. 5). Being made oon- porse'l"ore) lw11s also apprehcu,lcd by Christ formable unto his death; rather, as R.V., Jesus. All these translations nro possible, l•ecoming ean.,formed. Thcpnrticiplc is present: nn~ all givo a good sense. Perhaps (2) best ii implies R oontinual progress. It is derivC'd Bmta the context, "I press on to lny hold ot from the word µ.op(/17/, form, used in eh. ii. 6 the prize, because Christ first laid hold of (where Eee note), n nd denotes, not a rue re me." 'l'ho grace of the Lor,! Jesus furnishes cxtc>rnal resemblance, but a deep, real, inner the highest moti vc; it is the Christiau's Mnformitv. The reference is not to the bounde11 duty to press on alwnys in the impending death of ma.rtyrdom, but to that Christian race, because Christ fu-st called claily dying unto self and the world which him. the npostle exhibited in the heroic self- Ver. 18.-Brethron, I oount not myself to clenials of his holv life: he was "crucified have apprehended; rather, perhaps, I reckon. "·ith Christ" (Gal: ii. 20; comp. also 1 Cor. Two of the beet manuscripti! read "not yet" l,;.V. 31). (otl-). The pronouns are emphatic: what- , er. 11.-If by aray means I might attain ever others may think of me or of them- unto the resnrreotion of the dead. The selves, "I reckon not mysel,f to have appre- upostle uses the langua.,"ll of humble ex- hendoo." But this one thing. The ellipse i,ectation. For the po.rticlcs, "if by any here is forcible ; some supply " I reckon ; " mcaus '' (,t .,.,.,,), comp. Acts xxvii. 12; others, "I say;" at.hers, as A. V., "I do," Rom. i. lO; xi. H. The verb "attain" which seems best suited to the context. I means to arrive at the end of a journey; it do, forgetting those things whioh are behind, prc,ents the figure of a pilgrimage. Read, and reaohing forth unto those things whioh with R.V. and the best ma.nuacripti!, the are before. St. Paul concentrates all his res11rre,ci,ion from fJllJ dead. This phrase thoughts and all his energies on the one (usc-d also in Luke xx. 85 and Acts iv. 2) groat end of life, the one thing needful. Ho m= the resurrection of the blessed dead forgets those things which are behind; thnt (comp. I Cor. xv. 23; 1 Thess. iv. 16). Thie is, not, as Eome explain, his Jewish privilegos meaning ie strengthened here by the repe- and distinctions, but that pal't of his tition of the preposition with the word Christian race alrendy post. Bo Chrysostom, "reeurrcction" (l£av&a-'TIZiT<S). The general Kal -yap 6 6poµ,h otix OO'OVS -li11vt1•11 a.110.11.o-yl(,- resurrection ie al ways ca.lled the resurrection T<U 5,a6>-ovs, l,Jv,,' /Juovs 11.,lw,'Tat . . . . TI -yap of the dead. 'TJJJ."S wq,,11.i, 'TO a.11vu8,v, O'Tav 'TO 11.eiwoµ.,vov Ver. 12.-llot u though I had already µ¾, -,,.po<TT<efi; Reaching forlli. The Greek attained, either were already perfect; the word l-,r,,c7.,voµ.•vos is singularly emphatic : Il.V. renders this clause more accurately, it means that the athlete throws himself 'TI.Ol that (1 do w,t say that) I hare already forward in the race with all his energies obtair.ed,. The verb is not the same with that strained to the very utmost. Compare translated "attain " in vcr. 11 ; it means to Bengel, "Ocnlus manum, manna pedem get, to win a prize, as in 1 Cor. ix. 24. The prmvertit et trahit." tense is aorist : "I say not that I did at once Ver. 14.-I press toward the mark for the win 1.he prize ; " that is, at the time of hie prize of the high oa.lling of God in Christ converai.on. Compare the tenses used in ver. JllSllll; rather, with the best manuscripts, 8, " I entrered the l08ii of all things; " and unto the prize. The first preposition, " to- ver. 12, "I wu apprehended ; " which both wards," expresses the aim ; the second, refer to the llllille time. The prize was not "unto," the end of the race. The high gained in a moment; it needs the continued calling; the upward, heavenward calling. effort of a lifetime. St. Panl proceeds, God ie calling us all upward, heavenward, using now the perfect tense, "Nor have I by the ,oico of the Lord Jesus, who ie th6 Leen o.lready made perfect." He has not Word of God. Comp. Heh. iii. I, "Partakers even now reached perfection ; he is still of the heavenly calling." The words, "in working out hie own salvation. There may Christ Jesus," are to be taken with "tho Le !,ere a delicate all usiou to the spiritual high calling." It is God who calla: ho pride which seems to have dioturbt-d the calla us in the person of Christ, by the voice unity of the Philippiaue (see eh. ii. 2-4). of Chri•t, " Corne unto me." "It was his :But I follow after ; rather, I pursue, I press will that thou shouldet run the rnce below; on. If that I may apprehend that for which he gives the crown above. Secst thou not a!Bo I i.m appreheni'.ed o~ Chr.s, Jce!l!!. The tLd el'cn here tlier crown the moat honoured w,,rda 11,udert>d "for wi,s<·L" (,,p' ,f,) will of the athletes, not on the racecourse below OH, lll, 1-21.] 'flIF, EPIB'l'LJ<~ TO THE PHILIPPIA NS. 115