The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 131

oun SELFIRHNEBB INSTEAD OP ESTABLISHING ANY 0LAIM TO BALVAT!Olil'. Paul's zeal was undoubted in persecuting the Christians. He was the first persecutor of his time; so that, in addition to hie pride of birth and breeding, he could plume himself upon a religious reputation without a parallel among hie people. He thought that no one harl. such a claim upon the tribal God, the God of the Jews, as he. If self-righteousness could be established by mortal man, Paul believed he had accomplished it. He forgot that the establishment of reputations is a selfish motive at the best, and can h,ivc nothing but condemnation from a holy God. In analyzing our motives, conseqnently, we must be most careful. Unless we are on our guard, we shall find ourselves living the selfish life, manufacturing reputations rather than strictly regarding usefulness anrl. God's glory. III. BOTH OUR PEDIGREE AND OUB ZEAL ARE LOSSES TO 08 Ill' THEY DETAIN US FROM CHRIST, Paul had spent long years in thinking how well-bred and reputable a Jew he was. Occupied with self, he had never turned his eyes to the radiant Christ, who alone is worthy of such constant contemplation. His fancied merits had thus kept him for years from the profitable study of the person and character of Christ. Ait soon as, on the way to Damascus, he became acquainted with Christ, the loss of the self• righteous years pressed itself painfully upon him. He wondered that he had so long neglected such a Saviour. He saw in him a subject worthy of eternal study, and h~ regretted that he had been so tardy in entering upon it. We are surely taught htre that anything which shuts out Christ from us, it matters not what it may be, is a distinct loss to UB. He is the only object worth absorbing our attention. When other objects-self in any of its forms-eclipse him, we are losers and not gainers by the distraction. Things good in themselves even, such as birth and breeding and activity, prove serious losses to us if they withdraw our souls from the contemplation of the Saviour.-R. M. E. Vers. 8-11.-The enthusiast. Paul now exhibits himself to us in the light of an enthusiast in whose eyes the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ is all and in all. He regrets that so many fruitless years were spent away from Christ, and now he shows us all he hopes from him. He has surrendered everything for the sake of his Lord and Master. He has put away the thought of what he might have been had b.e remained a Jewish partisan. There was nothing beyond the ambition of Saul the persecutor had he remained true to the Jewish tradition. But he had cheerfully sacrificed every worldly prospect, he had cheerfully accepted a life of privation and contempt, he had learned to count such worldly advantages as bnt "the refuse of the table" when compared with the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is such enthusiasm that makes men of us! Let us now look at the gain got from Christ. I. AccEPTANOE IN ms RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Ver. 9.) We have seen how self-righteous- ness died within Paul. The sight of Christ on the way to Damascus cured him of all his self-satisfaction. Henceforth his religious reputation seemed but "filthy rags," utterly insufficient to clothe bis spirit before the all-searching King. But instea,l of self-righteousness, he found provided by Christ a perfect righteousness, whose protection before God he could rejoice in. The idea of merit being transferred and imputed, thouah ridiculed by some superficial thinkers, is an everyday experience in life. The who!~ department of personal influence for the benefit of another is an illustration of it. We all benefit by the character and influence of others. We are glorified by their merits. The person from whom we want the favour knows the value and houour of :>'ll' friend, and he considers us favourably because of him. In the very same way, then, God the Father regards sinners with favour because of the merit and righteous- ness of his Son, in whom poor sinners are asked to trust. Christ's glory is sufficient to encircle with radiance all the world. II. ACQUAINTANCESHIP. (Ver. 10.) The difference between "knowing a person" and "knowing about a person" must never be forgotten. We may know a great deal about a person whose acquaintanceship we never acquire. i.Ve may in the same way know a great deal about Christ; we may be eruuite theologians; aud yet if we do not "know him" as our incomparable acquaintance, our Saviour, our best Friend, all will be vain. Paul got acquainted with Christ on the way to Damascus, and that acquaintanceship he cultivated sver after by prayer, meditation, co-operation in l'hri8t':3 PHILIPPIANB, K  'l'IIE EPlSTLE TO 'l'HE PHILIPPIANS. [ell, Ill, 1-21,