Philippians 3:12-14

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Philippians 3:10-21

His Knowing Of Christ Involves Participation With Him In The Power Of His Resurrection, And Equal Participation With Him in His Sufferings, By Himself Recognising That He Has Died With Christ. And His Aim Is To Participate In The Resurrection From The Dead (Philippians 3:10-21 ). In The New Testament the power of Christ’s resurrection is seen as an effective transforming power. It is through that power that in Christ God will, from start to finish, bring about the whole salvation of the whole... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Philippians 3:12

‘Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect, but I press on, if indeed I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.’ These words would seem to confirm the view that the final resurrection is in mind, for Philippians 3:21 describes when it is that he and all God’s true people will become perfect, and that is at the second coming of Jesus Christ. Thus while he has certainly experienced a spiritual resurrection (John 5:24; Ephesians 2:1-4), he... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Philippians 3:13-14

‘Brothers, I count not myself yet to have laid hold, but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.’ In contrast with the false teachers Paul does not see himself as having laid hold of the totality of salvation. But what he does see himself as having done, and as continuing to do, having put out of his mind what is in the past, ‘the things... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Philippians 3:10-16

Php_3:10-16 . Aim and Aspiration.— In exchange for the proud Jewish privileges that he has renounced, Paul has a new pursuit. His aim is to know Christ and the power that comes from His resurrection, the energy of the glorified, risen Christ— not the power which raised Him from the dead— together with a sympathetic union with Christ in suffering by his own endurance of suffering like Christ’ s, so that he may hope also for a resurrection— a privilege only for Christ’ s people. Writing towards... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Philippians 3:12

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: by an elegant anticipation and correction, lest any should conclude from what he had written, as if he were now arrived at the height he aimed at in the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and a full and perfect stature in that body, or almost at the very pitch, he doth here make a modest confession of his not attainment, (whatever false apostles might pretend to), 2 Corinthians 10:12; 2 Corinthians 12:6,2 Corinthians 12:7;... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Philippians 3:13

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; he repeats, in somewhat a different manner of expression, what he had written in the former verse, with a friendly compellation, gently and kindly to insinuate a caution against the false teachers’ suggestion about perfection in this state, from the instance of himself, so eminently called to be an apostle of Christ, {1 Corinthians 10:12} who, after all his labours and sufferings for his sake, did reckon he had not yet arrived to the height of... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Philippians 3:14

I press toward the mark; he did not look back, Luke 9:62, nor was lazy, but did follow hard, with an eager pursuit, {Matthew 11:12} after the perfection that was in his eye; not erring from, his main scope; considering what he had received was but in part, he did still press for more, upon that ground that Christ had apprehended him for more, as if he were stretching out his hands to lay hold of it. For the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; trusting he should, through grace, be... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Philippians 3:12-16

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTESPhilippians 3:12. Not as though I had already attained.—The word for “attained” may possibly refer to the turning-point in St. Paul’s history, and so the phrase would mean, “not as though by my conversion I did at once attain.” This interpretation, which is Bishop Lightfoot’s, is challenged by Dr. Beet. It seems preferable, on other than grammatical grounds, because the following phrase, if we refer the former to conversion, is an advance of thought. Either were... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Philippians 3:12

Philippians 3:12 Our Christian Aim. I. Progress is not identical with growth. In speaking of progress, we take account of human endeavour, and not only of Divine law. It is not only that the minute germ appropriates by some mysterious power the elements which it needs, and clothes itself with beauty. The idea of progress suggests thoughts of conscious effort, resolute will, and obstacles vanquished; of the striving after an ideal; of the presence of an animating desire. Progress is not only a... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - Philippians 3:13

Philippians 3:13 I. The past has its uses. Not for nothing did God bestow upon us memory; not for nothing do His servants recollect themselves, look back, call to mind, remember. (1) We want the past for purposes of humiliation. We might almost content ourselves, if we desired to humble the pride of any one, with saying to him, Let memory work; think of that shameful fall which you had yesterday or the day before: that broken resolution, that outbreak of temper, that irreverent worship, that... read more

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