1 As to the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not wearisome, but to you is necessary.
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VERS. 1.-- *For the rest.* As if: Thus far I have instructed you how you ought to stand in the war against tribulations, for the rest, the false apostles, I admonish you not to receive the observances of the law from them, but to believe that the faith of Christ alone suffices. He begins concerning the sincerity of faith. *To write.* That the writing may remain longer than the utterance.
2 Beware of dogs: beware of evil workers: beware of the concision.
3 For we are the circumcision, who in spirit serve God and glory in Christ Jesus, not having confidence in the flesh.
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VERS. 3.-- *For we are,* etc. That is: We have circumcision: this the Apostle wished to say: We are righteousness. For circumcision is righteousness. But he commends the more by saying that we are circumcision, that is, righteousness, than by saying that we are circumcised, that is, just: yet so, that when he says it is righteousness, we understand the just. *Who by the Spirit of God,* or, *to God,* etc. He notes the Spirit of the Lord, to whom latria is rendered, but that service is to be rendered to the Creator alone. Another is the service by which we are bidden through charity to serve one another, which in Greek is called dulia. *And not having confidence in the flesh.* He serves in the flesh who hopes out of carnal things to please God. But when the flesh itself also is subjected to the spirit through good works, we serve God in the spirit, we who tame the flesh, that the spirit may obey God.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinketh he may have confidence in the flesh, I more:
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VERS. 4.-- *Although I also,* etc. Lest the Apostle should seem to despise in others what he himself does not have, and not to be able to trust in the flesh, he subjoins: *Although,* etc.
5 Being circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews. According to the law, a Pharisee:
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VERS. 5.-- *Of the tribe of Benjamin.* The tribe of Benjamin clave to Judah, not departing from the temple, when the separation was made under the servant of Solomon. For then the tribe of Judah, which was royal, and the tribe of Benjamin, and the tribe of Levi, which was priestly, remained together, not departing from Jerusalem and from the temple.
6 According to zeal, persecuting the church of God: According to the justice that is in the law, conversing without blame.
7 But the things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss for Christ.
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VERS. 7.-- *For Christ.* Lest I should show the coming of Christ either not yet accomplished, or to be superfluous. For all these hindrances were empty things, that one might not come to grace.
8 Furthermore, I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ.
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VERS. 8.-- *Nevertheless I esteem.* Not only for the sake of having Christ have I so judged, but even if I could not attain him. *For* this alone, namely for the *knowledge* which we have of Jesus, *pre-eminent,* above the other kinds of knowledge. *As dung.* As if: Not only the losses of goods, but the things which defile one who is now observing them: and this to this end, that in the future they may have Christ for their reward: and that here I may be a member in him: which cannot come about otherwise unless I esteem those things as dung.
9 And may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, which is of God: justice in faith.
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VERS. 9.-- *My own righteousness,* etc. If righteousness is from the law, how is it thine? Didst thou impose the law upon thyself? God gave the law and imposed it. God commanded thee to obey his law. But it is also thine, because thou presumest upon the law, reckoning that by thine own will thou canst fulfil the law. Rightly did he say: *Not having my own righteousness,* etc., *as far as* which have proceeded from our own zeal. *But that,* etc. Which obtains from God, which takes away fear, etc., *as far as* it is wholly to be taken away according to the shadow of the figures of the law. *Righteousness in faith.* That is, righteousness is a thing existing in faith, and as it was born of faith, so it has no being save in faith.
10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings: being made conformable to his death,
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VERS. 10.-- *Unto the knowing.* He subjoins the commendation of faith, by the many things which it does. For it makes us know God perfectly in the other life also, who here is believed. And to have the resurrection, which our resurrection is the power and efficacy of the resurrection of Christ And in this life to have fellowship in suffering: for unless through faith, no man would suffer so great things; and the conformation of [his] death, that is, that we may die, as he did, if there be need.
11 If by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead.
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VERS. 11.-- *I may meet.* Rendering to God the things which he has bestowed on me, and by this coming to the resurrection. Or, I may meet Christ in the judgment, which belongs to the saints only, coming first to the true and glorious resurrection, which is not among the dead, but far out of the dead: because, although all rise again on the day of judgment, yet the just alone shall be gloriously changed, and shall meet the Lord in the air, borne up by angels. But the ungodly shall remain on the earth until they receive the terrible sentence of the judge. *Not that I have already received.* This he says of himself, lest those whom he praises should be exalted as men, but should add labour, as he himself does who is so great. *But I follow after,* etc. Not with the steps of the body, but with the affections of the mind and the manners of life, that I may be able to be a perfect possessor of righteousness: I who, advancing by a straight road from day to day by spiritual renewal, am already a perfect wayfarer of that same righteousness. For he was a perfect wayfarer, but not yet one arrived by the perfection of the journey itself. *If by any means I may comprehend.* This he says because it is difficult. And lest it should seem superfluous to suffer so many things, since he has faith and the other good things, he subjoins: Deservedly do I labour so much for that glory, because I do *Not* say that I have *already received* anything: for if I have received anything of glory, it is nothing in comparison with what is to come. *Or* if I have received anything, as concerning the knowledge of Christ, I do not say that in it *I am perfect.* And if it is thus of me. what of me who of others?
12 Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect: but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: Forgetting the things that are behind and stretching forth myself to those that are before,
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VERS. 13.-- *The things which are behind.* His former deeds, not because they were evil, but small toward merit, but stretched out toward the better things, that he may always advance unto what is better.
14 I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.
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VERS. 14.-- *I press on.* Even so far, until I come to the appointed good. *Of the supernal vocation.* That is, of eternal life, unto which God calls, and therefore it is a worthy thing, etc.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to you,
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VERS. 15.-- *We are perfect.* It is to be known that the righteousness by which the just man lives out of faith is true righteousness, which, although not undeservedly it be called perfect in some just men according to the capacity of this life, is nevertheless small beside that great righteousness which the equality of the angels has received: and he who did not yet have it said that he was both perfect, on account of that which was already within, and imperfect, on account of this which was still wanting. But this lesser righteousness makes the merit, that greater one the reward. Therefore he who does not follow after this one does not attain that one. *And if in anything you be otherwise minded.* That is, if you devise anything better for the worship of God, know that this also is a gift of God, because he will reveal this to you. But lest any presumption should arise thence, he subjoins: whereunto we have come, that we be of the same mind: that is, not to be wise outside the rule of discipline, but that which is common and modest in evangelical truth. *Nevertheless whereunto.* Now we are imperfect, now we are otherwise minded, but nevertheless it is necessary that we all be of the same mind concerning that same thing *whereunto we have come* by faith and knowledge, *and that we continue in the same rule.* That is, let us fulfil it in work.
16 Nevertheless, whereunto we are come, that we be of the same mind, let us also continue in the same rule.
17 Be ye followers of me, brethren: and observe them who walk so as you have our model.
18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ:
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VERS. 18.-- *Enemies of the cross.* They who bring in the observances of the flesh assert the cross to be superfluous.
19 Whose end is destruction: whose God is their belly: and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly things.
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VERS. 19.-- *Whose God is their belly.* As though salvation were in food, so that the belly is a god, and they glory in the parts of shame, circumcised, which is to be wise in earthly things, and whatsoever they do, they do it for the belly. Or, the foods which belong to the belly they make a god: while they say that these justify men, and their glory is in such things, whereby they may be confounded and put to the blush, while they say that they are justified through temporal things. And so their temporal glory shall lead them to eternal confusion.
20 But our conversation is in heaven: from whence also we look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ,
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VERS. 20.-- *Our conversation.* That is, in living and in understanding let us be like the angels. Whence also, that is, besides the goods which we already have, *we also look for the Lord.*
21 Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory, according to the operation whereby also he is able to subdue all things unto himself.