Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians

Comm on Phil, Col, Thes
law has two aspects; the one has an eye to God, the other to men. Paul, then, was in the judgment
of men holy, and free from all censure — a rare commendation, certainly, and almost unrivalled;
yet let us observe in what esteem he held it.
Philippians 3:7-11
7. But what things were gain to me, those I 7. Verum quae mihi lucra erant, ea existimavi
counted loss for Christ.
propter Christum iacturam.
8. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but 8. Quin etiam omnia existimo iacturam esse,
loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ propter eminentiam cognitionis Christi Iesu
Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss Domini mei: propter quem omnium iacturam feci
of all things, and do count them but dung, that I et existimo reiectamenta esse, ut Christum lucri
may win Christ,
faciam.
9. Et inveniam 182 9. And be found in him, not having mine own
in ipso, non habens meam
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which iustitiam que ex Lege est, sed quae est per fidem
is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness Christi: quae, inquam, ex Deo est iustitia in fide.
which is of God by faith:
10. That I may knowhim, and the power of 10. Ut cognoscam ipsu, et potentiam
his resurrection, and the fellowship of his resurrectionis eius, et communicationem
sufferings, being made comformable unto his passionumeius, dum configuror morti eius,
death;
11. If by any means I might attain unto the 11. Si quo modo perveniam ad resurrectionem
resurrection of the dead.
mortuorum.
7. What things were gain to me He says, that those things were gain to him, for ignorance of
Christ is the sole reason why we are puffed up with a vain confidence. Hence, where we see a false
estimate of one’s own excellence, where we see arrogance, where we see pride, there let us be
assured that Christ is not known. On the other hand, so soon as Christ shines forth all those things
that formerly dazzled our eyes with a false splendor instantly vanish, or at least are disesteemed.
Those things, accordingly, which had been gain to Paul when he was as yet blind, or rather had
imposed upon him under an appearance of gain, he acknowledges to have been loss to him, when
he has been enlightened. Why loss? Because they were hinderances in the way of his coming to
Christ. What is more hurtful than anything that keeps us back from drawing near to Christ? Now
he speaks chiefly of his own righteousness, for we are not received by Christ, except as naked and
emptied of our own righteousness. Paul, accordingly, acknowledges that nothing was so injurious
to him as his own righteousness, inasmuch as he was by means of it shut out from Christ.
8. Nay more, I reckon. He means, that he continues to be of the same mind, because it often
happens, that, transported with delight in new things, we forget everything else, and afterwards we
182 “Et que ie les retrouue en iceluy, on, soye trouue en iceluy;” — “And that I may find them in him, or, be found in him.”
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John Calvin