Philippians 3 Bible study: A loss for Christ

The chapter opens, "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe." (3:1) (tap tiresome). The letter doesn't say which same things it means, and these notes don't either. Then come three warnings: "Beware of the dogs; beware of the evil workers; beware of the false circumcision." (3:2). The letter names no one there, and these notes identify no one and apply the words to no person, group, faith or church, then or now (see the honest question). It goes on, "For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (3:3), and these notes make that verse a verdict on no people or faith today. Then the letter's I speaks of itself: "though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more" (3:4). It names what: "circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless." (3:5-6). These notes give the list as the verses have it, and fill in nothing from elsewhere in the Bible.

1 Chronicles 8:40→leads toPhilippians 3:8

The chapter ends, "All these were of the sons of Benjamin" (8:40). In the New Testament, Paul names the things in which he "might have confidence even in the flesh" (Philippians 3:4), and among them, "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5). Then he writes, "I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ" (Philippians 3:7), and "I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). Paul doesn't cite 1 Chronicles 8, so setting the two side by side is a reading. The link rests on one fact both passages state, descent from Benjamin, and not on a shared word. Some see in Paul's words what a place in a line like this one came to for him: counted as loss beside knowing Christ Jesus. Others read Paul's loss within his own letter, as confidence in the flesh set beside "the righteousness which is from God by faith" (Philippians 3:9), and read 1 Chronicles 8 as the tribe's record, without looking from one to the other.

ζημίαzemiasay dzay-MEE-ah

Strong's: "detriment". Thayer lists 3:7 and 3:8 where he gives "to regard a thing as a loss". "However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ." (3:7), and "I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord" (3:8): behind loss both times is this noun. Philippians has it twice, both here (in all eight editions TAGNT compares). The WEB's next loss, in "for whom I suffered the loss of all things" (3:8), is a verb Strong's derives from it (tap suffered the loss), and behind gain in 3:7 is another noun, κέρδος (kerdos, G2771).