Philippians 3:4

“though. myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh,. yet more”

“Though. myself might have”: “Though I, if any man, have cause to rely even upon them” (TCNT). “He emphasizes ‘I myself' (even more than the Judaizers), he means that if this were actually the case, then he himself, even more than the Judaizers would be entitled to such. ground of trust” (Hendriksen p. 155). “Confidence even in the flesh”: “If an orthodox pedigree and upbringing, followed by high personal attainment in the religious and moral realm, ensured. good standing in the presence of God (as was implied by the people against whom Paul's warning is directed), Paul need fear no competition” (Bruce p. 107). The same type of argument is made by Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:21 ff.

“I yet more”: “I have more” (Con). “Far more can I!” “Yet if anyone ever had reason to hope that he could save himself, it would be I” (Tay). “Paul fully realizes the value of all that he enjoyed as. Jew, and he possessed these privileges in. marked degree. So, if anyone should be justified in depending upon such Jewish prerogatives, he is the man” (Erdman pp. 112-113). “But to make clear to all that, when he proceeds to disparage personal assets which can make one proud and self-reliant, he does not because he is. ‘have-not',. frustrated person lashing out in envy due to his own lack of resources or achievements, but because he is one who, although having everything, learned he had nothing, not having Christ” (Hawthorne p. 130). Paul can speak so harshly against the Judaizers, because he realizes the great temptation that they present. At one time in his life, he had bought into the same deceptive and erroneous doctrine (Galatians 1:13). Such. doctrine had almost cost him his soul! He realized the insidious nature of such. teaching, and how easy it is to believe that certain external advantages can guarantee your salvation. Christians have the right to speak pointedly against error and sin, because such things almost cost us eternal life.. have the right to have intense feelings against those things that have brought me very close to eternal damnation.. have the right to fight against, with all my might, those things that were out to deprive me of eternal happiness. Paul reminds his listeners that he was more "Jewish" than his opponents who placed their trust and hope of salvation in the external forms of Judaism. The very fact that Paul became. Christian in the first place, that the best adherent of Judaism could not find the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation of his soul in the religion he practiced better than everyone else, is proof positive that salvation cannot be found in observing the Law of Moses, part or all of it.

Hawthorne makes the following observations concerning the following section of Scripture: “Nowhere else in his letters does Paul make so clear, and with such feeling. how vitally important the person of Christ is to him, and how tremendous was the impact of the resurrected Christ upon his life and outlook as he does here in these verses” (p. 130).