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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - Philippians 3:11 - 3:11
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Php 3:11. Εἴπως, if by any means, in any way) This denotes the struggle of Paul’s faith; so, εἰ, if, Php 3:12.-καταντήσω, I may attain) He gradually passes from the figure of loss and gain to that of a race. Καταντᾷν is to come up to, the very act of attaining and gaining possession.-ἐξανάστασιν [42]ΤῶΝ ΝΕΚΡῶΝ) i.e. ἀνάστασιν (Χριστοῦ) ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, the resurrection (of Christ) from the dead; comp. Rom 1:4, note [2Ti 2:11]; for the style of Paul ascribes ἀνάστασιν to Christ; ἘΞΑΝΆΣΤΑΣΙΝ to Christians.[43] But the resurrection of Christ and our resurrection are considered as one resurrection, by reason of the κοινωνία, fellowship. After the mention of the resurrection, he brings in some things suited to his own present state, and interweaves the rest [of the discussion of the resurrection] at Php 3:20-21.
[42] Τὴν ἐκ is read by ABD(Δ)fg Vulg., Iren. 309, Lucif. 166. Τῶν ἐκ is read by G. Τῶν by Memph. and Rec. Text.-ED.
[43] This fact ought to have led Beng. to take ἀναστάσεως above of the resurrection, not the mere appearing of Christ. The phrase, “power of His resurrection,” expresses a parallel idea to Eph 1:19-20, “The exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.” Comp. Col 2:12; Col 3:1; Rom 6:5. The same power is needed to quicken the soul as was needed to raise Jesus from the dead. To have that power (the Holy Spirit) in us, is a pledge of our hereafter attaining the ἐξανάστασις, Rom 8:11. This word probably implies the rising of the saints first out of the rest of the dead, 1Co 15:23; Rev 20:5. Ἐξανάστασις is nowhere else found in N. T.-ED.
The Germ. Vers., following the decision of the 2d Ed., adopts the reading τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν, which was reckoned among those not to be approved in the larger Ed.-E. B.