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Php_3:7. Now, with the antithetic ἀλλά , the apostle comes again to his real standpoint, far transcending any πεποιθέναι ἐν σαρκί , and says: No! everything that was gain to me, etc.
ἅτινα ] quaecunque, the category of the matters specified in Php_3:5-6. [157] The emphasis is to be placed on this word; comp. ταῦτα subsequently.
ἮΝ ΜΟΙ ΚΈΡΔΗ ] is not the dative of opinion (Erasmus, Beza, and many others, including Heinrichs, Rheinwald, Hoelemann, Matthies, de Wette, Hofmann; comp. van Hengel, who takes κέρδη as lucra opinata); but such things were to the apostle in his pre-Christian state really gain ( κατὰ σάρκα ). By means of them he was within the old theocracy put upon a path which had already brought him repute and influence, and promised to him yet far greater honours, power, and wealth in the future; a career rich in gain was opened up to him. The plural κέρδη denotes the various advantages dependent on such things as have been mentioned. Frequently used also in the classical writers.
ΤΑῦΤΑ ] emphatically: these very things.
διὰ τὸν Χ .] for the sake of Christ, who had become the highest interest of my life. Paul explains himself more particularly in Php_3:8-9, explanations which are not to be here anticipated.
ζημίαν ] as harm, that is, as disadvantageous (the contrast to κέρδος ; comp. Plat, de lucri cup. p. 226 E, Leg. viii. p. 835 B), because, namely, they had been impediments to the conversion to Christ, and that owing to the false moral judgment and confidence attaching to them. Comp. Form. Conc. p. 708; Calvin on Php_3:8. This one disadvantage he has seen in everything of which he is speaking; hence the plural is not again used here as previously in κέρδη . The ἭΓΗΜΑΙ (perfect), however, has occurred, and is an accomplished fact since his conversion, to which the apostle here glances back. On ἡγεῖσθαι ζημίαν , comp. Sturz, Lex. Xen. II. p. 454; Lucian, Lexiph. 24; on the relation of the singular to the plural κέρδη , Eur. Cycl. 311: πολλοῖσι κέρδη πονηρὰ ζημίαν ἠμείψατο .
[157] The later heretical enemies of the law appealed to this passage, in which also, in their view, the law was meant to be included. On the other hand, Chrysostom and his successors asserted that the law was meant only in comparison with Christ. Estius, however, justly observes: “non de ipsa lege loquitur, sed de justitia, quae in lege est.”