When Jesus sends His disciples to proclaim the Kingdom that has drawn near, He tells them: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” A natural question arises: why does everyone around them turn out to be a wolf? And if that is so, why and for what purpose does Jesus...
When Jesus sends His disciples to proclaim the Kingdom that has drawn near, He tells them: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” A natural question arises: why does everyone around them turn out to be a wolf? And if that is so, why and for what purpose does Jesus send the disciples out to preach?
The answer, however, lies in the very nature of their proclamation—in what those who are sent intend to proclaim and what they are to bear witness to. The disciples are to bear witness to the Kingdom: a Kingdom that, in the Saviour's own words, is “not of this world,” and which the world rejects for that very reason. This is not even because the Kingdom is alien in nature to the world, but because it is hostile to it. The world lies in evil. If it were simply different from the Kingdom, there might be no hostility: the Kingdom's action upon the world would transfigure it, change its nature, and the world would become the Kingdom by opening itself to God's direct action. But there are forces in the world that oppose the Kingdom, and the world has submitted to them and fallen wholly under their power—which is why it is called fallen. It is therefore hostile to the Kingdom, not by nature, but because of the present state of that nature. Consequently, everyone who lives by the laws of this world becomes hostile to everyone who lives by the Kingdom and bears witness to it.
This opposition is as organic as that between wolves and sheep. Wolves do not attack sheep out of malice, but out of hunger. Indeed, the same is true of predators in general and their prey: it is nothing personal, only the necessity of survival. Unlike the well-known character in Krylov's fable, neither wolves nor other predators look for excuses. “It is your fault that I want to eat”—that is a human view of the situation; animals know nothing of such concepts, and their instincts tell them nothing about moral categories.
People who live by the laws of the fallen world often react in much the same way to witnesses of the Kingdom and to those who live its life. They want to get rid of such people, to make them disappear from the world and from their own lives simply because they are different—because they bring into the world and into those people's own lives something that will destroy the existing order of things, outside which the fallen human being cannot imagine life. Unlike wolves and other predators, of course, people usually find some way to justify this desire. Yet at its core is the same instinct of self-preservation, the desire to survive and not perish that drives a wolf to attack a flock of sheep. Until a person wishes to change, until they wish to escape the power of the evil in which the fallen world lies, they will react to witnesses of the Kingdom as a predator reacts to prey—not from any personal motive, but simply according to the law of this world.
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3:8 Yea, I still account both all these and all things else to be mere loss, compared to the inward, experimental knowledge of Christ, as my Lord, as my prophet, priest, and king, as teaching me wisdom, atoning for my sins, and reigning in my heart. To refer this to justification only, is miserably to pervert the whole scope of the words. They manifestly relate to sanctification also; yea, to that chiefly. For whom I have actually suffered the loss of all things - Which the world loves, esteems, or admires; of which I am so far from repenting, that I still account them but dung - The discourse rises. Loss is sustained with patience, but dung is cast away with abhorrence.The Greek word signifies any, the vilest refuse of things, the dross of metals, the dregs of liquors, the excrements of animals, the most worthless scraps of meat, the basest offals, fit only for dogs. That I may gain Christ - He that loses all things, not excepting himself, gains Christ, and is gained by Christ. And still there is more; which even St. Paul speaks of his having not yet gained.
3:9 And be found by God ingrafted in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law - That merely outward righteousness prescribed by the law, and performed by my own strength. But that inward righteousness which is through faith - Which can flow from no other fountain. The righteousness which is from God - From his almighty Spirit, not by my own strength, but by faith alone. Here also the apostle is far from speaking of justification only.
3:10 The knowledge of Christ, mentioned in the eighth verse, is here more largely explained. That I may know him - As my complete Saviour. And the power of his resurrection - Raising me from the death of sin, into all the life of love. And the fellowship of his sufferings - Being crucified with him. And made conformable to his death - So as to be dead to all things here below.
3:11 The resurrection of the dead - That is, the resurrection to glory.
3:12 Not that I have already attained - The prize. He here enters on a new set of metaphors, taken from a race. But observe how, in the utmost fervour, he retains his sobriety of spirit. Or am already perfected - There is a difference between one that is perfect, and one that is perfected. The one is fitted for the race, Php 3:15; the other, ready to receive the prize. But I pursue, if I may apprehend that - Perfect holiness, preparatory to glory. For, in order to which I was apprehended by Christ Jesus - Appearing to me in the way, Act 26:14. The speaking conditionally both here and in thepreceding verse, implies no uncertainty, but only the difficulty of attaining.
3:13 I do not account myself to have apprehended this already; to be already possessed of perfect holiness.
3:14 Forgetting the things that are behind - Even that part of the race which is already run. And reaching forth unto - Literally, stretched out over the things that are before - Pursuing with the whole bent and vigour of my soul, perfectholiness and eternal glory. In Christ Jesus - The author and finisher of every good thing.
3:15 Let us, as many as are perfect - Fit for the race, strongin faith; so it means here. Be thus minded - Apply wholly to this one thing. And if in anything ye - Who are not perfect, who are weak in faith. Be otherwise minded - Pursuing other things. God, if ye desire it, shall reveal even this unto you - Will convince you of it.
3:16 But let us take care not to lose the ground we have already gained. Let us walk by the same rule we have done hitherto.
3:17 Mark them - For your imitation.
3:18 Weeping - As he wrote. Enemies of the cross of Christ - Such are all cowardly, all shamefaced, all delicate Christians.
3:19 Whose end is destruction - This is placed in the front, that what follows may be read with the greater horror. Whose god is their belly - Whose supreme happiness lies in gratifying their sensual appetites. Who mind - Relish, desire, seek, earthly things.