The Pharisees refused to acknowledge both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Himself as messengers of God. Each of them, despite their differences, displeased them in some way...
The Pharisees refused to acknowledge both John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Himself as messengers of God. Each of them, despite their differences, displeased them in some way. They disliked John the Baptist because of his asceticism and his call to a renewal of faith. The Lord... the Lord displeased them entirely, in particular because He did not reject the repentance of sinful people, whom the Pharisees considered doomed to perdition. In reality, of course, behind this lay an unwillingness to accept the Good News, primarily because the Pharisees most of all wanted to appear in their own eyes as better than everyone else. The Gospel provides no such opportunity to them, nor to anyone else. It is significant that the Pharisees, as far as can be judged from Gospel and historical accounts, circulated talk that John the Baptist was not what a prophet should be, and Jesus of Nazareth was not either...
The Lord applies to them the image of children who do not weep at sorrowful songs and do not rejoice at joyful ones. God, the Lord is thereby saying, attempts to convey His word, His will, the Good News to the Pharisees in this way and that, through various and disparate paths. But they react to nothing, and this reveals their sheer unwillingness to respond to the call of God. The issue is not what John the Baptist is like or what Jesus Himself is like.
Those who seek the Word of God, however, will one way or another be able to find and accept it, as the Lord concludes with the words, "wisdom is justified of all her children." Some came to Christ through the preaching of the Baptist, others recognized the Savior in Him themselves... He who has ears and desires to hear, will hear.
In our time, this passage of the Gospel remains exceptionally relevant. Often people say: I would believe, but... Something always displeases the one who does not wish to believe. Either there is much that is bad in the Bible (since the truth about history is written there), or Christians are bad, or the commandments are strange... It is precisely to such a stance that the words of Christ apply.
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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.