Philippians 3:4b-14, the Second Reading appointed for the 5th Sunday in Lent in the Year of Luke, is a subtle text that calls us to examine closely the source of our confidence. Is our confidence in God's grace or in our own spiritual pedigree? That is the question that the preacher will present to the listeners this week.
(The following questions are part of a method developed to explore the function of the Word in a text. These questions are best used alongside other exegetical questions which have other concerns. This method and a brief discussion of Law and Gospel preaching are available in my book, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipftandstock.com or amazon.)
1. How does the Word function in the text? The Word functioning as Law is always the Word lifting up our need for Christ. In a subtle way, that's what this text does. Over and over, St. Paul is reminding us of our need for "a righteousness from God based on faith," not one that comes through the Law. It is clear that Paul, himself, struggled to let go of the righteousness of the Law with all of its attraction, and he calls us to let go of that ourselves.
2. How is the Word not functioning in the text? The Word functioning as Gospel is well hidden in this text. For the most part it is absent, but then Paul, in discussing what motivates him as he runs the Christian race, gives us a glimpse of the Gospel: "because Christ Jesus has made me his own." This brief statement is Gospel.
3. With whom are you identifying in the text? We are certainly those to whom Paul is writing, for all of us, by human nature, place our confidence in the flesh, in what we can accomplish on our own.
4. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? The "pressing on to the goal of the heavenly prize" that Paul speaks of at the end of the passage is certainly the Word functioning as a Call to Obedience. Christ Jesus has made us his own, and now, in response to that grace, we press on to do all we can to live a life pleasing to God.
5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? The terminology that Paul uses here could certainly be used to create some couplets. Some ideas: self-righteousness/Christ's righteousness; confidence in the flesh/confidence in Christ; loss/gain.
6. Exegetical work: Several early scholars identify a key feature of Paul's argument: he doesn't say that his former life in Judaism was rubbish, but that he now counts it as rubbish compared with knowing Christ. John Chrysostom writes: "He does not say, 'the law is privation' but I count it loss." "So whatever gain I had in the law, I count as loss on account of Christ." Theodoret also says, "It is not that I flee them as base things but I prefer what is superior." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. VIII, p. 270). The Reformers, not surprisingly, center in on where Paul's confidence lies. Henry Airy writes, "Let this then, teach us not to have confidence in any outward thing whatsoever without Christ." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XI, p. 75). John Calvin, also follows this line: "Paul, therefore, divested himself not of works, but of that mistaken confidence in works with which he had been puffed up." (Ibid., p. 77). Fred Craddock, in his contemporary commentary, is careful to point out that Paul is not bad mouthing Judaism here. Indeed, he is clear that he counts his Jewish identity as a "gain". Craddock says, "What Paul is saying is that Christ surpasses everything of worth to me." "He counts gain as loss." (Interpretation series, Philippians, p. 58).
7. How does the Crossings Community model work with this text? There are a number of fine analyses of this text available on the Crossings text study website, but Marcus Felde, it seems to me, in his 2014 analysis, makes a very clear case for how this text unveils where our confidence lies. Using the terminology of Wall Street, he shows how "The Law Tanks, but Faith Floats." See this, and other analyses by going to crossings.org/text-study and searching under the reference.
Blessings on your proclamation!
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