SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:15
¶ Así que, todos los que somos perfectos, esto mismo sintamos; y si otra cosa sentís, esto tambin os lo revelar Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Philippians 3:15
Verse 15. As many as be perfect] As many as are thoroughly instructed in Divine things, who have cast off all dependence on the law and on every other system for salvation, and who discern God calling them from above by Christ Jesus; be thus minded; be intensely in earnest for eternal life, nor ever halt till the race is finished. The word teleioi, perfect, is taken here in the same sense in which it is taken 1 Cor. xiv. xx. - Be not CHILDREN in understanding-but in understanding be ye MEN, teleioi ginesqe, be ye perfect - thoroughly instructed, deeply experienced. 1 Cor. ii. vi. - We speak wisdom among the perfect, en toiv teleioiv, among those who are fully instructed, adults in Christian knowledge. chap. iv. xiii. - Till we all come-unto a perfect man, eiv andra teleion, to the state of adults in Christianity. Hebrews v. xiv. - But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, teleiwn, the perfect - those who are thoroughly instructed and experienced in Divine things. Let us therefore, says the apostle, as many as be perfect - as have entered fully into the spirit and design of the Gospel, be thus minded, viz. Forget the things which are behind, and stretch forward along the mark for the prize.
If in any thing ye be otherwise minded] If ye have not yet entered into the full spirit and design of this Gospel, if any of you have yet remaining any doubts relative to Jewish ordinances, or their expediency in Christianity, God shall reveal even this unto you; for while you are sincere and upright, God will take care that ye shall have full instruction in these Divine things.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect , etc.] Not absolutely, but comparatively, with respect to other believers, in a lower class of knowledge and experience; and not with respect to degrees, but parts; and regards such who were not children, but of riper age in divine things, unless the words are spoken ironically: be thus minded ; as the apostle was, to count what were gain to him, loss for Christ; to reckon all things but loss and dung, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ; to be willing to suffer the loss of all things, to win him, ( Philippians 3:8); to desire to be found in him, and in his righteousness, and not a man's own, ( Philippians 3:9); to know more of him in his person, righteousness, sufferings, death, and resurrection from the dead, ( Philippians 3:10); and to attain to such a state, and yet to disclaim all perfection, and acknowledge their imperfection, ( Philippians 3:11,12); and to forget things behind, and reach to those before, ( Philippians 3:13); and press towards the mark, Christ, for the prize of eternal glory, ( Philippians 3:14): and if in anything ye be otherwise minded ; as to seek for justification by the works of the law, or partly by Christ and partly by the law, and to imagine and expect perfection in this life: God shall reveal even this unto you ; such errors will be made manifest sooner or later; the day will declare them, and such wood, hay, and stubble, will be burnt up by the fire, which will reveal every man's work, ( Corinthians 3:12,13).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-21 - This simple dependence and earnestness of soul, were not mentioned a if the apostle had gained the prize, or were already made perfect in the Saviour's likeness. He forgot the things which were behind, so a not to be content with past labours or present measures of grace. He reached forth, stretched himself forward towards his point; expression showing great concern to become more and more like unto Christ. He wh runs a race, must never stop short of the end, but press forward a fast as he can; so those who have heaven in their view, must stil press forward to it, in holy desires and hopes, and constan endeavours. Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ Jesus through his hand it must come to us, as it is procured for us by him There is no getting to heaven as our home, but by Christ as our Way True believers, in seeking this assurance, as well as to glorify him will seek more nearly to resemble his sufferings and death, by dying to sin, and by crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts. I these things there is a great difference among real Christians, but all know something of them. Believers make Christ all in all, and set their hearts upon another world. If they differ from one another, and are no of the same judgment in lesser matters, yet they must not judge on another; while they all meet now in Christ, and hope to meet shortly in heaven. Let them join in all the great things in which they are agreed and wait for further light as to lesser things wherein they differ. The enemies of the cross of Christ mind nothing but their sensua appetites. Sin is the sinner's shame, especially when gloried in. The way of those who mind earthly things, may seem pleasant, but death an hell are at the end of it. If we choose their way, we shall share their end. The life of a Christian is in heaven, where his Head and his hom are, and where he hopes to be shortly; he sets his affections upo things above; and where his heart is, there will his conversation be There is glory kept for the bodies of the saints, in which they wil appear at the resurrection. Then the body will be made glorious; no only raised again to life, but raised to great advantage. Observe the power by which this change will be wrought. May we be always prepare for the coming of our Judge; looking to have our vile bodies changed by his Almighty power, and applying to him daily to new-create our soul unto holiness; to deliver us from our enemies, and to employ our bodie and souls as instruments of righteousness in his service __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
οσοι 3745 ουν 3767 τελειοι 5046 τουτο 5124 φρονωμεν 5426 5725 και 2532 ει 1487 τι 5100 ετερως 2088 φρονειτε 5426 5719 και 2532 τουτο 5124 ο 3588 θεος 2316 υμιν 5213 αποκαλυψει 601 5692
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. Toward the mark (kata skopon). Rev., goal. Bear down upon (kata). Skopov mark, only here in the New Testament. See on look, ch. ii. 4. Used in the classics of a mark for shooting at, or as a moral or intellectual end. A somewhat similar figure occurs 1 Tim. i. 6; vi. 21; 2 Timothy ii. 18, in the verb ajstocew to miss the aim or the shot. A.V., swerved and erred.
Prize (brabeion). See on 1 Cor. ix. 24. Ignatius uses the word qema that which is deposited as a prize: a prize of money as distinct from the crown. "Be temperate as God's athlete. The prize is incorruption and eternal life" (to Polycarp, 2.). Chrysostom says: "He that runs looks not at the spectators, but at the prize. Whether they be rich or poor, if one mock them, applaud them, insult them, throw stones at them - if one plunder their house, if they see children or wife or anything whatsoever - the runner is not turned aside, but is concerned only with his running and winning the prize. He that runneth stoppeth nowhere; since, if he be a little remiss, all is lost. He that runneth relaxeth in no respect before the end, but then, most of all, stretcheth over the course."
High calling (anw klhsewv). Lit., upward calling. A calling which is from heaven and to heaven. Klhsiv calling, is habitually used in the New Testament of the act of calling. Compare Heb. iii. 1. The prize is bound up with the calling; promised when the call is issued, and given when the call is fulfilled.
15. Perfect (teleioi). Mature Christians. See On 1 Cor. ii. 6. Be thus minded. Lit., think this, or have this mind, namely, to forget the past and to press forward.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:15 {As many as be perfect} (hosoi teleioi). Here the term teleioi means relative perfection, not the absolute perfection so pointedly denied in verse #12. Paul here includes himself in the group of spiritual adults (see #He 5:13). {Let us be thus minded} (touto phron"men). Present active volitive subjunctive of fronew. "Let us keep on thinking this ," viz. that we have not yet attained absolute perfection. {If ye are otherwise minded} (ei ti heter"s phroneite). Condition of first class, assumed as true. That is, if ye think that ye are absolutely perfect. {Shall God reveal unto you} (ho qeos humin apokalupsei). He turns such cases over to God. What else can he do with them? {Whereunto we have already come} (eis ho ephthasamen). First aorist active indicative of fqanw, originally to come before as in #1Th 4:15, but usually in the _Koin_ simply to arrive, attain to, as here.
