SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:18
Porque muchos andan, de los cuales os dije muchas veces, y aun ahora lo digo llorando, que son enemigos del madero del Cristo,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Philippians 3:18
Verse 18. For many walk, &c.] The Judaizing teachers continue to preach, who wish to incorporate circumcision, and other ordinances of the law, with the Gospel. They are the enemies of the cross of Christ] They rather attribute justification to the Levitical sacrifices, than to the sacrificial death of Christ; and thus they are enemies to that cross, and will not suffer persecution for its sake. They please the world, and are in no danger of reproach.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. For many walk , etc.] tyaynrja , otherwise, as the Syriac version adds; and which truly explains the words, and gives the sense; they walked not as the apostle and his followers; they walked as men, as carnal men, ( 1 Corinthians 3:3), according to the course of the world, after their ungodly lusts, ( Ephesians 2:2,3); or according to the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation, and not uprightly, and according to the truth of the Gospel: and there were many that walked so; the road both of profaneness and error is a broad one, and many walk therein, which makes it the more dangerous; the examples of many have great force, though a multitude is not to be followed to do evil; the conversation of a great part of professors is not to be imitated; the few names in Sardis that have not defiled their garments with error or immorality should be marked for ensamples, ( Revelation 3:4), and the majority shunned: of whom I have told you often ; both when present among them by word of mouth, and when absent from them by writing; for the apostle was a faithful watchman and monitor to this church, and to all the churches, the care of which lay upon him; and diligent he was to warn them against false teachers, whose doctrines and practices he knew were of pernicious consequence: and now tell you even weeping ; partly on account of those evil men, whose state and condition, notwithstanding their profession, was very bad; and partly on account of the glory of God and Christ, and the honour of religion, which suffered much through them; and also on account of the Philippians, lest they should be drawn aside by them; and because they had taken so little notice of his frequent cautions and advice: and that they might the better know the men he spoke of, and avoid them, he describes them by the following characters, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ ; not that, though they might be Jews, they were like the unbelieving Jews, who were open and implacable enemies of a crucified Christ, called Jesus accursed, and anathematized him and his followers, and to whom the preaching of Christ crucified was an offence and stumblingblock, ( 1 Corinthians 1:23); for these were professors of Christ, and pretended to preach Christ, and him crucified: nor were they such heretics that denied that Christ really assumed human nature, and was really crucified and died; and affirmed that all this was only in appearance, or that an image was hung upon the cross for him, or Simon the Cyrenian was crucified in his room, as some have thought, which was the heresy of Simon Magus, and his disciple Basilides: nor is the sense that they were averse to the crucifixion of the affections with the lusts, though this seems to be their true character, since they were sensual, and minded earthly things; but the meaning is, that they disliked the cross of Christ; they were unwilling to take it up for his sake, and follow him; they studied all ways and means to shun it; they ingratiated themselves into the affections of the unbelieving Jews, by complying with the ceremonies of the law, and bearing hard upon the apostle and his ministry, that so they might not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ; and besides, by enjoining circumcision and an observance of the law as necessary to salvation, they, as much as in them lay, made void the efficacy of the cross and death of Christ, and made that and him unprofitable, and of no effect to the souls of men; and were both doctrinally and practically enemies of the cross of Christ: and so all such professors of Christ, who walk not according to the Gospel, though they are not open and direct enemies to the Gospel, which is the preaching of the cross, yet they are secret and indirect ones, and oftentimes do more mischief to it by their lives, than the keenest adversaries of it can by their pens.
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
πολλοι 4183 γαρ 1063 περιπατουσιν 4043 5719 ους 3739 πολλακις 4178 ελεγον 3004 5707 υμιν 5213 νυν 3568 δε 1161 και 2532 κλαιων 2799 5723 λεγω 3004 5719 τους 3588 εχθρους 2190 του 3588 σταυρου 4716 του 3588 χριστου 5547
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. Many walk. No word is supplied describing the character of their walk; but this is brought out by enemies of the cross of Christ, and in the details of ver. 19. The persons alluded to were probably those of Epicurean tendencies. This and Judaic formalism were the two prominent errors in the Philippian church.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:18 {I told you often} (pollakis elegon). Imperfect active, repetition in Paul s warnings to them. {Even weeping} (kai klai"n). Deep emotion as he dictated the letter and recalled these recreant followers of Christ (cf. #2Co 2:4). {The enemies of the cross of Christ} (tous echthrous tou staurou tou cristou). Either the Judaizers who denied the value of the cross of Christ (#Ga 5:11; 6:12,14) or Epicurean antinomians whose loose living gave the lie to the cross of Christ (#1Jo 2:4).
