Philippians 3:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Nothing is more improper or less fitting for a Christian than to seek idleness and rest. Nothing is so contrary to our calling and warfare as strong attachment to the present life. Your Master was crucified, and do you seek rest? Your Master was nailed to the Cross, and do you give yourself to pleasures? Is this the work of a noble soldier? Therefore Paul says, "For many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the Cross of Christ." There were people who hypocritically held to Christianity, yet lived in idleness and luxury. Since this is contrary to the Cross, the Apostle speaks in this way. The Cross belongs to a soul that has entered the struggle, is ready for death, and seeks no rest at all. But they live in the complete opposite way.

"For many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears." He does not name such people, lest he stir up agitation. Yet he gives the Philippians some knowledge of them when he says, "of whom I have often told you." But now, since the evil has increased and spread, I cannot even remember them without tears. Do you see his compassion? He did not weep over his own vices, for he had none. He wept because others lived without recognizing their vices, and lived in pleasures. "They walk as enemies of the Cross of Christ." Some hypocritically confessed Christianity, but lived in pleasures and ease. These the Apostle calls enemies of the Cross. For the Cross seeks a soul ready for death and thirsting for danger. But they are free from this, and live in complete opposition to it.

For there are many among the Jews who go about preaching the law. I often spoke to you about them when I was with you, and now I speak even weeping, because these Jews are enemies of the Cross.

He called them enemies of the Cross because they teach that without life under the law it is impossible to obtain salvation. He called their belly their god, exposing their gluttony. For the Jews pay especially great attention to food, and they regard luxury on the Sabbath as a rule of righteousness. They count as glory what they ought to have been ashamed of.

Persuasion through fear is more convincing. Paul reveals distress of soul when he is about to speak of the evil permitted by those who live otherwise, saying: “I tell you with tears.”

"Enemies of the Cross of Christ" (Phil 3:18) are those who oppose the Cross of Christ. How? The Cross of Christ teaches us to walk the narrow way, but they walk the broad one. The Cross teaches humility, but they are proud. The Cross teaches us to cut off our whims, but they carry them out. The Cross teaches patience, but they grow angry and malicious. The Cross teaches us to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24), but they mind the things of the flesh. The Cross teaches us to die to sin and live for God, but they live for themselves and for sin. The Cross teaches us to seek heavenly things, but they mind earthly things.

Verses 18-19. "I say it with weeping: enemies of the Cross of Christ." Calling the Philippians to imitate him, and urging them to follow only such teachers as were like the Apostle, Paul sorrowfully points to false teachers appearing among Christians. They preached the Cross of Christ, yet by their life exposed themselves as enemies of that Cross. According to the depiction of the Apostle Paul and the other Apostles, 2 Pet 2:12-14 and Jude 1:10-12, these persons gave themselves over to extreme debauchery and gluttony. Therefore the Apostle says that their god is the belly and their glory is in their shame. They even boast in their shameful deeds. Among these preachers of the Cross there could be no mention of bearing the Cross or of crucifying their flesh upon it.

For the Apostle there were no people more worthy of lamentation than the enemies of the Cross. How then do the Stundists dare to assert that the Cross is a gallows? How do they say that, because it was the instrument of Christ's execution, it deserves revulsion and hatred? They forget that the death of Christ was not a violent execution, but an ascetic struggle voluntarily taken upon Himself. The Cross was not an instrument of execution, but the instrument of deliverance chosen by Christ. According to their false teaching, it follows that it is praiseworthy to be an enemy of the Cross. According to the Apostle, this is the same as being an enemy of Christ. The Apostle, together with us, honors the Cross as the sign of the Crucified One.

The opposite and destructive example of false teachers who forget the highest purpose of life. The Holy Apostle gives this example as a clear proof of the falsity of the teaching of fanatical zealots for Judaism, who tried to draw the Philippians after themselves. As a good tree is distinguished from a bad one by its fruits, so by one's life it is always possible to know who is a true teacher and who is a false teacher. Phil 3:17-4:1. Look at how these Judaizing false teachers live. They are those "of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears," as enemies of the Cross of Christ (Phil 3:18). "Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is in their shame. They mind earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ," and so forth. "Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved!" (Phil 3:19-20).

To impress more strongly upon the minds and hearts of the Philippians his exhortation to follow him, the Apostle points by contrast to false teachers. They hold false ideas and even preach pleasing the flesh and serving every earthly demand, as though these were glorious and divine. This, of course, is not only inconsistent with the teaching of the Cross, but contrary to it and worthy of bitter tears. The end of those who teach in this way must be destruction, and likewise the end of those who follow them. Saint John Chrysostom says: "There were people who hypocritically held to Christ, yet lived in idleness and luxury. Since this is contrary to the Cross, the Apostle speaks in this way.

It would be better even for those who too early began to count themselves perfect to think of themselves apostolically. Yet the Apostle does not demand that they immediately attain the same height of understanding that he has reached. In some particular points they may decide in their own way, differently from the Apostle. God will in time enlighten them in everything. The Apostle desires only one thing: that the knowledge of Christ and Christian perfection which the Philippians have attained not remain a dead capital for them. It must become the guiding principle of their life. Best of all, they should observe how Paul and his helpers act. Otherwise they may easily be carried away by the example of the enemies of the Cross of Christ.

Everything said thus far, both his own example and the example of others who imitate him, Saint Paul presents in order to show how necessary it is to live in strict self-denial and self-mortification. Through this, by sharing in the sufferings of Christ, one becomes worthy also of the glorious resurrection. As shadows in paintings make the bright parts of objects stand out, so Saint Paul sets forth the shamefulness of a life of comfort and flesh-pleasing. By this he makes clearer how the life of the Cross in the Lord exalts Christians. Live, Saint Paul was saying, as I and many others like me live. But do not be carried away by the example of those who live only for their own pleasure. Example is enchanting. Choose the better example, the one fitting the spirit of your faith.