Philippians 3:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What does he express here by the words "to have confidence" and "in the flesh"? He means boasting about oneself, boldness, and importance. He added this well.

If he, being from the Gentiles, had disparaged circumcision, and not circumcision only, but also those who receive it out of season, it would have seemed that he attacked it because he lacked noble Jewish origin. It would have seemed that he did not know its great advantages and had no share in them.

But when he has a share and disparages it, he does so not because he lacks a share, but because he does not recognize its value. He does this not from ignorance, but from perfect knowledge.

Though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If I had come from the Gentiles, he says, someone might say that I condemn circumcision because I do not have noble Jewish origin.

But now, he says, I myself possess the very thing in which you glory: hope and boasting in bodily circumcision. Therefore it is clear that I condemn circumcision not because I am deprived, as you say, of your nobility, but for the sake of the truth itself.

If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so. Notice his wisdom. He named no one, so that such speech would not stir up hatred. But by the expression "if anyone else thinks," he shows that others forced him to speak in this way.

He said well, "thinks." Either the Jews could not have as much confidence in circumcision as he did, or confidence in circumcision is not true, but only appears to be so.

If it were possible to place confidence in this, I mean circumcision and descent, then I could boast of it with far greater boldness than they.

“For I also have confidence in the flesh.” But let no one think that I say this as one uncircumcised, or as one who has no right to boast of circumcision. “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so.” He very fittingly used the word “thinks,” for he rightly did not place confidence in the flesh. Then he lists in detail everything that was esteemed among the Jews.

“If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so.” To show better the worthlessness of the advantages pointed out by the Judaizers, and to expose them, the Apostle sets them forth in his own person. He was a Jew, not a proselyte. He came from the tribe of Benjamin, which remained faithful to the house of David and therefore to the promise joined to that house. Finally, he was a Pharisee, and the Pharisees considered themselves the best among the people of Israel. Yet despite all this, the Apostle renounces these finest advantages and seeks others, in faith in Jesus Christ.

In a false interpretation, these words are used to prove that one should not hope in the Flesh of Christ offered in the Eucharist. They are also used to claim that one need not venerate the relics of God's holy saints, honor sacred external objects, or perform pious outward works.

Therefore the meaning of the apostolic expression, "we put no confidence in the flesh," must be correctly limited. From the Apostle's following words (vv. 4-6), it is clear what must be understood here by flesh.

"I might have confidence in the flesh," the Apostle says, as one "circumcised on the eighth day," as one who comes "from the stock of Israel... a Hebrew of Hebrews, as to the law a Pharisee, as to zeal a persecutor of the Church of God, as to the righteousness of the law blameless."

How insignificant and worthless is hope in the outward ritualism of Judaism St. Paul explains by his own example.

"I," he says, "was circumcised on the eighth day." This means that he was born within Judaism itself and was not a proselyte.

"Of the stock of Israel" means that his parents also were Hebrews, and not proselytes. "Of the tribe of Benjamin" means that he came from the tribe which alone, together with the tribe of Judah, did not violate loyal devotion to the house of David. It was not implicated in the worship of Jeroboam's calves, and thus was the best of the Hebrew tribes.

As a living example of the Christian's right attitude toward Jewish confessional advantages, the Apostle points to himself. Though he was a Jew, he became a Christian and gave no importance to supposed tribal Jewish advantages in the matter of faith, even though he was the most zealous of the Jews and even a persecutor of Christianity.

The Apostle Paul's natural Jewishness and former zealous service to it were his particular weapon against the Judaizing heretics. In this one cannot fail to see a special divine providence for the good of the Church of God.

To make his persuasion to avoid the Judaizers more effective, the Apostle next describes his own relation to Judaism and all its advantages. He himself had everything in which the false teachers boast, or will boast before his readers.

He received circumcision at the lawful time. He came from the stock of Israel, and not from some Idumeans. He was a pure Hebrew on both his father's and mother's side. Moreover, he belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, which always remained faithful to God.

As for his education, he received it in the Pharisaic school, which was highly respected among the Hebrews. His subsequent life was devoted to service of the law. In that service he reached such perfection that he appeared to himself entirely beyond reproach.

I too, he says, could have boasted in the fleshly Jewish advantages no less than anyone else. I could have rested my hopes on them, as I once did. But now I no longer do so, having learned the nothingness of these supports.

"The Apostle added this suitably. If, being from the Gentiles, he had disparaged circumcision, and not circumcision only, but also those who receive it out of season, it would have seemed that he attacked it because he lacked noble Jewish origin. It would have seemed that he did not know its great advantages and had no share in it. But when he has a share and disparages it, he does so because he has known its nothingness. He does this not from ignorance, but from perfect knowledge" (St. Chrysostom).