Augustus wrote `whoever threw a dog or a six paid a denarius to the bank for every die, and whoever threw a

Venus won everything'. Mark Antony wasted his time at Alexandria, playing dice, and the Emperor Claudius wrote

a book on the game.

Now in Philippians we have the terms `win' (3:8), `loss' (3:8), `hazard' (2:30), `one thing' (3:13), `prize' (3:14),

`Venus' (Epaphroditus 2:25) and `dogs' (3:2).

We can of course not prove from these allusive notes that Paul did actually use the hazard of the game of dice to

comment upon, and to commend the greater hazard run by Epaphroditus. We do know that he had no scruples in

using the game of dice to illustrate his point (Eph. 4:14), any more than he had any reservation in using most fully

the language of the Greek sports, including terms associated with the boxing ring (1 Cor. 9:24-27) and the theatre

(1 Cor. 4:9, `spectacle' being in the Greek theatron) and that it could be in entire accord with his custom, thus to

seize upon the associations of the name Epaphroditus and the `hazard' he had run to encourage both this servant of

the Lord and all who learned of his example, thus to `win Christ'.

The fact that no miracle of healing was wrought upon Epaphroditus in spite of the intense anxiety his illness

caused the apostle, demands some very definite explanation.

We believe that we have no call to labour this point. Granting the Dispensational boundary of Acts 28, and

taking this fact to its logical conclusion, we already know that any attempt to put into operation Pentecostal

conditions in the absence and dismissal of the Pentecostal People (Israel) is entirely unscriptural because

HAPTER 7

Philippians 3:1-10

Chapter 3 opens with the word `finally'. The word is repeated in chapter 4:8, and as the matter stands in the

Authorized Version it looks as though the apostle was bringing his epistle to a conclusion, when further teaching

demanded an extension. That Paul occasionally does make an extension with what looks like an after thought, the

parenthesis of Ephesians 3:2-13 illustrates.

Many commentators and translators, however, feel that `finally' is not a suitable translation for the words to

loipon. Moffatt's translation reads `well then', and Dr. Macknight's is `now my brethren', with the comment, `to

loipon is put for kata to loipon "as for what remains"'. `Now then, besides, moreover, it remaineth, and henceforth'

are employed in the Authorized Version as well as `finally' to interpret these words, and they adhere more closely to

the basic meaning of loipos, which means something `left' from leipo `to leave' or `to lack' (Luke 18:22). Where

loipos occurs elsewhere in Philippians it is translated `other' (1:13; 4:3).

It is therefore unnecessary to create a difficulty by translating the words to loipon here `finally', when a

translation that adheres more closely to the basic meaning makes far better sense. We accordingly translate

Philippians 3:1

`As to what remains, brethren, rejoice in the Lord',

the ground of that rejoicing being the theme, discussed both negatively and positively throughout the remainder of

chapter 3.

Two Greek words are employed by the apostle in this exhortation to rejoice, chairo and kauchaomai. The first

word chairo is a word of sheer joy. The second word kauchaomai belongs to a different family; it means `to boast,

vaunt, brag'. Chairo occurs in Philippians 1:18; 2:17,18,28; 3:1; 4:4,10. In the form sugchairo `to rejoice together'

it is found twice, Philippians 2:17,18. Chara, joy itself, occurs in Philippians 1:4,25; 2:2,29 and 4:1. Eucharisteo

reveals its association with thanksgiving, Philippians 1:3; 4:6. Charis `grace' Philippians 1:2,7; 4:23 shows how

essentially the rejoicing inculcated by the apostle is separated from any confidence in the flesh. Finally charizomai

`to graciously give' (Phil. 1:29; 2:9) completes the references to this root in Philippians.