Clement of Rome, who is probably the same person as is mentioned in Philippians 4:3, associates brabeion the

`prize', with Paul's apostolic career. `St. Paul gained the brabeion of endurance, having worn chains seven times for

Christ' (probably an allusion to the seven rounds of the race course before the final run up to the `mark'). From this

Greek word for `prize' brabeion, some think the English `bravo' is ultimately derived.

Coming to the prize itself. Are we to understand the apostle to teach -

(1) The prize, that is to say, the high calling of God?

(2) The prize, that is to say, the upward call of God?

(3) The prize which is attached to the high calling of God?

If the apostle is allowed to speak for himself, then brabeion `the prize' is equivalent to a crown, both words being

used in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and both words being used in connection with a race and conflict. Katabrabeuo is `to

beguile of reward' (A.V.), `rob you of your reward' (R.V.) (Col. 2:18), and ho brabeus was the judge who assigned

the prizes at the games, an umpire or an arbitrator.

It is exceedingly difficult to find support from any passage of Paul's epistles, that the prize was itself the high

calling. Just as `the reward OF the inheritance' in Colossians 3:24 means the reward attached to an inheritance

already assured by grace (Col. 1:12), so the prize OF the high calling of God, means the prize which is attached to

the high calling already received and entered by grace. However there is an objection to be considered here which

involves a point of grammar.

The word translated `high' is ano, an adverb, and as adverbs in English usually qualify verbs, some have taught

that this fact settles the meaning of `calling' and teach that Philippians 3 speaks of some future personal summons on

high. While it is true that ano is an adverb it is not true that adverbs qualify verbs only, as can be demonstrated by

the use of this very word in Paul's writings. `Jerusalem which is above' (Gal. 4:26) uses ano to qualify the noun

Jerusalem; `seek those things which are above' (Col. 3:1), uses the phrase ta-ano `the above things', so Philippians

3:14 employs ano to qualify the noun `calling'. Klesis is not a verb and cannot be translated other than `a calling or

vocation'. It is used eleven times in the New Testament and ten of the occurrences are found in Paul's epistles,

Ephesians 1:18; 4:1,4 and 2 Timothy 1:9 will indicate the way the word is used by the apostle.

It was Sir Robert Anderson who said, that those who translate Philippians 3:14 `the upward call' meaning a

future `summons on high', rarely complete the quotation. Paul does not say `the prize of the high calling of God',

what he does say is `the prize of the high calling of God which is IN CHRIST JESUS'.

The out-resurrection segregates the believer who has obtained the prize but this special resurrection is not itself

the prize for which the apostle was running. When at the last Paul could say `finished' he then speaks not in generic

terms of a `prize', but in specific terms of `a crown', which he also associates with `reigning together' in the second

chapter of the same epistle (2 Tim. 2 and 4). This association of prize, running and crown is found together in

1 Corinthians 9:24-27. There may be varieties in the crown awarded, but all will be of the nature of `prize' or

The majority of commentators see no difficulty in the accepted translation of Philippians 3:15, `let us therefore,

as many as be perfect', or if they have had any problem the difficulty is left unexpressed.

Most take the word `perfect' here to mean `mature' as contrasted with `babes' or immature, and in other contexts

this interpretation is quite true (Heb. 5:14). If, however, we look back to Philippians 3:12 where the apostle says of

himself that he was not already `perfect' or `mature', we shall have a difficulty in accepting the usual rendering of

the fifteenth verse.

If Paul was not then `perfect', who among the Philippians or his readers down the ages could hope to be?

Further, it reflects upon the intelligence of the apostle to make him say (verse 12) that he was not `mature', yet at the

fifteenth verse to continue his argument with the word `therefore' and assume that nevertheless both he and others

were at the same time `mature' or `perfect'. It is an axiom that requires no demonstration to prove that a thing cannot

both be, or not be, at one and the same time.