Conybeare and Howson sense the difficulty saying `the translation in the Authorized Version of teteleiomai

(verse 12) and teleioi by the same word, makes Paul seem to contradict himself', and their way out of the difficulty

is to translate verse fifteen by `ripe in understanding'. This, however, only conceals the difficulty from the English

reader. Macknight is the only commentator we have consulted who realizes the difficulty, and he translates

Philippians 3:15 `as many, therefore, as WISH TO BE perfect'.

Hosoi oun teleioi contains no verb. The `be' is supplied in the Authorized Version to make sense. If we must

supply a verb, why not keep the unity of the apostle's argument? Why make him contradict himself within the space

of three verses? Why accuse him of using a term in two different meanings without the slightest warning to the

As many as would be, or who wish to be perfect, makes all clear and straightforward. All who would emulate

the apostle's desire and eagerness must emulate his `mind', they must be `thus minded', and we have only to go back

to the opening of the great argument in the second chapter to realize that the apostle is turning back to the `mind that

was in Christ Jesus'. The Received Text reads :

`Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing' (16).

The use by the Authorized Version of the word `attain' in Philippians 3:11,12 and 16, to represent three different

Greek words, has robbed the English reader of the means to appreciate the transition of thought in the apostle's

argument. We have already observed that in verse 12, the word should be `obtain'; we now draw attention to the

original of verse 16, where phthano is the word translated `attain'. Dr. Bullinger's Lexicon and Concordance says

`phthano, to come or do before another, to be beforehand with, to overtake, outstrip; to come first'. It is this word

that is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 and is translated `prevent', which English word is from the Latin proevenio `to

come before'.

The recognition of this Greek word phthano, `to outstrip', while it brings us closer to the apostle's language

makes the suggested translation offered by Lewin untenable :

`But whereunto we have outstript, walk in the same'.

While it is of the very nature of a race, that competitors should endeavour to outstrip others, the race set before

the believer would appear to the worldling as though the prize was awarded to the last man in rather than the first.

The Great Example set in chapter 2 appeared at all points to be giving away advantages, His humble follower

Paul pursued the prize while at the same time counting all things loss. Whoever won a race and `esteemed the

affairs of others of far more importance than his own'? In this competition there is no thought of elbowing the weak

brother out of the way, but rather of losing place and pace while we pause to help him on to his feet. The apostle

exhorted the runner to `lay aside every weight', yet at the same time revealed that the law of Christ called upon every

entrant `to bear one another's burdens'. This somewhat paradoxical state could obtain only in the realm of grace.

The hymn expresses something of this quality when it says :

`Through weakness and defeat,

He won the meed and crown;

Trod all His foes beneath His feet

By being trodden down'.

Some MSS. omit the words `by the same rule, let us mind the same thing', others omit the word `rule', yet others

omit `let us mind the same thing'. Griesbach simply cancels the whole passage and many critics take it for granted

that the reference to the `rule' has crept in from Galatians 6:16, which is a gratuitous piece of criticism. The kanon

`rule' refers to `the white line by which the course in the stadium was marked out, including the whole space

between the starting-place and the goal; and that those who ran out of that space did not contend lawfully. The

runners, in endeavouring to pass one another, were in danger of going out of that space' (Hammond quoting Julius

Pollux, A.D. 180-238). Aquila uses the word kanon in his Greek version of Job 38:5, so here in Philippians the

apostle says, `I follow along the mark' kata skopon dioko, `and as many as would be perfect' and obtain the prize,

they too will `think this'. There are other things, such as the observance of one day above another, or the eating or

not eating of certain foods, in which there will be considerable differences of opinion, but provided that all press on