the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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THE MESSAGE
Philippians 3:18
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For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
(For many walke, of whome I haue told you often, and now tell you euen weeping, that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ:
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,
Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and it makes me cry to tell you about them now.
For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,
For many walk—of whom I often told you, and now tell you even crying—as enemies of the cross of Christ,
For as I have often told you before, and now declare even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
I often warned you that many people are living as enemies of the cross of Christ. And now with tears in my eyes, I warn you again
For many — I have told you about them often before, and even now I say it with tears — live as enemies of the Messiah's execution-stake.
(for many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they [are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
There are many who live like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them. And it makes me cry to tell you about them now.
For many walke, of whom I haue told you often, and nowe tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ:
For there are many who live otherwise, of whom I have often told you, and now I tell you with tears that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ;
I have told you this many times before, and now I repeat it with tears: there are many whose lives make them enemies of Christ's death on the cross.
For many live, of whom I spoke about to you many times, but now speak about even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,
For many walk as hostile to the cross of Christ, of whom I often told you, and now even weeping I say it,
For there are many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, who live as enemies of the cross of Christ [rejecting and opposing His way of salvation],
For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
For there are those, of whom I have given you word before, and do so now with sorrow, who are haters of the cross of Christ;
For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Messiah,
For I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.Galatians 1:7; 2:21; 6:12; Philippians 1:15-16;">[xr]
For there are many who walk otherwise, of whom many times I have told you, but now weeping I tell you, they are adversaries of the cross of the Meshiha;
For there are many who walk otherwise; of whom I have often told you, and I now tell you, with weeping, that they are adversaries of the cross of the Messiah;
For many walke, of whom I haue tolde you often, & nowe tel you wepyng, [that they are] the enemies of the crosse of Christe:
For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction,
For there are many whom I have often described to you, and I now even with tears describe them, as being enemies to the Cross of Christ.
For many walken, whiche Y haue seid ofte to you, but now Y wepinge seie, the enemyes of Cristis cros,
For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
There are many whose lives show they hate the cross of Christ. I have told you this before. Now I tell you again with tears in my eyes.
For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears.
For, many, are walking - of whom I have often been telling you, and, now, even weeping, am telling, - the enemies of the cross of the Christ;
For many walk, of whom I have told you often (and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ:
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
For many walke (of whom I have tolde you often and now tell you wepynge) that they are ye enemyes of ye crosse of Christ
for many walk of whom many times I told you -- and now also weeping tell -- the enemies of the cross of the Christ!
For many walke (off whom I haue tolde you often, but now I tell you wepynge) eue enemies of the crosse of Christ,
for there are many that wander about, of whom I have frequently told you, and now repeat it with tears, that they are enemies to the cross of Christ:
It breaks my heart that many cowboys only ride for themselves. In doing so, they make themselves enemies of the cross.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
many: Isaiah 8:11, Daniel 4:37, Galatians 2:14, Ephesians 4:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:11, 2 Peter 2:10, Jude 1:13
I have: 1 Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:21, Ephesians 5:5, Ephesians 5:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:6
even: Philippians 1:4, Psalms 119:136, Jeremiah 9:1, Jeremiah 13:17, Luke 19:41, Acts 20:19, Acts 20:30, Acts 20:31, Romans 9:2, 2 Corinthians 2:4, 2 Corinthians 11:29
enemies: Philippians 1:15, Philippians 1:16, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 6:12
Reciprocal: Genesis 25:34 - thus Esau Leviticus 11:5 - but divideth Leviticus 11:16 - General Leviticus 11:20 - General Leviticus 13:8 - General 1 Samuel 15:35 - Samuel mourned 2 Kings 8:11 - wept Psalms 10:18 - the man Psalms 119:53 - horror Ezekiel 33:9 - if thou Matthew 5:19 - do Matthew 13:38 - the children of the wicked Luke 12:45 - to eat Romans 6:4 - even Romans 8:5 - mind 1 Corinthians 13:6 - Rejoiceth not 1 Corinthians 16:9 - there 2 Corinthians 11:3 - I fear 2 Corinthians 12:21 - that I Philippians 1:27 - let 1 Timothy 1:19 - which 1 Timothy 5:15 - General 2 Timothy 3:4 - lovers of God Hebrews 13:17 - with grief
Cross-References
God told the serpent: "Because you've done this, you're cursed, cursed beyond all cattle and wild animals, Cursed to slink on your belly and eat dirt all your life. I'm declaring war between you and the Woman, between your offspring and hers. He'll wound your head, you'll wound his heel."
Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked I'll return to the womb of the earth. God gives, God takes. God's name be ever blessed.
So don't return us to mud, saying, "Back to where you came from!" Patience! You've got all the time in the world—whether a thousand years or a day, it's all the same to you. Are we no more to you than a wispy dream, no more than a blade of grass That springs up gloriously with the rising sun and is cut down without a second thought? Your anger is far and away too much for us; we're at the end of our rope. You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we were children is entered in your books. All we can remember is that frown on your face. Is that all we're ever going to get? We live for seventy years or so (with luck we might make it to eighty), And what do we have to show for it? Trouble. Toil and trouble and a marker in the graveyard. Who can make sense of such rage, such anger against the very ones who fear you?
The perverse travel a dangerous road, potholed and mud-slick; if you know what's good for you, stay clear of it.
But that's not the end of it. This country that used to be covered with fine vineyards—thousands of them, worth millions!—will revert to a weed patch. Weeds and thornbushes everywhere! Good for nothing except, perhaps, hunting rabbits. Cattle and sheep will forage as best they can in the fields of weeds—but there won't be a trace of all those fertile and well-tended gardens and fields.
Here's another Message from God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: "Plow your unplowed fields, but then don't plant weeds in the soil! Yes, circumcise your lives for God's sake. Plow your unplowed hearts, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem. Prevent fire—the fire of my anger— for once it starts it can't be put out. Your wicked ways are fuel for the fire.
A Harvest Story At about that same time Jesus left the house and sat on the beach. In no time at all a crowd gathered along the shoreline, forcing him to get into a boat. Using the boat as a pulpit, he addressed his congregation, telling stories. "What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?" He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them. "But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. "Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. "The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. "The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams." He told another story. "God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. "The farmhands came to the farmer and said, ‘Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' "He answered, ‘Some enemy did this.' "The farmhands asked, ‘Should we weed out the thistles?' "He said, ‘No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'" Another story. "God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it." Another story. "God's kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises." All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy: I will open my mouth and tell stories; I will bring out into the open things hidden since the world's first day. Jesus dismissed the congregation and went into the house. His disciples came in and said, "Explain to us that story of the thistles in the field." So he explained. "The farmer who sows the pure seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the pure seeds are subjects of the kingdom, the thistles are subjects of the Devil, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, the curtain of history. The harvest hands are angels. "The picture of thistles pulled up and burned is a scene from the final act. The Son of Man will send his angels, weed out the thistles from his kingdom, pitch them in the trash, and be done with them. They are going to complain to high heaven, but nobody is going to listen. At the same time, ripe, holy lives will mature and adorn the kingdom of their Father. "Are you listening to this? Really listening? "God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field. "Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it. "Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good." Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?" They answered, "Yes." He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it." When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint. But Jesus said, "A prophet is taken for granted in his hometown and his family." He didn't do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference.
For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For many walk,.... אחרניאית, "otherwise", as the Syriac version adds; and which truly explains the words, and gives the sense; they walked not as the apostle and his followers; they walked as men, as carnal men, 1 Corinthians 3:3, according to the course of the world, after their ungodly lusts, Ephesians 2:2; or according to the rites and ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation, and not uprightly, and according to the truth of the Gospel: and there were many that walked so; the road both of profaneness and error is a broad one, and many walk therein, which makes it the more dangerous; the examples of many have great force, though a multitude is not to be followed to do evil; the conversation of a great part of professors is not to be imitated; the few names in Sardis that have not defiled their garments with error or immorality should be marked for ensamples, Revelation 3:4, and the majority shunned:
of whom I have told you often; both when present among them by word of mouth, and when absent from them by writing; for the apostle was a faithful watchman and monitor to this church, and to all the churches, the care of which lay upon him; and diligent he was to warn them against false teachers, whose doctrines and practices he knew were of pernicious consequence:
and now tell you even weeping; partly on account of those evil men, whose state and condition, notwithstanding their profession, was very bad; and partly on account of the glory of God and Christ, and the honour of religion, which suffered much through them; and also on account of the Philippians, lest they should be drawn aside by them; and because they had taken so little notice of his frequent cautions and advice: and that they might the better know the men he spoke of, and avoid them, he describes them by the following characters,
[that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ; not that, though they might be Jews, they were like the unbelieving Jews, who were open and implacable enemies of a crucified Christ, called Jesus accursed, and anathematized him and his followers, and to whom the preaching of Christ crucified was an offence and stumblingblock, 1 Corinthians 1:23; for these were professors of Christ, and pretended to preach Christ, and him crucified: nor were they such heretics that denied that Christ really assumed human nature, and was really crucified and died; and affirmed that all this was only in appearance, or that an image was hung upon the cross for him, or Simon the Cyrenian was crucified in his room, as some have thought, which was the heresy of Simon Magus, and his disciple Basilides: nor is the sense that they were averse to the crucifixion of the affections with the lusts, though this seems to be their true character, since they were sensual, and minded earthly things; but the meaning is, that they disliked the cross of Christ; they were unwilling to take it up for his sake, and follow him; they studied all ways and means to shun it; they ingratiated themselves into the affections of the unbelieving Jews, by complying with the ceremonies of the law, and bearing hard upon the apostle and his ministry, that so they might not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ; and besides, by enjoining circumcision and an observance of the law as necessary to salvation, they, as much as in them lay, made void the efficacy of the cross and death of Christ, and made that and him unprofitable, and of no effect to the souls of men; and were both doctrinally and practically enemies of the cross of Christ: and so all such professors of Christ, who walk not according to the Gospel, though they are not open and direct enemies to the Gospel, which is the preaching of the cross, yet they are secret and indirect ones, and oftentimes do more mischief to it by their lives, than the keenest adversaries of it can by their pens.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For many walk - Many live, the Christian life being often in the Scriptures compared with a journey. In order to induce them to imitate those who were the most holy, the apostle says that there were many, even in the church, whom it would not be safe for them to imitate. He evidently here refers mainly to the church at Philippi, though it may be that he meant to make the declaration general, and to say that the same thing existed in other churches. There has not probably been any time yet in the Christian church when the same thing might not be said.
Of whom I have told you often - When he preached in Philippi. Paul was not afraid to speak of church members when they did wrong, and to warn others not to imitate their example. He did not attempt to cover up or excuse guilt because it was in the church, or to apologize for the defects and errors of those who professed to be Christians. The true way is, to admit that there are those in the church who do not honor their religion, and to warn others against following their example. But this fact does not make religion any the less true or valuable, anymore than the fact that there is counterfeit money makes all money bad, or makes genuine coin of no value.
And now tell you even weeping - This is the true spirit with which to speak of the errors and faults of Christians. It is not to go and blazon their inconsistencies abroad. It is not to find pleasure in the fact that they are inconsistent. It is not to reproach religion on that account, and to say that all religion is false and hollow, and that all professors are hypocrites. We should rather speak of the fact with tears; for, if there is anything that should make us weep, it is, that there are those in the church who are hypocrites, or who dishonor their profession. We should weep:
(1)Because they are in danger of destroying their own souls;
(2)Because they are destined to certain disappointment when they come to appear before God; and,
(3)Because they injure the cause of religion, and give occasion to the “enemies of the Lord to speak reproachfully.” He who loves religion. will weep over the inconsistencies of its friends; he who does not, will exult and triumph.
That they are the enemies of the cross of Christ - The “cross” was the instrument of death on which the Redeemer died to make atonement for sin. As the atonement made by Christ for sin is that which especially distinguishes his religion from all others, the “cross” comes to be used to denote his religion; and the phrase here means, that they were the enemies of his religion, or were strangers to the gospel. It is not to be supposed that they were open and avowed enemies of the cross, or that they denied that the Lord Jesus died on the cross to make an atonement. The characteristic of those persons mentioned in the following verse is, rather, that they were living in a manner which showed that they were strangers to his pure gospel. An immoral life is enmity to the cross of Christ; for he died to make us holy. A life where there is no evidence that the heart is renewed, is enmity to the cross; for he died that we might be renewed. They are the enemies of the cross, in the church:
(1)Who have never been born again;
(2)Who are living in the indulgence of known sin;
(3)Who manifest none of the peculiarities of those who truly love him;
(4)Who have a deeper interest in worldly affairs than they have in the cause of the Redeemer;
(5)Whom nothing can induce to give up their worldly concerns when God demands it;
(6)Who are opposed to all the unique doctrines of Christianity; and,
(7)Who are opposed to all the special duties of religion, or who live in the habitual neglect of them.
It is to be feared that at all times there are such enemies of the cross in the church, and the language of the apostle implies that it is a proper subject of grief and tears. He wept over it, and so should we. It is from this cause that so much injury is done to the true religion in the world. One secret enemy in a camp may do more harm than fifty men who are open foes; and a single unholy or inconstant member in a church may do much more injury than many men who are avowedly opposed to religion. It is not by infidels, and scoffers, and blasphemers, so much, that injury is done to the cause of religion; it is by the unholy lives of its professed friends - the worldliness, inconsistency, and want of the proper spirit of religion, among those who are in the church. Nearly all the objections that are made to religion are from this quarter; and, if this objection were taken away, the religion of Christ would soon spread its triumphs around the globe.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. For many walk, c.] The Judaizing teachers continue to preach, who wish to incorporate circumcision, and other ordinances of the law, with the Gospel.
They are the enemies of the cross of Christ — They rather attribute justification to the Levitical sacrifices, than to the sacrificial death of Christ and thus they are enemies to that cross, and will not suffer persecution for its sake. They please the world, and are in no danger of reproach.
