a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (m… · noun — vocative plural masculine
be
γίνεσθε,ginesthe
G1096
to cause to be ("gen"-erate) · verb — present middle or passive deponent imperative, 2nd person plural
together
ΣυμμιμηταίSummimētai
G4831
a co-imitator · noun — nominative plural masculine
me
μοῦmoû
G3450
of me
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
mark
σκοπεῖτεskopeite
G4648
to take aim at (spy) · verb — present active imperative, 2nd person plural
walk
περιπατοῦνταςperipatountas
G4043
to tread all around · verb — present active participle, accusative plural masculine
as
οὕτωhoutō
G3779
in this way (referring to what precedes or follows) · adverb
have
ἔχετεechete
G2192
to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active indicative, 2nd person plural
us
ἡμᾶςhēmâs
G2248
us
for
καθὼςkathōs
G2531
just (or inasmuch) as · conjunction
ensample
τύπονtupon
G5179
a die (as struck) · noun — accusative singular masculine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conve…
2 Thessalonians 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
2 Thessalonians 3:9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Philippians 3:17–end
He closes the chapter with warnings and exhortations.
I. He warns them against following the examples of seducers and evil teachers (Phi 3:18, Phi 3:19): Many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Observe,
1. There are many called by Christ's name who are enemies to Christ's cross, and the design and intention of it. Their walk is a surer evidence what they are than their profession. By their fruits you shall know them, Mat 7:20. The apostle warns people against such, (1.) Very frequently: I have told you often. We so little heed the warnings given us that we have need to have them repeated. To write the same things i…
followers--Greek, "imitators together."
of me--as I am an imitator of Christ (Co1 11:1): Imitate me no farther than as I imitate Christ. Or as BENGEL "My fellow imitators of God" or "Christ"; "imitators of Christ together with me" (see on Phi 2:22; Eph 5:1).
mark--for imitation.
which walk so as ye have us for an ensample--In English Version of the former clause, the translation of this clause is, "those who are walking so as ye have an example in us." But in BENGEL'S translation, "inasmuch as," or "since," instead of "as."
Adam Clarke on Philippians 3:17
Brethren, be followers - of me - In the things of Christ let me be your line, and my writings preaching, and conduct, your rule.
And mark them - Σκοπειτε. Still alluding to the line in the stadium, keep your eye steadily fixed on those who walk - live, as ye have us - myself, Timothy, and Epaphroditus, for an ensample.
John Gill on Philippians 3:17
Brethren, be followers together of me,.... Not that the apostle set up himself as the head of a party, which is what he always blamed in others; he did not assume a dominion over the faith of men, or seek to lord it over God's heritage; nor did he desire any to be followers of him, any further than he was a follower of Christ; and in what he was, whether in doctrine or practice, he desires to be followed in: and here he has a particular regard to what went before, concerning reckoning what was gain loss; accounting all things but dung, in comparison of the knowledge of Christ, looking to his righteousness alone for justification, Philippians 3:9; disclaiming perfection, yet forgetting things…
The Church Fathers
"Brethren, be ye imitators of me, and mark them which so walk even as ye have us for an ensample." He had said above, "beware of dogs," from such he had led them away; he brings them near to these whom they ought to imitate. If any one, saith he, wishes to imitate me, if any one wishes to walk the same road, let him take heed to them; though I am not present, ye know the manner of my walk, that is, my conduct in life. For not by words only did he teach, but by deeds too; as in the chorus, and the army, the rest must imitate the leader of the chorus or the army, and thus advance in good order. For it is possible that the order may be dissolved by sedition. The Apostles therefore were a type, and kept throughout a certain archetypal model. Consider how entirely accurate their life was, so that they are proposed as an archetype and example, and as living laws. For what was said in their writings, they manifested to all in their actions. This is the best teaching; thus he will be able to carry on his disciple. But if he indeed speaks as a philosopher, yet in his actions doth the contrary, he is no longer a teacher. For mere verbal philosophy is easy even for the disciple: but there is need of that teaching and leading which comes of deeds. For this both makes the teacher to be reverenced, and prepares the disciple to yield obedience. How so? When one sees him delivering philosophy in words, he will say he commands impossibilities; that they are impossibilities, he himself is the first to show, who does not practice them. But if he sees his virtue fully carried out in action, he will no longer be able to speak thus. Yet although the life of our teacher be careless, let us take heed to ourselves, and let us listen to the words of the prophet; "They shall be all taught of God." (Isa. liv. 13) "And they shall teach no more every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them." (Jer. xxxi. 34) Hast thou a teacher who is not virtuous? Still thou hast Him who is truly a Teacher, whom alone thou shouldest call a Teacher. Learn from Him: He hath said, "Learn of Me, for I am meek." (Matt. xi. 29) Take not heed, then, to thy teacher, but to Him and to His lessons. Take thence thy examples, thou hast a most excellent model, to it conform thyself. There are innumerable models laid before thee in the…
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Example — Of Christ (1 Pet. 2:21; John 13:15); of pastors to their flocks (Phil. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3); of the Jews as a warning (Heb. 4:11); of the prophets as suffering affliction…
Type — Occurs only once in Scripture (1 Cor. 10:11, A.V. marg.). The Greek word tupos is rendered “print” (John 20:25), “figure” (Acts 7:43; Rom. 5:14), “fashion” (Acts 7:44), “manner” (Acts 23:25), “form”…
Example · PAUL, OUR — PAUL, OUR
Ministers · Should be: Ensample to the flock — Should be: Ensample to the flock
Unity · OF THE RIGHTEOUS — OF THE RIGHTEOUS
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Philippians 3:12-17
12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
12. Non quod iam apprehenerim, aut iam perfectus sim; sequor autem, si ego quoque appreehendam, quemadmodum [190] et apprehensus sum a Christo Iesu.
13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
13. Fratres, ego me ipsum nondum arbitror apprehendisse, unum autem, eq que retro sunt oblitus, ad ea quae ante sunt me extendens,
14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the h…
pattern your lives after mine: Paul’s serious pursuit of Christ and the life to which God had called him (3:7-14; 4:9; 1 Cor 4:6, 16-17; 11:1; 2 Thes 3:7-9) contrasts markedly with that of the enemies of Christ who are described next (Phil 3:18-19).
