Compared with Christ, All Else is Rubbish

Compared with Christ, all earthly gains are rubbish, as Paul’s transformation reveals the supreme value of knowing Jesus.

If anyone else thinks he can be confident in flesh, all the more can I. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee, in zeal I persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law I was blameless.

But whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:4b-11

I consider all things so much rubbish
that I may gain Christ and be found in him.

Gospel Acclamation from Philippians 3:8-9

Christ Transforms Our Vision

In finding Christ, Paul discovered true fulfillment. Even his Jewish pedigree and Pharisaic privilege faded into insignificance before the Lord Jesus Christ. With scales falling from his eyes, Paul saw that all earthly gains were but rubbish (Greek: skubalon: refuse, dregs, dung). The Greek word Paul uses is derived from kuón (dog) and balló (cast, throw). Skubalon is filthy scraps of garbage thrown to unclean dogs. 

Christ and the Canaanite Woman

Paul’s imagery recalls the Canaanite woman whom Jesus encountered in Tyre and Sidon. Jesus praised the foreigner for her faith when she pleaded, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters” (Matthew 15:27; Mark 7:28). By identifying with the unclean “dogs,” the woman humbled herself profoundly to obtain the Lord’s favor. Enlightened by Christ, Paul embraced solidarity with the Gentiles by considering his own Jewish privilege nothing but skubalon. 

Traditional Chinese Translation

《比起基督，其他一切都是糞土》
因著基督，我接受損失
 萬事不過是渣滓。

Related posts:

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith
The Hound of Heaven and the Puppies

Related to the Gospel of the Day:

The Son of Man Has Nowhere to Lay His Head
Plowing to Paradise