Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Philippians 3:6

"as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless." — Philippians 3:6 (ASV)

When measured for its zeal, Paul’s pre-Christian life had been noted for promoting Judaism and condemning Christians. He had become the archpersecutor of the church, and his reputation had gone far beyond Jerusalem (Acts 9:13, 21; Galatians 1:13–14). Judged by human standards in accord with the righteousness the law demands, he had been blameless. As an earnest Pharisee, he had paid meticulous attention to the external requirements of the Mosaic law, and no one could have charged him with failure to keep it.