John Calvin Commentary Philippians 3:13

"Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing [I do], forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before," — Philippians 3:13 (ASV)

I reckon not myself to have as yet apprehended. He does not here call into question the certainty of his salvation, as if he were still in suspense, but repeats what he had said before—that he still aimed at making further progress, because he had not yet attained the end of his calling.

He shows this immediately after, by saying that he was intent on this one thing, setting aside everything else. Now, he compares our life to a racecourse, the course God has marked out for us to run. For just as it would profit the runner nothing to have left the starting point, unless he pressed on to the goal, so we must also pursue the course of our calling until death, and must not stop until we have obtained what we seek.

Furthermore, just as the way is marked out for the runner, so that he may not needlessly tire himself by wandering one way or another, so there is also a goal set before us, toward which we ought to direct our course without deviating; and God does not permit us to wander heedlessly.

Thirdly, just as the runner needs to be free from entanglement, and not stop his course because of any impediment, but must continue his course, overcoming every obstacle, so we must be careful not to apply our mind or heart to anything that may divert our attention. Instead, we must strive so that, free from every distraction, we may apply the whole inclination of our mind exclusively to God’s calling.

These three things Paul includes in one analogy. When he says that he does this one thing, and forgets all things that are behind, he indicates his diligence and excludes everything that could distract. When he says that he presses toward the mark, he indicates that he is not wandering from the way.

Forgetting those things that are behind. He alludes to runners, who do not turn their eyes aside in any direction, lest they slow their pace, and, especially, do not look behind to see how much ground they have covered, but hasten forward relentlessly toward the goal.

Thus Paul teaches us that he does not dwell on what he has been, or on what he has done, but simply presses forward toward the appointed goal. He does so with such ardor that he runs forward to it, as it were, with outstretched arms. For a metaphor of this kind is implied in the participle he uses.

If anyone should object that the remembrance of our past life is useful for stirring us up—both because the favors we have already received encourage us to hope, and because we are admonished by our sins to change our way of life—I answer that thoughts of this kind do not turn our gaze from what is before us to what is behind. Instead, they rather help our vision, so that we perceive the goal more clearly.

Paul, however, here condemns the kind of looking back that either destroys or impairs eagerness. Thus, for example, if anyone persuades himself that he has made sufficiently great progress, thinking he has done enough, he will become lazy and feel inclined to deliver up the lamp to others. Alternatively, if anyone looks back with regret for the situation he has abandoned, he cannot apply the whole inclination of his mind to what he is doing.

These were the kinds of thoughts from which Paul’s mind needed to be turned away if he was to earnestly pursue Christ’s calling. However, since endeavor, aim, course, and perseverance have been mentioned here, Paul adds in Christ Jesus. He does this to point out the source of all these things, lest anyone should imagine that salvation consists in these things or attribute to human effort what comes from another source.