Of all people, Paul had plenty of reasons to be full of confidence in his own heritage and achievements. But that is not where he puts his faith. In this passage, he lists out his accomplishments.

You can see the list in Philippians 3:4b-6:

Paul’s Jewish heritage and testimony were impeccable. His resume, so to speak, was spotless, and had all anyone could every wish for… from a worldly point of view. But Paul’s emphasis here is that our own achievements, or our own heritage, is not worth placing our trust in. There is something more.

And, if anyone had the right to place their trust in themselves, Paul did. In this passage, he lists seven characteristics of his life and accomplishments. The first four represent his birth and background. The final three represent his accomplishments.

Let’s look at each in turn:

Circumcised on the eighth day

Not only did Paul follow the Law, his parents conformed to it as well. He was born a Jew, and the timing of his circumcision proves this. Many proselytes were coming to the Jewish faith later in life, but Paul was there from his very beginning.

Of the people of Israel

Israel is God’s chosen nation. Paul is proud to be a part of it by birth. Again, this draws a comparison to those who were proselytes, coming to Judaism from some other background.

Of the tribe of Benjamin

The significance of this is largely unknown. Benjamin wasn’t an especially large tribe, and really had nothing going for it. However, Israel’s first king, Saul, of whom Paul (Saul) may have been named after, was from Benjamin. Also, Jerusalem is located within the borders of the allotment given to Benjamin.

A Hebrew of Hebrews

Not only was Paul a genuine Israelite, his heritage was pure. This also refers to the fact that he could speak the native languages of Hebrew and Aramaic, something many Jews were not capable of doing.

Paul now shifts from his familial legacy to his own accomplishments:

In regard to the Law, a Pharisee

Pharisees were known for two things. They held a zeal for the Law above all else, and they hated the sect of Jesus followers, striving to eradicate them. The Pharisees are only mentioned in the gospels and in Acts, but their influence lasted for a long time afterwards. Paul was rising through the ranks of the Pharisees, and his persecution of Christianity was severe.

As for zeal, persecuting the church

This pairs closely with the previous accomplishment. For many, zeal meant upholding the Law. But Paul connects it to something more sinister, the persecution of the church. Even though Saul became Paul, and God forgave him of his sins, just like you and me, this persecution is something that seems to have plagued Paul for the remainder of his life, giving him plenty of regrets.

As for legalistic righteousness, faultless

According to the legalistic, and restrictive, view of the Pharisees, Paul was faultless. Based upon the Law, Paul had kept it all, at least externally. However, as we will see in the coming verses, Paul knew that there was more to it than just that. He may have been having some serious inner discussions with himself, maybe even before his conversion on the road to Damascus. Somehow, he knew that keeping the Law perfectly, as he had, wasn’t enough.

What we will see in the next few verses is that Christ is greater than any of our own accomplishments. Paul had a pure and faultless pedigree. You and I may have an impressive list of accomplishments as well. But none of that… none of it! … carries any weight with God. Only what Christ has done makes us justified.

Only what Christ has done matters. His death, burial and resurrection are the foundation of the message of the Gospel!

Question: Are you tempted to trust in your own heritage or accomplishments? What can you do to resist this temptation? You can leave a comment by clicking here.