Philippians 3:7

But. Paul wishes to emphasize the contrast between his previous standing and the position he accepted on becoming a Christian.

What things were gain. That is, such things (the natural and acquired advantages listed in vs. 5, 6) as were gain. Paul never minimized the value of his past, but rather gloried in it, and counted it as gain, or profit, from a merely human point of view. The Greek for “gain” (kerdos) is plural, and may be translated “gains.”

Counted. Gr. hegeomai (see on ch. 2:3), here used in the sense of “to reckon.” There is a parallel between Christ’s renunciation (ch. 2:7) and Paul’s.

Loss. Gr. zemia, “damage,” “loss,” that which is reckoned on the “debit side of the ledger” (Robertson). The word for “loss” is in the singular, whereas the word for “gain” is in the plural. The various gains are all counted as one loss on account of Christ.

For Christ. Rather, “on account of Christ.” So far as Christ and His religion were concerned Paul reckoned all his natural “gains” as worthless. In some degree all Christians are called upon to make similar renunciations. Happy are they who can do so as cheerfully and wholeheartedly as did Paul!