[3] I thus render rhythmically the rhythmical Greek (it is an iambic trimeter): emoi men ouk oknêron, humin d asphales. It is probable that the words are a quotation from a Greek poet, perhaps a "comic" poet; the "comedies" being full of neatly expressed reflexions. For such a quotation, probably from the "comedian" Menander, see 1 Cor. xv. 33: phtheirousin êthê chrêsth homiliai kakai: "Ill converse cankers fair morality."
[4] The reading pneumati Theou (not Theô) latreuontes is to be preferred.
[5] Datreuien means first to do servants' work, then to do religious "service" (so almost always in LXX. and N.T.) and sometimes specially priestly duty (see e.g. Heb. xiii. 10). This latter may be in view here: we Christians, born anew of the Spirit, are the true priests, and we little need to be made Jewish proselytes first.
[6] The sarx in St Paul is very fairly represented by the word "self" as used popularly in religious language. It is man taken as apart from God, and so man versus God; then by transition it may mean, as here, the products of such a source, the labours of the self-life to construct a self-righteousness. It is hardly necessary to say that, in such contexts as this, where it stands more or less distinguished from the pneuma, it is not a synonym for "the body." Sins of "the flesh" may be sins purely of the mind, as e.g. "emulation" (Gal. v. 20).
[7] I thus attempt to convey the emphasis of the words ouk en sarki pepoithotes, which is not precisely as if he had written en sarki.
[8] Peritouê: a dative of reference, a frequent construction with St Paul. See Rom. xii. 10-12 for several examples together.
[9] See Trench, Synonyms, § xxxix., for the special meanings of Israêlitês, the member of the Covenant-people; Ebraios, the Jew who was true to his inmost national traditions; and Ioudaios, the Jew merely as other than the Gentile.
[10] The article is absent; but context leaves no doubt of the special reference here.
[11] In solemn contrast but with perfect consistency, from another point of view—that not of the Pharisee but of GOD—he can point out elsewhere that "no flesh" can possibly claim "righteousness" on the ground of fulfilment of code and precept. See especially Rom. iii. 19, 20. But his business here is to meet the legalist on the legalist's own ground.
[12] Notice the plural; as if, miser-like, he had counted his bags of treasure. And then see the contrasted singular, Xêmian: he finds them all one mass of loss.