Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but rubbish, that I may win Christ,
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Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
He had read that Abraham, when he confessed himself to be refuse and ashes, found God’s grace in his extreme humility. He had read that Job, sitting on his refuse heap, had recovered all his losses. He had read in David’s prophecy that “God raises the needy from the earth and the pauper from the refuse.” .
Do you see, how everywhere he calls it loss, not in itself, but for Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things but loss. Wherefore again? For the excellency of the knowledge (of Him), for whom I suffered the loss of all things. Again, wherefore too I count all things to be loss, that I may gain Christ.
See how, from every point, he lays hold of Christ as his foundation, and suffers not the Law to be anywhere exposed, or receive a blow, but guards it on every side. And that I may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own, even that which is of the Law. If he who had righteousness, ran to this other righteousness because his own was nothing, how much rather ought they, who have it not, to run to Him? And he well said, a righteousness of my own, not that which I gained by labor and toil, but that which I found from grace. If then he who was so excellent is saved by grace, much more are you. For since it was likely they would say that the righteousness which comes from toil ...
(in other words, ) it was not the God of the Jews, but their stupid obduracy, which he repudiates. These are also the things "which he counts but dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ".
, for the purpose of "winning the Lord; "
