An Hebrew of the Hebrews

With reference to Philippians 3:5—This being the case, some other definition of a Hebrew, Israelite, or Jew, and of circumcision became necessary. Hence in the New Testament we have the terms, "Hebrew of the Hebrews," "Israelite Indeed," "a Jew Inwardly," and "Circumcision of the Heart" (John 1:47; Rom. 2:29; 9:6; Phil. 3:5). These are phrases which resolve the descendants of Abraham into two classes -- Israel after the flesh; and Israel after the spirit. Referring to this division, Paul says, "they are not all Israel who are of Israel; neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all children: but "In Isaac shall thy seed be called" -- not in Ishmael or Esau. "That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed" (Rom. 9:6-8). Thus, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and all the prophets, Jesus and the apostles, and so forth, were "Hebrews of the Hebrews," "children of the kingdom," "Israelites indeed, in whom there was no guile," "Jews inwardly," who were circumcised in heart and ears: while Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, the sons of Eli, Saul, Absalom, Zedekiah, Judas, Caiaphas, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and such like, were "the children of the kingdom to be cast into outer darkness;"