Philippians 3:10-21

His Knowing Of Christ Involves Participation With Him In The Power Of His Resurrection, And Equal Participation With Him in His Sufferings, By Himself Recognising That He Has Died With Christ. And His Aim Is To Participate In The Resurrection From The Dead (Philippians 3:10).

In The New Testament the power of Christ's resurrection is seen as an effective transforming power. It is through that power that in Christ God will, from start to finish, bring about the whole salvation of the whole body (‘the church') of true believers (Ephesians 1:18 to Ephesians 2:10). It was by the power of the Spirit of holiness that Christ was raised from the dead (Romans 1:4), and it is that same Spirit Who gives us renewed life and makes us ‘new creatures' (Romans 6:4; Rom 6:8-11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24; 1 Peter 1:3), united with Him in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:5). It is through His life that we receive eternal life (Romans 6:23; 1 John 5:12).

And it only as a result of knowing Him and the power of His resurrection, that we can truly enter into His sufferings and death and as a result ‘attain to the resurrection from the dead'. Having experienced resurrection life (John 5:24) it is through suffering and death to ourselves that we must enter into the full experience of resurrection life, which will culminate in the final resurrection. Some see this ‘resurrection from the dead' in Philippians 3:11 as indicating the new life that is ours once we have died with Christ and risen with Him (Romans 6:3; Ephesians 2:1). It is then seen as the ‘first resurrection' of John 4:24. Others see it as the final resurrection as described in John 4:28, and described here in Philippians 3:21. Whichever be the case both are true. Here indeed we are having the mind which is in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5)

Analysis.

a To know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death (Philippians 3:10).

b If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:11).

c Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect, but I press on, if indeed I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12).

d Brothers, I count not myself yet to have laid hold, but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13).

e Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything you are otherwise minded, this also will God reveal to you (Philippians 3:15).

d Only, whereunto we have attained, by that same rule let us walk. Brothers, be you imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as you have us for an example (Philippians 3:16).

c For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is perdition, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things (Philippians 3:18).

b For our citizenship is in heaven, whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20).

a Who will fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:21).

Note that in ‘a' his aim is to know the power of His resurrection and the sharing in common with him of His sufferings, and in the parallel the body of our humiliation will be fashioned to be like unto the body of His glory by His sovereign power. In ‘b' his aim is to attain to the resurrection from the dead, and in the parallel our citizenship is in Heaven from where we await our Lord Jesus Christ. In ‘c' he is aware that he is not perfect, but presses on towards the goal, while in the parallel others fall short and their destiny is perdition. In ‘d' he describes his intention to press on towards the goal of the prize of the high calling of God, and in the parallel he calls on others to follow his example. Centrally in ‘e' he calls for all to be ‘thus minded'.