I. WARNING AGAINST JUDAIZING TEACHERS: PHILIPPIANS 3:1-3 II. Paul's own example as an argument against the Judaizers: Philippians 3:4-14 III. An exhortation to follow his example: Philippians 3:15-17 IV. Warning against enemies of the cross: Philippians 3:18-19 V. By contrast: The outlook of the... [ Continue Reading ]
“FINALLY, MY BRETHREN, REJOICE IN THE LORD. TO WRITE THE SAME THINGS TO YOU, TO ME INDEED IS NOT IRKSOME, BUT FOR YOU IT IS SAFE” “Finally”: Compare with Philippians 4:8. “Literally, ‘as for the rest'” _(Robertson p. 451)._ “The word may mean 'henceforth' or merely 'further'” _(Erdman p. 107)._ The... [ Continue Reading ]
“BEWARE OF THE DOGS, BEWARE OF THE EVIL WORKERS, BEWARE OF THE CONCISION” “Beware”: To look at and thus to take heed. Notice the emphasis, “Beware..beware..beware. Three times for urgency” _(Robertson p. 451)._ “Paul's pen almost shouts” _(Jackson p. 62)._ "_ Dogs, evil workers and concision_ refers... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR WE ARE THE CIRCUMCISION, WHO WORSHIP BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, AND GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS, AND HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH” “For”: In contrast to the false circumcision. “WE ARE”: Faithful Christians, in the context includes those Christians who realize that the Law of Moses, as. system to find... [ Continue Reading ]
“THOUGH. MYSELF MIGHT HAVE CONFIDENCE EVEN IN THE FLESH: IF ANY OTHER MAN THINKETH TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH,. YET MORE” “Though. myself might have”: “Though I, if any man, have cause to rely even upon them” (TCNT). “He emphasizes ‘I myself' (even more than the Judaizers), he means that if th... [ Continue Reading ]
“CIRCUMCISED THE EIGHTH DAY, OF THE STOCK OF ISRAEL, OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN,. HEBREW OF HEBREWS; AS TOUCHING THE LAW,. PHARISEE” “The eighth day”: This was in strict accordance with the Law (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3). “But the same thing could probably not be said for every Judaizer. In all l... [ Continue Reading ]
“AS TOUCHING ZEAL, PERSECUTING THE CHURCH; AS TOUCHING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS IN THE LAW, FOUND BLAMELESS” “As touching zeal”: “Concerning zeal” (KJV). “His zeal for the law and the protection of the Jewish religion drove him even to the persecution and extermination of the church. His blind hat... [ Continue Reading ]
“HOWBEIT WHAT THINGS WERE GAIN TO ME, THESE HAVE. COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST” “Howbeit what things were gain to me”: “All the things which. once held to be gains” (TCNT). “GAIN”: “Lit., gains. The various items of privilege are regarded separately” _(Vincent p. 446). _“Paul had natural pride in his Je... [ Continue Reading ]
“Yea verily, and. count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom. suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that. may gain Christ” “YEA VERILY”: “More than that” (NASV). “These two English words represent. series of Greek partic... [ Continue Reading ]
“AND BE FOUND IN HIM, NOT HAVING. RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MINE OWN, EVEN THAT WHICH IS OF THE LAW, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS FROM GOD BY FAITH” “And be found in Him”: PAUL WAS ALREADY "IN CHRIST" (GALATIANS 3:26). THE WORD "FOUND" SUGGESTS THAT PAUL MIGHT BE LOOK... [ Continue Reading ]
“THAT. MAY KNOW HIM, AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION, AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING CONFORMED UNTO HIS DEATH” “That. may know Him”: “For my determined purpose is that. may know Him” (Amp). Obviously, this means more than just knowing about Him, rather it is. knowledge that is int... [ Continue Reading ]
“IF BY ANY MEANS. MAY ATTAIN UNTO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD” “If by any means”: “Not an expression of doubt, but of humility” _(Robertson p. 454)._ Compare with Romans 1:10; Romans 11:14. “UNTO THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD”: “Literally out of the dead ones” _(Jackson p. 70)._ Paul may be refe... [ Continue Reading ]
“Not that. have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but. press on, if so be that. may lay hold on that for which also. was laid hold on by Christ Jesus” “NOT THAT. HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED”: “I do not say that,. do not mean that. The statement is made by the apostle to prevent. possible misun... [ Continue Reading ]
BRETHREN,. COUNT NOT MYSELF YET TO HAVE LAID HOLD: BUT ONE THING. DO, FORGETTING THE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND, AND STRETCHING FORWARD TO THE THINGS WHICH ARE BEFORE. “I count not myself yet to have laid hold”: “BROTHERS,. DO NOT CONSIDER THAT. HAVE CAPTURED IT YET” (GSPD). “Count”: “EVEN AFTER. FURTH... [ Continue Reading ]
“I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL UNTO THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS” “Toward the goal”: “BEAR DOWN UPON” _(VINCENT P. 450)._ “I STRAIN TO REACH THE END OF THE RACE” (TAY). “Goal”: “THE GOAL-MARKER. IT IS THAT POST AT THE END OF THE RACE UPON WHICH THE RUNNER FIXES HIS ATTENTION” _... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Peter 3:15 “Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye are otherwise minded, this also shall God reveal unto you” “Let us therefore”: THIS LEVEL OF SPIRITUALITY AND MATURITY IS REQUIRED OF ALL CHRISTIANS. “As many as are perfect”: “FULL-GROWN” (RHM). “FAITH IS... [ Continue Reading ]
“ONLY, WHEREUNTO WE HAVE ATTAINED, BY THAT SAME RULE LET US WALK” “Only”: The essential point to be grasped. Some suggest that this verse indicates that whatever "differences" are to be read into verse 15, are only minor ones. “WHEREUNTO WE HAVE ATTAINED”: In having become mature, in adopting the... [ Continue Reading ]
“Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample” “Be ye imitators together of me”: SEE 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1. HE URGES THEM TO IMITATE HIS ATTITUDE, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN EXPRESSED (PHILIPPIANS 3:7-14) AND DETAILED. “SHOULD NOT BROTHERS SHOW THA... [ Continue Reading ]
“For many walk, of whom. told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ” “For many walk”: COMPARE WITH MATTHEW 7:13; MATTHEW 21:1; MATTHEW 22:1; MATTHEW 23:1). APPARENTLY, THE MANY WOULD INCLUDE PROFESSED MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH. “Of whom. told you ofte... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHOSE END IS PERDITION, WHOSE GOD IS THE BELLY, AND WHOSE GLORY IS IN THEIR SHAME, WHO MIND EARTHLY THINGS” “Whose end is perdition”: GOD DOES NOT MESS AROUND WITH SUCH PEOPLE. GOD HAS NO TOLERANCE FOR THE CHILD OF GOD, WHO CAN LOOK AT THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST AND YET CONTINUE TO LIVE FOR SELF AND C... [ Continue Reading ]
“FOR OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN; WHENCE ALSO WE WAIT FOR. SAVIOUR, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” “For our citizenship is in heaven”: IN CONTRAST TO THOSE MENTIONED IN PHILIPPIANS 3:19. THE SAME TYPE OF CONTRAST BETWEEN "US" AND "THEM" IS FOUND IN PHILIPPIANS 3:2-3. THEIR FATE IS ETERNAL DAMNATION OUR "E... [ Continue Reading ]
“WHO SHALL 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 UNTO HIMSELF” “Fashion anew”: To transform. “Change the form of” _(Jackson p. 73)._ See 1 Corinthians 15:35. “The body of ou... [ Continue Reading ]