Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis
Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis
Now he pauses to assess the past (Not that I have already obtained), the present (I press on), and the future (to make it my very own). (J. Stott) We are still sinners even though regenerated and justified in God’s sight. Although we are perfect in terms of our present standing before God, we are far from perfect in our actual thoughts and conduct. Sanctification aims to close this gap. (J. Boice) Christ has taken hold of us for a purpose, to attain to the “out-resurrection.” Those who strive toward that goal will rule and have dominion (Heb. 2:5-10). Paul says he has made it his goal to take hold of the same thing. In other words, he wants to make it his purpose in life to achieve Christlikeness and as a result to share with Christ in that final victory. Elsewhere he said there was a special crown reserved for those who have “loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). Interestingly, he pictures this goal as a prize to be won. (J. Dillow) Each of us is special by foreordination, elected to a role, a life work, and a course of life divinely adjusted to make end products out of us as God sees fit, those end products representing our “apprehension” in Christ towards which we, like Paul, are constantly being inclined by His grace. (A. Custance) The Apostle Paul, in spite of his maturity, and though writing under inspiration, was neither omniscient nor sinless. He wants to impress upon us the difficulties, struggles, and hindrances that attend the believer’s life ... We do not exaggerate to see in verse 12 one of Paul’s most significant soteriological formulations. The verse makes a strong theological point regarding the tension between human agency and divine sovereignty, but the point is made within the framework of a personal confession regarding the Christian experience – a marvelous verse indeed … The notion of the divine call, more than any other, signals Paul’s conscious dependence on God’s grace. (M. Silva) Surely, the Philippian brethren might think Paul a saint who was entirely finished and complete, who might well admonish others but no longer himself needed admonition. Paul cuts off such thoughts. Lesser men have persuaded themselves that they have attained perfection in this life, have strenuously preached their perfectionism with great damage to themselves and to others. (R. Lenski) By his allusion to the future resurrection he makes it clear that the work of sanctifying grace is progressive, and the summum bonum of Christian experience will be reached only at the consummation. Final perfection cannot be expected in this life and there will always be room for progress while the church is God’s pilgrim people. (R. Martin) Before conversion God says that a person is dead in his trespasses and sins. The person is alive physically and intellectually, but he is not alive spiritually. Thus, he cannot respond to spiritual stimuli. While he is in this state the Word of God is a hidden book to him, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is nonsense. Then God touches his life. God’s touch brings life out of death, the life of the Spirit, and the person then believes in Jesus Christ and begins to understand the Bible. This is what it means to be taken hold of by God. This must happen first before there can be any true discipleship. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last” (John 15:16). We find examples of this throughout the Bible. Abraham was taken hold of by God. Did Abraham choose God? Oh, no! He was perfectly satisfied where he was in the Mesopotamian River valley in a pagan culture, but God called him and sent him on his way to Palestine. Moses was taken hold of by God when he was still a baby floating in the Nile in a basket. God said, “I am going to deliver My people from Egypt, and I am going to do it by means of this baby. I am going to protect him from Pharaoh. I am going to give him the best of this world’s
training and education, and I am going to do many miracles through him.” God did these things through Moses. There is also the story of David. God put His stamp on the future King David when David was still out protecting the sheep. God sent the prophet Samuel to David’s home to anoint one of the sons in the family of the future king. God chose John the Baptist before he was born. Jesus called His disciples while they were still fishermen. God called Paul when he was in the process of persecuting Christians. In every case the call of God was primary. (J. Boice) Paul uses military terminology (I keep pursing the objective) to describe his steady advance by his continual reception, retention, and recall of Bible doctrine. He moves forward by using the problemsolving devices of hope in doctrine, personal love for God, impersonal love for mankind, and sharing the happiness of God within himself. He presses on, knowing that God will accelerate his advance through the suffering of momentum testing … Paul is not practicing false humility by declaring that he has not reached the goal. He possessed the strong self-esteem that belongs to the believer in spiritual autonomy, but he entertained no illusions about himself. He accurately evaluated his spiritual life and recognized his need to keep pursuing the objective. A believer who overestimates himself hinders his own advance; a believer who evaluates himself objectively perpetuates his momentum and eventually reaches maturity. (R.B. Thieme, Jr.) “Perfect” in a relative sense, can also refer to various stages of Christian progress. Enlarged understanding of divine truth and consistent exhibition of Christian character are described by the word “perfect.” In this sense the apostle Paul includes himself among the “perfect” (3:15), although he had just confessed that he did not consider himself “perfect” (3:12). Therefore, while affirming the necessity of holiness and warning against any excuse for indulging in sin, the Christian must avoid teaching “perfectionism.” This error has risen intermittently in the history of the church, and in the present generation again threatens to dismember the gospel. Those involved do not regard it as a classical error but likely see themselves as the harbingers of pious, godly ideas that can lead only to greater honoring of God. Such a phenomenon demonstrates that some of the contemporary generation exhibits a poverty of understanding of classical Protestant theology and the errors it has confronted and refuted ... from Montanism through the Pentecostal-type exaggeration of Wesleyan perfectionism … This view eliminates the necessity of Christ’s continued intercession. Only as one continues as a sinner does he need Christ to intercede. And it denies the biblical teaching that sanctification is continuous. It also reduces justification to one-half of its biblical self. Only forgiveness at the beginning, and thereafter intermittently, is necessary. “Not having a righteousness of my own” could not fall from the lips of one who affirmed such actual righteousness. (T. Nettles) With Philippians 3:11 Paul closes the parenthesis begun in verse 9. He has finished describing how to “gain Christ” in 3:8. We gain Christ, or advance to spiritual maturity, through the three stages of sanctification: positional, experiential, and ultimate sanctification. Positional sanctification (3:9) is union with Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. Experiential sanctification (3:10) is the execution of the protocol plan of God on earth, as we follow our Lord’s precedent in the prototype sphere of power through our residence in the operational sphere of power, i.e., dynaspheres. Ultimate sanctification (3:11) is the possession of a resurrection body like the resurrection body of Jesus Christ. Having closed the parenthesis, Paul resumes in verse 12 from
- Page 109 and 110: to be disputed. This greatly adorns
- Page 111 and 112: jaws of (the sin unto) death ... Un
- Page 113 and 114: But as you might guess by the posit
- Page 115 and 116: REVELANT OPINIONS Paul's privilege
- Page 117 and 118: things concerning you [your status
- Page 119 and 120: with him), who (Subj. Nom., qualita
- Page 121 and 122: togetherness in our day. There can
- Page 123 and 124: It might not be an immediate or a p
- Page 125 and 126: KJV Philippians 2:26 For he longed
- Page 127 and 128: Philp. 2:27 For (explanatory) truly
- Page 129 and 130: appreciated him when he was there,
- Page 131 and 132: Poss.) lack (Acc. Dir. Obj.; unfini
- Page 133 and 134: diverted from that which God intend
- Page 135 and 136: their work was sometimes overruled
- Page 137 and 138: dispensation of the Church Age is r
- Page 139 and 140: and still do not have confidence (p
- Page 141 and 142: WHO Philippians 3:4 kai,per evgw. e
- Page 143 and 144: KJV Philippians 3:6 Concerning zeal
- Page 145 and 146: using the figure of a balance-sheet
- Page 147 and 148: what it cost him. There is a price
- Page 149 and 150: following God’s mandates, not by
- Page 151 and 152: get our words “dynamite” and
- Page 153 and 154: fellowship of His sufferings (Latin
- Page 155 and 156: experientially is not all or nothin
- Page 157 and 158: is referring to some particular kin
- Page 159: not an end result as we understand
- Page 163 and 164: cumulative experience of God’s gr
- Page 165 and 166: (J. Pentecost) Spiritual self-satis
- Page 167 and 168: KJV Philippians 3:14 I press toward
- Page 169 and 170: Philp. 3:14 I keep on advancing (di
- Page 171 and 172: teaching sinless perfection. Paul t
- Page 173 and 174: We may attain the objective (Consta
- Page 175 and 176: eferring to the USG). WHO Philippia
- Page 177 and 178: Christian life has been compared to
- Page 179 and 180: is pleasing to them. They have beco
- Page 181 and 182: Some of them may be famous and have
- Page 183 and 184: Obj.) are (ellipsis) earthly (Acc.
- Page 185 and 186: Tribulation. While it is true that
- Page 187 and 188: dynasphere" during the church age.
- Page 189 and 190: Philp. 3:21 Who (Subj. Nom.) shall
- Page 191 and 192: that they rarely (if ever) are a de
- Page 193 and 194: pride; a military wreath awarded fo
- Page 195 and 196: WHO Philippians 4:2 Euvodi,an parak
- Page 197 and 198: gladiatorial arena) in (for) the Go
- Page 199 and 200: grace support, that extra supply of
- Page 201 and 202: instance (proseukea) means petition
- Page 203 and 204: emedies include reason (but anxiety
- Page 205 and 206: combined expression then refers to
- Page 207 and 208: commands (Imperative mood) all beli
- Page 209 and 210: WHO Philippians 4:8 To. loipo,n avd
Now he pauses to assess the past (Not that I have already obtained), the present (I press on), and the<br />
future (to make it my very own). (J. Stott) We are still sinners even though regenerated and justified<br />
in God’s sight. Although we are perfect in terms of our present standing before God, we are far from<br />
perfect in our actual thoughts and conduct. Sanctification aims to close this gap. (J. Boice) Christ has<br />
taken hold of us for a purpose, to attain to the “out-resurrection.” Those who strive toward that goal<br />
will rule and have dominion (Heb. 2:5-10). Paul says he has made it his goal to take hold of the same<br />
thing. In other words, he wants to make it his purpose in life to achieve Christlikeness and as a result<br />
to share with Christ in that final victory. Elsewhere he said there was a special crown reserved for<br />
those who have “loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). Interestingly, he pictures this goal as a prize to<br />
be won. (J. Dillow) Each of us is special <strong>by</strong> foreordination, elected to a role, a life work, and a<br />
course of life divinely adjusted to make end products out of us as God sees fit, those end products<br />
representing our “apprehension” in Christ towards which we, like Paul, are constantly being inclined<br />
<strong>by</strong> His grace. (A. Custance)<br />
The Apostle Paul, in spite of his maturity, and though writing under inspiration, was neither<br />
omniscient nor sinless. He wants to impress upon us the difficulties, struggles, and hindrances that<br />
attend the believer’s life ... We do not exaggerate to see in verse 12 one of Paul’s most significant<br />
soteriological formulations. The verse makes a strong theological point regarding the tension<br />
between human agency and divine sovereignty, but the point is made within the framework of a<br />
personal confession regarding the Christian experience – a marvelous verse indeed … The notion of<br />
the divine call, more than any other, signals Paul’s conscious dependence on God’s grace. (M. Silva)<br />
Surely, the Philippian brethren might think Paul a saint who was entirely finished and complete, who<br />
might well admonish others but no longer himself needed admonition. Paul cuts off such thoughts.<br />
Lesser men have persuaded themselves that they have attained perfection in this life, have<br />
strenuously preached their perfectionism with great damage to themselves and to others. (R. Lenski)<br />
By his allusion to the future resurrection he makes it clear that the work of sanctifying grace is<br />
progressive, and the summum bonum of Christian experience will be reached only at the<br />
consummation. Final perfection cannot be expected in this life and there will always be room for<br />
progress while the church is God’s pilgrim people. (R. Martin)<br />
Before conversion God says that a person is dead in his trespasses and sins. The person is alive<br />
physically and intellectually, but he is not alive spiritually. Thus, he cannot respond to spiritual<br />
stimuli. While he is in this state the Word of God is a hidden book to him, and the gospel of Jesus<br />
Christ is nonsense. Then God touches his life. God’s touch brings life out of death, the life of the<br />
Spirit, and the person then believes in Jesus Christ and begins to understand the Bible. This is what it<br />
means to be taken hold of <strong>by</strong> God. This must happen first before there can be any true discipleship.<br />
Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit<br />
that will last” (John 15:16). We find examples of this throughout the Bible. Abraham was taken hold<br />
of <strong>by</strong> God. Did Abraham choose God? Oh, no! He was perfectly satisfied where he was in the<br />
Mesopotamian River valley in a pagan culture, but God called him and sent him on his way to<br />
Palestine. Moses was taken hold of <strong>by</strong> God when he was still a ba<strong>by</strong> floating in the Nile in a basket.<br />
God said, “I am going to deliver My people from Egypt, and I am going to do it <strong>by</strong> means of this<br />
ba<strong>by</strong>. I am going to protect him from Pharaoh. I am going to give him the best of this world’s