Philippians - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

Tribulation. While it is true that it doesn’t say it in those words, neither is there a verse in Scripture
that has anything to say about the church not doing other things. Nowhere does it say the church is
going through the Great Tribulation, my friend. Paul’s joyful expectancy makes it very clear that he
was looking for Christ’s return, not for the Great Tribulation. (J. McGee)
The stability and security of the citizen under Roman law filled the thoughts of the time with high
conceptions of citizenship and its value. Philippi, being a Roman colony, and its citizens therefore
Roman citizens, thought in terms of citizenship. Paul seizes this fact as a good opportunity to
illustrate to the saints their heavenly citizenship with its privileges and responsibilities ... The
composite word speaks of an attitude of intense yearning and eager waiting for the coming of the
Lord Jesus into the air to take His bride to heaven with Him, the attention being withdrawn from all
else and concentrated upon the Lord Jesus. (K. Wuest) Because the Holy Spirit, Who is the essence
of the age to come, has been given to us as the first installment of our inheritance, we have in a very
real sense been transported to heaven and sit there with Christ. (W. Kaiser) “Rapture” derives from
the Latin “rapto,” to seize and carry away, the Vulgate translation of “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians
4:17. The technical theological term “Rapture” describes the resurrection of the royal family of God
at the end of the Church Age. When the royal family is complete, the Rapture will occur. (R.B.
Thieme, Jr.)
When a word appears only once in the Bible, we sit up and take note. Such a word is politeuma, the
status, rights, and privileges of citizenship. Considering the city of Philippi at the time Paul wrote his
epistle, this word creates a brilliant metaphor for the privileges of the Church Age believer. “For our
politeuma,” writes Paul, “is in heaven.” The politeuma metaphor illustrates advantages that stagger
the imagination ... The baptism of the Holy Spirit, the protocol plan of God, and mystery doctrine are
three tremendous benefits of our heavenly citizenship. They belong to a portfolio of invisible assets
that God the Father designed in eternity past for every Church Age believer. “Portfolio” is a term for
the holdings of an investor, a synonym for his riches. God has lavished upon us the riches of His
grace. Every Church Age believer is fabulously wealthy. Our politeuma is in heaven, and our
portfolio is described in Ephesians 1:3 as including every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places ...
God appoints the royal ambassador to be His representative on earth. God supplies all the logistical
grace necessary to perpetuate the believer’s physical and spiritual life in the devil’s world. The royal
ambassador operates according to the written mystery doctrines of the NT. The ambassador of Jesus
Christ has his citizenship in heaven. The royal ambassador lives to glorify Christ and personally
benefits not by following his own agenda, but through filling his royal warrant. (R.B. Thieme, Jr.)
Philp. 3:20 So then (inferential), our (Poss. Gen.; emphatic)
citizenship (Subj. Nom.; spiritual aristocracy) exists
(u`pa,rcw, PAI3S, Static) in the heavens (Loc. Place/Sph.), even
(ascensive) from which (Abl. Source; place) we ourselves are
eagerly waiting for (avpekde,comai, PMI1P, Pictorial, Deponent)
the Saviour (Acc. Dir. Obj.), the Lord Jesus Christ (Acc.
Appos.; reference to the rapture),