1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
2Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!
3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
4though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
7But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ.
8More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
10I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death,
11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well.
16Nevertheless, we must live up to what we have already attained.
17Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.
18For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
20But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.
Philippians 3 Verse Notes
Phil 3:1
Philippians as a Composite Letter
The letter to the Philippians exhibits an unusual structure, with Paul stating 'finally' in Philippians 3:1, yet the letter continues for two more chapters. Additionally, Epaphroditus is mentioned in Philippians 2:25-30 as having been ill, but later in the letter, he is spoken of as if he had just arrived from Philippi without mention of his illness, suggesting that Philippians may also be a composite of multiple letters.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 20: Collecting Paul’s Letters · watch the clip
Phil 3:2-3
Paul's attack on the 'circumcision party' in Philippians
Paul vehemently attacks a group he calls the 'circumcision party' in Philippians, labeling them 'dogs' and 'mutilators of the flesh'. These individuals insisted that Gentile converts to Christianity must be circumcised, a teaching Paul considered a perversion of the gospel.
Summarized by AI · Did Peter Hate Paul? Apostolic Conflict in the Early Church · Lecture 1: Two Apostles Head-to-Head (And Toe-to-Toe?) · watch the clip
Phil 3:4-6
Paul's Adherence to the Law
Acts consistently portrays Paul as a devout Jew who never violates the Mosaic Law, even participating in a Nazarite vow and defending himself by insisting on his law-abiding life. Conversely, Paul's letters indicate that while he was blameless under the law before conversion, he later adopted a flexible approach, living as a Jew among Jews and a Gentile among Gentiles, suggesting he did not always strictly adhere to the law.
Summarized by AI · The Genius of the Acts of the Apostles · Lecture 7: The Book of Acts vs. The Letters of Paul · watch the clip
Paul's Self-Description of Persecution
Paul, in his own letters, describes his life before following Jesus, stating he was zealous for the Jewish law and violently persecuted followers of Jesus. This self-account is a primary source for understanding his early opposition to Christianity.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Why Did Paul Hate Jesus and His Followers? · watch the clip
Phil 3:5-6
Paul's Jewish Background and Pharisaic Zeal
Paul states that he was raised as a Jew, likely in the diaspora, and was a Pharisee. He was extremely zealous for the Jewish law, claiming to be blameless concerning the righteousness found in it. This background shaped his initial understanding of religious devotion and the law.
Summarized by AI · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · Lecture 4: Who Was Jesus According to Paul? · watch the clip
Paul's view of the Law contrasts with Luther's
Contrary to Martin Luther's perception of Paul as someone burdened by the Law, Paul himself states in Philippians that he was 'blameless' regarding righteousness under the Law. This indicates Paul viewed the Law as something he could and did observe, rather than an impossible burden.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 18: Rethinking Paul | New Perspectives on an Ancient Apostle · watch the clip
Phil 3:5
Paul's Jewish Background and Identity
Paul identifies himself as a Hebrew born of Hebrews and a Pharisee, indicating his deep immersion in Jewish tradition and scriptural interpretation. This background is crucial for understanding his perspectives, especially concerning angels and fallen angels, as his thought world is continuous with ancient Judaism rather than a completely new religion.
Summarized by AI · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Lecture 4: Fallen Angels in Paul and his Interpreters (I) · watch the clip
Paul's Jewish Identity and Pharisaic Zeal
Paul asserts his deep roots in Judaism, identifying as a 'Hebrew born of Hebrews' and emphasizing his zealous advancement in Jewish traditions beyond his peers. This background is crucial for understanding the cultural and legal context informing his views on women and other issues.
Summarized by AI · Must Women Keep Silent? Paul's Real Views on Gender, Desire, and Women · Lecture 1: The Apostle Paul in History and Legend | Apostle to the Gentiles · watch the clip
Paul's role as a Pharisee and 'middle management'
Paul, as a Pharisee, likely functioned as a 'middle management' figure, an expert in Jewish scripture interpretation. His role might have involved confronting or negotiating with groups he perceived as misinterpreting Jewish law, rather than engaging in lethal persecution. This aligns with the idea of 'pursuing' or 'bothering' them to align with established interpretations.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Paul Really Persecute Christians? · watch the clip
Paul's Theological Sophistication
Unlike Jesus' uneducated disciples, Paul possessed a high level of education and intellectual training as a Pharisee. This allowed him to develop a comprehensive theology explaining how Jesus' death and resurrection bring salvation, making the concept understandable and accessible to a broader audience. His systematic articulation of these ideas was unprecedented.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Is Paul the Founder of Christianity? · watch the clip
Paul's Self-Description and Background
Paul's letters provide direct biographical details, such as his identity as a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin, who excelled in his Jewish studies. These details offer a foundational understanding of his background, which can be corroborated or contrasted with later accounts like those in the book of Acts.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Historical Paul: What Scholars Actually Know About Paul's Life, Beliefs, and Personality · watch the clip
Phil 3:6
Paul's Blamelessness Under the Law
Paul states that he was blameless concerning the righteousness required by the law before he followed Jesus. This challenges the idea that he turned to Christ because he couldn't keep the law; rather, he recognized that even perfect adherence to the law couldn't free him from the power of sin.
Summarized by AI · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · Lecture 6: Paul the Moral Teacher · watch the clip
Paul's self-description of persecution in Philippians
Paul's own letters also contain references to his past persecution of the church. In Philippians 3, he includes this detail among other biographical points, confirming his involvement in opposing the Jesus movement.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Paul Really Persecute Christians? · watch the clip
Paul's Blamelessness Under the Law and Christ's Atonement
Paul states in Philippians that, regarding the righteousness found in the law, he was blameless, indicating that it was possible to keep the law. However, Paul believes Christ's death and resurrection were necessary because everyone sins, and Christ provides the atoning sacrifice. For Paul, if Christ is the answer, then the law cannot be the primary means of salvation, especially for Gentiles.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Can Anyone Keep the Jewish Law? · watch the clip
Phil 3:20-21
Resurrection Body and Heavenly Abode
Paul explains that at Christ's return, bodies will not be shed but changed into 'spiritual bodies' that can inherit the kingdom of God. This transformation allows the redeemed to ascend to the heavens, the abode of the spiritual body, a departure from older prophetic traditions that envisioned the kingdom established on earth.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 4: Beginnings | Paul, the Pagan's Apostle · watch the clip
Phil 3:20
KJV's Misleading Archaic Meanings
A significant problem with the King James Version is that it uses words that modern readers think they understand, but which had different meanings in 1611. For instance, in Philippians 3:20, 'conversation' means 'citizenship,' not 'talking.' In 2 Kings, 'strange women' refers to 'foreign women,' not unusual ones. And in Revelation 17:6, 'admiration' means 'astonishment' or 'wonder,' not approval, when describing the prophet's reaction to the Whore of Babylon.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · The KJV is a Literary Masterpiece, And a Disaster Study Bible · watch the clip
Paul's Expectation of Christ's Return and Glorious Body
Paul anticipates Christ's return, stating that those alive will meet him in the air, and the dead will rise incorruptible. He also believes that Christ will transform believers' 'lowly body' into a 'glorious body' like his own, though the exact nature of this 'soma' (body/entity) remains ethereal and defined by God.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Historical Paul: What Scholars Actually Know About Paul's Life, Beliefs, and Personality · watch the clip
Phil 3:21
Paul's Concept of the Resurrection Body
Paul describes the resurrected body as a 'spirit body' or 'air body,' distinct from a physical, flesh-and-blood body. He explains that it will be like Christ's glorious body, appropriate for heavenly existence, and that God will provide it, comparing it to a seed that transforms into something entirely new.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Historical Paul: What Scholars Actually Know About Paul's Life, Beliefs, and Personality · watch the clip
Paul's Expectation of Christ's Return and Glorious Body
Paul anticipates Christ's return, stating that those alive will meet him in the air, and the dead will rise incorruptible. He also believes that Christ will transform believers' 'lowly body' into a 'glorious body' like his own, though the exact nature of this 'soma' (body/entity) remains ethereal and defined by God.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Historical Paul: What Scholars Actually Know About Paul's Life, Beliefs, and Personality · watch the clip
