3:1 my brothers See note on 1:12.

To write the same things to you Paul probably is referring to the warning and teaching that follows, which he might have delivered to the Philippians in person or in an earlier letter. Repeating this teaching is for their own good.

3:2 Beware All three warnings in this verse point to one group—most likely to people who taught that all Christians had to follow the Jewish law.

dogs The Greek word used here was commonly used in a derogatory manner. See Job 30:1 and note; compare Pss 22:16 and note; 59:6 and note.

mutilation It seems that Paul uses the Greek word katatomē here, which may be rendered “mutilation,” to say that non-Jews who undergo circumcision for conversion purposes are essentially mutilating themselves, because the work of Christ has rendered circumcision unnecessary for membership in God’s covenant people.

3:3 circumcision In Jewish tradition, circumcision was the sign of being in covenant with God (see note on Rom 2:25). Paul asserts that the sign of being God’s people—the true circumcision—is worshiping by the Spirit and boasting in the work of Christ.

boast in Christ Jesus Refers to trusting in Christ as the defining marker of God’s people.

confidence in the flesh Refers to relying on circumcision and the law to confirm one’s place in God’s people. Paul uses the Greek word sarx (usually translated “flesh”) with remarkable flexibility. In this passage, it refers to the mark of circumcision, signifying Jewish identity through observance of the law; it also might point to religious practices in general. Elsewhere, Paul associates sarx with human corruptibility (e.g., Rom 8:3–8), the human race (e.g., 1 Cor 1:29), and the human body (e.g., Gal 4:13).

3:4 confidence even in the flesh See note on v. 3.

I can do so more If anyone has impeccable credentials under the Jewish law, it’s Paul.

3:5 on the eighth day According to the law, male children had to be circumcised eight days after birth (Lev 12:3). This practice traces back to God’s covenant with Abraham (Gen 17:9–14).

nation of Israel Although Paul was born outside the land of Israel (Acts 22:3), his parents were Jewish—making him ethnically a member of Israel, God’s chosen people.

tribe of Benjamin The only tribe that aligned with Judah and remained faithful to the dynasty of King David (2 Chr 11:1). Saul, Israel’s first king, was from the tribe of Benjamin (1 Sam 9:21).

Hebrew born from Hebrews This could refer to Paul’s pure bloodline (fully Jewish, not mixed) or to his family’s loyalty to ancestral traditions.

Pharisee The Pharisees had a reputation for interpreting and practicing the Jewish law with great care.

Major Groups in Jesus’ Time Table

3:6 zeal Jews considered passionate devotion to God to be a virtue (e.g., Num 25:10–13; Gal 1:14). Before Paul followed Christ, he expressed his zeal for God by persecuting Christians (Acts 8:1), who were considered blasphemers for proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah.

righteousness in the law This statement sums up Paul’s commitment to the covenant between Israel and Yahweh. Compare note on Phil 3:9.

3:7 loss In relation to Christ, Paul’s Jewish credentials and status meant nothing—and even worked against him by blinding him to God’s plan of salvation in Christ (compare Rom 10:2–4).

3:8 all things to be loss Paul intensifies his previous statement: Not just his Jewish identity, but everything is a disadvantage compared to knowing the Messiah.

3:9 righteousness The Greek word used here, dikaiosynē, can be associated with a range of meanings, including ethical uprightness, right legal standing before God, right relationship with God, covenant faithfulness, vindication, and deliverance. Regardless of how the term is understood, Paul’s usage here concerns the function of dikaiosynē to designate God’s people—the righteous. Those who put confidence in the flesh rely on the law for their righteousness; in contrast, Paul has come to rely on Christ (compare Phil 3:3 and note; Rom 10:2–4; Gal 3:21–22).

faith in Christ The Greek phrase here has only two words—pisteōs christou—leaving it to the reader to supply the connection between “faith/faithfulness” and “Christ.” The traditional reading is “faith in Christ”; another option is “faithfulness of Christ,” referring to His obedient death on the cross (Phil 2:8). Compare Rom 3:22; Gal 2:16.

3:10 power of his resurrection See note on Rom 1:4.

fellowship of his sufferings Paul seems to recognize that suffering—especially for the gospel—brings deeper fellowship with Christ. Paul sees his ministry as an extension of Jesus’ ministry, portrayed in Isa 53’s account of the Suffering Servant.

Suffering

Koinōnia Word Study

conformed to his death Paul desires to emulate the self-emptying love that Jesus displayed on the cross.

3:11 I may attain to the resurrection Paul anticipates that being conformed to Christ’s death will lead to new life in the power of Christ’s resurrection (compare Rom 6:4–11; Gal 2:19–20; Col 2:12–13).

3:12 been made perfect Paul has not yet arrived at his goal. The Greek verb used here, teleioō, can refer to being perfected, being completed, or reaching a goal.

3:14 the goal Paul’s athletic imagery in these verses likely captured the attention of the Philippians, whose proximity to Greece exposed them to the Greek athletic games. For Paul, the ultimate goal is knowing Christ’s resurrection power and dwelling with Him in the age to come (Phil 3:10–11, 21).

3:15 perfect The Greek adjective used here, teleios, is related to the verb in v. 12. In this case, Paul probably is calling on mature believers to adopt the mindset he has just described (vv. 7–14).

3:17 fellow imitators of me Paul regularly presents himself as a model for believers to follow (compare 1 Cor 4:16; 11:1; Gal 4:12). In Philippians, he also praises others who are worthy of imitation—Christ, Timothy, and Epaphroditus (Phil 2:5, 22, 25, 29).

3:18 enemies of the cross of Christ These enemies seem to be different from the group that was promoting circumcision for non-Jewish believers (vv. 2–3). Paul associates them with sensual pleasures and shameful behavior (v. 19), suggesting they are libertines rather than keepers of the law.

3:19 whose end is destruction Paul assures the Philippians that such people will face divine judgment.

3:20 our commonwealth exists in heaven Roman citizenship was highly prized, but Paul encourages believers to embrace a far better identity as citizens of God’s kingdom. Most residents of Philippi probably lacked Roman citizenship (see note on 1:1). For any believers who did hold Roman citizenship, Paul’s statement here presents a challenge to look beyond their earthly status and show highest allegiance to Christ.

a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ In the Roman Empire, the emperor was known as the savior and lord. By applying these titles to Jesus, Paul is calling the Philippians to live under the authority and reign of the universe’s true Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. It was likely this kind of message that landed Paul and Silas in jail in Philippi (Acts 16:21).

3:21 transform our humble body Those who believe in Christ will be raised and their bodies will be transformed (Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 15:20–22, 51–54).