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Philippians chapter 3 has an odd ring to it in the middle of
an epistle which has conventionally been described as “an epistle of
joy.” Indeed, the problem comes into sharp visibility in the very first
verse where “rejoice in the Lord” (1) is followed by the almost
fierce warning: “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware
of those who mutilate the flesh” (2). Paul is clearly drawing a sharp
line of distinction between himself and his message on the one hand, and those
whom he describes as “enemies of the cross of Christ” (18). This
is strong language, and clearly to Paul the whole message of salvation is
at stake. The contrast and, indeed, conflict lies between those who are the
circumcision, and those who merely think they are. To Paul, the circumcision
are those who “worship in the Spirit of God, and boast in Christ Jesus
and have no confidence in the flesh” (3). Those who merely think they
are the circumcision on the other hand, place their confidence where Paul
used to place his: in his pure Jewish pedigree, in his strict observance of
the Law, in his persecution of the church (4b-6).
Thus, that which lies at the heart of Paul’s faith is the
knowledge of Christ. “I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing
value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (8). In the text, Paul spells
out what he means by knowing Christ: Having a righteousness which comes from
God rather than a righteousness of his own; becoming like Christ through sharing
his resurrection and sufferings; and looking for that transformation which
will come at the end with the resurrection from the dead. To this goal he
presses forward relentlessly (14)
Paul apparently was followed in his mission travels by “truth-squads.”
In his case Judaizers, that is, Jewish Christians who maintained that it was
impossible for Gentiles to become Christians unless they also became Jews.
The prime (though not the sole) requirement for this was submission to the
rite of circumcision, the sign of admission to the Abrahamic covenant. Paul’s
response to this is fierce, as a study of verse 2 will show. In summary, he
brands them not as “circumcisionists” but as “mutilationists”
who imagine—and this is the height of their folly—that a surgical
procedure on the flesh can by itself bring about a radical change in the spirit
(see Romans 2:29; Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4).
This, then, is the essence of Paul’s need: to find a way
to righteousness which will make him acceptable to God.
In a word, God’s answer is Christ. It is notable how frequently
the term Christ is used in this passage: ‘know Christ,’ ‘gain
Christ,’ ‘be found in him.’ Paul puts it forthrightly in verse
7: “Yet whatever gains I had these I have come to regard as loss because
of Christ” (see also verse 8). When Paul found Christ—or rather
was found by him—he discovered a fulfillment, a “righteousness from
God based on faith” (9) which he had not known in his previous life,
despite the fact that “as to righteousness under the law” his previous
performance had been “blameless” (6). The covenant with Abraham
was, indeed, grounded in faith (Genesis 15:6, and the Law was designed to
be lived in faith, not by observance of its precepts and practices for their
own sake. When Paul found Christ he found the power to do what the Law could
not do (Romans 8:1-3) and therefore concluded that Christ was the fulfillment
of the Law (Romans 10:4). It is this which makes Christ the focal point of
these verses. Paul had found it to be true in his experience in a way that
his illustrious pedigree and performance had failed to deliver (4-6).
A tidal surge moves through this passage, making only one response
possible. The intensity of Paul’s commitment to Christ: “The surpassing
value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (8)—his abandonment of everything,
regarding it as “rubbish in order that I may gain Christ” (8)—and
his desire for identification with Christ in his suffering, death and resurrection”
(10-11) all sweeps his readers into the same mood of single-minded dedication.
Even when he is drawn to add a qualifier that he has not yet attained all
of this nor is already made perfect (a qualifier presumably necessitated by
those of gnosticizing mentality who claimed they were already (spiritually)
perfect), because they did not believe there would be any (bodily) resurrection.
Yet the strength of his intention has not weakened: “I press on to make
it my own” (12); “this one thing I do: I press on toward the goal
for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus” (14). His
appeal to his first readers stands for us: “Let those of us who are mature
be of the same mind” (15).
(For a sermon example
from this text go to www.preachersmagazine.org and click on “Sermons”)
In many respects the text preaches itself. The preacher’s task is to
stand aside and let it have its say. It can be handled in a variety of ways.
Its central theme is the true path to righteousness. From this perspective
it treats of the wrong way to righteousness (2-6); the right way to righteousness
(7-11); the ongoing quest of righteousness (12-14). Since however, there is
a heavy christological emphasis throughout the passage, and Paul’s encounter
with Christ was the turning point for him, one is capturing his thought in
seeing the means by which righteousness is attained as knowing Christ. This
is the line of approach followed in the sermon summary. All of the other themes
are laterally connected with it.