Philippians 3:11

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. IF BY ANY MEANS - not implying uncertainty of the issue, But the earnestness of the struggle (1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Corinthians 9:27), the need of jealous self-watchfulness (1 Corinthians 10:12), and indefatigable use of means at all costs. ATTAIN UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 'Aleph (') A B Delta f g, Vulgate, read [ teen (G3588) exanastasin (G1815) teen ...

1-11 Sincere Christians rejoice in Christ Jesus. The prophet calls the false prophets dumb dogs, Isaiah 56:10; to which the apostle seems to refer. Dogs, for their malice against faithful professors of the gospel of Christ, barking at them and biting them. They urged human works in opposition to the faith of Christ; but Paul calls them evil-workers. He calls them the concision; as they rent the church of Christ, and cut it to pieces. The work of religion is to no purpose, unless the heart is in it, and we must worship God in the strength and grace of the Divine Spirit. They rejoice in Christ Jesus, not in mere outward enjoyments and performances. Nor can we too earnestly guard against those who oppose or abuse the doctrine of free salvation. If the apostle would have gloried and trusted in the flesh, he had as much cause as any man. But the things which he counted gain while a Pharisee,...

Verse 11. _THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD._] That is, the resurrection of those who, having died in the Lord, rise to glory and honour; and hence St. Paul uses a peculiar word which occurs no where else in the New Testament, εξαναστασις. The words, as they stand in the best MSS., are as follow: εις την εξαναστασιν την εκ νεκρων, _to that resurrection which is of the dead_. This glorious resurrection, and perhaps peculiarly glorious in the case of _martyrs_, is that to which St. Paul aspired. The word αναστασις signifies the _resurrection_ in general, both of the just and unjust; εξαναστασις may signify that of the _blessed_ only....

IF BY ANY MEANS - Implying, that he meant to make use of the most strenuous exertions to obtain the object. I MIGHT ATTAIN UNTO - I may come to, or may secure this object. THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD - Paul believed that all the dead would be raised Acts 24:15; Acts 26:6; and in this respect he would certainly attain to the resurrection of the dead, in common with all mankind. But the phrase, “the resurrection of the dead,” also might be used, in a more limited sense, to denote the resurrection of the righteous as a most desirable object; and this might be secured by effort. It was this which Paul sought - this for which he strove - this that was so bright an object in his eye that it was to be secu

EXPOSITION PHILIPPIANS 3:1 FINALLY, MY BRETHREN, REJOICE IN THE LORD. This word "finally" (τὸ λοιπόν is frequently used by St. Paul to introduce a practical conclusion after the doctrinal portion of his Epistles: thus it occurs again in Philippians 4:8, and also in 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 6:10; 1Th 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:1. Some render χαίρετε_ _"farewell;" but "rejoice" seems more suitable here. The golden thread of spiritual joy runs through t

IF BY ANY MEANS I, MIGHT ATTAIN UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. Not in a figurative sense, the resurrection from the death of sin to a life of grace, of which Christ is the efficient cause, for this the apostle had attained to; unless the consummation of that spiritual life, in perfect holiness, should be intended, than which nothing was more desirable by him; nor in a representative sense, for this also he enjoyed in Christ his head, being risen with him, and in him, when he rose from the dead; but in a literal sense and designs not the general resurrection of the just and unjust, which he believed; for he knew that everyone must, and will attain to this, even Pharaoh, Judas, and the worst of men; but the special and particular resurrection of the righteous, the better resurrection, which will be first, and upon the personal coming of Christ, and by virtue of union to him, and in a g...

Philippians 3:1. _Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord._ As much as to say, «If this were the last sentence that I should write to you, I would say, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.' It is your privilege, it is your duty, to rejoice in God; not in your health, your wealth, your children, your prosperity, but in the Lord.» There is the unchanging and unbounded source of joy. It will do you no harm to rejoice in the Lord; the more you rejoice in him, the more spiritually-minded will you become. «Finally, my brethren.» That is, even to the end, not with you the bitter end; but even to the end of life, rejoice in the Lord. Make this the finis of everything, the end of every day, the end of every year, the end of life. «Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.» Blessed is that religion in which it is a duty to be happy....

III. CHRIST, THE OBJECT AND THE GOAL CHAPTER 3 __ 1. The true circumcision (Philippians 3:1) 2. Paul's past experience (Philippians 3:4) 3. The one passion (Philippians 3:8) 4. Pressing towards the mark (Philippians 3:12) 5. The goal of glory (Philippians 3:17) Philippians 3:1 Finally (or, for the rest), my brethren, rejoice in the “Lord.” Rejoicing in the Lord, not m

PHP_3:10-16. AIM AND ASPIRATION. In exchange for the proud Jewish privileges that he has renounced, Paul has a new pursuit. His aim is to know Christ and the power that comes from His resurrection, the energy of the glorified, risen Christ not the power which raised Him from the dead together with a sympathetic union with Christ in suffering by his own endurance of suffering like Christ's, so that he may hope also for a resurrection a privilege only for Christ's people. Writing towards the end of his career, he seems himself still imperfect and he presses forward to a better future. Comparing himself to a runner in the games, he fixes his gaze on the goal, where he sees the prize, to win which he had been called to aspire. Though actually imperfect, in another sense Paul claims for himself and for his readers that they are perfect. Here he uses the word as it is employed in the Greek mys...

THE INDESTRUCTIBLE JOY (Php_3:1) _ 3:1 As for what remains, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. It is no trouble to me to write the same things to you, and for you it is safe._ Paul sets down two very important things. (i) He sets down what we might call the indestructibility of Christian joy. He must have felt that he had been setting a high challenge before the Philippian Church. For them there was the possibility of the same kind of persecution, and even the same kind of death, as threatened himself. From one point of view it looked as if Christianity was a grim job. But in it and beyond it all there was joy. "Your joy," said Jesus, "no one will take from you" (John 16:22). There is a certain indestructibility in Christian joy; and it is so, because Christian joy is in the Lord. Its basis is that the Christian lives for ever in the presence of Jesus Christ. H