#22 - The Prison Letters: Philippians

Philippians 3:1-9 (NIV)
Read by: Rachel Kim

What comes to mind when you hear the words “the flesh” in Scripture, often we think of lust, gluttony, drunkenness. . . But in this case Paul uses the term to refer to ethnic boundary markers. The Israelites were set apart in the early days through male circumcision, and even after Gentiles were grafted into the family of God by the work of Jesus, some Jews were still obsessing over this “mark” as the way to indicate who was in and who was out, who was righteous and who was not. Paul says they’ve got it wrong.

You see, God made a covenant with Israel, that he would be faithful to bless them and through them the world as he restores creation to its intended order. Being righteous was about being included in that promise. So in today’s passage Paul launches into his resume or righteousness, of doing all the things necessary to be included in that promise, but says that it was all loss in comparison to simply knowing Christ.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What stood out to you in this passage?

2. Paul listed the many things he had to boast in--his ethnicity and genealogy, his zealous defense of truth, his passion for keeping the rules… What in your life tempts you to be self-righteous? Is it your ethnicity or family background? Your zeal for making your point and challenging people you see as wrong? Or being on the right side of whatever set of rules you ascribe to? What would it mean to value knowing Christ above these things?

3. Paul here tells the Philippian church to watch out for the dogs, the evildoers, the “mutilators of the flesh.” He’s talking about the Jewish Christians who were convinced that those who followed Jesus still had to follow Torah--so much so that they insisted on grown men be circumcised after conversion! Are there things beyond following Jesus that your church or tradition has insisted on in order for people to belong? Have you been a part of that in some way? Take a minute to either repent for your participation or forgive those who wronged you.

----------GO DEEPER----------

Bible Project Podcast: New Testament Letters >>

Bible Project Video: New Testament Letters: Historical Context >>

Bible Project Video: New Testament Letters: Literary Context >>

Bible Project Video: Philippians >>

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