He attaches two ideas to his pursuit: he forgets “what is behind,” and he strains for “what is ahead” ( 3:13). Call it Body 7.0, with seven as the Bible’s perfect number. He believes in the body but a body-that-is- transformed for a new existence. He does not believe in a spirit-only or soul-only eternal existence. (Paul discusses this transformation extensively in 1 Corinthians 15:35–57 and 2 Corinthians 5:1–5, which you might read to fill in the picture of Philippians.) Jesus “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” ( 3:21). But it’s an image of a transformed body fit for the kingdom itself. He uses the image of the laurel wreath, which is the prize in running races. He pursues “that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” ( 3:12), which he explains in verse 14: “the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” What he wants the Philippians to imitate is his passion, his zeal, his pursuit, his running after. “Press on” is not as colorful as the Greek term itself, which could be translated “I chase” or “I pursue.” Behind the word “press on” (Greek diōkō) stands the very same term Paul just used in 3:6 for the intensity of his zeal, there translated as “persecuting.” What he does is “press on” ( 3:12 and 3:14). In denying his full-on arrival at perfect kingdom living three times, he states twice what he is doing before the kingdom’s arrival.
He tells us what he does ( 3:12–14) before he turns to what we can all do by imitating him ( 3:15–4:1). In this passage he becomes the classic model of teaching by imitation. He says this three times if you want to count them in vv. His most famous statement like this is 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example,” and he justifies that bold claim by deflecting himself to “as I follow the example of Christ.” In our passage Paul completes his previous personal conversion story, which we looked at in the previous study, by admitting “not that I have already obtained all this” ( Philippians 3:12). Paul has enough chutzpah to use himself as an example to be imitated. You learn best by seeing and then trying to do it. The ancient world had a term for this: imitation. You don’t learn to teach by reading about teaching but by teaching and embracing feedback from both students and seasoned teachers. You have to make some risotto and fail and taste to see what al dente feels like. Not to dismiss either listening or reading, but think about this: you can’t learn to hit a golf ball long and straight by reading a Ben Hogan book, nor can you learn to make risotto by watching Natasha’s Kitchen. You can’t always tell the teachers know this by the way they (or I) teach. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.Ĥ:1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!Įducators know that students learn more by watching and doing than by reading or listening. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.ġ7 Join together in following my example, brothers and sis- ters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,ġ4 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.ġ5 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. For this week, here is the tenth study, A Common Life of Imitation | Philippians 3:12-4:1ġ2 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
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It is available as a book as well: Philippians and 1 & 2 Thessalonians: Kingdom Living in Today’s World.įor twelve weeks, Bible Gateway will publish a chapter from the Bible study book, taking you through the full text of McKnight’s study on Philippians. In this blog series, we’ll be sharing Scot’s insights and wisdom on the book of Philippians.
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