Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… in regard to the law, a Pharisee;
Summary: Paul reminds us that he was a Pharisee before he met Jesus.
What does Paul mean by saying “in regard to the law, a Pharisee?” The answer, it turns out, requires that we understand the story behind the Pharisees.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:5e – Before He Met Jesus”
… a Hebrew of Hebrews…
Summary: Paul’s description of himself as a “Hebrew of Hebrews” is not just a casual reference. The phrasing itself echoes Hebrew history and culture.
I am fairly certain that no one has ever claimed to be a “Norwegian of Norwegians.”
My parents were both Scandinavian, but pure bloodlines are not something that our culture values these days. It is okay to be part this and part that. Most of us are of mixed blood.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:5d – He Had it All”
… of the tribe of Benjamin…
Summary: Paul’s reference to the tribe of Benjamin was, no doubt, a point of pride. Yet, when we look at this history of Benjamin’s people, we find a sordid past overshadowing the good.
Our last meditation points out how God made the Hebrews keep a record of every major thing they did wrong. Even though Israel was blessed by God (Genesis 32:26-28), she continued to poke God in the eye every chance they got by doing the opposite of what God told them to do.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:5c – The Tribe That Almost Wasn’t”
…of the people of Israel…
Summary: Israel is a people with nothing to hide – because all of their ‘dirty laundry’ has been written down in a book that millions of people have read.
One of the reasons I believe the Bible is from God is because of the “people of Israel.” Not because the people of Israel are intrinsically good, but because they aren’t. It is because only God could make a race of people write down all of their mistakes and then make it their mission in life to preserve the book they wrote.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:5b – No Secrets”
… circumcised on the eighth day…
Summary: Paul’s reference to the “eighth day” opens up an interesting meditation on the nature of time and the importance of the times assigned by God.
When God created the “heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), the first thing he did was to create time (Genesis 1:14-15).
Continue reading “Philippians 3:5a – The Eighth Day”
[If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in] the flesh, I have more:
Summary: Following up on our last meditation, we take a more detailed look at the specifics of what the flesh is and how it relates to our spirit.
In our last meditation, we looked at the concept of the flesh metaphorically. In this one, let’s take a more objective look through the lens of Scripture.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:4c – The Flesh, Part 2”
[If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in] the flesh, I have more:
Summary: Understanding Paul’s language sometimes requires that we know Jesus to know what he is talking about.
Here is an interesting fact: To understand the “flesh,” you first have to be in the “spirit.”
What does that mean? Let’s use fish for an example.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:4c – The Flesh”
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in…
Summary: The opening words of Paul’s statement about why people put confidence in the flesh provide a jumping-off point for us to consider what the true meaning of the Gospel is.
Before we begin with today’s meditation, Thank you to all of you who took the time to write and share your thoughts. I deeply appreciate the encouragement and the feedback! God bless all of you! — Jeff
Looking at this passage, it is easy to get caught up in the larger picture of Paul’s thought. His full sentence reads:
Continue reading “Philippians 3:4b – It’s All About Jesus!”
… though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
Summary: Today, we take an inside-out look at Paul’s statement about confidence. We are also taking a break from blogging.
Taken in context, Paul is referring to his spiritual “credit rating” under the Old Covenant Law. He has a lot to be proud of! He could trace his lineage back to Abraham. He was schooled under the best instructor, Gamaliel. He was apparently a good student. And as far as enthusiasm goes, his Zeal Factor was off the charts. When it came to enforcing the Law, there was no one better.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:3e – Taking a Break”
…and who put no confidence in the flesh—
Summary: As we prepare for Paul’s essay on what the flesh can and cannot do, it is helpful to understand the basics of our human nature.
If you don’t know what Paul means by putting “confidence in the flesh,” he is going to explain, in great detail, in the next few verses. Meanwhile, this is a good opportunity to preview the concept before we dive into the details.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:3d – Flesh & Spirit”