Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… 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”
[We] … who boast in Christ Jesus…
Summary: Sometimes, to appreciate what we have, we need to look at what we wouldn’t have if we didn’t have what we have.
As we read ahead in this chapter, we find that Paul is about to give us a masterclass on the art of boasting in Christ Jesus. But for now, before we get into the details, it might be good to take a minute and consider what boasting in Christ means.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:3c – Something to Boast About”
…we who serve God by his Spirit…
Summary: The concept of serving God is clearly explained in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, obedience becomes more Spirit-driven.
If you ever wonder why it takes us so long to get through a short book of the Bible, this passage is a great example of why.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:3b – Serving God”
For it is we who are the circumcision…
Summary: Understanding what Paul means by “we who are the circumcision” requires a brief look back at the history of the Bible.
In the Old Testament, circumcision was given by God to Abraham and every male that was with him (Genesis 17:10). When we talk about circumcision of the flesh in the Old Testament sense, we are talking about something that is uniquely male. Interestingly, when we talk about circumcision in the New Testament sense, it can apply to both men and women.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:2a – Old and New”
Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.
Summary: Paul’s use of name-calling serves a specific purpose, and it might not be what you expect.
There is a saying I remember from childhood when someone had harsh words to say about someone else — they would say, “Them’s fighting words!” If somebody were to call you a “dog,” you might feel inclined to defend your honor. If so, that is because “dog,” “evildoer,” and “mutilator of the flesh” all fall into the “fighting words” category.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:2 – Fighting Words”