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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The Dangers of Judaistic Teaching.
A joyful admonition changed to a warning:
v. 1. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
v. 2. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
v. 3. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
The apostle had made the usual transition toward the close of his letter, in the recommendation of his fellow-workers He probably wanted to add the customary greetings. But there were some other matters that the Philippians needed to be reminded of. The Holy Ghost in the matter of inspiration accommodated Himself entirely to the human manner of writing letters. So Paul takes up a new thought: For the rest, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. So far as all the rest was concerned, whatever else he may have wished to say to them, that one point, which he made the motto of his letter, should always be before their eyes. That will bear constant repetition, in order to be impressed firmly upon the hearts and minds of all Christians, just as the apostle says: To write the same thing to you is to me not wearisome, to you, however, assuring. Such an admonition, repeated over and over again, is not superfluous, and it should become tedious neither to the teacher nor to the hearers, for the joy over the Christian state, over the fact that they are in the state of faith, is necessary. Christians must be conscious of the love of God in Christ, of all the gifts of His grace and mercy. As Paul did not get tired of proclaiming this message over and over again, so no other pastor will think that the constant repetition of this admonition is a tedious, tiresome work. It is always necessary for the safety of believers to make them more certain of their standing toward Christ and God.
For that reason Paul is constrained to add an emphatic warning: Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision. The apostle uses the very strongest terms of reproach to characterize the false teachers, to portray them in their real colors. There were certain bad, evil, dangerous workers in the very midst of the church, upon whom the Philippians must keep a watchful eye. And in what respect they are dangerous Paul shows by giving a summary of their false doctrine. He had probably thought that he would have an opportunity to attend to the matter of these false teachers in person when he came to Philippi. But the Spirit has now induced him to include the warning in this letter. If there is danger of false teaching in the Church, it is foolish to procrastinate, the warning must be given at once, especially if the evil workers, the false preachers, arise in the midst of the Church. These evil workers were guilty of a most dangerous doctrine. The apostle names and incidentally censures it by designating it as "concision," mutilation. He refers to the rite of circumcision, which their mechanical, unspiritual view reduced to a mere laceration of the body. These men with their Judaistic tendencies insisted upon all the rites and ceremonies of the Jewish law. The fact of circumcision particularly was one upon which they insisted with all their influence. Such Jewish teachers as had not yet learned the freedom of the Gospel, but insisted upon foisting Jewish ways and ceremonies upon the Christians, were found also in other congregations. But if men insist upon the outward works of the Law and parade a form of holiness and righteousness, then there is nothing but hypocrisy in their teaching. Their doctrine is evil and also their life, for which reason the apostle calls them dogs, contemptible people. They were working only for personal gain, personal honor. Of such people the Philippians should beware.
Paul places himself and the true Christians in strong contrast to these men: For we are the circumcision, that are serving God through the Spirit and glorying in Christ Jesus and placing no confidence in the flesh. He means to say: We Christians alone deserve the name of being truly circumcised, of being the true, spiritual Israel, in this instance we Christian teachers specifically that are serving God through the Spirit and glorying in Christ Jesus. As the rite of circumcision made the Israelites outward members of God's chosen people, as they by faith attained to the dignity of true children of God, so true ministers of Christ are the real circumcision, because they serve God and are members of the true people of God. This true service is not an external, but an internal service, spiritual, through the Spirit. That is the well-pleasing service of God, the ministry of the Word. And the glory of such men is Christ Jesus. That is the external sign of the true pastor, glorying in Christ. He places no confidence in the flesh, in his own ability, nor in any external things or works. His trust and strength is Christ alone.