Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Saul, The Pharisee!
The Questions
1) What is the context of this passage?
2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?
3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?
Philippians 3:4-6
“Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”
Original Intent
1) What is the context of this passage?
In this passage, Paul writes a letter to the Philippian church to encouraging them to live in the truth of the gospel and let nothing stand in the way of a life fully devoted to the Lord. As Paul brings his letter to a close, he gives a personal story of his own walk with the Lord in his conversion from Saul to Paul explaining where he has come from and what he now knows to be true. He gives warnings about lies to watch for and encouragement to stand firm in truth.
2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?
Paul gives an account of his pedigree because he was among the elite within the Jewish religious leaders. He was considered by the average person someone who was closer to God because of his status and his outward appearance of merit. But in this passage, Paul details his lengthy list of qualifications that humans would point to and elevate him for the purpose of discounting all of it because he knew that when it comes to the gospel, pedigree and accomplishments mean nothing.
3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?
These verses are one snippet of Paul’s argument in this letter. The point he makes is, despite all of his education and religious fortitude, in light of the gospel, true salvation is the most important thing. True salvation recognizes that no “thing” or personal “goodness” is fit to award us merit for salvation. We can only be saved through Jesus’ work on our behalf. Nothing we do matters to gain salvation. Saul was the “perfect” Pharisee, but was spiritually lost and separated from the one true God. He is warning the Philippians to not put trust in the things of the flesh and the world, because those things are irrelevant in the Kingdom of God. The contrast comes in understanding the things of God and pursing His ways versus pursuing the things of this world and relying on ourselves. Don’t be confused by religious labels but seek true salvation!
Everyday Application
1) What is the context of this passage?
As any good pastoral leader would, Paul is warning this congregation against trappings of this world and recounting where he put his trust before he encountered Christ. He was worldly, a murder of Christians, and outspoken zealot against Christianity, but he came to truth and realized there is no eternal value in status or degree. He understood those things would fade away and earned no favor in the sight of God. Paul is the perfect example of a religious leader whose was fearful of the truth of Christianity until he encountered it. God changed his life and his perspective on worldly pursuits and ambitions. Paul’s filter for his entire life changed. As he says later in the passage, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7)
2) Why is Paul explaining his heritage? What does it have to do with his point?
There were times in my life where relying on the fact that my parents were Christians seemed okay. I have a heritage of Christianity in my family, which somehow made me feel okay before God. Paul, in this passage, is clearly saying your pedigree, your degrees, your status, even your family history does not matter in the light of the gospel’s truth. The world then and now gives the message that obtaining things and status are the most important goals to pursue and Paul is reminding us those things mean nothing to God. Being labeled religious means nothing if there is no heart change to back that up. Knowing Christ and having a relationship with Him is the foundation from which everything should flow. Faith in Him should matter most in our life.
3) What contrast is Paul trying to explain in this passage?
The battle for our eyes and heart to stay true to God and not be distracted by worldly pursuits is not new to the 21st century, rather as we see here, this deception has been going on for 2000 years. Be encouraged! Paul, the “perfect” religious Pharisee, encountered the one true God and became one of the most prolific missionaries in starting the New Testament church as we know it. Things of this world offer no hope, no real truth, and no consistency or foundation, but as Paul encourages us with his words, “ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.” (Philippians 3:8-9a)
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Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Saul, The Pharisee!
Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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