The Lantern

Commentary on Philippians · Chapter 34

CCEL

Phil. 3:19. They think about earthly things.

Because their god is their belly, thinking nothing of spiritual or heavenly things.

Phil. 3:20. But our citizenship is in heaven, from whence we also await the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, we must think about things above, we must strive toward our fatherland, where we are appointed to live, since our Lord and King is there, and from there we await His coming in the glory of the Father with the holy angels. So, both the place and the person ought to arouse you to shame.

Phil. 3:21. Who shall transform our lowly body

Much does our body now endure: it is bound, scourged, and subjected to countless calamities. Therefore it is called a "body of humiliation," because it is subject to corruption and decay. But it will be transformed, that is, while remaining the same, it will be clothed in incorruption; for by transformation one must understand liberation from corruption.

Phil. 3:21. So that it will be conformed to His glorious Body,

Since the body of ours, he says, has become like the Body of Christ through communion in sufferings, it will also become the same in His glory. Ah! What did he say? Our body will be conformed to that Body which the angels worship, which sits at the right hand of the Father; our body will be like that most glorious Body and will be glorified just as it is. Therefore, even if the whole universe were to weep and mourn over those who have lost such glory, would it mourn them worthily?

Phil. 3:21. By the power by which He works and subjects all things to Himself.

Since the apostle spoke of something great and almost incredible, he therefore says: do not doubt, for He has the power by which He accomplishes all things and by which He has subjected angels, archangels, and demons. Therefore, if He accomplished such great things, then all the more can He accomplish what is far less. Who then subjected? Some say that God the Father subjected all things to Him, that is, to Christ. But this does not follow from what precedes, because the apostle did not speak above about the Father. Therefore, it is better to understand this as referring to Christ, Who by the power of His Divinity subjected all things to Himself, that is, to His Body. Let us not fear that we are somehow dividing Christ; we know Him as one even in the distinction of His natures.