Friday, April 4, 2014

The Greater Identity in Christ

In Philippians 3:5-7, Paul is illustrating what a life dedicated to the flesh looks like, even one that is seemingly righteous and upright to the Jewish leaders of the day; but he counts it all for loss. Paul is making a point that, in his upright living and his dedication to the Law, he had become an enemy of God. His allegiance was not to Christ, but to his Jewish heritage.

     Paul is not arguing against his Jewish identity, but identifying it as less than his Christian one, that is where qal wahomer (lesser to greater) is a helpful argumentation style. He speaks of the "lesser" (his Jewish identity) as being outweighed by the "greater" (his Christian identity), therefore rendering his Jewish identity dependent upon the Christian one.

     Paul is showing the Gentiles of Philippi that, just as his Jewish identity is the lesser, so too is their Gentile identity. It does not mean that their identity is irrelevant, but is secondary to their life in Christ.

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