Worship Jesus (Philippians 3:8 - gn�sis)

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Faber
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Worship Jesus (Philippians 3:8 - gn�sis)

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Post by Faber »

Philippians 3:8
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. (ESV)

The Greek word for "knowing" is gn�sis. According to the Old Testament to know the Lord entailed worshiping Him.
Isaiah 19:21 (cf. Jeremiah 9:23-24; 31:34)
And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. (ESV)
When Paul refers to knowing the Lord Jesus in Philippians 3:8 it means knowing Him as God which necessitates that He is to be worshiped.
1. H. C. G. Moule: Note the implicit witness of the language before us to the Deity of Christ. In Him this man had found the ultimate repose of his whole mental and moral nature (Philippians, Cambridge Greek Testament for School's and Colleges).
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ ... ans-3.html
2. Steven Tsoukalas: Paul states: "(8a) More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... (10a) that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection..." Against their Old Testament background, the phrases "knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" and "that I may know Him" are rich with implication that the incarnate Christ is Yahweh.
But the focal point is not "Lord," for that has already been discussed. Rather, our focus is on Paul's knowing of Christ Jesus. Interesting is the context in which this "knowing" occurs. Paul mentions those who are "of the false circumcision" and those of "the true circumcision" (Phil. 3:2-3). Paul then mentions his "zeal," his being "found blameless" pertaining to "righteousness which is in the Law" (v. 6). To Paul these things are nothing at all (of no value). Paul now knows Christ (vv. 7-10). If Paul is to boast about what really counts, he will boast in knowing Christ the Lord (see also 2 Cor. 10:17).
These phenomena in our context (the false and true circumcision, boasting, what really counts is knowing Christ the Lord) point us to Jeremiah 9:23-26:
(23) Thus says the LORD [Yahweh], "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; (24) but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. (25) "Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised... (26b) for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart."
Key to our discussion once again is the use of Yahweh in the Jeremiah passage. It is Yahweh who states that anyone boasting ought to boast that he understands and knows Him. The tie between the two contexts (Paul's and Jeremiah's), that of true and false circumcision, boasting, and "knowing" the Lord, is no mere coincidence. I believe Paul is once again utilizing an Old Testament theme and applying it to Christ. Yahweh calls His covenant people to know Him, as the Jeremiah passage indicates (see also Jer. 24:7). Paul boasts that he knows Christ Jesus as his Lord. That Paul had a more than adequate understanding of the Old Testament is evidenced in this passage (3:5-6). Indeed, he was "circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel" (v. 5; another mention of circumcision, not to mention "the nation of Israel"; these point us back to the Jeremiah passage ["house of Israel" in the context of circumcision]). Paul was of course fully aware of the implications of the statement, "knowing Christ Jesus my Lord," when all the while Yahweh's call to His people is to know Him! Yahweh calls His people to "know Him" and be circumcised of heart; Paul has done this by knowing Yahweh the Son as his Lord (Knowing Christ in the Challenge of Heresy, page 104-105).
3. Accordingly, when defining gn�sis the BDAG (3rd Edition) reads: Paul had seen Christ the God-man, and the personal acquaintance with Christ Jesus...was a matter of inestimable value for him Phil. 3:8 (page 203).

Since Philippians 3:8 teaches that to know the Lord Jesus is to know Him as God why do some deny He is God?

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marco
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Post #2

Post by marco »

Faber wrote:
Philippians 3:8
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. (ESV) etc.


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