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The Philippians are warned of `evil workers'. The Lord tells us Himself that He will say to some who had eaten
and drunk in His presence, `depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity' (Luke 13:27).
The stress seems not so much on evil doers, but of those `who actually wrought, professedly for the Gospel'
(Alford) and throws into prominence `the workman' commended in 2 Timothy 2:15. The apostle uses the word
translated `workers' of his fellow labourers who were in many cases `fellow teachers' (Rom. 16:3; Phil. 2:25; 4:3).
In the third case these evil workers are called `the concision'. Katatome is an intended disparagement,
`circumcision' being peritome and `rightly dividing' being orthotomeo, each word being a variant of temno `to cut'.
Circumcision, instead of being an honourable sign, a sign of covenant relationship with God, and a sign of self
denial in the flesh, had degenerated to a mere ostentatious barbarity, and so far had Israel fallen, that the apostle uses
of them the identical word found in the LXX for the forbidden `cutting in the flesh' (Lev. 21:5), practised by the
priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:28) and the heathen.
The true meaning of circumcision as over against this degeneration had already been made known when writing
to the Romans.
`For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh, but he is
a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose
praise is not of men, but of God' (Rom. 2:28,29).
In Colossians the apostle advances a further statement concerning the true intent of circumcision :
`In Whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins
of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ' (Col. 2:11).
But in Philippians he brings the spiritual teaching of true circumcision to its climax, and just as he uses the word
`beware' three times, associating the warning with `dogs', `evil workers' and `the concision', so now he expands the
character of true circumcision in a threefold description:
`For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in
the flesh' (Phil. 3:3).
The idea of worship should be confined to the word proskuneo, which is so translated in the Authorized Version
of the New Testament sixty times. In Philippians 3 the apostle uses the word latreuo which, while it is translated in
*
the New Testament `worship' four times, is rendered `serve' sixteen times and `do service' once.
The word has been variously derived. One Lexicographer says that it comes from the word tromou meaning `to
tremble', as of servants (Eph. 6:5). Another says that it is derived from latris, `to serve for hire'. In classical Greek
the primary meaning of latreuo is `to work for hire', and the secondary meaning `to serve the gods'. The reader will
see that latreuo enters into the composition of the word `idolatry', the `service' of that which is `seen'.
Philippians as we have seen is the epistle of service. It is addressed by Paul and Timothy in the capacity of
`servants', not only to the believers at the Church at Philippi, but to `the Bishops and Deacons'. Worship
(proskuneo) is in spirit (John 4:23) and service (latreuo) is in spirit also (Phil. 3:3). We serve (douleuo) in newness
of spirit (Rom. 7:6). Our Christian life began in the spirit (Gal. 3:3), and we are exhorted to walk in the spirit (Gal.
5:16).
In the realm of the spirit there can be no boasting in the flesh. This is the first mark of true circumcision,
consequently the apostle continues :
`and rejoice in Christ Jesus' (Phil. 3:3).
As we have already observed the true Greek word meaning `rejoice' is found in Philippians 3:1, but the word so
translated in chapter 3:3 means rather `to boast'. In every day use, kauchaomai means `to brag'. Some Lexicons
deduce the word from auchen `the neck, which', says Parkhurst, `proud, vain-glorious persons are apt to carry and
*
See articles entitled `Worship' in The Berean Expositor, Vols. 33-35.