Philippians 3:10-11 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
‘That I may know him’ – this is life eternal (John 17:3).
‘Power of his resurrection.’ He longed for the resurrection of the body (3:11, 21; 1Cor. 15:1-58; 2Cor. 5:1-21).
‘The fellowship of his sufferings’ – Not fellowship with Him in His vicarious sufferings, but in the offence of the cross and martyrdom for truth (2Cor. 1:5-7; Col. 1:24; 1Pet. 4:13).
‘Conformable’ [Greek: summorphoo] to be formed or fashioned like. Paul wanted to know Christ and the power which was in His resurrection, and to share in His sufferings, even to die as He died.
‘Resurrection of the dead’ – This is the 3rd New Testament prophecy in Philippians (3:11) and is unfulfilled until the coming resurrections.
‘Of the dead’ [Greek: ek and nekron] out from among the dead. This means that some of the dead will be resurrected from among the rest of the dead. It refers to the resurrection of the righteous from among the wicked dead (3:21; Luke 20:35; 21:36; 1Cor. 15:23, 51-54; 1Thess. 4:13-17; Rev. 20:4-6).
Living the Word 