Art Toombs Ministries 

Online Bible Commentary

Look Out for False Teachers

 

Philippians 3: 1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (NKJV)

 

Paul wrote this letter to the Church at Philippi in Macedonia, which is now northern Greece. It is thought that he wrote this during his first Roman imprisonment when he was under house arrest. 

The time of the writing is about 62 A.D. Epaphroditus visited him in prison and Paul sent this letter back with him to deliver it to the church. 

At the time of Paul’s letter, Philippi was a principal city. Paul established the church on his second missionary journey. 

Philippi was abandoned in the fourteenth century after the Ottoman conquest. The current city of Fillipoi is located near the ruins of Philippi. 

The church at Philippi was the first known church in all of Europe and it supported Paul financially. In many ways it was a model church. 

Paul begins this passage by writing “Finally, my brethren” (v. 1a). The Greek word translated “finally” does not mean that this is the final part of his letter. The Greek for this word means “for the rest”. 

Paul continues by writing “rejoice in the Lord” (v. 1b). Although he is writing while under house arrest, Paul has retained his joy. As Christians, we can always have joy, regardless of our circumstances. Paul is an example of that. 

Paul writes “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe” (v. 1c). The word translated “safe” in the Greek is “asphales”, meaning certain, definite, or the truth. It carries the idea of dependable knowledge. He is saying that It is not troublesome for him to repeat some warnings of dependable knowledge that he had given previously. 

Paul cites three warnings in this passage. The warnings are concerning false teachers in the church. 

First, he writes “Beware of dogs” (v. 2a). The word translated “beware” is the Greek verb “look”. It is a present imperative meaning “to continually be on the lookout for.” 

So, the first warning is to continually look out for the “dogs.” Dogs, in the culture, were wild dogs roaming around eating scraps, fighting over trash, menacing men, and generally being a nuisance. 

“Dogs” was a degrading term the Jews used for the Gentiles, non-Jews. Paul is using the term here to describe false teachers prowling around the Christian congregations, trying to win converts. 

Paul continues “beware of evil workers” (v. 2b). So, his second warning is to continually look out for “evil workers”. The word translated “evil” is the Greek word “kakos” which means depraved, evil, wicked. 

Paul’s third warning is “beware of the mutilation” (v.2c). The warning is to continually look out for mutilators of the flesh, “the concision” in the literal Greek.

The word translated “concision” is the Greek word “katatome” which means to cut away or mutilate. The reference is to  circumcision. 

These are not teachers of the circumcision of the heart but the circumcision of the flesh, which Paul calls mutilation, or concision. Those Jews who were only concerned with requiring “concision” of the flesh, instead of changed hearts were called Judaizers. They taught legalism, a salvation of works and not grace. 

Paul continues “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (v. 3). He is saying that it is those who, by the true circumcision, that of the heart, are the teachers of truth. 

The word translated “worship” in the Greek is the present active participle of “latreuo” which means to minister, to serve. The literal Greek for the end of the verse is “and glorifying in Christ Jesus, and not in flesh trusting.” 

The false teachers are still around today. They are teaching lies to tickle the ears of people and bring them into their own church, like the “dogs”. 

They are teachers of evil and depravity. And they are teachers of legalism, salvation by works and not grace.

These false teachers appear to be very religious, hiding behind long robes, tradition, customs, and long-established mainline denominations. But they are not teaching the truth of the Bible. 

So, we Christians are to continually be on the lookout for false teachers. Just as they were present then, they are present now. And they are teaching the same false doctrine.