PHILIPPIANS 3:11

In this passage (beginning with v. 10) Paul expresses the wish to know Christ and the power of his resurrection “if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (NRSV, NIV). The underlined phrase translates the Greek words ei pos, and is rather a neutral rendering that could be taken to mean one of two things: (A) an expression of doubt on Paul's part as to his ultimate resurrection, or (B) an expression of uncertainty on Paul's part as to the exact manner in which he will be resurrected. And there is a basic division of opinion among scholars as to which is the intended meaning. Each of these possibilities will be discussed in turn, beginning with modern translations and paraphrases:

    A. Translations that appear to reflect the first possible meaning include: “if possible” (RSV), “if, hopefully” (AB), “if only I may” (NEB), and “perhaps” (Phillips).

    B. Renderings that could be used to reflect the second option include: “if by any means” (KJV, ESV), “whatever it takes” (Living Bible), and “if there was any way” (The Message).

    C. And finally, there are translations that depart from the literal Greek and eliminate the iffy word “if” in order to put a slightly more positive spin on the thought: “in the hope that I myself will be raised” (TEV), “in order that I may attain” (NASB), and “that is the way I can hope to take my place” (JB).

In fact, each of the two basic renderings of v. 11 has several variations of interpretation within it. So here is a more complete list of the possibilities with comments pro and con from commentators:

Paul's only doubt as to his salvation was in himself, not God.

This appears to be the most common understanding of this verse, although one certainly cannot claim consensus on the matter even among evangelicals:

One scholar asks the difficult question that has divided Christians for centuries: “whether Paul thinks that believers will lose their salvation if they deny their profession by grossly sinful lives. Several passages sound like it.” He cites I Corinthians 3:17; 9:27; 10:6ff; Ephesians 5:5; and Philippians 3:11. He concludes: “Eternal life is a free gift of God (Rom. 6:3), but it is at the same time a reward bestowed on those who have manifested steadfast loyalty in persecutions and afflictions.”

Hendricksen: “He is not expressing distrust in the power or love of God nor doubt as to his own salvation. Paul often rejoices in assurance of salvation (Rom 6:5,8; 7:25; 8:16,17,35-39)...But he wrote it in the spirit of deep humility and commendable distrust in self. The words also imply earnest striving. They show us Paul, the Idealist, who applies to himself the rule he imposes on others (Phil. 2:12,13).”

F.F. Bruce calls ei pos “a clause of purpose, attainment of which is not altogether within the subject's power.”

Foulkes: “This verse comes to us strangely now. Does not attaining to the resurrection depend on faith alone? Could the apostle be in doubt about his final salvation? He never lacked assurance that he was a child of God, accepted and with Him (Rom. 8:15-17; Gal. 4:6f). Yet he was never complacent. Faith must endure to the end (cf. Heb. 3:14).”

Gundry-Volf: “Paul's further assertion [v. 12], 'I have been apprehended by Christ' takes the uncertainty out of his obtaining and makes it simply future, as well as suggests it dependence on divine action. Similarly Paul's hope of attaining to the resurrection can be seen as an expectation expressing dependence on God's action and not as raising doubt about its fulfillment, as Paul's other uses of the expression ei pos...show (Rom 1:10; 11:14).”

Reumann: In the cases in which ei pos appears in the New Testament or Septuagint, both hope and doubt seem involved. But “Paul distrusts himself, not God.”

Ellicott feels that “if by any means” may be regarded as “an expression not so much of doubt, as of humility.” He also cites v. 21.

“'If by any means' does not express uncertainty but rather humble expectation and modest self-confidence. Even the apostle – and together with him all who have attained the righteousness of God through faith – must watch and pray continually to abide in the fellowship of Christ's suffering and in conformity to His death, ever dying to himself and to sin and ever crucified with Christ. For only in that way the glorification with Christ, and the perfect knowledge of and sinless communication with the living Lord will be attained by and after the resurrection from the dead.” (Muller)

I may be in the minority among some evangelicals in my own belief here, but I feel that the balance of Scripture teachings on the subject demonstrate that we are foolhardy if we take the self-assured, dogmatic position I have heard some take which even goes so far as to say, “God has to save me. He has no choice in the matter” and “Even Judas is in heaven since 'once saved, always saved.'” I am reminded of Jesus comment in Matthew 7:21-23 where he tells those who not only call on his name, but have done mighty deeds in that name: “I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.”

Paul was talking about living a resurrection life while still alive in the present.

This position represents another way to avoid contradictions with other statements in Scripture:

Hewlett expresses the opinion that Paul's words cannot refer to the resurrection of the body since “that is a matter not of attainment but of grace...As the logical and only satisfying consequence of partnership with Christ's sufferings and conformity to His death, he seeks now, even in the present body to live as a victorious, risen man.”

“Now Paul's whole life is shaped by his sharing in Christ's death and resurrection (Phil 3:10-11). This process of being transformed in Christ is a continuing process in Paul's life as he responds to the call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:12-14).” (Everts)

“The renewing and working of the Spirit in believers during their present life can also be described by Paul as a beginning of the resurrection of the body...So the shining of the glory of the future life illuminates them even now...a firstfruit and earnest in the present time of their resurrection from the dead.” (Ridderbos)

“References that compare the apostle's sufferings and deliverances in ministry to the death and resurrection of Jesus are to be found in [passages such as] Philippians 3:7-11, where Paul describes what he gave up when he became a Christian and the infinitely greater gain he found in Christ. The passage reaches it apex in Philippians 3:10-11.” (Beasley-Murray)

“What is this language 'somehow, to attain'? That is the language of humility and of hope. Paul knew he had not yet attained the resurrection, for he had not yet died. His physical resurrection was still a future hope. It is not that he is unsure of it...Yet he wants to attain to everything for which Christ did this...He knew that he did not yet know Jesus fully...Paul was not a man to be content with less than all that was possible in Jesus.” (Brauch)

Paul was talking about the Rapture, not the final resurrection.

This is the favored approach taken by some premillennialists:

Lightner explains: “'Resurrection' (Phil. 3:11) is the translation of exanastasin, a Greek word used nowhere else in the New Testament. It means a partial resurrection out from among other corpses, literally an 'out-resurrection'...Perhaps he was using this word to refer to the Rapture, thus expressing the hope that the Lord would return during his lifetime.”

J.B. Payne places the fulfillment of this event during “the first resurrection” right before the Millennium. He notes that the phrasing is “indicative of its partial, noncomprehensive character.”

In scholarly rebuttal to this position, which is based on the supposed difference in meaning between exanastasin and the more common word for resurrection, anastasin, are the following:

Both anastasis and exanastasis in secular Greek “have the intrans. meaning of getting up, rising up (also from the dead).” (Coenen)

Reumann states that most scholars see no difference between exanastasis and anastasis.

Paul was only curious as to the exact method in which he would be resurrected.

“It has been suggested that any uncertainty Paul expresses here pertains to the manner and not the fact of arriving at his final destiny: by martyrdom?” (Gundry-Volf)

“The qualification if by any means reflects the same uncertainty of his immediate future which was noted in I. 22,23, i.e. it relates to the immediate prospect of his trial and its issue, which hangs in the balance at the time of writing.” (Martin)

“The resurrection was certain, but the intervening events were uncertain as to timing and circumstances. Would he die and later rise from the dead? Or would he remain alive and undergo transformation to his new resurrection body?” (Hughes)

In rebuttal, Silva finds no support for “means or method” in the phrase ei pos.

In my mind, either one of the first two explanations appears to be the best possibility here.