What does it mean that “they glory in their shame”?

Explanation:

Paul says there are enemies of the cross of Christ, and their glory is their shame. To understand what he means, it is important to understand the immediate context. He is contrasting those who are mature with those whose end is destruction (Philippians 3:19).⁴ For those whose end is destruction, their god is their stomach (Philippians 3:19). When Paul says their god is their stomach, he likely has in mind that their minds are set on earthly things so that, instead of worshipping God in heaven, they worship sensuous pleasures such as sexuality and gluttony. Paul then says that their glory is their shame, likely inferring that even though their sensuous appetites lead to shame, they brag and boast of such sensuous behaviour.⁵ Paul is saying that for those who are enemies of the cross of Christ, what they believe is something to boast in is actually shameful.

Counterargument:

When Paul refers to the notion that their god is their stomach, he likely has in mind the Judaizers.⁶ And if he has in mind the Judaizers, we ought to understand the notion that it is the Judaizers’ glory that is their shame. The reason we can deduce that when Paul says their god is their stomach, he has in mind the Judaizers, is because he refers in Philippians 3:2 to the teachings of the Judaizers, who promote circumcision, when he tells the Philippians to look out for the mutilators of the flesh. Connect with this with the fact that in Philippians 3:18 he refers to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ, implying that he once again has the Judaizers in mind. Thus, we know the Judaizers are top of mind for Paul. Now, we know that the Judaizers promoted and emphasized certain dietary restrictions, so when Paul says their god is their stomach, he likely has the Judaizers’ dietary restrictions in mind.⁷ Finally, if Paul has the Judaizers in mind, then when he says their glory is their shame, he likely means that what they think will justify them on the Day of the Lord is actually to their shame.

Response to counterargument:

The problem here is that it is not clear that Paul has in mind the Judaizers, for he refers to those whose glory is their shame as enemies of the cross of Christ.⁸ The fact is, enemies of the cross of Christ could refer to the Judaizers, or those who deliberately indulge in sin.⁹ Further, when Paul says that their god is their stomach, it is not obvious from any other Pauline passage that this refers to dietary restrictions. On the other hand, Paul does refer to those who cause divisions in the church as serving their own stomachs (Romans 16:17–18). And in 1 Corinthians 6:13, Paul refers to the stomach in conjunction with sexual immorality.¹⁰ Finally, the phrase that precedes the notion that their glory is their shame is the fact that their minds are set on earthly things.

Given that enemies of the cross is a phrase that could generally refer to anyone who is opposed to Christ, including the Judaizers, with the fact that Paul uses the term stomach elsewhere to refer to indulging the flesh, and that Paul says their minds are set on earthly things, we can see what Paul means. That is, we can see that the enemies of Christ glory in their shame in the general sense that those who oppose the cross of Christ live sinful lives and boast over such shameful behaviour.

Explanation:

Paul says that for those who are enemies of the cross of Christ, they glory in their shame, which means they think that their glory consists in behaviour that is actually shameful. We can deduce that this is Paul’s meaning by considering the meaning of the term δόξα (glory).¹¹ For the term δόξα can mean something like status, fame, recognition, renown, honour, or prestige.¹² When δόξα is understood as something like fame or prestige, then Paul is saying that their fame or prestige is their shame. In other words, what these people are known for is shameful behaviour.¹³

Counterargument:

The problem with this argument is that the term δόξα (glory) can also denote something like the condition of being bright or shining.¹⁴ In other words, it has to do with how one will appear at the final judgment. Now, if Paul uses δόξα in the sense of how one will appear at final judgment, then he is saying that what the enemies of the cross of Christ consider brightness, will be called shameful on Judgment Day. Thus, Paul is not referring to individual shameful acts that are mistaken as acts to boast over, but he is referring to what the enemies of Christ think justifies them before God.

Response to counterargument:

While it is true that certain terms, such as δόξα (glory), can be used to denote various meanings, we need to consider the context to determine what meaning an author has in mind. In the case of Philippians 3:19, Paul likely has in mind that δόξα means something like fame or prestige. We can deduce this because the following clause refers to the notion that their minds are set on earthly things (Philippians 3:19). Paul refers to the notion of setting one’s mind on earthly things elsewhere, where he has in mind immoral behaviour. Specifically, in Colossians 3:2, Paul exhorts the Colossians not to set their minds on earthly things, and in Colossians 3:5 he refers to such earthly things are sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and more. In other words, he refers to behaviour, not how one thinks he is justified before God. So Paul has in mind that those who are enemies of the cross have their minds set on earthly things, and thus are known for acts of the flesh, and what they are known for is shameful.

It is hard to see what the weakness of this view might be, other than the inherent ambiguity of language.

Explanation:

When Paul says their glory is their shame, he has the final Day of Judgment in mind. That is, he is saying that the enemies of the cross of Christ believe that they are justified before God, but in the end, whatever glory they think they have before God will be turned to shame on the Day of Judgment. We can deduce that this is Paul’s meaning because it is consistent with the first clause of Philippians 3:19 where Paul says that their end is destruction.¹⁷

Counterargument:

There are two problems with this argument. First, this view takes it that the first clause of Philippians 3:19 should be taken as saying that for the enemies of the cross of Christ, their future is destruction in the sense of judgment. Such an understanding of the first clause of Philippians 3:19 is possible, but it is also possible to take it in another way. For when Paul says their end is destruction, he uses the noun τέλος which we translate end. Τέλος can be used to mean something like goal, so that we could understand the first clause of Philippians 3:19 as saying that the goal of the enemies of the cross of Christ is destruction. Taken in this sense, the first clause does not have to do with Judgment Day, and so cannot be used to support the interpretation that glorying in their shame has to do with Judgment Day.

Second, even if the first clause of Philippians 3:19 does have to do with Judgement Day, it is not obvious that their glory being their shame has to do with believing they are justified before God before being judged. For it is not at all obvious that by glory Paul means something like thinking they are justified before God.

Response to counterargument:

If we put aside the fact that the first clause of Philippians 3:19 could be taken in various ways, and simply accept that it has to do with judgment, then we do have reason to connect glory with thinking they are justified before God. We have reason to make this connection because of Isaiah 45:24–25.¹⁸ In Isaiah 45:1–25, God declares that there is none besides him who is Saviour and who can save (Isaiah 45:20–21). God calls the people to himself, explaining that in the end, every knee will bow before him (Isaiah 45:22–23). Finally, God explains that only in him is righteousness, and all who were incensed against him will be ashamed, but the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory (Isaiah 45:24–25). Clearly, there is some allusion here to standing before God on the Day of Judgment, and either sharing in God’s righteousness and glory or being ashamed. Paul has a similar sentiment in mind in Philippians 3:19.

Explanation:

When Paul explains that for those who are enemies of the cross of Christ, their glory is their shame, he likely has Judgment Day in mind. That is, while there are some who glory in their own strength and reasoning, their strength and reasoning will be put to shame on the Day of Judgment.

We can deduce that Paul has the Day of Judgment in mind because several Old Testament passages allude to the notion of believing in one’s own strength, only to be shamed at the Day of Judgment. First, in Isaiah 41:11, God explains through Isaiah that all who go up against Israel will be put to shame and confounded. For when the enemies go up against Israel, God will be on the side of Israel (Isaiah 41:12–13). Further, in Micah 7:16 the Lord explains that he is on the side of the Israelites, and that her enemies will be ashamed.¹⁹ Thus, Paul has in mind that by depending on their own strength and reason, the enemies of the cross of Christ will be put to shame on the Day of Judgment.

Counterargument:

The passages that this argument uses to make its case are not relevant. This argument has it that the glory of the enemies of the cross of Christ is their own strength and reason, but on the Day of Judgment, God will put them to shame. This view is plausible, but neither Isaiah 41:11 nor Micah 7:16 supports it. For both of these passages have to do with God protecting Israel and the fact that Israel’s enemies will put to shame, not that some will be put to shame on Judgment Day.

Explanation:

When Paul says that their glory is their shame, we ought to understand this in light of Philippians 1:20. In Philippians 1:20 there is a parallel expression from Paul where he says that he will not be ashamed, but Christ will be honoured in his body in either life or death.²⁰ That is in contrast to the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose glory will be their shame. Likely, the terms used for be ashamed in Philippians 1:20 and shame in Philippians 3:19 are parallel, along with the terms used for honor and glory. Paul is confident that Christ will be honoured, while the enemies of the cross, while they might have glory now, on the Day of Judgment they will be put to shame. This argument makes no commitment as to what these enemies ground their glory in, only that it is not Christ, so on the Day of Judgment, they will be put to shame.

Counterargument:

There is a loose connection between Philippians 3:19 and Philippians 1:20, but it is hard to admit that Philippians 1:20 informs the meaning of Philippians 3:19. When it comes to Philippians 1:20, Paul is saying that although he is in prison, he is not ashamed of the gospel, and believes that Christ will deliver him so that Christ will be honoured in his body. Thus, Paul is not referring to the Day of Judgment, nor to his own honour, but to Christ’s honour. On the other hand, Philippians 3:19 has to do with the enemies of the cross of Christ who have their minds set on earthly things, and whose gods are their bellies (Philippians 3:19). For these, their glory is their shame. Unfortunately, it is not clear how Paul’s not being ashamed so that Christ may be honoured, informs the notion that for the enemies of the cross of Christ, their glory is their shame.

This view cannot establish the connection between glory and Judgment Day in the context of Philippians 3:19. That is, it might be that glory is associated with Judgment Day, but we need reasons from the context of Philippians 3:19 to show that when glory is used in Philippians 3:19 it refers to Judgment Day. Since this connection is not established, and glory can be used to refer to things other than Judgment Day, it is not clear that Paul has Judgment Day in mind.