Watch out for Dogs!
Php 3:2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
The group that Paul is referring to is the group of the circumcision of whom he wrote extensively in the book of Galatians. These were those who claimed that "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." Acts 15:1 These came from the church at Jerusalem which served as their base of operations. They were tolerated by the church leaders, Peter, James and John. But Paul did not tolerate them, and even rebuked Peter, who feared the group of the circumcision, and had compromised on this matter . Gal 2:11"But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed."
Beware of putting too much trust in your institutional leaders. Here even Peter, James and John had failed to watch out for the dogs, those men who do evil. And this was likely due to the prejudice they held against Gentiles at the time. But Paul went to Jerusalem and settled the matter with them, Peter taking a stand saying, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
As for this cult of the circumcision, Paul calls them false brethren. "This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you." Gal 2:4,5
In jest he says of them, "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!" Gal 5:12, which is also his reference here to the hyperbole "mutilators of the flesh." For if they think that cutting the skin around one's penis invokes righteousness, then why not go all the way and cut it off altogether. We should have such an attitude towards those who make much of fleshly rituals, like those found in Catholicism which make salvation contingent upon water baptism, eating and drinking, and other such rituals. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" Rom 14:17
Php 3:2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
The group that Paul is referring to is the group of the circumcision of whom he wrote extensively in the book of Galatians. These were those who claimed that "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." Acts 15:1 These came from the church at Jerusalem which served as their base of operations. They were tolerated by the church leaders, Peter, James and John. But Paul did not tolerate them, and even rebuked Peter, who feared the group of the circumcision, and had compromised on this matter . Gal 2:11"But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed."
Beware of putting too much trust in your institutional leaders. Here even Peter, James and John had failed to watch out for the dogs, those men who do evil. And this was likely due to the prejudice they held against Gentiles at the time. But Paul went to Jerusalem and settled the matter with them, Peter taking a stand saying, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
As for this cult of the circumcision, Paul calls them false brethren. "This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you." Gal 2:4,5
In jest he says of them, "As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!" Gal 5:12, which is also his reference here to the hyperbole "mutilators of the flesh." For if they think that cutting the skin around one's penis invokes righteousness, then why not go all the way and cut it off altogether. We should have such an attitude towards those who make much of fleshly rituals, like those found in Catholicism which make salvation contingent upon water baptism, eating and drinking, and other such rituals. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" Rom 14:17
