Paul’s Apologetics (4)

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11 NASB

The Dead Pool – “Being conformed to His death.” Now, what in the world can that mean? The only way to be conformed to death is to be dead, and that clearly is not what Paul has in mind. A dead believer is of no earthly value (Justin Martyr’s desire to die might be second century Christian but it is not Hebraic).

Paul starts this thought with the Greek verb symmorphizo. The translation might be “having the same likeness,” “sharing in the same form as,” “becoming like,” or (as in the NASB) “being conformed to.” It’s fairly clear that the verb is about similarity—taking some action that results in similar states. Of course, behind this compound verb is the word morphe, that is, the form or shape, the outward appearance of something. This is important. Paul is not asking to be dead. He is asking to appear in the same way that the Messiah approached death, that is, to be like him in act and attitude.

What does this mean? What would it be like to take on the same form as the Messiah exhibited about death? First, we should note that Yeshua did not attempt to avoid it. He didn’t exercise his capacity to remove himself from harm’s way. In fact, he moved toward his death because he recognized it as part of the Father’s plan. That doesn’t mean he didn’t struggle with the possibility. The Garden prayers show that this struggle was intense. But in the end, the will of the Father must prevail. To be conformed to his death is to accept what God has intended regardless of the consequences.

Second, we must account for the hope encapsulated in this death. Yeshua hangs on the cross with the psalm of vindication on his lips. He speaks of justification, not abandonment. He is supremely confident that following YHVH’s directive will result in glorification. Hope is the fabric of the grave cloth. If we are to be conformed to this perspective, then our lives must reflect hope. As Heschel once said, “Despair is forbidden.” To be symmorphizo is to rejoice that death is not the end but simply a means of achieving the Father’s goal.

Finally, there is thanatos (death). The classical Greek attitude is one of pessimistic capitulation. “Death destroys life; the shadowy existence of the dead in Hades is no true life. The most that may be expected is the survival or transmigration of the soul. All must die, so that death casts a shadow on life and its meaning. Yet death brings release from the dubious boon of life. Thus suicide may be liberation.”^[1]

But this isn’t Paul. No, his statement, “to die is gain,” is not about inevitable resignation. Paul’s apologetic is about life, not death. He isn’t likely to scare you into believing so you can avoid hell. He is much more like Moses. “Choose life, and live in harmony with the purposes of God now.” So being conformed to the death of the Messiah is not about giving up, giving in or giving away the spirit. It’s about rejoicing that death is done, finished, finito! It’s about living with the perspective that there is more to come and what we do here matters eternally. Death is no longer the enemy. But thinking that it is will always defeat us.

Topical Index: conformed, symmorphizo, death, thanatos, life, Philippians 3:10-11

^[1] Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (pp. 312–313). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.