Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)
The guarantee of Christ’s ability to transform our lowly bodies into the likeness of His glorified body resides in His power over all creation.
Working.
Gr. energeia, “energy,” here, supernatural power (cf. on ch. 2:13).
His glorious body.
Literally, “the body of His glory,” that is, the body in which Christ dwells, now that He is glorified, which may be compared with the “spiritual body” of resurrected saints (see on Luke 24:39; 1 Cor. 15:42-49; see John 20:17, 25, 27; DA 829). The redeemed are not only to possess Christ’s character but also to be clothed in an immortal body similar to that possessed by Jesus since His resurrection (see on 1 Cor. 15:51-53). This transformation completes the redemptive work on which Paul’s heart is set. The Christian is completely conformed to the likeness of his Master.
May be fashioned.
Or, “may come to have the same form as another,”“become conformed to.” In v. 10 Paul shows that the life of the Christian must be made conformable to that of Christ. He now indicates that the body also is ultimately to be conformed to that of Christ.
Our vile body.
Literally, “the body of our humiliation,” thus described in contrast with the glorious body the saints will possess in the world to come.
Change.
Gr. metaschēmatizō, “to change the form of,”“to transform” (see on 1 Cor. 4:6; cf. 2 Cor. 11:13-15), from meta, “after,” and schēma, “form” (see on Phil. 2:8).
Metaschēmatizō implies that there will be a radical change in the bodies of those who are redeemed, though the original identity will be preserved (see on 1 Cor. 15:35-50).
See on 1 Cor. 15:27, 28. The transformation of human bodies and characters is only one manifestation of the sovereign power of Christ. His total work embraces the subjection of all phases of creation to the divine rulership.