on heavenly citizenship

When I was writing my Master's thesis on 1 Peter, one of the things that most impressed me about that letter was the language of "aliens and foreigners" at key points in the text (1.1, 17; 2.11). Paul exhibits a similar idea in a text that Tim Gombis cites in his discussion of the "cruciformity" (or "cross-shaped-ness") of Paul's ethical instructions (see Gombis's Paul: A Guide for the Perplexed [T&T Clark International, 2010], 73):

But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. (Phil. 3.20–21)

While I don't have a problem with Paul's point here, I really don't like the way we in the church often read this idea of "citizenship in heaven." We often think a Christian worldview denigrates or diminishes the value of this world—and the pains it inflicts—by way of realizing our citizenship is in heaven. Are you struggling in this world? Don't worry; our citizenship is in heaven. Wondering why good people suffer? It doesn't matter; our citizenship is in heaven. You're hungry or thirsty or naked or forsaken? Silver and gold I do not have, but our citizenship is in heaven.

I think neither God nor Jesus nor Paul would have accepted such an idea. Tim Gombis, however, has helpfully framed Paul's point in Philippians 3 and the idea that we live as subjects of God's kingdom. Gombis writes, "Just as the humiliation of Jesus led to exaltation and glorification, so believers' humiliation for the sake of Christ will result in exaltation and glory" (73–74). This is the actual point at play here: Jesus was exalted to God's right hand and enthroned in the heavens because he sought out and served the poor, the dispossessed, the disenfranchised from Temple or Council or Legion. Seeking and serving the poor, however, led to the cross; it did not lead to recognition as a prophet or even as a philanthropist. And Christ en route to Calvary calls his own to take up their crosses and follow him. But beware. If you take up your cross, you will find yourself nailed to it one day.

Why would anyone take up their cross? Why would anyone lay down their life to help others find theirs? What makes this transaction attractive? Enter our heavenly citizenship. Status as citizens of heaven, of God's kingdom, enables me to serve this world and not just endure it. Heavenly citizenship doesn't denigrate this world; it elevates this world as the object of God's care and concern and call us to enter into and live out of the same care and concern.

This world matters gravely to God, and we the Church must recognize its importance. In those moments when we do recognize this world's value as the work of God's hands, we come alongside the hurting, the hungry, the homeless, the weak. We enter into their pain and disenfranchisement. And we apply to their wounds the balm of God's Spirit. And the kingdom of God, of which we are citizens advances against the ruler of this age.

What is Paul telling his readers to do in Phil. 3.2?

In my Intermediate Greek II class we're translating Philippians; you can follow along (and even participate) over at my wiki, GreekBible. While we've been having a number of conversations (some more interesting than others), I haven't really thought to post very many of them here. This one, however, I'd like to solicit view points from a wider group. So here's my comments and my question about Phil. 3.2:

We won't get very far at all translating Philippians 3 if we don't get βλέπετε right. Sumney (2007: 70–71) renders the three-fold imperatives "Consider [x]" on the basis of syntactical evidence (viz., in every instance of the imperative βλέπετε with an accusative, it means "look at, consider"). O'Brien (1991: 353–354) insists that "the present context is urgent and, superficially at least, appears as a warning" (354, ftn 42) and so translates βλέπετε as "Beware of [x]."

I'm not so sure that Sumney's argument is very persuasive. Βλέπετε + acc. occurs, in the Pauline corpus, at 1 Cor. 1.26; 10.18 and 2 Cor. 10.7, in which the usage here supports his point. Even so, I'm not sure this evidence means that Paul cannot be using βλέπετε + acc. in the sense of "watch out for." And yet I agree with his conclusion, in part because I'm not sure the "urgency" O'Brien finds here at the beginning of chap. 3 is really there. Having just exhorted is readers, χαίρετε ἐν κυρίῳ, Paul may be holding up non-Christian Jews as an example of people who do not rejoice or who are otherwise not very popular in the regions surrounding Philippi (cf. Acts 16). In that case, the whole of Philippians 3 isn't a warning but a contrast.

This is why I think it's so important for us to consider how we render βλέπετε (pun intended): This will determine what we think is going on in the rest of the chapter. If "Beware of," then dark clouds have come over the otherwise encouraging and joyful epistle to the Philippians. if "Consider," then the encouraged and joyful Philippians are contrasted with figures whom Paul does not consider very joyful. The answer to this question, then, will depend in large part on how each reading jives with the rest of the chapter. So . . . which do you think fits better?