Philippians 3:20 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For our conversation is in heaven;— They who have occasion to make use of this text, commonly attempt to mend our translation, asserting that the word πολιτευμα should not be rendered conversation, but citizenship. Thus Beza, the common French translation, and that printed at Mons, have rendered it. Diodati agrees with ours, but puts citizenship in the margin. The Vulgate, Syriac, Low Dutch, and Castalio render it as we do; and after all that the critics have said upon this matter, our own rendering seems preferable to the other. It must be confessed that the word, being derived from πολις, a city, is often used to signify such actions as relate to the administration and government of it; but nothing is more common, than for words in time to be used in a laxer and more general sense than their etymology will account for. This is clearly the case in the verb πολιτευεσθαι, which in like manner related at first to a civil administration, but was afterwards used to signify any manner of living and conversing: so it is used by St. Paul, ch. Philippians 1:27 and so Acts 23:1 and in this sense it is also applied by the classics. Now the rendering in our translation appears best for these reasons, 1. As it stands here in opposition to the foregoing character, and especially the last part of it,—who mind earthly things. It is most agreeable therefore to understand him to describe his own character, as one who minded heavenly things, or whose conversation was about them. 2. This is confirmed by the parallel place, Colossians 3:1-2. For our conversation is in heaven, will be the same as, we seek or mind the things above. 3. This suits best with his design, as he is recommending himself to them as an example of walking, or of conversation, Philippians 3:17. Be ye followers together of me, and mark, or observe with attention, those who walk so, as you have us for an example; and in this 20th verse he gives a reason why they should follow his example,—because it was through grace a very good one; for our conversation, that is our walking, is in heaven; and that this 20th verse is clearly connected with the 17th, appears by the conjunction γαρ, or for, at the beginning of it; the 18th and 19th verses being to be read in a parenthesis. 4. This conversation in heaven comprehends briefly all that he had said of himself, Philippians 3:10-14, and as in those verses he makes not the least allusion to a citizenship, but his whole discourse is concerning the manner of his life and conversation: it is but reasonable to understand him as speaking of that alone in this verse.