7保罗写腓立比书的时候，腓立比的一些信徒并没有在主里喜乐，因为他们正受到二节所说那班人的搅扰和迷惑。二节保罗说，『你们要提防犬类，提防作恶的，提防妄自行割的。』保罗一面告诉我们要喜乐，另一面告诉我们要提防犬类。我们会看见，这里的『犬类』是指热中犹太教者。今天我们也必须提防『犬类』。事实上，在保罗的时代只有一群『犬类』，就是热中犹太教者；但今天有各种不同的『犬类』。每当这些犬类来骚扰，也许是藉著散播有关主恢复的邪恶谣言来骚扰时，我们就很难喜乐。因此，我们需要保罗的劝勉：要喜乐，并要提防『犬类』。根据三章二节的结构，犬类、作恶的、妄自行割的，都是指同一班人。『犬类』与作恶的、妄自行割的有关系，这事实指明『犬类』乃是热心宗教的人。作恶的在这里不是指盗贼，而是那些主张行割礼的人。他们热心推广割礼的时候，正像狂吠的狗一般。因这缘故，保罗用了『作恶的』和『妄自行割的』这两个极端轻蔑的辞。这些热中犹太教的宗教『犬类』，不只乱吼乱叫，也乱咬人。凡是福音所到之处，有召会建立的地方，热中犹太教者就像狂吠、乱咬的宗教『犬类』来扰乱圣徒。保罗写腓立比书所对抗的背景之一，就是热中犹太教者的狂吠与乱咬。今天有许多不同狂吠的宗教『犬类』。不论我们走到那里，总会受到各种宗教团体的扰乱。原则上，我们的处境与当初保罗写信给腓立比人时的处境相同。我们和腓立比的信徒一样迫切的需要经历基督。如果腓立比人因著他们的背景而需要经历基督，我们处在今天的环境中，就更需要经历基督了。腓立比人只要应付一个教派，而我们必须对付许多教派，许多狂吠的宗教『犬类』。当我们起来论到经历基督的事，这些『犬类』就来狂吠、乱咬。反对者的著作中，有许多敌挡我们的不实控告，这些都可以看作宗教的『犬类』在那里乱吼乱叫。
7When Paul wrote the book of Philippians, certain believers in Philippi were not rejoicing in the Lord, for they were being troubled or distracted by those described in verse 2. In this verse Paul says, “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the concision.” On the one hand, Paul tells us to rejoice; on the other hand, he tells us to beware of the dogs. As we shall see, the “dogs” here refer to the Judaizers. Today there are also “dogs” of which we need to beware. In fact, in Paul’st i me there was just one group of “dogs,” the Judaizers, but today there are many different kinds of “dogs.” Whenever these “dogs” exercise their influence, perhaps by spreading evil rumors about the Lord’s recovery, we may find it difficult to rejoice. Thus, we need Paul’s exhortation to rejoice and to beware of “dogs.” According to the construction of 3:2, the dogs, the evil workers, and the concision all refer to the same people. The fact that the “dogs” are associated with the evil workers and the concision indicates that the “dogs” are religious people. The evil workers mentioned here were not thieves. They were those who advocated circumcision. But as they zealously promoted circumcision, they were like barking dogs. For this reason, Paul uses the terms evil workers and the concision, as expressions of extreme contempt. As religious “dogs,” the Judaizers were not only barking ones, but also biting ones. Wherever the gospel was preached and churches were established, the Judaizers came as barking, biting, religious “dogs” to trouble the saints. The barking and biting of the Judaizers was one aspect of the background against which the book of Philippians was written. Today there are a number of different groups of barking religious “dogs.” Wherever we may go, we are troubled by the different religious parties. In principle, our situation is the same as that of the Philippians when Paul wrote to them. Like the believers at Philippi, we urgently need the experience of Christ. If the Philippians were in need of the experience of Christ because of their background, how much more do we need to experience Him because of the situation in which we find ourselves today! The Philippians had to deal with only oneism, but we must deal with many isms, with many groups of barking religious “dogs.” When we rise up to speak concerning the experience of Christ, these “dogs” come to bark and to bite. The writings of the opposers, in which many false accusations are made against us, may be regarded as the “barking” of religious “dogs.”