3:2 dogs. The epithet of “dogs” was sometimes applied by Jews to Gentiles in general, but Paul would not do this; indeed, he was writing to Gentile Christians. In the Old Testament, sodomites were called dogs (Deuteronomy 23:17-18). In view of Paul’s strong condemnation of this typically pagan Gentile sin (Romans 1:25-27; I Corinthians 6:9), it is probable that Paul’s warning here had reference to the sin of homosexuality or bestiality.

3:2 concison. This word, from a Greek word meaning “cutting down,” seems to be cited as in contrast to “the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit,…and have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3). That is, the Judaizers who were trying to force Gentile Christians to be circumcised had no concept of the spiritual significance that had once been attached to circumcision and which was now fulfilled in spiritual circumcision. To them it was merely a ritual and amounted to nothing more than a mutilation of the flesh; and Paul called them “the concision” instead of the circumcision, warning the Philippians against their legalistic heresies. See his discussion in Galatians 5:1-6, 11-13; 6:12-15. This is the only occurrence of the word in the New Testament.