Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
That I may know him (tou gnwnai auton). Genitive of the articular second aorist (ingressive) active infinitive (purpose) of ginwskw, to have personal acquaintance or experience with. This is Paul's major passion, to get more knowledge of Christ by experience.
The power of his resurrection (thn dunamin thv anastasewv autou). Power (Lightfoot) in the sense of assurance to believers in immortality (1 Corinthians 15:14 f.; Romans 8:11), in the triumph over sin (Romans 4:24 f.), in the dignity of the body (1 Corinthians 6:13 ff.; Philippians 3:21), in stimulating the moral and spiritual life (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4 f.; Colossians 2:12; Ephesians 2:5). See Westcott's The Gospel of the Resurrection, ii, 31.
The fellowship of his sufferings (thn koinwnian twn paqhmatwn autou). Partnership in (objective genitive) his sufferings, an honour prized by Paul (Colossians 1:24).
Becoming conformed to his death (summorfizomenov tw qanatw autou). Present passive participle of summorfizw, late verb from summorfov, found only here and ecclesiastical writers quoting it. The Latin Vulgate uses configuro. See Romans 6:4 for sumfutoi in like sense and 2 Corinthians 4:10. "The agony of Gethsemane, not less than the agony of Calvary, will be reproduced however faintly in the faithful servant of Christ" (Lightfoot). "In this passage we have the deepest secrets of the Apostle's Christian experience unveiled" (Kennedy).
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Romans 11:13
1 Corinthians 1:9
1 Corinthians 10:16
2 Corinthians 1:5
2 Corinthians 4:10
1 Thessalonians 1:1
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