John Calvin Commentary Philippians 3:21

"who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, [that it may be] conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself." — Philippians 3:21 (ASV)

Who will change — By this argument he stirs up the Philippians still further to lift up their minds to heaven and be wholly attached to Christ — because this body which we carry about with us is not an everlasting dwelling, but a frail tabernacle, which will in a short time be reduced to nothing.

Besides, it is liable to so many miseries and so many dishonorable infirmities, that it may justly be spoken of as vile and full of ignominy. From where, then, can we hope for its restoration? From heaven, at Christ’s coming. Therefore, every part of us ought to aspire to heaven with undivided affection.

We see, on the one hand, in life, but chiefly in death, the present lowliness of our bodies. The glory which they will have, in conformity with Christ’s body, is incomprehensible to us; for if the disciples could not endure the slight taste which He gave them in His transfiguration (Matthew 17:6), which of us could attain its fullness? Let us for now be content with the evidence of our adoption, as we are destined to know the riches of our inheritance when we come to enjoy them.

According to the efficacy — Since nothing is more difficult to believe, or more at variance with carnal perception, than the resurrection, Paul for this reason places before our eyes the boundless power of God, so that it may entirely remove all doubt; for distrust arises from this — that we measure the thing itself by the narrowness of our own understanding. Nor does he simply mention power, but also efficacy, which is the effect, or power showing itself in action, so to speak. Now, when we keep in mind that God, who created all things out of nothing, can command the earth, the sea, and the other elements to return what has been committed to them, our minds are immediately roused to a firm hope — indeed, even to a spiritual contemplation of the resurrection.

But it is also important to note that the right and power of raising the dead, indeed, of doing everything according to His own pleasure, is assigned to the person of Christ — a tribute by which His Divine majesty is gloriously displayed. Furthermore, we gather from this that the world was created by Him, for to subject all things to Himself belongs to the Creator alone.