Philippians 1:22-24

(a) The substance of the body. The material that covers the bones of a human or animal body. Whether of beasts or of men.

"All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one [flesh] of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish." (1Co15:39) Paul speaks of the amazing variety of earthly bodies God has made. We need only look around us to see the virtually infinite assortment of created beings and things. The flesh of men is absolutely distinct from the flesh of beasts, the flesh of birds, and the flesh of fish. In short, all flesh is not of the same kind. In context Paul is saying that if God is able to make different kinds of bodies for men, animals, birds, and fish, why can He not make a different kind of body for us at the resurrection? He has arranged all things in nature in the differing degrees of glory and so has power to bring about the state of glory to be manifested in the resurrected bodies of believers. Note: Differences in degrees of glory in the believer's glorified bodies is not in view.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh (in this physical human body) I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." (Gal 2:20)

(b) “the human body,” 2 Cor. 10:3a; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 1:22;

(c) by synecdoche, of “mankind,” in the totality of all that is essential to manhood, i.e., spirit, soul, and body, Matt. 24:22; John 1:13; Rom. 3:20;

(d) by synecdoche, of “the holy humanity” of the Lord Jesus, in the totality of all that is essential to manhood, i.e., spirit, soul, and body John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 John 4:2; 2 John 7, in Heb. 5:7, “the days of His flesh,” i.e., His past life on earth in distinction from His present life in resurrection;

(e) by synecdoche, for “the complete person,” John 6:51-57; 2 Cor. 7:5; Jas. 5:3;

(f) “the weaker element in human nature,” Matt. 26:41; Rom. 6:19; 8:3a;

(g) “the unregenerate state of men,” Rom. 7:5; 8:8, 9;

(h) “the seat of sin in man” (but this is not the same thing as in the body), 2 Pet. 2:18; 1 John 2:16;

(i) “the lower and temporary element in the Christian,” Gal. 3:3; 6:8, and in religious ordinances, Heb. 9:10

(j) “the natural attainments of men,” 1 Cor. 1:26; 2 Cor. 10:2, 3b;

(k) “circumstances,” 1 Cor. 7:28; the externals of life, 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 6:5; Heb. 9:13;

(1) by metonymy, “the outward and seeming,” as contrasted with the spirit, the inward and real, John 6:63; 2 Cor. 5:16;

(m) “natural relationship, consanguine,” 1 Cor. 10:18; Gal. 4:23, or marital, Matt. 19:5.”

Adapted and modified from Vine, W. E. Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words. Vol. 2, Page 242-243. Nashville: T. Nelson

Metonymy: the substitution of a word referring to an attribute for the thing that is meant, as for example the use of the crown to refer to a monarch. This is a figure of speech in which an attribute of a thing or something closely related to it is substituted for the thing itself. Thus, “sweat” can mean “hard labor,” and “Capitol Hill” represents the U.S. Congress. Another example is "The White House denied the allegations,” which uses White House to mean the president or his staff."

Synecdoche: a figure of speech in which a part is substituted for a whole or a whole for a part, as in 50 head of cattle for 50 cows. It represents an indirect mode of expression, often used in rhetoric, whereby the whole is put for the part, or the part for the whole. Typical examples of this figure of speech occurring in the Bible are “for they have come under the shelter of my roof [my house]” (Ge19:18), and “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him [the messenger] who brings good tidings” (Isa52:7). "The house was built by 40 hands" for "The house was built by 20 people." In this figure of speech a part is put for the whole (as fifty sail for fifty ships), the whole for a part (as society for high society), the species for the genus (as cutthroat for assassin), the genus for the species (as a creature for a man), or the name of the material for the thing made (as boards for stage) Synecdoche represents a more inclusive term is used for a less inclusive term, or vice versa, as in “Brazil lost the soccer game,” which means that a soccer team from Brazil lost the game. In the expression “all hands on deck,” “hands” stands for the whole person.

Paul knew that the only reason to remain in this world was to bring souls to Christ and build up believers to do the same. Paul couldn't say what he would choose. He knew it was an issue that was in the Lord's hands and, given the choice, couldn't choose either heaven or earth for himself.