Philippians 2:1-13

Philippians 2:1-13 (NRSV)

 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, ² make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

⁶ who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

⁷ but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

⁸      he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross. 

⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name

that is above every name,

¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bend,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

¹¹ and every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

            Philippians 2:1-4 is an exhortation to harmony and humility. Paul wants them to have a shared mind-set. This is not just thinking or feeling in general, but to center thoughts on something. He offers an important example of what a live worthy or correspond to the gospel (1:27) would look like. Paul assumes that Christ encourages them. He assumes that love consoles them. He assumes they share the Spirit. Here is the basis for his appeal for peace and harmony within the community. He also assumes they want him to think of them joyfully when he thinks of them. Thus, his exhortation or appeal is that they have a common mind and love. If they do, they will not have a party spirit. Further, he urges them to reject the exaltation of self that comes from selfish ambition and conceit. His concern is that in the midst of the dangers of this world, they need to experience the deeper bonds of fellowship and friendship. His advice reminds me of the concerns of popular modern authors. Robert Fulghum gave a long list of things he learned in Kindergarten that he would then apply to adult life.  One item on the list was this: "When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together."[1]  Rather, in reflecting upon the life of Christ, as he will do in a moment, they are to have humility, regarding others as better than they are. They need to look beyond their interests and toward the interests of others. I came across a story of a little girl who lived near Princeton University. She had trouble with math. However, she suddenly started improving. Her mother asked her why. The girl responded that she heard about a professor in town who was good at numbers. She rang his doorbell one day to ask him for help. He taught her every day since then. Her mother asked her who he was. She responded she was not sure, but “it’s something like Einstein.” The story is too perfect to be an event in history. Yet, it would be wonderful if it actually happened. Yet, even if not, it likely says something about the spirit of Albert Einstein. It also lifts before us an example of what humility would like. What would such a virtue look like in our lives?

Philippians 2:5-11 has the theme of the example of Christ Jesus for the church in Philippi in how they were to treat each other. In inviting them to consider a life worthy of the gospel (1:27), Paul is going to suggest that regardless of any human examples one may find, what Christ did is for Christians the supreme example of how we are to treat each other. What Paul will say here is of great interest in Christian reflection upon Christology. Yet, we need to remember that the purpose of this section is to support his previous exhortation to the community. In light of what Christ Jesus has done, Paul says, they as readers are to act out their partnership in relation to each other. He knows their relation to Christ will be the strongest appeal he can make when he offers his exhortation to proper Christian behavior and discipleship. Paul writes this letter from prison, using himself as an example of patient dependence upon God. He now shows that Christ subjected himself to the limits of a human life in order to become Savior. Christ becomes an example of how Christians are to submit to each other. Christ willingly submits to the will of God. Some scholars think that Philippians as known in the canon is a "multiple letter" reconstruction. If so, then 2:5-11 is part of Letter B, which implies that Paul is writing this correspondence from prison (Philippians 1:7, 13, 17). The realization that Paul is writing from prison makes the message of Philippians 2:5-11 much more powerful than it might otherwise have been. After describing his own subjugation to the ruling authorities and using his own suffering as an example of patient dependence upon God, Paul uses this perfect opening to describe how Christ subjected himself to the constraints of human existence in order to become the Savior of humanity. It also provides him with a compelling model for Christian submission to each other.

In the process of providing the supreme example of humility, however, Paul will write some of the most important statements regarding who Christ is. The image of Christ portrayed in the hymn of verses 6-11 is one of willing submission to the will of God. This text offers what may very well be one of the oldest Christological reflections in the entire New Testament. If this is indeed the case, the theology behind this hymn represents not only Paul’s own thoughts, but also the Christological convictions of the first generation of believers. The hymn is the basis for the theological tradition making a distinction between two phases of the history of Jesus in terms of a state of humiliation and a state of exaltation, based on the preexistence of Christ.[2] Paul either appeals to an early hymn from Antioch, of which we have examples in Colossians 1:15-20, II Timothy 2:11-13, and Ephesians 5:14, or he constructs his own hymn along the lines of the exalted prose of I Corinthians 13.[3]  Christian teaching regarding Jesus, Christology, often thinks of two phases of the history of Jesus, referring to the exaltation and glorification of life with the Father, and the humility of his life with humanity. Paul will use a word that has become important to Christian teaching. In Greek, the word is “kenosis.” It will carry a double meaning that is difficult to communicate with any one word in English.

In verse 5, Paul appeals to Christ as the pattern for the behavior of the community. If they listen to Paul, they will have a common, shared approach to each other. Christ will be the heart of that commonality. The basis for his encouragement is their relationship as believers to Christ rather than Torah.[4] Therefore, those who differ can still have unity of spirit that makes them want to put others in the group first and look beyond their personal interests.

In verses 6-8, Paul describes the first part of the life of Christ, the path of his humiliation. The nature of that humiliation provides a place of debate. The life of Christ begins with his being in the form of God. This language recalls the Old Testament view of humanity. In Genesis 1:26-27, God makes humanity in the image and likeness of the divine. In Psalm 8:5, God crowned humanity with glory and honor. Paul refers to such passages again in I Corinthians 11:7, where he refers to the male as the image and reflection of God. The difference is that Christ being the “form” of God meant that he had equality with God. However, he did not regard this equality with God as something to which to grasp or cling. This language invites us to reflect upon Genesis 2-3. It may hint that the temptation to the pre-existent Christ was there to be independent of God. Adam, made in the image of God, sought equality with God through his disobedience to the will of God. Adam sought a divine status through taking what did not belong to him. The promise of the serpent in Genesis 3:5 was the hope of being like God. In contrast, Christ, who actually enjoyed unity with God, relinquished divinity for the sake of humanity. Adam exploited his unique position in creation by trying to raise himself up through his disobedience. Christ did not see his singular position as an opportunity for special privilege. Christ seized an opportunity for special and sacrificial service. Such an understanding helps us to see that human destiny is toward fellowship with God. However, taking this destiny into our hands is where we withdraw from that destiny. Our destiny becomes a temptation for us. When we grasp at our destiny as if it were our prey, which we can do through both religious cultivation of our life with the divine or by emancipation from all religious ties, we will miss our destiny. We can achieve our destiny only through acknowledging our distinction from God, accepting our finitude, and accepting ourselves as creatures of God.^[5] The Son resisted the temptation to remain within the divine fellowship he already had with Father and Spirit. Instead, the Son took the form of a slave by being born in human likeness and … human form. Out of love for humanity, the Son became one with humanity. Christ emptied (ἐκένωσεν) himself. True, this could refer to the human Jesus emptying himself throughout the course of his life in service to others. If so, it would be similar to the act of service we find in John 13, where Jesus knew his unity with the Father and therefore (!) washed the feet of the disciples.[6] It may refer to the historical path of Jesus. Yet, I want to suggest that he is also referring to the path of the pre-existent Son entering earthly existence. The Kenotic view of Christology explains how the fully divine Son became the historical Jesus of Nazareth. By his decision, he emptied himself of divine form, taking the form of a servant.^[7] We can see the complete identification of the divine Christ with humanity. Such self-emptying, in philosophical terms, is the self-actualizing of the deity of the Trinitarian God in the relation of God and world and comes into being through this self-actualizing.^[8] In this sense, Jesus is the new human being. Yes, as we shall see, he will humble himself to the point of death upon the cross, living his life in obedience to the Father. The allusion to Isaiah 53:12 seems clear, where the suffering servant pours out his life to the point of death. Yet, he also humbled himself by setting aside his divine equality in order to adopt the human form of existence. The course of the pre-existent Son and the course of Jesus of Nazareth unite in the self-humbling involved in the cross.^[9] Such self-emptying becomes an expression of divinity. His equality with the Father was not the only possibility for the Son. In actualizing this other possibility, the Son shows the true essence of divinity. Such self-emptying is the free expression of the will to love. It shows that God is love. The Son accepted a form in which the world would not recognize and in which concealed divine glory. The suffering servant of Isaiah 52-3 undergoes suffering and humiliation for the sake of others. The divine freely engages this self-offering. Self-emptying will lead to self-humiliation. In all of this, the Son remains divine, which simply means that God does not become a stranger to God by this process of self-emptying in Jesus of Nazareth. In fact, self-emptying and self-humiliation reveal divinity. Thus, we see that the Son humbled himself in becoming obedient to the point of death. As he argued in Romans 5:12ff, Paul states in a poetic form here, that the course of the life of Jesus of Nazareth was one of obedience to God. The Son has reversed the act of Adam. Christ sheds light on the original situation of Adam and therefore on our human nature and destiny in relation to God.^[10] Even death on a cross is an addition to the hymn that Paul makes. Paul sees in the cross an action of God in Christ.^[11] The life of Christ, in the special sense that his death was “for us,” is a journey to this death. Yes, he lived in solidarity with others. More importantly, he lived in solidarity with God.^[12] We see divine majesty in the cross. Jesus was never greater as Lord than in this depth of servanthood that led to the cross.^[13] Paul has offered to his readers an astoundingly humble and obedient act of Incarnation and crucifixion as supreme examples of the kind of behavior he is advocating.^[14]

As we shift to verses 9-11, the hymn describes the path of the exaltation of the Son in his resurrection and ascension. God gave him the name that is above every name. His exaltation confirms that he lived in obedience to the mission God gave him. It confirms that he was the obedient Son of the Father.[15] This ancient hymn seems to view the resurrection and ascension as a single event of exaltation.[16] Only his resurrection from the dead gave the Crucified the dignity of Lord.[17] As such, at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, whether in heaven, on earth, or even under the earth. If every knee bends, then also every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The risen Lord is in a position to rule. The risen Lord is now preparing the way for that rule.[18] Such a confession that Jesus Christ is Lord honors the glory of the Father and enhances the confession of the one God.[19] My mind goes to a hymn at this point.

At the Name of Jesus (1870)

At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow,
Every tongue confess Him King of glory now;
’Tis the Father’s pleasure we should call Him Lord,
Who from the beginning was the mighty Word.

Life High the Cross 1916

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.

A praise song poetically recounts the course of the ancient hymn.

Lord, I lift Your name on high
Lord, I love to sing Your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us

You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high

In Philippians 2: 12-13, continues the application of his exhortation that began in 1:27 to live lives worthy of the gospel and to stand firm in one spirit. The theme of the hymn was obedience.  As Christ obeyed, so should they.  They are to obey in spite of his absence.  He exhorts them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling in the sense of an anxiousness to do what is right. The reason is that God is already at work within them, enabling them to will and to work in a way that pleases God. In context, the point is reformation of church life. He does not see salvation in personal terms here.  They are to work out that reformation.  They depend upon the power of God for the needed corporate salvation. In terms of later theology, we think of this as the working of prevenient and cooperative grace. Leading a life worthy of the gospel is not easy. Yet, the difficult path is also the path that leads to happiness. Scott Peck wrote a popular work called, The Road Less Traveled.  He begins the book with this truth: "Life is difficult."   We all know it.  Yet, he says, so many of us act as if life should be easy.  When it is not, we get angry, frustrated, irritated, and depressed.  Such recognition of the difficult course of a human life is not new.

If the way which I have pointed out as leading to this result seems exceedingly hard, it may nevertheless be discovered. Needs must it be hard, since it is so seldom found. How would it be possible, if salvation were ready to our hand, and could without great labour be found, that it should be by almost all men neglected? But all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.[20]

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[1] (All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten)

[2] Panennberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 308.

[3] (See Gordon D. Fee, "Philippians 2:5-11, Hymn or Exalted Pauline Prose?" Bulletin for Biblical Research 2 [1992], 29-46.)

[4] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 68-9.

[5] Pannenberg, Systematic Theoogy Volume 2, 230.

[6] Such was the argument of Origen and Cyprian.

[7] (Albrecht Oepke, "kenow," The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament [Gerhard Kittle, ed.; 10 vols.; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1965], 3.661.)

[8] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 1, 421.

[9] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 375-7.

[10] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 296.

[11] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 439.

[12] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 424.

[13] Barth, Church Dogmatics II.1 [31.2] 516-8, II.1 [30.2], 397, IV.1 [59.1] 180, IV.2 [64.2] 150-1.

[14] According to Gordon D. Fee, "Philippians 2:5-11, Hymn or Exalted Pauline Prose?" Bulletin for Biblical Research (1992),

[15] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 452.

[16] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 354.

[17] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 283..

[18] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 1, 312.

[19] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 1, 266.

[20] Spinoza, Ethics, Part V, XLII.