APRIL 17 – PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11
“HUMILITY THAT SAVES”
Today, we focus on the attitude of Christ. We look at how Christ modeled everything right and good and how He set a perfect example for us to follow. Paul describes the power of Christ as well as how we, as believers, are to be united as the body of Christ. This section shows the power of attitude and how we are to examine ourselves and our motives. The section finishes with the exaltation of Christ and how He is glorified.
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Attitude of Christ
- No better example of humiliation and a selfless attitude for believers to follow could possibly be given than that of Christ.
- Humility and self-examination
- The honest self-examination that Paul was calling for leads to true humility. This enables a person to hold others above himself or herself, to value people over material possessions or personal plans.
- We should be “like-minded” (v. 2) and live humbly before their God and each other
- The name of Jesus
- His “name” is not merely a title; it refers to His person and to His position of dignity and honor.
CONTEXT:
The first section of this passage can be considered as Jesus’ attitude is what the believer is to share and strive for (2:1–18). This passage is a continuation of the exhortation begun in 1:27–30. The entire section (1:27–2:18) states what Paul called the saints at Philippi to do. It includes the famous kenōsis or self-emptying passage (2:5–11), in which the Son of God Himself is set forth as the One whose attitude the believer should share. Due to the amount of writing that has occurred on kenosis and that this topic is about a devotional, not a theological study, we will not dive deep into this aspect. We will focus mainly on the attitude of Jesus and how we should share it and model it.
The Philippians’ biggest battle was not with their external circumstances but with those internal attitudes that destroy unity. Paul had demonstrated his own refusal to let external circumstances control his attitudes (Phil 1:12-18)
DEEPER EXPOSITION:
Note: Due to the length of this passage and how much could be written on each verse, I am going to try to keep it at a high level with a few interesting points. We will see how I actually do.
Verse 1: In 1:27 Paul had written about living the Christian life in harmony with the message on which it is based. He followed that message with a call to show forth spiritual unity. This unity is possible because of the reality of the four qualities mentioned in 2:1. The “if” clauses, being translations of first-class conditions in Greek, speak of certainties. So in this passage “if” may be translated “since.”[1] Paul wrote here about realities, not questionable things. Paul appealed on the basis of (a) encouragement from being united with Christ … (b) comfort from His love … (c) fellowship with the Spirit … (d) tenderness and compassion.
“Encouragement” is from a Greek word related to the one Christ used in referring to the Holy Spirit as “the Counselor” (John 14:16; “Comforter,” KJV). It may also be translated “exhortation” in the sense of either rebuke or comfort. Since each believer had received this work of the Spirit, Paul used it as a basis to appeal for their spiritual unity.
Also, they each had “comfort from His [God’s] love.” God’s love in people’s hearts produces spiritual unity in their lives.
“Fellowship with the Spirit” is a result of the Spirit’s permanent indwelling ministry (cf. 1 Cor. 6:19). This may refer, however, to the fellowship that comes from the Holy Spirit, just as encouragement comes from Christ and comfort comes from love.
Paul also spoke of “tenderness (splanchna; cf. Phile. 7, 20) and compassion.” One of the Spirit’s ministries is to produce within each believer a concern and love for other members of God’s family. This may be received or rejected by a believer, but the Spirit’s work is a reality and is a basis for spiritual unity.
Verse 2: in this verse, Paul sets forth a fourfold appeal, an appeal that expresses one major idea-that is the unity of the church. Based on what was presented in verse 1, Paul exhorted his readers to show in practical ways the unity which was theirs in Christ. Their expression of that spiritual unity would make his joy complete. Corresponding to the four realities in verse 1 are four specific ways in which their spiritual unity would be realized. They would be like-minded, have the same love, be one in spirit (sympsychoi), and be one in purpose. The words Paul uses to indicate one in purpose (also translated as one mind) are virtually identical to the words translated “like-minded” earlier in the verse. Paul was strongly emphasizing the unity that should exist between believers and how they must single-mindedly strive together to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Verses 3-4: Here Paul attempts to correct any misunderstandings that may arise from what he said earlier in the letter about some preaching out of selfish motives (1:15-16). He was concerned that someone might think he was condoning selfish ambition, so long as the gospel was being preached. Paul gave further exhortations, also based on the declaration of the fourfold reality expressed in verse 1. The terms the apostle used reveal an underlying problem in the church at Philippi. The situation Paul addressed evidently was prompted by self-centeredness among certain Christians.
Nothing was to be done out of selfish ambition (v. 3). The same word (eritheian) appears in 1:17 to describe the attitude of those who opposed Paul. Without question, such behavior is of the flesh and not the Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:20, which uses the same word). Empty (or vain) conceit, meaning “empty glory,” was probably the root cause of their selfish ambition.
The two negatives are followed by a positive exhortation: in humility consider others better than yourselves. But, a word of contrast introduces these words. Humility before God and man is a virtue every child of God needs to strive for. A spirit of pride in human relations indicates a lack of humility before God. Paul exhorted the Philippians to consider others before themselves (cf. 1 Peter 5:5–6). In the Greek, the word found in the phrase “lowliness of mind” (ταπεινοφροσύν, tapeinophrosynē), suggests a deep sense of humility. Although the pagan writers used the word negatively, in effect to mean abjectness or groveling, Paul did not. What Paul was calling for was an honest evaluation of one’s own nature. Such an evaluation should always lead to a glorification of Christ. For without Him, we can do nothing (Jn 15:5). The honest self-examination that Paul was calling for leads to true humility. This enables a person to hold others above himself or herself, to value people over material possessions or personal plans.
Paul explained how humility can be expressed (Phil. 2:4). Instead of concentrating on self, each believer should be concerned for the interests of others in the household of faith (cf. Rom. 12:10). Preoccupation with oneself is sin.
The “submissive mind” does not mean that the believer is at the beck and call of everybody else or that he is a “religious doormat” for everybody to use! Some people try to purchase friends and maintain church unity by “giving in” to everybody else’s whims and wishes. This is not what Paul is suggesting at all. The Scripture puts it perfectly: “ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5). If we have the single mind of Philippians 1, then we will have no problem with the submissive mind of Philippians 2.
Paul gives us four examples of the submissive mind: Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:1–11), Paul himself (Phil. 2:12–18), Timothy (Phil. 2:19–24), and Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25–30). Of course, the great Example is Jesus, and Paul begins with Him. Jesus Christ illustrates the four characteristics of the person with the submissive mind
Verse 5: verses 5-8 present one of the most significant statements in all of Scripture on the nature of the Incarnation, the fact that God became man. Also, through this wonderful description of Christ, Paul vividly illustrates the principle of humility (vv. 3-4). In contrast to the many people today who seek upward mobility, Jesus was, in a sense, downwardly mobile, moving from a position of ultimate power to utter powerlessness. In making this transition, He set the best possible example of servant-leadership (Matt 20:25-28; Jn 13:2-17). However, Paul paints a different portrait of Jesus in Colossians.
Believers are exhorted to have the same attitude—selfless humility—Christ exhibited in His humiliation and condescension. All godly action begins with the renewing of the mind. Right thinking produces right actions. Our actions are the fruit of our deepest thoughts.
Verses 6-8: The word translated nature (morphē Strongs #3444)[2] in verses 6 and 7 is a crucial term in this passage. This word (trans. “form” in the KJV and nasb) stresses the inner essence or reality of that with which it is associated (cf. Mark 16:12). Christ Jesus, Paul said, is of the very essence (morphē) of God, and in His incarnation, He embraced perfect humanity. His complete and absolute deity is here carefully stressed by the apostle. The Savior’s claim to deity infuriated the Jewish leaders (John 5:18) and caused them to accuse Him of blasphemy (John 10:33).
Though possessing full deity (John 1:14; Col. 2:9), Christ did not consider His equality with God (Phil. 2:6) as something to be grasped or held onto. In other words, Christ did not hesitate to set aside His self-willed use of deity when He became a man. As God, He had all the rights of deity, and yet during His incarnate state, He surrendered His right to manifest Himself visibly as the God of all splendor and glory.
Christ’s humiliation included His making Himself nothing, taking the very nature (morphē) of a servant, and being made in human likeness (v. 7). These statements indicate that Christ became a man, a true human being. The words “made Himself nothing” are, literally, “He emptied Himself.” “Emptied,” from the Greek kenoō, points to the divesting of His self-interests, but not of His deity. “The very nature of a servant” certainly points to His lowly and humble position, His willingness to obey the Father, and serve others. He became a man, a true human being. “Likeness” suggests similarity but difference. Though His humanity was genuine, He was different from all other humans in that He was sinless (Heb. 4:15).
Thus it is seen that Christ, while retaining the essence of God, was also human. In His incarnation, He was fully God and fully man at the same time. He was God manifest in human flesh (John 1:14).
Some have wrongly taught that the phrase, being found in appearance as a man (Phil. 2:8), means that He only looked human. But this contradicts verse 7. “Appearance” is the Greek schēmati, meaning an outer appearance that may be temporary. This contrasts with morphē (“very nature”) in verses 6 and 7, which speaks of an outer appearance that reveals permanent inner quality.
These verses in Philippians take us to eternity past. “Form of God” has nothing to do with shape or size. God is Spirit (John 4:24), and as such is not to be thought of in human terms. When the Bible refers to “the eyes of the Lord” or “the hand of the Lord,” it is not claiming that God has a human shape. Rather, it is using human terms to describe divine attributes (the characteristics of God) and activities. The word “form” means “the outward expression of the inward nature.” This means that in eternity past, Jesus Christ was God. In fact, Paul states that He was “equal with God.” Other verses such as John 1:1–4; Colossians 1:15; and Hebrews 1:1–3 also state that Jesus Christ is God.
Certainly, as God, Jesus Christ did not need anything! He had all the glory and praise of heaven. With the Father and the Spirit, He reigned over the universe. But Philippians 2:6 states an amazing fact: He did not consider His equality with God as “something selfishly to be held on to.” Jesus did not think of Himself; He thought of others. His outlook (or attitude) was that of unselfish concern for others. This is “the mind of Christ,” an attitude that says, “I cannot keep my privileges for myself, I must use them for others; and to do this, I will gladly lay them aside and pay whatever price is necessary.”
The condescension of Christ included not only His birth—the Incarnation in which He became the God-Man—but also His death. And it was the cruelest and despicable form of death—even death on a cross! (v. 8) This form of capital punishment was limited to non-Romans and the worst criminals.
No better example of humiliation and a selfless attitude for believers to follow could possibly be given than that of Christ. With this example before them, the saints at Philippi should be “like-minded” (v. 2) and live humbly before their God and each other.
Verse 9: note the contrast between Jesus’ placing Himself in a debased state (v. 8) with God the Father’s elevation of Jesus to a highly exalted status. God the Father is the subject in these verses, whereas in verses 6–8 God the Son was the subject. Christ’s obedience was followed by the Father’s exaltation of Him to the place of highest honor. God exalted and honored the One men despised and rejected.
Christ’s exaltation and His receiving a name that is above every name was the answer to His high-priestly prayer (John 17:5). The exaltation refers to His resurrection, ascension, and glorification at the Father’s right hand (Acts 2:33; Heb. 1:3). His “name” is not merely a title; it refers to His person and to His position of dignity and honor.
Men had done their worst to the Saviour, but God exalted Him and honored Him. Men gave Him names of ridicule and slander, but the Father gave Him a glorious name! Just as in His humiliation He was given the name “Jesus” (Matt. 1:21), so in His exaltation He was given the name “Lord” (Phil. 2:11; see Acts 2:32–36). He arose from the dead and then returned in victory to heaven, ascending to the Father’s throne.
Verse 10: In keeping with Christ’s exaltation and high name, every knee will one day bow and acknowledge Him for who He really is. Paul stressed the same truth in his letter to the Romans (Rom. 14:11). Both instances reflect Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa. 45:23) of the singular greatness of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The extent of Christ’s sovereign authority is delineated in the threefold phrase, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. No intelligent being—whether angels and saints in heaven; people living on the earth; or Satan, demons, and the unsaved in hell—in all of God’s universe will escape. All will bow either willingly or they will be made to do so.
Verse 11: What all will confess is that Jesus Christ is Lord. Looking back at the phrase, “and given Him the name which is above every name” (v. 9), Paul is referring to the OT passage speaking of the divine name of Yahweh (LORD). This, the earliest Christian creed, meant that Jesus Christ is Yahweh-God. One day all will be made to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is all He claimed to be—very God of very God. Unfortunately, for many it will be too late for the salvation of their souls. The exalted place the Savior now occupies and the universal bowing in the future in acknowledgment of His lordship is all to the glory of God the Father. The term Paul uses when he says “confess,” is a strong, intensive verb, which means agree with or say the same thing. Essentially, Paul is saying that everyone will unanimously affirm what God the Father has already stated: that Jesus Christ is Lord.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Robert P. Lightener, “Philippians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 653.
[2] The Greek word for form was generally used to express the way in which a thing exists and appears according to what it is in itself. Thus, the expression form of God may be correctly understood as the essential nature and character of God. To say, therefore, that Christ existed in the form of God is to say that apart from His human nature Christ possesses all the characteristics and qualities belonging to God because He is, in fact, God.