Philippians 2:1-13

This text is used for the Lectionary Year A on October  1, 2017.

In this section of the epistle, we find the beating heart of Paul’s message to the Philippian church, which also happens to be the heart of the gospel of Christ. Although this is a letter of friendship and encouragement for the persecuted Philippians, the focus of Paul’s exhortation is the concept of humility. Yes, the diverse group of Christians in Philippi were probably suffering for their faith in their loyalist and patriotic Roman city. But this persecution serves as the backdrop for the real problem Paul is addressing here…a lack of unity in the church. The house churches in Philippi had begun to feel the pressure of hostile pagan (or possibly Jewish) opposition around them, and in response individuals in the churches were devolving into attitudes of partisanship and self-interest. These attitudes manifested in squabbling and self-seeking leadership, problems that were as destructive to the ancient churches as they are to our churches today. Paul, in these verses, tries to help the Philippians understand that the key to unity in the church, the key to understanding the gospel, and the key to the salvation process is the posture and practice of humility.

Philippians 2:1 comes on the heels of Paul’s challenge to his readers to live their lives in “a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind” (1:27). This section bleeds into the second chapter with Paul’s poetic plea to make his joy complete by being “of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (2:2) Like a good pastor, Paul does not issue a challenge without explaining and equipping the people to achieve it; he goes on to explain how a church can function in one spirit and one mind. Paul’s description in the rest of chapter two makes it clear that he is not encouraging uniformity among churches or individuals but that he is setting believers on the same path to unity, a path that follows in step behind Christ Jesus in his humility and sacrifice.

Paul’s clever use of Christological hymn from the early Church in 2:5-11 sends a message of unity even as it calls readers to humble servanthood. Hymns serve to unite the church in theology, practice, and in the Spirit. Paul’s use of a hymn as a vehicle for his message is an emphatic way to communicate, in literary form, that unity is contingent upon humility.

The hymn’s structure also serves a demonstrative function. In verse six, Christ Jesus occupies a lofty position “in the form of God, ” but this is short-lived, because in the next several verses Christ empties himself, takes servant form and human likeness, and becomes obedient to the point of death. This sharp literary nose dive illustrates Jesus’ descent from heavenly to humble, marking out the path that we as followers of Christ must take, one that requires us to give up any position or power we have and lower ourselves in service and obedience. Just as Christ is emptied and ready to be filled up with the purpose of God for the sake of others, so should we be willing to spill out our desires for self-fulfillment and success so that God can pour Spirit and love for others into us.

This hymn does not leave Jesus at his low point, as a human slave strung up on a cross. Jesus begins his ascent with the fulcrum line in 2:9, “Therefore, God also highly exalted him” (one commentator translates this phrase “super-exalted him”), and by the end of verse 11, Jesus Christ is Lord, returned to his rightful place established at the beginning of the hymn, all to the glory of God the Father. The essence of Jesus’ character and life is beautifully summarized in this “V” shaped hymn—the life that is exalted by God is one that has first been laid down in sacrifice to God and service to others. Paul puts Jesus’ humility (and humiliation!) center stage so that the Philippian congregations and all congregations can discover that Christ-like humility is not only the key to imitating Jesus’ life, it is also the key to unity in the Church.

Paul drives his point home in the final verses of this section. It might be tempting to view the phrase “work out your own salvation” as contradictory to Paul’s theological theme of salvation by grace, but that would be taking this emphasis as individual rather than communal and taking the verse out of its context in Philippians. Instead, this is Paul’s call for a congregational response and an encouragement in the face of the difficult task he has set before them. He charges his readers to put into practice what they learn from Jesus’ life of humility. Unity in the church is going to require humility and service to others; this will entail work and might necessitate a cultural change in the congregations. However, the journey toward humility is part of the larger journey of sanctification, one that is fueled and purposed by the power of God who enables us to work toward unity.

 

Jennifer Garcia Bashaw, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of New Testament and Christian Ministry
Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
bashaw@campbell.edu

 

 

 

Tags: Humility, Unity, Kenosis, Hymn, Christology

 

 

 

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