Chapter 2
Philippians 2:1-2
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
Encouragement, comfort, fellowship, and compassion are all qualities we should possess and feel as Christians. These things ultimately lead to unity and like mindedness. If we are not being encouraged or are not comforted in our time of need it is very hard to feel connected to each other and the Spirit of God. Since these qualities lead to unity the opposite will lead to division and separation. The point is that we should possess these qualities and thus be one in the Spirit.
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
When we put others above ourselves and our own desires, it demands humility and unity. If we are always trying to gain an advantage or looking out for ourselves there is no room for humility and servitude. Selfish ambition is the drive to do what you want despite what others might need more than you. The word for “vain conceit” is kenodoxia which means “empty pride or “vain glory”. It gives the impression that what you are trying to achieve to attain glory for yourself is actually for nothing and will get you nowhere. Don’t do things for those reasons but rather do things because it benefits others.
Philippians 2:5-11
The following is a poetic retelling of the identity and mission of Christ. Some have thought it to be an early Christian hymn. Regardless, its timeless truth about Christ is important to glean from and we must examine it carefully to pick up on the nuances Paul is declaring through this poem. The following can be broken down into two main sections:
- v.6-8 are about Jesus’ identity, humility, and death on the cross
- v.9-11 declares his exaltation and authority
Philippians 2:5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
To begin, Paul wants the believers to encourage the believers that they should have the same mindset as Christ when it comes to their relationships. Even though this poem declares some profound truths, we must keep in mind why Paul included it. He is trying to encourage them to remain humble in their relationships and to continue to serve one another in love. When we look at Jesus’ identity as a humble servant, it defines what kind of relationships we should have. Ones that are built on mutual love and service not pride and trying to take advantage and gain a
leg up.
Philippians 2:6-8
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
We start with the first section of this text.
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage
Jesus was fully God. This text is used to prove that Jesus was fully God and fully man. Both are essential to his identity. John declares at the beginning of his gospel that he was “in the beginning, with God and was God”. Yes he was a distinct being but also one with the being God. It is difficult for us as humans to understand. He was the same being with God and in equal standing, yet his position could have been used to his advantage by saying he did not want to go to earth and die on the cross. He had the right. It was not his sin or his fault he was going to die. However, despite his position of authority, he still decided to come to earth and leave his heavenly position. He surrendered his rights and power to become a human, fully human, to take on the sin of the world.
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
This is not how the disciples imagined their Messiah would come. They imagined a strong king, lots of power and might, and a will to fight to the death and conquer Rome. Since that was the image in their mind and they were convinced of it, they often misunderstood the humble nature and servitude of Jesus. Jesus left his authoritative position in heaven to come to earth as a human. He did not come as a mighty king but as a lowly servant in a lowly town to a lowly family. He was made in the same likeness as us, since this has Genesis 1 hyperlinks to it, we see Jesus was a human just as we are human and made in the image of God. He was God and took on the image of a human becoming also fully human. The middle part is most crucial to his state as a human. He could have taken on any form of human but he decided to take on the nature of a servant. Why? Because this is exactly what God is like. He is not a tyrant king, or a backstabbing crook, he loves his creation and wants to serve it. Many misunderstand who God really is but once we have met Jesus, we understand perfectly who God is. A God who is willing to give up his son to save creation from their own doom. That is a loving God.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Jesus was a human and endured human things. He felt the same emotions pain and excitement we all feel in this life. He could have listened to the devil and gained the whole world but he already had the world. He left that place of authority for a time to become obedient to the Father. The father’s plan was not an easy one. It was a plan of salvation that included his own death and he was obedient to it. He died on the cross knowing it would save humanity and those who would believe. The cross was one of the worst ways to die in the ancient world and Jesus endured the worst of it. This is the gospel message that Paul declares poetically. We can read about it in the gospels but here he writes it beautifully in poetic form.
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