PhilippiansChapter 2

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Show the hymnFrom God's form to death on the cross

Philippians 2:6-11 is an early Christian hymn about Christ, perhaps the oldest we have. It describes Jesus' descent from heaven to the cross and his exaltation above all.

Have this mind among yourselves

[Phil 2:5]

v.5

In God's form

[Phil 2:6]

v.6

Emptied himself

[Phil 2:7]

v.7

Humbled himself

[Phil 2:8]

v.8

God exalted him

[Phil 2:9]

v.9

Every knee shall bow

[Phil 2:10]

v.10

Every tongue confess

[Phil 2:11]

v.11

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection and mercy,

then make my joy complete: be of one mind, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility consider one another better than yourselves.

Let none of you look only to your own interests, but each of you also to the interests of others.

Have this mind among yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus,

who, existing in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped,

but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world,

holding fast the word of life. Then I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

But even if I am poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and I rejoice with all of you.

In the same way you also should rejoice, and rejoice with me.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by news of you.

I have no one else like him, who will genuinely care about your welfare.

For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

But you know his proven worth: like a son with his father, he has served with me in the gospel.

So I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me,

and I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon as well.

Still, I thought it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need—

since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was ill.

Indeed he was ill, close to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.

So I am all the more eager to send him, that you may rejoice at seeing him again and my own sorrow may be eased.

Welcome him in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor,

because he came near to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

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Summary2

Chapter 2

Main Theme: Paul urges unity and humility following Christ's example, who humbled himself and was exalted by God.

Content: Paul exhorts the Philippians to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, who, though being in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name. Believers are encouraged to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who works in them. Paul mentions Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples of selfless service.

Key Words/Images:

Kenosis (self-emptying): Christ "emptied himself" (ἐκένωσεν) by taking the form of a servant and becoming human.
Exaltation: In response to Christ's humility, God has highly exalted him and given him a name above every name.
Humility (ταπεινοφροσύνη): Believers are to regard others as more important than themselves and not act out of selfish ambition.
Light in the world: Believers are called to shine as lights among a crooked generation, holding firmly to the word of life.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Philippians 2

People

Timothy (vv. 19-23) was Paul’s most trusted coworker, a young man with a Jewish mother and Greek father from Lystra in Asia Minor. He had been with Paul since the second missionary journey and knew the church in Philippi well, having been present at its founding (Acts 16:1-3, 12). Paul describes their relationship as that of father and son, reflecting the Greco-Roman custom of spiritual mentorship.

Epaphroditus (vv. 25-30) was the messenger sent by the Philippians who had brought financial support to Paul while he was in prison. His name is derived from the goddess Aphrodite and was common in the Greco-Roman world. His serious illness during his stay with Paul, and the church’s concern when they heard about it, illustrate the real communication challenges of antiquity—news took weeks to travel between Rome and Philippi along the Via Egnatia.

Key Terms

Μορφή (morphē) – "form" or "shape" (vv. 6-7): This Greek word denotes not merely outward appearance, but the essential, inner form that expresses a being’s true nature. When Paul says Christ was "in the form of God," he makes a claim about Christ’s divine essence, not just his appearance. The transition to "the form of a servant" therefore marks a radical change in status.

Ἁρπαγμός (harpagmos) – "something to be grasped" or "something to hold onto" (v. 6): This rare word can mean either something one strives to seize or something one already holds and clings to. In the context of Greco-Roman culture, where gods and emperors demanded honor and worship, the contrast is striking: Christ chose to relinquish his rights rather than exploit them.

Κένωσις (from ἐκένωσεν) – "to empty himself" (v. 7): This expression has given its name to "kenosis theology." In antiquity, voluntary renunciation of status was almost unthinkable—honor and position were defended at all costs. Christ’s self-humbling was radically countercultural.

Σπένδομαι (spendomai) – "poured out as a drink offering" (v. 17): This is cultic language drawn from both Jewish and Greco-Roman sacrificial practices. The drink offering was wine poured over the burnt offering as a concluding act. Paul views his potential martyrdom as an addition to the Philippians’ own sacrifice of faith.

Events and Customs

Crucifixion (v. 8): When Paul specifies "death on a cross," he emphasizes the most degrading form of execution in the Roman Empire. Crucifixion was reserved for slaves, rebels, and the lowest criminals—never for Roman citizens. For listeners in a Roman colony like Philippi, where many were veterans or descendants of veterans, the cross was a symbol of shame and a display of power. That Christ voluntarily chose this death turned all social values upside down.

Imperial Cult and Universal Worship (vv. 9-11): The language that "every knee should bow" and "every tongue confess" has clear parallels with the imperial cult, which was especially prominent in Roman colonies like Philippi. Inscriptions from the period show that the emperor was honored with titles such as "Lord" (κύριος) and "Savior." Paul’s application of Isaiah 45:23 to Jesus was both a theological claim and an implicit political challenge.

Λειτουργία (leitourgia) – "service" or "ministry" (vv. 17, 30): This word originally referred to public duties performed by wealthy citizens for the community—financing festivals, ships, or building projects. In a religious context, it was used of priestly service. When Paul uses it to describe both the Philippians’ faith and Epaphroditus’ mission, he elevates their practical service to a sacred act.

People3

Jesus5 Timothy1 Epaphroditus (from Philippi)1

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Key words

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Timeline1