The early church
Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation
Paul describes Christ's journey from the form of God to human humiliation and death on the cross, followed by his exaltation to the highest name. This is a central theological text—often called the Christ-hymn—about Christ's self-sacrifice and victory Philippians 2:5-11.
Philippians 2,5-11
5Have this mind among yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus,
τοῦτο ⸀φρονεῖτε ἐν ὑμῖν ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,
6who, existing in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped,
ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ,
7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man,
ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν μορφὴν δούλου λαβών, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος· καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος
8he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.
ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ·
9Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name,
διὸ καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν, καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ ⸀τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα,
10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός.