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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Php_2:1-11
1Therefore 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, 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Php_2:1 "if" This is the first in a series of four first class conditional sentences which are assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. Php_2:1-4 are one sentence in the Greek.
▣ "any encouragement in Christ" This term can be translated several ways: "stimulus" "appeal," "comfort," "encouragement" or "exhortation." This phrase is similar to Paul's discussion of the attitudes that bring and maintain unity within the local bodies of Christ in Eph_4:2-3.
"In Christ" (a locative of sphere) is Paul's most common way of identifying believers. For life, true life, abundant life, believers must remain in vital union with Christ by faith (cf. John 15).
▣ "any consolation of love" Love has always been the root and fruit for the Christian life (cf. Joh_13:34-35; Joh_15:12; Joh_15:17; 1 Corinthians 13; Gal_5:22; 1 John 3:11,27; 1Jn_4:7-21). Jesus lived it, taught it and commanded it to His followers.
▣ "any fellowship of the Spirit" This is the Greek term koinônia, which meant "joint participation with" (cf. 2Co_13:14). Again, the question is, "Does this refer to believers' new redeemed, human spirit being energized by the Holy Spirit," or "the Holy Spirit being given to them"? There is no article with the term "spirit." This may be a purposeful ambiguity. It may theologically refer to both.
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▣ "any affection" This is literally "bowels," which is also used in Php_1:8. The ancients believed that the lower viscera (abdomen) was the seat of the emotions. Both of these terms are also used in Col_3:12.
▣ "compassion" Paul uses this term four times: (1) to describe God's character (cf. Rom_12:1; 2Co_1:3) and (2) to describe how Christians ought to treat each other (cf. Php_2:11; Col_3:12). God desires to produce His character (image) in His children. The restoration of God's image lost in the Fall is the purpose of Jesus' coming.
Php_2:2 "make my joy complete" This is an aorist active imperative and shows how Paul felt about these believers even though he was far away in prison. Their actions and choices caused Paul joy or pain.
▣ "by being of the same mind" This is a present active subjunctive that is defined by four present participles (possibly used as imperatives) beginning in Php_2:2 and running through Php_2:4 They deal with the very difficult pragmatic question of maintaining unity within the Christian fellowship (cf. Rom_14:1 to Rom_15:13; 1Co_8:1-13; 1Co_10:23-33). Paul's guidelines are crucial, not only for Philippi in the first century, but for the Church of every age. The four participles are
1. maintaining the same love
2. unifying in spirit and focusing on one purpose
3. regarding others as more important than oneself
4. looking out for the interest of others
Beware of individualistic religion. Christianity is a family experience.
Paul often uses this term "think" (phroneô) in Philippians it becomes another theme (cf. Php_1:7; Php_2:2 [twice]; Php_2:5; Php_3:15 [twice]; Php_3:19; Php_4:2; and Php_4:10).
Php_2:3 "do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit" This may describe the situation in the Philippian church caused by the false teachers or by persecution (cf. Php_1:15; Php_1:17; Gal_5:26). There is no verb, but the thrust of the verse is imperative. The repetition of "think" (phroneô) in the context may imply that this verb is to be assumed.
▣ "but with humility of mind" Humility was not a sought-after virtue in the Greco-Roman world, but Christ made it a unique aspect of His own life and called on His followers to emulate it in their Christian lives (cf. Php_2:8; Mat_11:29; 1Pe_5:5-6). It is the contextual opposite of "selfishness and empty conceit."
▣ "regard one another as more important than yourselves" This is a Present middle (deponent) participle. This goes against all of our natural, human tendencies, but it is the will of God (cf. Rom_12:10; 1Co_10:24; 1Co_10:33; Gal_6:2; Eph_5:2). For "more important" see Special Topic: Paul's Use of Huper Compounds at Eph_1:19.
Php_2:4 "do not merely look out for your own personal interests" This is a present active participle with the negative particle (used as an imperative) which usually means to stop an act in process. It meant "to look attentively at something" (cf. 2Co_4:18). The term "interest" can refer to (1) things; (2) spiritual gifts; or (3) affairs. The real key here is the word "only." It's not that believers are not to take interest in their own affairs (cf. 1Ti_5:8), but they are not to make them a priority to the exclusion of others, especially other believers. The balance is seen in Gal_6:1-2. Believers are to keep a sharp watch on themselves so that they can watch out for others.
Php_2:5 "have this attitude in yourself" This is a present active imperative. Believers are commanded to continue to think (phroneô) like Christ. The goal of Christianity is Christlikeness in thought and deed (cf. Col_3:16). This is the beginning of a quote by Paul from an early Christian hymn. There are several terms in this poetic section not found elsewhere in Paul. Other examples of Paul quoting from this type of material are Eph_5:14; 1Ti_3:16; 2Ti_2:11-13 and possibly Col_1:15-20; 1Ti_1:17; 1Ti_6:15-16.
Christians are admonished to follow Christ's example in two ways: (1) He left His pre-existent, divine glory to become a human, not for Himself, but for others and (2) He was willing to die, not because of His own sins, but for others'. Christ's followers are to emulate these self-giving, self-abasing characteristics (cf. 1Jn_3:16). We are our brothers' keeper because our brother is in the image and likeness of God!
Php_2:6 "who although He existed" Literally this is "who being in the form of God." This is one of two present tenses (here a participle) in the midst of a series of Aorist tense verbs and participles. It emphasizes the pre-existence of Jesus of Nazareth (cf. Joh_1:1; Joh_8:57-58; Joh_17:5; Joh_17:24; 2Co_8:9; Col_1:17; Heb_10:5-7). Jesus' pre-existence is another proof of His deity. Jesus did not come into being at Bethlehem. There has never been a time when Jesus did not exist and was not divine.
▣ "in the nature of God" This is the Greek word morphç which is used in several senses.
1. an Aristotlian sense of essence
2. the sense of the nature of something or unchanging essence of something (this is how the early Church fathers interpreted it)
3. the outward form of something, as in the Septuagint (LXX). This does not mean that YHWH has a physical body, but that the attributes and characteristics-the very essence of God the Father-are evident in God the Son.
It is another way of asserting the full deity of Christ. See Special Topic: Monotheism at Eph_4:6.
▣ "did not regard equality with God" Literally this is "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." This is the other present tense (here an infinitive). The Greek term "equality" comes into English as "isometric." It is another way of asserting that Jesus is fully God (cf. Joh_1:1; Tit_2:13).
NASB "a thing to be grasped"
NKJV "robbery"
NRSV "something to be exploited"
TEV "that by force"
NJB "something to be grasped"
This rare Greek word, harpagmos, originally meant "the act of seizing something" or "a sought after prize" (harpagma). However, it could be used in a passive sense (Greek mos ending) meaning "that which is seized or held on to." A third possibility is "something that someone has but does not use for personal advantage." This is reflected in the Phillip's translation of Php_2:7 : "stripped Himself of every advantage."
Jesus already possessed full equality with God. The theological reason for this phrase's ambiguity is the Adam/Christ typology, where Adam tried to grasp equality with God by eating the forbidden fruit (cf. Genesis 3). Jesus, the second Adam (cf. Rom_5:12 ff), followed God's plan in perfect obedience where suffering preceded exaltation (cf. Isaiah 53).
Php_2:7
NASB, NRSV,
NJB "emptied Himself"
NKJV "made Himself of no reputation"
TEV "of His own free will He gave up all He had"
The pronoun is emphatic. This was Jesus' own choice! There are several theories about what it meant that Jesus emptied Himself (cf. 2Co_8:9).
1. Paul uses this term several times (cf. Rom_4:14; 1Co_1:17; 1Co_9:15; 2Co_9:3). Apparently Jesus chose to live as a human. He voluntarily left His divine glory and accepted the limitations of flesh. Surely He still had greater insight and spiritual power than ordinary fallen mankind. He was what all humans were intended to be. He is the second Adam and more.
2. Jesus did not become less than God in His Incarnation, but He apparently added humanity to His deity. He left the outward glory of Deity and took on the outward form of a man. This involved addition, not subtraction. During Jesus' earthly ministry, He was filled and empowered by the Spirit, but also He was both fully God and fully human (tempted, Matthew 4; tried, John 4; afraid in Gethsemane, Mar_14:32-42). He truly knew and revealed the Father (cf. Joh_1:18). He was truly one with our humanity (cf. Joh_1:4).
3. It is possible that this emptying was a way of alluding to Isa_53:1-3. If so, it related not to his humanity (Php_2:7-8 a) but to His crucifixion (Php_2:8 b) as the servant of YHWH (cf. Mark 10:45-15:53).
▣ "taking the form of a bond-servant" This is an exact literary parallel to the phrase "the nature of God" (cf. Php_2:6). The term "bond-servant" (doulos) here could be used in the sense of the Suffering Servant of Isa_42:1-9; Isa_49:1-7; Isa_50:4-11; Isa_52:13 to Isa_53:12. Jesus left His heavenly glory for a manger (cf. 2Co_8:9). This is also the background of Php_2:9-11. This verse emphasizes Jesus' Incarnation (aorist participle), not His crucifixion, which is spelled out in Php_2:8.
Jesus clearly demonstrated that true leadership, true power is a servant's heart. To lead, one must serve (cf. Mar_10:42-45; Mat_20:25-28). His humility is a sign of true strength. His self-giving love is a true sign of deity.
▣ "and being made in the likeness of man" The RSV & NRSV translate this word as "being born." This is the second major emphasis of this early Church hymn: the full humanity of Christ. This was done to refute the Gnostic false teachers, who held to an eternal (ontological) dualism between spirit and matter. The dual nature of Jesus is a major NT theological issue (cf. 1Jn_4:1-6). Jesus' use of the OT term "Son of Man" points in this direction. In Psa_8:4 and Eze_2:1 the term has its normal Jewish meaning of human person. However, in Dan_7:13 it took on divine characteristics (i.e., riding on the clouds of heaven and receiving the eternal kingdom). Jesus used this phrase for Himself. It was not widely used by the rabbis and had no militaristic, nationalistic, or exclusivistic connotations.
The beginning of Php_2:8 emphasizes this same theological truth with the distinction that although Jesus was fully human, He did not participate in mankind's fallen nature (cf. Rom_8:3; 1 Cor. 5:21; Heb_4:15; Heb_7:26; 1Pe_2:22; 1Jn_3:5).
Php_2:8 "in appearance as a man" There is some confusion among the translations as to whether this phrase should go with Php_2:7 or 8. This is the Greek term "schçma," which was usually contrasted with "morphç." In Greek philosophy morphç meant "the inner form of something that truly reflected its essence," while "schçma" meant "the outer changing form of something that did not fully represent its inner essence" (cf. 1Co_7:31). Jesus is like us in all ways except fallen mankind's sin nature.
▣ "He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death" This may be an allusion to the Septuagint's (LXX) translation of Isa_53:8. Jesus followed the Father's eternal redemptive plan (cf. Luk_22:22; Act_2:23; Act_3:18; Act_4:28) even unto physical torture and death (aorist active indicative and aorist participle).
▣ "even death on a cross" The cross was a stumbling-block to the Jews (cf. 1Co_1:23). They were not expecting a suffering Messiah, but a conquering Messiah. Also because of Deu_21:23, which implies that if someone was publicly exposed after death, it was a sign of a curse by God. The Jews could not see how their Messiah could be cursed by God, but this is exactly the truth of Gal_3:13, that He became a curse for us. The concept of a suffering Messiah (cf. Gen_3:15; Psalms 22) was repugnant to them. Yet this is how YHWH deals with the human sin problem, the vicarious, substitutionary atonement of Christ (cf. Isa_52:13 to Isa_53:12; Mar_10:45; Joh_1:29; 1Pe_1:19). The cross is the central truth of the NT where the love and justice of God meet and are merged.
Php_2:9
NASB, NKJV,
NRSV "therefore"
TEV "For this reason"
NJB "And for this"
The NT presents Jesus in two ways: (1) fully pre-existent Deity ( cf. Joh_1:1-3; Joh_1:14; Joh_8:57-58; Col_1:17) and (2) exalted Deity because of His obedient, holy earthly life (cf. Rom_1:4; Php_2:9). In the early church this led to a conflict between orthodox and adoptionist theologians. However, as so often, they both had an aspect of truth. What Jesus was is confirmed by what He did! There are not two Christologies, but two ways of viewing the same truth. Our response should not be to try to decide which is true, but to thank God for Christ before time, in time, and beyond time!
▣ "God highly exalted Him" This is an allusion to the Septuagint (LXX) translation of Isa_52:13. The intensified form of the term huperupsoô is found only here in the NT and rarely in secular Greek. See Special Topic: Paul's Use of Huper Compounds at Eph_1:19. This was not adoptionist Christology, which asserted that Jesus was rewarded with deity. Jesus was restored to divine pre-existent glory (cf. Eph_4:10). In John's Gospel Jesus' death is referred to as His glorification (cf. Joh_7:39; Joh_12:16; Joh_12:23; Joh_13:31-32; Joh_16:14; Joh_17:1). The humble servant is now King of Kings!
▣ "and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name" This special exalted name is "Lord" (cf. Php_2:11). The verb (echarisato) in Php_2:9 means "graciously given" as in Php_1:29. The term "Lord" is an allusion to the OT covenant name for God, YHWH (cf. Exo_3:14; Exo_6:3), which the Jews were afraid to pronounce lest they break one of the Ten Commandments (cf. Exo_20:7; Deu_5:11). Therefore, they substituted the name Adon, which meant Lord, owner, husband. Jesus, who came in the form of a servant, was returned to His cosmic Lordship (cf. Joh_17:5; Col_1:15-20). "Jesus is Lord" was the public, personal confession of faith for the early Church (cf. Rom_10:9; 1Co_8:6; 1Co_12:3). Jesus of Nazareth is given the supreme title of Deity (cf. Eph_1:21 and Heb_1:4). See Special Topic: Names For Deity at Col_1:3.
Php_2:10 "every knee should bow of those who are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth" One day everyone will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. The only question is whether they will do it in time by faith, and thereby become a part of the family of God, or do it on the Day of the Lord and be judged by Him (cf. Mat_25:31-46; Rev_20:11-15).
The parallel phrases in this verse refer to angels, both free and bound and humans, both living and dead. All conscious creatures shall acknowledge Jesus' Lordship, but only humans can be redeemed. Php_2:10-11 seem to be an allusion to Isa_45:23, which is quoted in Rom_14:11. In its original context it was the worship of YHWH that has now been transferred to the Messiah (cf. Joh_5:23). The transfer of titles and functions between YHWH and Jesus is another way the NT authors assert the full deity of Jesus. See Special Topic: Angels in Paul's Writings at Eph_6:12.
Php_2:11 "and every tongue should confess" This is an aorist middle subjunctive (used as future, some MSS have the future, i.e., A, C, D, F, G) of exomologeô which acknowledges the fact that public, verbal acknowledgment of the lordship of Christ will be an end-time reality. This acknowledgment of Jesus' Lordship was an early profession of faith (i.e., baptismal liturgy). Paul used this term as he used several OT quotes from the Septuagint (cf. Php_2:11 and Rom_14:11 from Isa_45:23 and Rom_15:9 from Psa_18:49. Also the related term homologeô in Rom_10:13 from Joel 2:37).
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▣ "to the glory of God the Father" The worship of Jesus is the purpose of God the Father in sending Him. This phrase "to the glory of God" relates to believers' lifestyle in Php_1:11 and here in Php_2:11 for their salvation, brought through the work of Christ. This same key phrase is used three times in Paul's prayer of praise to the triune God in Eph_1:3-14. Ultimately Jesus will turn all power, authority, and praise over to the Father to whom it belongs (cf. 1Co_15:27-28). See full note on "glory" at Eph_1:6.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO Php_2:12-30
A. Php_2:12-18, like Php_2:1-11, relate to Christian living.
B. Php_2:19-30 relates to Paul's helpers, Timothy and Epaphroditus and their coming to Philippi.
1. Timothy, Php_2:19-24
2. Epaphroditus, Php_2:25-30