Imitating Christ’s Humility
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, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[Or in the form of] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[Or the form ] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
[Immediate Reaction to the Verse: When Paul was writing this, he was not making reference to any scripture in the Old Testament thus this is an example of sacred tradition which was learned from the mouth and then written to now include as a scripture.]
Do Everything Without Grumbling
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[Deut. 32:5] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
[Immediate Reaction to the Verse: Verse 17 obviously referring to the Holy Mass where the drink offering is a sacrifice and service coming from the faith. This a reference again to the sacred tradition of the institution of the Holy Mass as a Sacrifice Offering and Thanksgiving or the Eucharist. Only Catholics can understand this verse]
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
NOTES:
2:1–11 The admonition to likemindedness and unity (Phil
2:2–5) is based on the believers’ threefold experience with Christ, God’s love,
and the Spirit. The appeal to humility (Phil 2:3) and to obedience (Phil 2:12)
is rooted in christology, specifically in a statement about Christ Jesus (Phil
2:6–11) and his humbling of self and obedience to the point of death (Phil
2:8).
2:5 Have…the same attitude that is also yours in Christ
Jesus: or, “that also Christ Jesus had.” While it is often held that Christ
here functions as a model for moral imitation, it is not the historical Jesus
but the entire Christ event that Phil 2:6–11 depict. Therefore, the appeal is
to have in relations among yourselves that same relationship you have in Jesus
Christ, i.e., serving one another as you serve Christ (Phil 2:4).
2:6–11 Perhaps an early Christian hymn quoted here by Paul.
The short rhythmic lines fall into two parts, Phil 2:6–8 where the subject of
every verb is Christ, and Phil 2:9–11 where the subject is God. The general
pattern is thus of Christ’s humiliation and then exaltation. More precise analyses
propose a division into six three-line stanzas (Phil 2:6; 7abc, 7d–8, 9, 10,
11) or into three stanzas (Phil 2:6–7ab, 7cd–8, 9–11). Phrases such as even
death on a cross (Phil 2:8c) are considered by some to be additions (by Paul)
to the hymn, as are Phil 2:10c, 11c.
2:6 Either a reference to Christ’s preexistence and those
aspects of divinity that he was willing to give up in order to serve in human
form, or to what the man Jesus refused to grasp at to attain divinity. Many see
an allusion to the Genesis story: unlike Adam, Jesus, though…in the form of God
(Gn 1:26–27), did not reach out for equality with God, in contrast with the
first Adam in Gn 3:5–6.
2:7 Taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness: or
“…taking the form of a slave. Coming in human likeness, and found human in
appearance.” While it is common to take Phil 2:6, 7 as dealing with Christ’s
preexistence and Phil 2:8 with his incarnate life, so that lines Phil 2:7b, 7c
are parallel, it is also possible to interpret so as to exclude any reference
to preexistence (see note on Phil 2:6) and to take Phil 2:6–8 as presenting two
parallel stanzas about Jesus’ human state (Phil 2:6–7b; 7cd–8); in the latter
alternative, coming in human likeness begins the second stanza and parallels 6a
to some extent.
2:8 There may be reflected here language about the servant
of the Lord, Is 52:13–53:12 especially Is 53:12.
2:9 The name: “Lord” (Phil 2:11), revealing the true nature
of the one who is named.
2:10–11 Every knee should bend…every tongue confess: into
this language of Is 45:23 there has been inserted a reference to the three
levels in the universe, according to ancient thought, heaven, earth, under the
earth.
2:11 Jesus Christ is Lord: a common early Christian
acclamation; cf. 1 Cor 12:3; Rom 10:9. But doxology to God the Father is not
overlooked here (Phil 2:11c) in the final version of the hymn.
2:12–18 Paul goes on to draw out further ethical
implications for daily life (Phil 2:14–18) from the salvation God works in
Christ.
2:12 Fear and trembling: a common Old Testament expression
indicating awe and seriousness in the service of God (cf. Ex 15:16; Jdt 2:28;
Ps 2:11; Is 19:16).
2:15–16 Generation…as you hold on to…: or “…generation.
Among them shine like lights in the world because you hold the word of life….”
2:17 Libation: in ancient religious ritual, the pouring out
on the ground of a liquid offering as a sacrifice. Paul means that he may be
facing death.
2:19–3:1 The plans of Paul and his assistants for future
travel are regularly a part of a Pauline letter near its conclusion; cf. Rom
15:22–29; 1 Cor 16:5–12.
2:19 Timothy: already known to the Philippians (Acts
16:1–15; cf. 1 Cor 4:17; 16:10).
2:24 I myself will also come soon: cf. Phil 1:19–25 for the
significance of this statement.
2:25 Epaphroditus: sent by the Philippians as their
messenger (literally, “apostle”) to aid Paul in his imprisonment, he had fallen
seriously ill; Paul commends him as he sends him back to Philippi.
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