Philippians 2:5-11
Philippians 1:27-28 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents
One of the overarching themes in Philippians chapter 1 is the proclamation and advancement of the gospel. Paul exhorted the Philippians to grow on their own, so that they would have the unity necessary to advance the gospel, whether he was with them or not.
In John 17:21, Jesus prayed to His Father that the church may all be one so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Philippians 2:1-2 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
As followers of Christ, each of these realities ( encouragement in Christ comfort from love participation in the Spirit, [and] affection and sympathy ) are ours through Him. True unity comes from treating each other the in same way that God has treated us.
True unity comes from treating each other the same way God has treated us. If we don t treat others the way God has treated us, we re actually contributing to the church s disunity.
Philippians 2:2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Genuine unity is a byproduct of a proper attitude or mind.
A changed mind will result in changed behavior. Romans 12:2 be transformed by the renewal of your mind Ultimately, our attitudes and actions should reflect the attitudes and actions of Jesus.
Philippians 2:3-4 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
The phrase selfish ambition comes from the Greek word eritheia (e-rē-thāʹä). It s the same word Paul used to describe those who were preaching the gospel with false motives.
Philippians 2:5-11 contains one of the greatest Christological statements in the Bible. It adds so much to our understanding of the person and work of Christ.
Paul uses this theologically deep statement to serve as a point of practical application. Philippians 2:5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Most scholars believe that this passage was an early Christian hymn or creed, that was used during worship services. Whether Paul originally wrote it, or not, doesn t have any impact on it being the inspired Word of God.
Philippians 2:5-11 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11 begins with God in eternity and ends in the same way. However, in between those two high notes, it drops down to a low point, in verse 8.
Jesus shared God s glory in heaven. Jesus willingly left that glory, came to earth, and was obedient to the point of death on a cross. Then, God highly exalted Him, and He was restored to His position of glory.
If we really desire unity in the church, we must look to Jesus as our motivation and our model. The more we look to His humility and imitate His behavior, the more unified we ll be as a church.
The first thing Paul said about Jesus was that He didn t insist on holding to what was rightfully His. Philippians 2:5-6 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
For all of eternity, Jesus possessed the essential nature of God. There can never be any fundamental change regarding Jesus divine nature. Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The word form comes from the Greek word morphē (mor-fāʹ). In this context, morphē (mor-fāʹ) refers to the essential nature of something which never changes.
Hebrews 13:8 says, that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. Whatever it is that defines God as God, is what Jesus is, was, and always will be. Colossians 2:9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,
Although He continued to be fully God, during His incarnation Jesus didn t selfishly hold on to the rights and privileges of His divinity. Philippians 2:6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
In this context to be grasped refers to holding on to, or clinging to, something. Jesus didn t demand His rights. He willingly walk away from them, in order to serve others.
Our goal, as followers of Christ, should be to advance the gospel. In order to do that, we need to have unity in Christ. That unity comes from having the same attitude He had.
Philippians 2:7 but (Jesus) emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. The word emptied comes from the Greek word kenoō (ke-noʹ-ō).
Kenoō (ke-noʹ-ō) literally means to empty, to make void, or to lay something aside. In a figurative sense, it speaks of taking away the prerogatives of status or position.
Jesus had to always possess all the essential attributes of divinity, or else He wasn t truly God. God can t change His essential nature. So, the emptying of Jesus didn t have anything to do with Jesus changing His essential nature.
It had to do with the fact that He gave up the right to cling to the position and glory that He had in heaven. Philippians 2:7 but (Jesus) emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, Jesus emptying focused on Him becoming a servant, not becoming less of God.
The word servant comes from the Greek word doulos (düʹ-los). A doulos (düʹ-los) is one who willing puts himself under the ownership of another.
Mark 10:43-45 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave (doulos) of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
He gave up the glory of heaven that was rightly His to become a servant and die for our sins. We are to live our lives as servants to others.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Jesus entered this world knowing that He would die on agonizing death on a cross. Jesus humbly submitted Himself to be crucified for sins He never committed.
1 John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Jesus is both our example and motivation for putting others before ourselves, and laying down our lives for them.