EXEGETICAL ANALYSIS OF PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11

A HYMN OF CHRIST'S HUMILITY

Features of Literary Structure

A. This epistle stresses unity and humility. Paul mentions working together (1:5) and
sharing (1:7). He contrasts those who work with him and those who compete with him
(1:15-17). He asks the readers to work with him in prayer (1:19); he pleads for unity
(1:27).

He them shows how unity is achieved: They share with both Christ and Paul through
suffering (1:29-30). Repeating the theme of unity with Christ, he pleads for unity
among the people and humility and serving others (2:1-4), citing the example of
Christ Jesus (2:5-11). He notes that they work with God (2:12-13). He says they
should also rejoice together (2:17-18).

Timothy and Epaphroditus are additional examples. Timothy looked out for others'
interests (2:20) and worked with Paul (2:22). Epaphroditus was a fellow worker
(2:25), risking his life to serve the Philippians (2:30).

Paul's autobiographical comments serve the same purpose: Though he had much
status, he was willing to abandon it (3:8) to share with Christ in suffering and
exaltation (3:10-11). He asks them to follow his example (3:15, 17, 4:9) and reminds
them of the glory they will share with Christ (3:20-21).

Paul ends by asking two women to agree, and asks a fellow worker to help them (4:2-
3). He thanks the Philippians for caring about him (4:10), and mentions his example
of contentment in sufferings (4:11) and working with God (4:13). He again thanks
them for their gift (4:14-18) and encourages them that God will give to them (4:19).

Paul has given give examples of humility and service that helps others and builds
unity: Christ, Timothy, Epaphroditus, Paul (he lists himself last, rather than next to
Christ), and the Philippians themselves also have commendable deeds.

B. Since unity comes from self-sacrifice and serving others, the hymn about Christ
provides a powerful example. Every time the Philippians sang this hymn, they would
remind themselves of their need to apply basic principles of humility and of the
reward for it. If the hymn was already in use, its effect would be even more powerful.

C. In most English translations, verse 5 serves as a bridge from exhortation to

example. Verse 5 uses second person plural, stressing a communal attitude (in keeping
with the stress of this epistle) rather than individual responsibilities. But the precise
translation and function are a point of controversy.

O'Brien (203-205, 253-262) discusses the kerygmatic interpretation and the ethical
interpretation, preferring the latter. "E. Käsemann, R.P. Martin, L.A. Losie, and other
advocates of the `kerygmatic' interpretation reject the notion of a link with the
preceding exhortation to unity and humility.... Instead, v. 5 is an important transitional
piece linking the exhortations to the hymn: the verse is `a typical example of the
transitions St. Paul uses', in which he `summarized the preceding exposition by an
imperative' " (O'Brien 203-5, quoting Spicq).

Perhaps due to my experience in reading this passage based on translations presenting

an ethical interpretation, I lean toward it, but I realize I haven't done enough research
to hold a firm opinion. I did not have time to read all of O'Brien's 96 pages on vv. 5-
11. I also wanted to consult Silva's commentary, but it wasn't in the library. I read the
relevant section of Martin's TNTC commentary, but he did not present all his
evidence there; he primarily referred to his earlier NCB commentary (which I also did
not have) for a fuller discussion of the options.

D. "The hymn naturally falls into two parts: Jesus' humiliation by his own act, and
Jesus' exaltation by the act of God" (Hawthorne 77).

The hymn has parallel thoughts, as shown in the outline below. Christ's position,
attitude, and humiliation are shown in two steps. He was exalted in position and in
name; I'm not sure how distinct those two parts are. He is worshipped in action and in
acclamation; these also may be parallel rather than distinct.

V. 10b has a parallel to vv. 6-8: "in heaven" corresponds with Christ's original nature;
"on earth" with his human existence; and "under the earth" with his death. This
parallel reinforces the interpretation that v. 6a refers to Christ's pre-incarnation divine
status.

E. The hymn is chiastic. It starts with Christ at a high level, and ends with specifics of
his exaltation: he is Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father. Verses 7-8 are chiastic:
being made nothing (7a) corresponds to his death on a cross (8c), being a servant (7b)
corresponds to humble obedience (8b), and human likeness (7c) corresponds to human
appearance (8a).

Verses 9-10 show chiasm: highest place corresponds to heaven, earth and underworld.
Verses 9-11 may also show chiasm: the highest place corresponds to (the right hand
of) God the Father, the highest name corresponds to confession of him as Lord.
F. Paul may have modified the hymn. The word "who" is an unlikely way to start a
hymn. (This suggests to me that Paul did not quote the entire hymn. Lohmeyer
thought it started with "which" in v. 5b [O'Brien 189], but that would also be an
unlikely start. I suspect that the first section of the hymn is missing, a strophe that
included the words "Christ Jesus" and "think.")

Other portions of the hymn might seem to interrupt the flow. V. 6b seems ungainly
(but perhaps necessary for poetic meter in Greek), v. 8d may be an addition (it could
be deleted without harming poetic parallels or chiasms), v. 10b seems to slow down
the flow, and v. 11b may have been added (its grammar appears disconnected, but
that's tolerable in poetry).

If Paul modified a hymn the Philippians were already familiar with, the alterations
would have been glaringly obvious, emphasizing a point when the epistle was read ---
but neglecting the point whenever the hymn was sung. Alterations, especially if there
were many, may have been counterproductive. I doubt that 6b is a Pauline addition,
because the vocabulary seems unusual for him. 10b and 11b do not contribute to the
point Paul was making, so I don't think they are Pauline additions, either. If there is a
Pauline addition, it is probably 8d. Some commentators come to this conclusion based
on meter; others remove 10b and 11b to match a different poetic division (cf.
Hawthorne, page 76)

G. I'm not sure where the closing words belong. They are like a doxology, but they
don't end with Amen. Does "to the glory of God" refer to Jesus Christ's status as Lord,
or does it refer to the end result of the bowing and confessing, or to the sequence
rehearsed by the entire hymn?

The Structural Outline

I. Introduction to the perfect example of humility (v. 5)

II. Exposition: Hymn about Christ's humility

A. Description of his humiliation (6-8)

1. First step: from equality with God to equality with humans (6-7)

a) His position: equality with God. A concessive clause ("although") emphasizing the
magnitude of his humility. (6a)

b) His attitude: willingness to give up status (6b)

c) His action: from divine form to human form. Continuing the contrast ("but") with
6a, progressing the thought of 6b. (7)

2. Next step in the progression: from human to humiliating death by crucifixion. (8)

a) His position: human (8a)

b) His attitude: humble (8b-c)

c) His action: obedience, submission to death on a cross. These three are a progressive
series ("and...and...even"). (8c-d)

B. A result ("therefore") of his humility: his exaltation (9-11)

1. Position: God give him the highest possible place and name (9)

2. Purpose ("that") of his exaltation: universal worship. Two equally coordinate

clauses. (10-11)

a) In action --- bowing in worship. 10b shows universal exaltation. (10)

b) In word --- confessing Jesus as Lord. (11a)

1) Closing doxological phrase, showing the universal significance. (11b)

Cultural and Contextual Background

A. Attitude (v.5): The verb means "think in a particular manner." "It may be
appropriate to render Php 2.5 as `you should think the way Christ Jesus did' or `how
Jesus Christ thought about things is the way you should think about them"' (Louw and
Nida 1:325). This continues Paul's theme of sharing with Christ.

B. Not to be grasped (v.5): "Since harpagmos may mean not only `to grasp something
forcefully which one does not have'...but also `to retain by force what one possesses,'
it is possible to translate Php 2.6 in two quite different ways" (Louw and Nida 1:584).
The first way "reflects the position of Jesus after the incarnation and the fact that he
had no thought of trying to become equal with God because he already possessed all
of the qualities of deity." The second way "presumes the position of Jesus prior to the
incarnation and hence his willingness to experience the...`emptying' of his divine
prerogatives" (ibid.). The second way fits in better with the points Paul makes in this
epistle.
Harpagmos could also mean a situation that offered opportunity for advancement. In
his pre-existent state Christ had a right to seize more glory, but he did not seek it in
this way. He was given it through service (Martin 103, 109).

Humans might think that divinity would entail getting whatever you want, but Jesus
saw it as responsibility to give to others (Hawthorne 85, citing Moule).

"The entire phrase...probably reflects a proverbial [idiomatic?] expression meaning

`exploit something for one's own (selfish) advantage' (see R.W. Hoover, HTR 64
[1971] 95-119). [O'Brien 215 also cites Hoover.] The phrase then means that the
Godlike one did not use his exalted status for purely selfish ends. A contrast with
Adam at this point...is difficult to prove" (Byrne 794).

C. Emptied himself (v.7): "All orthodox theologians are agreed that it does not mean
that He emptied himself of His divine nature. Rather, it was His heavenly glory"
(Earle 336). "The point...is that Christ does not selfishly exploit his divine form but
lays it aside to take the form of a servant" (Oepke 427).

"What did this act of self-emptying entail?" Hawthorne (85) lists six opinions and
concludes, "there is no basis for any of these speculative answers in the text of the
hymn."

D. Humbled (v.8): "In Greek culture, tapeinos and its derivatives were words of

contempt. The Greeks saw man as the measure of all things. Thus, to be low on the
social scale, to know poverty, or to be socially powerless was seen as shameful"
(Richards 347). Death by cross was particularly humiliating, both to Jews and to
Romans. This may have been important in Philippi, a Roman colony. "The Acts story
contains many hints of the Philippians' pride in their privileges" (Guthrie 543).

E. Under the earth (v.10): This "is probably a reference to the dead, generally
regarded as inhabiting a dark region under the ground (Louw and Nida 1:6). The dead
would kneel before Christ at the Judgment. Hawthorne (unnecessarily, I think) refers
to demons (93).

The Message

The hymn has an independent message, including praise for the risen and exalted
Christ, but Paul puts it into a context that emphasizes its message of humility as the
key to unity. "Although it may have been originally composed for christological or
soteriological reasons, Paul's motive for using it here is not theological but ethical"
(Hawthorne 79). Just as Timothy and Epaphroditus exemplify self-sacrificing service
(see IA above), and Paul illustrates self-sacrifice, suffering, and expectation of future
reward, so does Christ, an example the readers were already familiar with and should
already be motivated to imitate.

The message is a forceful echo of 2:1-4. The word "attitude" (vv. 2, 2, 5) and
"humility" (v. 3, 8) link the passages together. In one sense, the thought begins in
1:27: "Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." If you have
received the benefits of Christ, Paul says in 2:1, such as encouragement, love and
fellowship, then you ought to be like he is: encouraging, loving, sharing,
compassionate. If you have the love of Christ, if you think like he does, then you will
have unity in the congregation (2:2).

Humility is a fundamental aspect of Christian love, so Paul contrasts it with

selfishness or self-conceit (presumably the root of the problem in Philippi). Do not
seek to exalt yourselves, but make others your priority. That's a difficult command.
How can humans do such a thing? Of human nature, it can't be done, but through
Christ it can be. Since we share in him, in his love and in his Spirit, we can also share
in his attitude.

Surprisingly, the hymn says little about Christ's love for others. He became a servant,
but it doesn't say whom he served. The hymn focuses on his attitude toward himself.
(We can't expect a short hymn to be theologically complete.) He did not try to exalt
himself, or cling to an exalted position (the sense depends on how one views the
starting point, cf. Louw and Nida 1:584, but the latter seems to fit Paul's illustration
better). Either way, humility is illustrated. Hawthorne (84) favors the pre-incarnation
view: "This somewhat enigmatic expression ["in the form of God"], then, appears to
be a cautious, hidden way for the author to say that Christ was God...without
employing those exact words."

There are some parallels with the hymn and the story of Adam, who was created in
the form of God, and attempted to become like God (Martin 101, O'Brien 263-268). If
such parallels were perceived by the readers, the contrast between selfishness and
humility (cf. 2:3) would be reinforced.

He considered himself nothing --- i.e. he did not look out for his own interests --- but
was a servant. (The word "obedient" implies that he served God; he of course also
served man, as God would want him to.) "Servant" may allude to the suffering servant
of Isaiah (O'Brien 268-271). If so, its allusions may be more relevant to the original
hymn than to its place in Paul's epistle, since the suffering servant became an honored
title, albeit and unenviable role.

"Schema (v 7d) in hymnic fashion links up with morph_ (v 7a) and homio_ma (v 7c)

to form a threefold reiteration of the one fundamentally important idea, that
Christ...`truly became man, not merely in outward appearances but in thought and
feeling' " (Hawthorne 87-88, citing Schneider, TDNT 7:956). Even as a human (i.e.,
equal to the Philippian readers), Christ was humble even to the point of a painful and
ignominious death. The Philippians were being asked to make smaller sacrifices;
Christ's example encourages them that it can be done as Christ is in them.

The last part of the hymn isn't directly about humility, but it encourages the readers
that there is a great reward for humility. Christ was exalted to divine status and honors
(cf. Isa 45:23). We won't be exalted that high, but the implication is nevertheless that
if we share in Christ's humility and suffering, he will also share in his glory --- a point
made more explicitly in 3:21. The theme was part of Christian piety. "Whoever
humbles himself will be exalted" (Mt 23:12).

Application

Christ's self-sacrifice is a timeless example for us. If he was willing to give up so

much, how much more ought we be willing to make the smaller sacrifices asked of us!
If we are with Christ, if we share in his Spirit, we will also not cling to whatever perks
we might temporarily enjoy, but put our priority on others. We do not use positions
for self-advancement, but for service. We submit to the will of God, which says, Serve
one another, even if it costs you everything you have.

Most of the modern-day application of Christ's example is based on the more general
principles given in 2:3-4. Our priority must not be ourselves; it must be others. We
live to serve. To maintain our ability to serve, we take care of our health, for example,
but we should not lose sight of the altruistic purpose of self-maintenance. We do not
cling to life at all costs; rather, we cling to service to God and neighbor, even if it
costs our life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Byrne, Brendan. "The Letter to the Philippians." The New Jerome Bible

Commentary, edited by Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E.
Murphy. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1990.

Earle, Ralph. Word Meanings in the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker,

1977, 1986.

Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity,

1990.
Hawthorne, Gerald F. Word Biblical Commentary 43: Philippians. Waco, Texas:
Word, 1983.

Louw, Johannes P. and Eugene A. Nida, editors. Greek-English Lexicon of the New

Testament Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1988.

Martin, Ralph P. The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians. Second edition. Tyndale New
Testament Commentaries, volume 11. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987.

O'Brien, P. T. The Epistle to the Philippians. New International Greek Testament

Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.

Oepke, Albrecht. "Kenos, keno_, kenodoxos, kenodoxia." Theological Dictionary of

the New Testament, edited by Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich, translated and
abridged by Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985.