Christian Humility
1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, b if any fellowship with the Spirit, c if any affection and mercy, d 2 make my joy complete by thinking the same way, e having the same love, f united in spirit, intent on one g purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition h or conceit, i but in humility j consider others as more important k than yourselves. 4 Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, l but also for the interests of others. m
Christ’s Humility and Exaltation
5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God n
as something to be exploited.
7 Instead he emptied himself o
by assuming the form of a servant, p
taking on the likeness of humanity. q
And when he had come as a man,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death—
even to death on a cross. r
9 For this reason God highly exalted him s
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow t—
in heaven u and on earth
and under the earth v—
11 and every tongue w will confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory x of God the Father.
Lights in the World
12 Therefore, my dear friends, y just as you have always obeyed, z so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling a and arguing, b 15 so that you may be blameless c and pure, d children of God who are faultless e in a crooked f and perverted g generation, h among whom you shine like stars in the world, 16 by holding firm to the word i of life. Then I can boast j in the day of Christ k that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am poured out l as a drink offering m on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 In the same way you should also be glad and rejoice with me.
Timothy and Epaphroditus
19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus n to send Timothy o to you soon so that I too may be encouraged by news about you. 20 For I have no one else like-minded who will genuinely care about your interests; 21 all seek their own interests, p not those of Jesus Christ. q 22 But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father. 23 Therefore, I hope to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon. r
25 But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus s—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need t— 26 since he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was sick. 27 Indeed, he was so sick that he nearly died. However, God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 For this reason, I am very eager to send him so that you may rejoice again when you see him and I may be less anxious. 29 Therefore, welcome him in the Lord with great joy and hold people like him in honor, 30 because he came close to death for the work u of Christ, risking his life to make up what was lacking in your ministry to me.
B. A call to corporate life in Christ (2:1–4). 2:1–2. After calling the Philippians to authentic Christian life as the people of God, Paul makes a series of rhetorical remarks. The series of “if” statements (2:1) are conditions that find their fulfillment in the command of 2:2a. Paul urges the Philippian church to complete his joy, which assumes that the encouragement, consolation, fellowship, affection, and compassion found in their union with Christ is true.
2:3–4. A second important virtue in a life worthy of the gospel is humility. The Christian life is centered outside oneself. Paul uses the same term as he used in 1:16 (“selfish ambition”) to talk about those who preached the gospel in order to frustrate him, because he does not want such an attitude to prevail among the Philippians (2:3). In humility, they are to live a life in which their focus is on God and others. It is not necessary for them to ignore their own lives and interests, but they are to put the needs and interests of others above their own (2:4). Humility and unity are what truly demonstrate the Christian life.
C. The supreme example of Christ (2:5–11). 2:5. A mere list of virtues or an explanation of concepts is not enough to truly understand what it means to follow Christ as both an individual and a community. So Paul recalls the story of Jesus to illustrate the life he calls them to in 1:27, calling them to follow Christ’s example. [Early Christian Hymns]
2:6. The section that follows (2:6–11) is organized in a poetic pattern and is often referred to as “the Christ hymn.” Paul uses these verses to display the prime example and goal of the Christian life—Jesus Christ. The Christ hymn follows a pattern of increasing humiliation followed by increasing exaltation. Paul refers to Christ’s preincarnate state: Jesus was “in the form of God” before his incarnation (2:6a). The term “form” denotes both the appearance of God (glory, power, majesty) and the essence of God. Christ, who was God in appearance and truth, did not consider his divine privileges as needing to be asserted (2:6b).
2:7. The next verse explains how Jesus did not cling to his divine privileges but rather gave of himself for others. He made himself nothing and took upon himself the nature of a servant (see Mk 10:45). Paul is, by pointing out Christ’s servant nature, calling the Philippians to a life of service in response. The rest of the verse emphasizes that Christ took on human nature completely, with all its weaknesses and restrictions. He set aside the glory that was his right, to live not merely within a human body but as a human, dealing with all the trials and pains of life.
2:8. Although taking on human identity humbled Christ from his divine status and glory, his path of humiliation did not end there. Even after he became incarnate, “he humbled himself,” “becoming obedient to the point of death.” This is the example that both Paul and the Philippians are to turn to in their lives. Suffering for Christ is only to be done in obedience to God, not through self-assertion. Christian unity comes about as believing communities surrender their own will and prerogatives for the good of others, living as crucified with Christ (2:4). This submission to God may take place in the face of persecution and may even be to the point of death.
2:9–11. The hymn does not end with Christ’s death, as no true story about Christ can. “For this reason” shows that what follows is a result of what came before. Because of his obedience, “God highly exalted him” (2:9). After descending to the depths, Christ was brought up to the highest heights. Not only is the name Jesus above all other names, but it also has been so exalted by the Father that it will cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess Christ’s lordship (2:10–11; see Is 45:23). These are things of which only God is worthy. When Jesus is exalted to this level, he is restored to his greater glory as the Son of God.
D. A call to Christlike obedience (2:12–18). 2:12–13. Paul now calls the Philippians to a life of obedience following the example of Christ. In light of his current imprisonment, Paul calls them to obey while he is away, as he has known them to obey when he is there (2:12). When Paul is absent, their obedience is a greater indication of their true character.
2:14–18. Paul warns the Philippians against spreading disunity in the Christian community (2:14). He calls for their Christian lives to be blameless for their own sakes and so that they might shine as lights for God in the world (2:15). Paul has worked and labored in love for this congregation, and he greatly desires at the final day to boast in all that they have become (2:16). He does not want all the love he has given to end up being for nothing.
2:19–24. Paul begins with Timothy, whom he is sending for at least two purposes: to receive news about how the congregation is doing and to encourage them about his own situation in Rome (2:19). Timothy is an outstanding example of a true Christlike leader who is not concerned with himself but looks to the interests of others, especially the Philippians (2:20–21). Just as Paul called the Philippians to look to others’ interests (2:4), he is going to send to them someone who exemplifies this aspect of the Christian life. Because of his character and adherence to the gospel, Timothy can represent Paul as his forerunner, even as Paul hopes that he himself will be able to follow soon (2:22–24).
2:25–30. Paul then moves on to the example of Epaphroditus. As the messenger the Philippians sent to Paul (2:25), Epaphroditus most likely has delivered their financial aid to the apostle. Epaphroditus has a heart for the Philippians to the degree that he longs for them just as Paul does (2:26; cf. 1:8). Through his work with Paul and the delivery of financial aid, Epaphroditus has given what the Philippians themselves could not give (2:30). Yet his greatest act of obedience has come in continuing to serve despite his illness (2:27). Paul commends him as a man worthy of honor, since he “came close to death for the work of Christ” (2:29–30).