Philippians 2:3-8 Sermon

Introduction

a. Background and theme material

Philippians 2:5–11, a passage discussed earlier (see pp. 109–10), is a clear assertion of the deity of Christ Jesus. It speaks of him as being or existing in the “form” (morphē) of God (v. 6). In biblical and classical Greek this term refers to “the whole set of characteristics that makes something what it is.” The whole passage, as Reginald Fuller maintains, presents a “threefold christological pattern”: Jesus, being God, emptied himself, became human, and then was again exalted to the status of deity or of equality with the Father.6

Though the Hymn in this section may have developed prior to Paul’s writing of Philippians, the background of it in its entirety is difficult to discern and is best examined on a phrase-by-phrase basis. Some scholars regard it as a pre-Pauline, self-contained, poetic unit perhaps of Hebrew or Aramaic origin for use among early Jewish-Christian communities in worship. Though likely alluding to Isaiah’s famous “Servant Songs” (Isa. 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:10–11; 52:13–53:12), the hymn is clearly the product of Christian theology interwoven with Pauline exhortatory material (O’Brien, 198). Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus: Rabbis likewise looked to heaven for a model of humility: “R. Joseph (d. ca. a.d. 333) said: “ ‘Man should always learn from the mind of his Creator; for behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, ignored all the mountains and heights and caused His Shechinah (glory) to abide upon Mount Sinai, and ignored all the beautiful trees and caused His Shechinah to abide in a bush’ (Exod. 3:2)” (b. Sota 5a).

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Philippians

PHILIPPIANS (Φιλιππήσιος, Philippēsios). The residents of Philippi (Phil 4:15, Phil 1:1). For the letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, see this article: Philippians, Letter to the.

PHILIPPIANS, LETTER TO THE A letter from the Apostle Paul to the church at Philippi, in Macedonia (northern Greece). Philippians is one of four so-called Prison Letters attributed to Paul, but it does not share many similarities with the other three (Colossians, Ephesians, and Philemon).

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Outline of Philippians

Outline of Philippians

• 1:1–11—Introduction and opening prayer

• 1:1–2—Opening greeting

• 1:3–11—Prayer of thankfulness for the Philippians’ partnership

• 1:12–26—Paul’s joy in suffering for and preaching of the gospel

• 1:12–17—Opposition to Paul and extension of the gospel

• 1:18–26—Paul’s internal struggle: To live is Christ and to die is gain

• 1:27–30—The central thrust: Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel

• 2:1–30—Exhortation to unity and Christlikeness

• 2:1–11—Jesus Christ: The perfect example

• 2:12–18—Obedience in light of Jesus’ example

• 2:19–24—Timothy: An example of Christlikeness

• 2:25–30—Epaphroditus: An example from the Philippians of Christlikeness

• 3:1–4:9—Exhortation to rejoice in Christ

• 3:1—Command to rejoice

• 3:2–21—Rejoice in the face of opposition

• 4:1–9—Stand firm in the Lord

• 4:10–23—Concluding remarks

• 4:10–20—Thankfulness for the Philippians’ partnership

• 4:21–23—Farewell

Body Outline

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. Empty conceit (kenodoxia) is a prideful opinion that one is of the right opinion (doxa) when one is actually in error (kenos; cf. Wis. 14:4; 4 Macc. 2:15; 8:18; Hawthorne, 69). Humility of mind is a derogatory expression in much of Greek literature (Epictetus, Discourses 3.24.56), while in the Old Testament its cognates refer to the Lord’s acting in history to bring down the proud and arrogant while exalting the lowly (cf. Amos 2:6; Isa. 2:9; Judges 4:23; 2 Sam. 22:28; Pss. 10:17; 31:7; Job 5:11; Prov. 3:34; 15:33; O’Brien, 180–81). More important than himself, in the Old Testament, means to surpass or exceed, as Daniel “surpassed” the wise men of Babylon in wisdom and status (Dan. 5:11; cf. Exod. 26:13; Lev. 25:27; 2 Chron. 5:9).

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,

but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4Let each of you look not only to his own interests,

but also to the interests of others.

Paul’s text is brief. Literally, it is:

[Do nothing] from selfish ambition

[Do nothing] from conceit

But in humility

count others more significant than

yourselves.

‘Selfish ambition’ means ‘creating a faction’, an act that is clearly divisive. It is closely related to ‘some preach Christ from … rivalry’ (1:15). Paul had suffered from ‘rivalry’ in Rome and did not want its evil influence to divide the Philippian congregation.

Conceit, or pride, often underlies rivalry. Today we would think of those whose big egos create personal factions, something we occasionally witness among politicians and also, sadly, church leaders. It is the attitude that says, ‘I know best and my way is the only way’. It is the opposite to ‘being of the same mind, having the same love’ (v 2).

The flow of Paul’s argument is strong. ‘Do nothing from x … do nothing … from y, but do the opposite: ‘in humility count others more significant than yourselves’. This means putting aside one’s own sense of superiority and looking for the insights of others. This doesn’t mean that I must discount my own knowledge and experience, but at the least I must listen to and reflect on the views of others, and if appropriate acknowledge the value of those views.

Paul clinches this brief but important section with these powerful words: ‘Let each look not to his own interests, but [let each look] to others’ interests’. Once again Paul calls on the readers to look out from within themselves and their viewpoints and appreciate and be considerate of the ‘interests’ of others.

Two things should be noted from this brief but important passage. The first is that these are the attitudes from the one who said, ‘I am gentle and lowly in heart’ (Matthew 11:29). How different this is from the elitism implicit in the values of the Classical Era, noted above. The other is that when we exercise humility and develop an others-centred attitude we enhance our own growth in Christian maturity.

“Through” in the Greek indicates the regulative state of mind. It shows the impelling motive. “Strife” has the idea of factiousness. There were factions in the Philippian church, as this exhortation infers. The prohibitions in the Pauline epistles are an indication of what is wrong in the situation which the apostle wishes to correct. “Vain glory” is the translation of a word made up of two words, one word meaning “empty,” or “vain,” used in the sense of “to no purpose, futile,” and the other meaning “opinion.” Thus the total meaning is “empty pride.” “Lowliness” is the translation of the word translated in other places “humble, humility.” Plato defines it as follows: “That state of mind which submits to the divine order of the universe, and does not impiously exalt itself.” In pagan writers generally, the word had a bad meaning, “abject, grovelling.” But when it comes into the New Testament, its meaning is ennobled. The word is used in a secular document, of the Nile River at its low stage, in the sentence, “It runs low.”

“Esteem” is from a word referring to a belief that rests, not on one’s inner feelings or sentiment, but on the due consideration of external grounds, on the weighing and comparing of facts. “Better” is the translation of a word which means literally “having above,” thus “to excel or surpass.”

Let nothing be done (μηδὲν). Rev., doing nothing. The Greek is simply nothing, depending either, as A. V. and Rev., on the verb to do understood, or on thinking (φρονοῦντες) of the preceding verse: thinking nothing. The latter is preferable, since the previous and the following exhortations relate to thinking or feeling rather than to doing.

Through strife (κατὰ ἐριθείαν). Rev., correctly, faction. Lit., according to faction. See on Jas. 3:14; and ch. 1:16 According to indicates faction as the regulative state of mind.

Vain glory (κενοδοξίαν). Only here in the New Testament. The kindred adjective κενόδοξοι desirous of vain glory, occurs only at Gal. 5:26. In the Septuagint the word is used to describe the worship of idols as folly (see Wisdom 14:14), and in 4 Macc. 5:9, the verb κενοδοξέω is used of following vain conceits about the truth. The word is compounded of κενός empty, vain, and δόξα opinion (but not in the New Testament), which, through the intermediate sense of good or favorable opinion, runs into the meaning of glory. See on Apoc. 1:6.

Lowliness of mind (ταπεινοφροσύνῃ). See on Matt. 11:29.

4. Look (σκοποῦντες). Attentively: fixing the attention upon, with desire for or interest in. So Rom. 16:17; Philip. 3:17; 2 Cor. 4:18. Hence often to aim at; compare σκοπός the mark, ch. 3:14. The participles esteeming and looking are used with the force of imperatives. See on Col. 3:16.

Philippians 2

The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible Philippians 2:4

Philippians 2:4

ἕκαστοι

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

The manuscript evidence is evenly split. Some manuscripts have a plural “each of you,” whereas others have the singular “each [one] of you.” The difference in translation and understanding is negligible, though the first is a general statement to a group while the second is a specific statement intended for each member of the group.

The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible Philippians 2:26

Philippians 2:26

ἐπιποθῶν ἦν πάντας ὑμᾶς

for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.

Some manuscripts have “he was longing for all of you,” but other manuscripts have “he was longing to see all of you.” The difference is slight; the latter specifies the longing (“to see”), while the former keeps the longing generic.

The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible Philippians 2:30

Philippians 2:30

τὸ ἔργον Χριστοῦ

for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Most witnesses have “work of Christ,” but a few early manuscripts have “work of the Lord.” The difference in understanding is slight; mention of Christ may invoke a more messianic sense in the passage, while “Lord” may instead emphasize the deity of Jesus in his death.

Philippians 3

The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible Philippians 3:3

Philippians 3:3

οἱ πνεύματι θεοῦ λατρεύοντες

For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—

The bulk of the manuscript evidence has “who worship by the Spirit of God,” but a few early manuscripts have “who worship God in the Spirit.” The first option specifies “the Spirit of God” as the object of worship, while the second option specifies that worship is of God and done in the Spirit. A third option found in one early manuscript is simply “who worship in spirit.”

The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible Philippians 3:12

Philippians 3:12

Χριστοῦ

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Some early manuscripts have “Christ,” but most early manuscripts and related later witnesses have “Christ Jesus.”

The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible Philippians 3:13

Philippians 3:13

οὐ λογίζομαι κατειληφέναι

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Instead of “not … to have laid hold” some early manuscripts have “to have not yet laid hold.” While there is no functional difference in understanding the sentence as written to the Philippians, the first option leaves open whether Paul will “lay hold of it,” while the second strongly implies that Paul will “lay hold of it” in the future (see 2 Tim 4:7–8).

The Lexham Textual Notes on the Bible Philippians 3:16

Philippians 3:16

τῷ αὐτῷ στοιχεῖν

Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Instead of “to the same hold on,” a few early manuscripts and related later manuscripts have “to hold on to the same rule, to think the same thing.” The second form reiterates itself, instructing the reader to adhere to “what we have attained,” in both actions and thoughts.