(Phil 2:8-11) Devotional - Is Jesus Lord of Your Life?
What the sentence affirms is not reward but the divine vindication of the self-emptying, humble obedience that led Christ to the cross. As a yes to this expression of equality with God, God the Father exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. Although expressed as a twofold action, most likely the two verbs point to a single reality: that God highly exalted Christ by gracing him with “the Name.” Both parts of the sentence, however, raise issues that call for closer examination.
The grandeur of this passage can easily cause one to forget why it is here. Paul’s reason is singular: to focus on Christ himself, and thus to point to him as the ultimate model of the self-sacrificing love to which he is calling the Philippians—and us. Here we have spelled out before us in living color both the “what” and the “why” of Paul’s affirmation “For to me, to live is Christ.” In Jesus Christ the true nature of the living God has been revealed ultimately and finally. God is not a grasping, self-centered being. He is most truly known through the One whose equality with God found expression in his pouring himself out in sacrificial love by taking the lowest place, the role of a slave, and whose love for his human creatures found consummate expression in his death on the cross. That this is God’s own nature and doing has been attested for all time by Christ Jesus’s divine vindication; he has been exalted by God to the highest place by having been given the Name: the Lord is none other than Jesus Christ. This is why for Paul “to live is Christ.” Any faith that falls short of this is simply not the Christian faith.
This section develops the big idea from the previous section about being like-minded. Even though 2:5–11 provides important theological commentary about Jesus, it has been placed here for a specific reason. In the context, the model of Jesus’ humility and sacrifice is intended to reinforce Paul’s call to consider others as being more important than ourselves. And what better example could there be than Jesus? Let’s take a look at the traits of Jesus that are highlighted.
So what does the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus have to do with us? Is Paul just teaching theology here? Recall from the beginning of this section that Paul cites Jesus’ example as a model for us to follow. Seeing how things turned out for Him provides incentive to us as we rise to the challenge of being like-minded. If two people are butting heads, something has to give. Recall the opening verses of the chapter: Is there any encouragement? Is there any consolation or fellowship? It’s so hard to place others’ interests before our own because of our sinful nature. The example of Jesus not only challenges us, it casts a vision for the payoff of humbly submitting ourselves to God. We see the same relationship between humility and exaltation outlined in James 4:10 and 1 Peter 5:6. The path to exaltation is humility—serving others. Paul fully understands this, driving it home using Jesus’ experience as the ultimate example.
In terms of Paul’s flow of thought in this chapter, his big idea of being like-minded is still front and center. The example of Jesus’ humiliation and exaltation in the present context is focused on motivating the Philippians to heed his call to be like-minded. Paul picks up the call for obedience in the very next section.
In view of the myriad theological questions that arise in these verses, it is critical to keep two things in mind: (1) these verses were written not to spur Christians to theological debate but to encourage greater humility and love; and (2) the summary of Christ’s life and ministry found here is not unique: the same themes are evident throughout the NT.