The Mind of Christ

Text: Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1–11 KJV 1900

1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lesson Aim:

The objective of this lesson is to give a Biblical and practical look at what it means to “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” This lesson should familiarize your students with a couple of theological themes found in this passage. First the mind of Christ and it’s practical application. Second, the Kenosis or the humility of Christ. Paul uses this great truth to show us what a Christian’s attitude should be.

Lesson Outline:

I. An Explanation of the Mind of Christ (Phil. 2:1-4)

II. An Expression of the Mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8)

III. An Exaltation of God Through the Mind of Christ (Phil. 2:9-11)

Introduction:

Paul sitting in a Roman jail cell is writing to the Philippian Church around AD 61 expressing the need for the believers to be united in thinking like Christ. The book of Philippians uses four main keywords. The most used key word “joy” is used fourteen times. The second most used key word is “mind” found ten times. This seems to indicate that Paul was attempting to point out the importance of how we think individually and collectively is important.

As you look at the usage of the term “mind” in Philippians you find an interesting theme. Paul is trying to not only show us what the mind of Christ entails, but how we should enact His way of thinking in our daily lives. This is emphasized and made clearer in the passage we are looking at Philippians 2:1-11.

I. An Explanation of the Mind of Christ (Phil. 2:1-4)

Paul begins this section as he often does with an attitude of gratitude. It is a rich and flowing thanksgiving four “if” statements. This expression of thanksgiving focuses on four benefits that believers partake of experientially from God through their relationship with Christ. These four blessings help to produce the Christlike attitude we will see later explained in this passage.

a. The four blessings (Phil. 2:1)

Consolation (Encouragement in Christ

This consolation or encouragement in Christ is what we experience from being united with and knowing Christ.

Comfort of love

We have this comfort of love because we know that our Father loves us and knows what is best for us.

Fellowship of the Spirit

We have a fellowship with the Spirit which provides us leadership, guidance and direction. This is seen not only in daily living, but witnessed in prayer and conversation.

Bowels (Affection) and Mercies

The KJV term used “bowels” is an old English word that means affection or “tender compassion” Some scholars claim that “bowels and mercies” may be a hendiadys. A hendiadys according to the Lexham Glossary of Theology is “A figure of speech in which two related nouns or verbs are used to communicate a single idea, often heightening its meaning” (Mangum, 2014). This affection and mercies is the fruit born from a relationship with Jesus Christ.

These four blessings pave the way for the like mindedness that Paul will present as the way a community of believers should conduct themselves and their attitudes.

b. Likeminded (Phil. 2:2)

It should be noted that likeminded does not mean that everyone thinks the same without any disagreement. This is a false interpretation of the concept of unity.

Paul talks about unity in Ephesians 4:3. Unity is not uniformity or conformity it comes from within due to a relationship with Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:7). The being likeminded Paul admonishes us to emulate will produce three essential unifying results. Dr. Philip Brown labeled these as:

Unity of love

Unity of love is talking about our love for one another. We are commanded to “love one another” several times in the Bible. This love is not just a warm tenderness for someone else, but rather a self-sacrificial love for each other. It will be the same kind of love that Jesus loved us with.

Unity of spirit

Again unity does not mean exactly the same on everything. It does mean that we have the same spiritual goals. (what are some spiritual goals that we should have?)

Unity of Focus

We will focus on the same things as we are focused on God. Dr. Brown suggests we will have united focus on the glorifying God, seeking the good of others, and forming Christlike character within ourselves.

Paul is concerned about what they think because he assumes that their right thinking will affect their living. He also assumes that their thinking is done in community. One cannot “think the same thing” in isolation from others. He does not impose on them an obligation to agree on everything but wants them to be intent on one purpose, to have the same priorities. (Garland, David E. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol . 12. 2006)

This Christlike mind is accompanied by a proper perspective of ourselves. The humility that we will see Christ exhibited Paul exhorts believers to have as well.

C. Lowliness (Phil. 2:3)

Humility is sometimes misinterpreted to mean that I look at myself as worthless and rubbish. While it is true we are not to think of ourselves more highly, we are to look at ourselves as we are and how God views us (Rom. 12:3). Humility is not synonomous with an inferiority complex.

This lowliness of mind is contrasted with strife and vainglory.

What is strife?

Strife means “selfish ambition which has no thought of serving others and seeks only to please itself.”

What is vainglory?

Vainglory refers to a hollow pride pattern of thinking that is always looking out for ways to make self look better in others’ eyes.

Illustration Suggestion

A May 2014 poll conducted by YouGov found that only 4 percent of Americans think they are less intelligent than the average person. Most (55 percent) think that they are smarter than average. The poll also found that wealthier respondents were more likely to think that Americans in general are unintelligent.

Since 49 percent of Americans are actually less intelligent than the average, this would indicate that many people are guilty of ignoring Paul’s admonition to not think more highly of ourselves than we really are. These results seem to show that humility may be a missing ingredient in modern American life.

—Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

The antidote for strife or selfish ambition and vainglory is found in the later part of Phil. 2:3. “let each esteem other better than themselves.” This word “better” refers to how we treat people, which should be as worthy of more honor than ourselves.

This is shown practically in the next verse and final part of the explanation of the Mind of Christ.

d. Looking (Phil. 2:4)

The term “look” means to focus one’s interests and in this case that focus of interests is to be on others. Looking and focusing not as busy bodies or nosey neighbors, but of Christian brothers. We look to see how we can assist and serve. We look to see how we can help bear their burden, how we can pray for them, how we can support them.

I would submit to you a summary of the explanation of the mind of Christ given to us in the text is to be likeminded, to be lowly, and to be looking on the needs and interests of others.

We will see this exemplified as we examine the example given to us in the Phil 2:5-7

II. An Expression of the Mind of Christ Phil. 2:5-7

This passage implies that Jesus is the expression of the Mind of Christ. We are told to “let this mind (the mind he has just explained and now will express through the life of Christ) be in you. We are given the great “kenosis” passage to give us a practical example of what this looks like.

Note to teacher: You may want to explain the term “kenosis” to your class. You might say something like: “kenosis” is a Greek word that means emptying. The KJV “made himself of no reputation” is a interpretation of the Greek “kenosis” or “emptied himself.”

When the scripture says, “[He] made himself of no reputation...” (Phil. 2:7) it is stating that Jesus emptied himself of somethings. (What did Jesus empty himself of?) There are at least two things Jesus left behind in the incarnation. First, He left the glory he had with the Father. Jesus prays for this glory to be restored before his crucifixion (John 17:5). Second, Jesus left all the rights and privileges he had due to being “equal with God”.

There are three that took the place of what was emptied out:

Took upon himself the form of a servant

Think of this - The King of kings, became a servant. He was not forced into it, was not coerced into it, he became this. We are to follow this example and let this mind be in us.

Took upon himself the likeness of men

He became poor, and limited just as we are, “he humbled himself”. This is great admonition for us as well. We need to humble ourselves at times as well.

Took upon himself obedience unto death

This wasn’t just and obedience of following a set of commands or rules, but an obedience that took Him to the cross. It was sacrificial love in action.

We have seen an explanation of the mind of Christ and the expression of that mind in a practical example. We now look at the motivation and reasoning behind this way of thinking and ordering our lives.

III. The Exaltation of God through the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:9-11)

We don’t just live out the mind of Christ for experience and gained knowledge. Christ is exalted by it, and when Christ is exalted God is glorified.

The mind of Christ brought about His exaltation

He recieved a name above every other name

He recieved worship and confession

Every knee will bow

Every tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord

This glorifies the Father.

Conclusion:

I should be exuding the mind of Christ. It should govern my thoughts, actions and words. Not just because the Bible says to “let this mind be in you,” although that should be sufficient, but because in doing so it brings glory to God the Father.