ETB Philippians 2:1-18

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Understand the Context

At the end of chapter one Paul makes a plea for the Philippians to live in a “worthy” manner of Christ’s calling within each of them. This is in conjunction with the admonition to live together in unity. Chapter 2 begins with an example of how that will be observable as God works in and through them. This example of Christ’s humility toward the church as a whole should be our guide in our individual lives and within smaller congregations.

Explore the Text

Philippians 2:1–2 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Some versions start with “Therefore” pointing back to the last command and encouragement in verse 27 to have one mind in the work of Christ and standing firm in the truths of the Gospel.

This section opens with a Greek construction that assumes the reality of an if-clause. The implication of the opening words would be “since there is” before listing four assured realities we can count on and that form the basis for spiritual unity in a church fellowship. These four are encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, participation in the Spirit, and a combination of affection and sympathy, each of which is prefaced by the Greek construction that employs the English term if, but in its Greek construction assumes their reality. [LifeWay Adults (2020). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Fall 2021. LifeWay Press.]

As we look at the four parts of unity listed - love, fellowship, affection and sympathy - we can see how without these a common goal or interest could not be obtained. Thankfully as we all desire Christ’s work to continue through us into the world and we allow God to continue the work He started within us (1:6) we will be able to maintain standing firm in the gospel but also completing the joy of those like Paul who have invested in our lives spiritually and rejoice when they see God at work.

Complete my joy

In verse 2 Paul asks the Philippians to “complete my joy”. For me in English this sounds more like a request but according to the Greek scholars this is the first of several commands he gives in today’s verses.

Complete my joy (2)

Have this mind (5)

Do all things (14)

Be glad and rejoice (18)

None of these can we obey if we are not focused on Christ and thinking more about ourselves. Which is the point that Paul emphasizes in the next few verses both with negative and positive examples.

Philippians 2:3–4 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

How does selfish ambition get in the way of serving others?

These are nearly the same words that he used to describe those who were preaching the gospel with an impure motive back in Chapter 1. This premise of putting others first and above ourselves was just as countercultural then as it is today. The sinful human desire to be in control and “self-preserve” has not been eliminated from the world - yet. We do not want to put others first and apparently neither did the people in Philippi. How can we in this world accomplish this? That’s Paul’s next command.

Have this mind

Philippians 2:5–11 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Apparently in the Greek these verses have a style that leads several of the sources I reviewed think that it was poetry or a hymn. It definitely has a lot of allusions and figurative language. Mind in this verse is phroneo /fron·eh·o/ and speaks to more than just a person’s thoughts but to the emotions and opinions as well. We could write the phrase as “Since you are in Christ’s fellowship, have and keep on having, His mindset” Which mindset would lead to better unity within the church? One of Christ-like humility.

Did you notice the downward progression that Christ took for us?

From the right hand of the Father in heaven, then not equal by choice to God, then a servant, then a human, then human servant, then criminal, then quite literally humbled himself to death. But not just any death, the most humiliating and painful form of death. So horrible that they had to make up a new word to describe how bad it was - excruciating. This is how low and far Christ came for you as He put the Father interests and our souls above His personal significance.

How much humiliation would you be willing to suffer to help a lost friend or relative come to Christ?

Notice also the word “form” [morphe /mor·fay/] repeated 3 times in this verse. Some translations use “nature” but this connotation separates body and spirit where as “morphing” speaks more to obtaining another shape without changing the “person” inside.

Form of God, form of servant, form of human, but all 3 are 100% divinely Jesus.

As you reflect back on your life as a Christian, what occasions of service to others have ever aroused in your heart the sentiment, “I wouldn’t do this for anyone else but Jesus”?

I won’t go into all the debate and theological discussions about not counting “equality with God a thing to be grasped”. Let’s just say that it made my head hurt and honestly, I did not read them all. What I will say is for me, if Jesus did not do this as a sign of his humility, therefore when we do “do it” we are rebelling against God and His authority over us. We probably do this more often than we care to admit.

And if the debate on that phrase was not enough, try looking through all the theology and commentaries about what “emptied himself” means. Again, head spinning. I chose to let some of the cross-references to other Scripture help me on this one

2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

His interests or “wealth” put aside for us who were “poor” that we may obtain His wealth. I am more than rich; I am adopted into an eternal kingdom from which my inheritance will never be depleted because Christ humbled himself.

Romans 8:3 ESV

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

Jesus could not accomplish our salvation from sin without dying on the cross. He had to leave heaven and reside on earth in a bodily form, aging as a human rate, to accomplish God’s purpose. Accepting God the Father’s will and humbling himself for our benefit.

If Christ can empty himself by choice for the benefit of others and in no way diminish his godhood, we can - contrary to what modern culture tells us - humble ourselves for the benefit of others without becoming any less of a man or woman. This form of humility shows a strength or power under control not a lack of it.

Jesus Christ humbled himself for our benefit and God’s glory beyond what any other human could ever do. Because of this we next see the equally tall progression back up to glory and next to God the Father’s side again.

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This verse is a direct reference back to Isa 45:23 “By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’” This is not surprising considering how well Paul know the Old Testament.

As I thought through these verses, I realized that nearly ever animal and insect on the earth have knees but on humans have “language” and are able to “confess” Christ as Lord.

Can you think of other beings in Scripture that have knees and tongues?

MacArthur’s Study notes on this verse “The entire intelligent universe is called to worship Jesus Christ as Lord (cf. Ps. 2). This mandate includes the angels in heaven (Rev. 4:2–9), the spirits of the redeemed (Rev. 4:10, 11), obedient believers on earth (Rom. 10:9), the disobedient rebels on earth (2 Thess. 1:7–9), demons and lost humanity in hell (1 Pet. 3:18–22). The Gr. word for “confess” means “to acknowledge,” “affirm,” or “agree” which is what everyone will eventually do in response to Christ’s lordship, willingly and blessedly or unwillingly and painfully. Philippians 2:10” (MacArthur Study Bible Notes, NKJV)

We see the truth of this verse and MacArthur’s commentary quite clearly at the end of time recorded before it happens by the apostle John.

Revelation 5:13 (ESV)

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Jesus went from the highest high to the lowest low and back again a little higher all in obedience to God and for our benefit. If we compare ourselves to this standard our differences that we often squabble over and disrupt our unity will vanish and be not worth defending. We get into trouble - as we will see in little while - when we start comparing ourselves with the wrong standard.

AMG Bible Illustrations False Measurements

A little boy came running to his mother, shouting, “Mother, I am nine feet tall.” His mother responded, “Don’t talk such nonsense.” “But,” he said, “I really am nine feet tall. I measured myself.” “Well, how did you measure yourself?” asked his mother. “I took off my shoe and measured myself with that. It is the same size as my foot, and I really am nine feet.” With a smile the mother replied, “Now I understand, my son, but I have to tell you that your measure was not the right one. We do not measure ourselves by the size of our own feet, but we must use a 12-inch ruler.” A lot of people are like the little boy. They are proud of something about which there is really no glory.

Every now and then though have our moments when we get our minds set right and apparently in one of the trips that Paul thought the people in Philippi did too.

Philippians 2:12–13 ESV

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

If you have studied the bible, especially the New Testament, you will probably know that this “salvation” is not about our eternal justification before God but is the sanctification process we live out during our continued time on earth until or fully salvation is “completed” (1:6) and the glorification is done. This is part of the struggle that we have as believers in a fallen world to continue to have the “mind of Christ” while God His work in and through us.

The fear spoke of here in book is explained as “Fear, as a holy respect for God, trembles at the thought of living a careless Christian life that slouches off in a casual compromise with the world, the flesh, and the devil.”

It is a part of the way we can work for Christ together in a unified way when we like the Psalmist says Psa 2:11 “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” We do the work because Christ saves us and that makes us rejoice at the awesome gift He has given us but we are not justified before God the Father by these actions. It is more like the way Calvin put it “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.”

We have seen how unity with Christ in mind and deed will look from a positive note, now we get to Paul’s command of what “not to do”.

Do all things

Philippians 2:14–15 ESV

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

The way that we know we are obeying the previous 3 commands correctly is how easier or difficult it for us to actively obey this one. When we put our interests in front of others and we don’t get what we want - Watch out! Nothing will break the unity of fellowship like someone feeling unappreciated or thinking they are being taken advantage of. I have heard and read many stories about someone not being recognized or thanked for doing something “for the church” and then start belittling the church staff for not taking notice. Of course, this is nothing new and this has been around since there were brothers. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, but the very first set of brothers didn’t get along well if you remember. Cain was “grumbling” about his offering not being accepted and like most of us do he took out his anger on his family. Hopefully none of you have done this to his extent, but you see where it leads - a divided family. These disruptive mindsets are in direct opposition to the example just given in Christ. He humbled himself and submitted to the Father’s will to the point of death on the cross without ever a negative remark about God’s plan. The one who complaint and “mutters under their breath” is directly rebelling against the authority that God has places in their life - be it another human or God Himself with what we may call “circumstance”. Paul did not say we should do “some things” but all things. Anything that can cause us to want to complain, lash out, rebel, or sin in another way is also an opportunity for us to ask for God’s grace and strength in order to react, comment, or respond in a Christ like manner.

Just about anyone who looks at the news or studies recently history could categorize what is happening in their time as “crooked and twisted.” Paul was a educated Jewish leader and may have been using this allusion to Moses’ troubles not only as an example for the Philippians but also as a message to any non-believer fellow Jews that may have been listening or reading the letter.

Deuteronomy 32:5 ESV

They have dealt corruptly with him; they are no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation.

I am not sure if this was a slight jab at those fellow Jews who were following him around and clogging the courts with accusations about him or not. If so, it would not have been in a slanderous way merely agreeing with God about their fallen, sinful state of being. Grumbling and complaining have been around a long time and the problem has not gotten any better. Sin is still present in and around us and the solution is still the same - the grace of Christ working in and through us to completion on “that day”.

We cannot make ourselves blameless or innocent, only Christ through the Holy Spirit can do that but if we are more focused on the thing we want and are not getting or the things we don’t want but are getting then His work cannot be seen in us and His light is not so bright. But if we can do tasks that most others cannot dream of doing without complaint, it will be notices and Christ’s presence shines through us and His name is glorified. Which in turn brings about more unity as we rejoice in His work in us and through us.

Although the book finishes with verse 15, let’s look at the last 3 in this section of the letter and get to the last command.

Be glad and rejoice

Philippians 2:16–18 ESV

holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Another way we continue with unity in Christ without divisive attitudes is by “holding fast” to the Word of God. Some scholars have this more of a “holding out for someone else to take” than a “standing firm” like in 1:27 which is where this section of the letter really begins. Either way works to expand the unity and fellowship in Christ - we either grow close to each other or bring others in when our focus is the gospel and being prepared for “that day”.

Paul encourages the Philippians as little more by appealing to them to put into practice “another’s interests”. It almost reads as if he were saying “If you cannot have Christ’s attitude for yourselves, then do it for me!” Maybe appealing to the desire that most of us have to please our superiors and authorities that we respect and love.

Tying back to his willingness to stay and minister to the Philippians even if it meant his death at the end of Chapter 1, he makes mention of being “poured out as a drink offering”. The first mention of this type of offering is back in Genesis with and then later in Law books it appears again but I did not find a specific amount or timing being prescribed for this type of sacrifice. It appears to be a “free-will” type offering and if done in conjunction with a burnt offering it would become a cloud of steam. I think this is the kind of sacrifice Paul is trying to help us do with our lives with a Christ like mindset. Just a vapor so that He can be seen more clearly as our efforts fade away in the wind compared to His.

When writing the back to possibly some of the same Romans he currently shares a cell with, he encourages this attitude in others in a boarder sense - Rom 12:1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

The last command is to “be glad and rejoice”. When we have the mindset of Christ, think about all He did and how much He gave up for our benefit we it will be difficult to complain and not rejoice. This too adds to the unity and attractiveness of the gospel to those not in the fellowship. How many “godly people” that you know are characterized also by a complaining spirit? Which do you prefer to be around someone who is helpful, grateful, and looking out for your interests and need or the one who cannot find anything good to say about anyone or anything (including you)? This is how Christ through us can be noticed as a rejoicing and thankful attitude is not common in a “crooked and twisted” world.

On occasion someone will comment about a believer who has set a godly example by saying, “He/she is one of the godliest persons I have ever known.” If you can express this sentiment about someone you know or have known, what evidence leads you to such a tribute?

Apply the Text

Humble service should characterize all believers.

Jesus humbled Himself by dying for our sins on the cross, setting the standard of humble obedience.

God is honored by humble believers who display godly character.

How does your life reflect the attitude demonstrated by Jesus? What keeps you from following Him with complete obedience?

Evaluate your life in terms of exhibiting godly character. What needs to change for you to demonstrate God’s character in a greater way?

J Vernon McGee ends his commentary on these verses like this:

Paul ends on a note of joy and rejoicing. Today we often rejoice over the wrong things. We need to rejoice over the fact that Jesus died for us and that we can serve Him. When we hear of someone whom God is using or hear of a wonderful church where people are being saved and built up in the faith, we ought to rejoice. If we are walking in humility, we will rejoice at the success of others. We have too much strife and vainglory. That was hurting the cause of Christ in Paul’s day, and it still hurts the cause of Christ [today]. The mind of Christ in the believer will bring joy and will bring glory to God. (Thru the Bible Commentary, Volumes 1-5: Genesis through Revelation)

All questions retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com [LifeWay Adults (2020). Explore the Bible: Adult Leader Guide - ESV - Fall 2021. LifeWay Press.]