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2:1 Paul’s advice to the Christian community echoes the words of Jesus—the greatest must be the least, the ruler the servant. The way to unity is mutual love, yielding to each other, putting others before self.
2:5 This great poem expresses the “attitude” of Jesus, who did not cling to his divine nature but “emptied himself,” taking on the human condition even to death. The center and turning point of the poem is the line “death on a cross.” The cross is the meeting-point of heaven and earth, the place where we become one with Christ.
PHILIPPIANS 
2Plea for Unity and Humility.*
1If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any
participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.a 3Do nothing out of sel shness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,b 4each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others.c
5Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,*
6Who,* though he was in the form of God,d
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.* 7Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;*
and found human in appearance,e
8he humbled himself,f
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.*
9Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name* that is above every name,g
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,*
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,h 11and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,*
to the glory of God the Father.i
Obedience and Service in the World.* 12j So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with
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* [2:1–11] The admonition to likemindedness and unity (Phil 2:2–5) is based on the believers’ threefold experience with Christ, God’s love, and the Spirit. The appeal to humility (Phil 2:3) and to obedience (Phil 2:12) is rooted in christology, speci cally in a statement about Christ Jesus (Phil 2:6–11) and his humbling of self and obedience to the point of death (Phil 2:8).
* [2:5] Have. . .the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus: or,“that also Christ Jesus had.”While it is often held that Christ here functions as a model for moral imitation, it is not the historical Jesus but the entire Christ event that Phil 2:6–11 depict. Therefore, the appeal is to have in relations among yourselves that same relationship you have in Jesus Christ, i.e., serving one another as you serve Christ (Phil 2:4).
* [2:6–11] Perhaps an early Christian hymn quoted here by Paul. The short rhythmic lines fall into two parts, Phil 2:6–8 where the subject of every verb is Christ, and Phil 2:9–11 where the subject is God. The general pattern is thus of Christ’s humiliation and then exaltation. More precise analyses propose a division into six three- line stanzas (Phil 2:6; 7abc, 7d–8, 9, 10, 11) or into three stanzas (Phil 2:6–7ab, 7cd–8, 9–11). Phrases such as even death on a cross (Phil 2:8c) are considered by some to be additions (by Paul) to the hymn, as are Phil 2:10c, 11c.
* [2:6] Either a reference to Christ’s preexistence and those aspects of divinity that he was willing to give up in order to serve in human form, or to what the man Jesus refused to grasp at to attain divinity. Many see an allusion to the Genesis story: unlike Adam, Jesus, though. . .in the form of God (Gn 1:26–27), did not reach out for
equality with God, in contrast with the rst Adam in Gn 3:5–6. * [2:7] Taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness: or “. . .taking the form of a slave. Coming in human likeness, and found human in appearance.”While it is common to take Phil 2:6, 7 as dealing with Christ’s preexistence and Phil 2:8 with his incarnate life, so that lines Phil 2:7b, 7c are parallel, it is also possible to interpret so as to exclude any reference to preexistence (see note on Phil 2:6) and to take Phil 2:6–8 as presenting two parallel stanzas about Jesus’ human state (Phil 2:6–7b; 7cd–8); in the latter alternative, coming in human likeness begins the second stanza
and parallels 6a to some extent.
* [2:8] There may be re ected here language about the servant of
the Lord, Is 52:13–53:12 especially Is 53:12.
* [2:9] The name: “Lord” (Phil 2:11), revealing the true nature of the
one who is named.
* [2:10–11] Every knee should bend. . .every tongue confess:
into this language of Is 45:23 there has been inserted a reference to the three levels in the universe, according to ancient thought, heaven, earth, under the earth.
* [2:11] Jesus Christ is Lord: a common early Christian acclamation; cf. 1 Cor 12:3; Rom 10:9. But doxology to God the Father is not overlooked here (Phil 2:11c) in the nal version of the hymn.
* [2:12–18] Paul goes on to draw out further ethical implications for daily life (Phil 2:14–18) from the salvation God works in Christ. * [2:12] Fear and trembling: a common Old Testament expression indicating awe and seriousness in the service of God (cf. Ex 15:16;
Jdt 2:28; Ps 2:11; Is 19:16).
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