Philippians 2: The Great Downward Movement — From The Form Of God To The Death Of A Cross
In this episode of Bible Chapter by Chapter, we walk verse by verse through Philippians Chapter 2 — the theological and practical heart of the letter, and one of the most extraordinary passages in the entire New Testament.
Paul opens with an appeal that is both simple and demanding. Make my joy full. Be like-minded. Count others better than yourselves. Look not only to your own things, but to the things of others.
And then, before he explains how — he shows a portrait.
Who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
This is the kenosis — the great downward movement. The eternal Son of God, fully divine, choosing to move in one direction. Down. For others. All the way to a cross.
We work through five movements in this chapter. Paul's appeal to genuine unity and the two things that destroy it — rivalry and conceit. The kenosis passage itself, verse by verse, tracing the descent from the form of God to the death of the cross. The exaltation — every knee bowing, every tongue confessing — and what Paul is claiming when he applies Isaiah 45 directly to Jesus. The much-misread command to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, and how it holds together with the God who works in you both to will and to work. And finally the two portraits — Timothy and Epaphroditus — men who had actually lived the mind of Christ in ordinary, unglamorous, costly practice.
Is there a relationship in your life right now where you are primarily thinking about yourself rather than the other person? Leave your honest answer in the comments. We read every one.
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