1Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.
4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:
6Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.
9Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
13For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
16as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
19Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I learn how you are doing.
20I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs.
21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
22But you know Timothy’s proven worth, that as a child with his father he has served with me to advance the gospel.
23So I hope to send him as soon as I see what happens with me.
24And I trust in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.
26For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
27He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
28Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less anxious.
29Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him,
30because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me.
Philippians 2 Section and Chapter Commentary
Phil 2:5-11
Paul's Christology: Jesus as a Great Angel
In Philippians 2:5-11, Paul describes Christ as being 'in the form of God' but not considering 'equality with God something to be grasped,' instead emptying himself to become human and die. This passage, along with a verse in Galatians equating Christ with an angel, suggests that Paul understood Jesus as a great angelic being before his incarnation, rather than God himself. This interpretation posits that Jesus, as the chief angel, followed God's will by becoming human, a minority view among scholars.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Our One-Year Anniversary! A Live Q&A with Bart. · watch the clip
Phil 2:5-10
Paul's letters do not explicitly call Christ God
In all of Paul's undisputed letters, Christ is never explicitly called 'God.' While Paul frequently refers to Jesus as 'Lord,' this title does not equate to being the one God, as 'Lord' was a common designation. Even in Philippians 2:5-10, where Christ is described as being 'in the form of God' and later 'in the form of a slave,' the 'form of God' does not necessarily mean he is God, just as being 'in the form of a slave' does not mean he was literally a slave. This supports the 'he' reading in 1 Timothy 3:16 as more consistent with Pauline theology.
Summarized by AI · The Scribal Corruption of Scripture: How the Bible Was Changed and Why Readers May Never Know · Lecture 2: The Open Secret of Our Uncertainties | Why Didn’t Someone Tell Me? · watch the clip
Phil 2:6-11
Christ as Cosmic Warrior and Ruler
Paul asserts that Jesus, as the Davidic Messiah, would return as a cosmic warrior to combat and defeat the pagan gods, establishing God's kingdom. This event, described vividly in 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians 15, would involve Christ abolishing all cosmic rule and authority, leading to a universal kneeling before him.
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 4: Beginnings | Paul, the Pagan's Apostle · watch the clip
Christ's Resurrection: Pattern for Believers
Paul's letter to the Philippians describes Jesus pre-existing in divine form, manifesting in history as a slave in a flesh-and-blood body, and then being exalted back to a divine form, possibly a pneumatic body. In 1 Corinthians 15, Christ's resurrection serves as the model for believers, whose fleshly bodies will transform into pneumatic bodies upon Christ's return, as "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God."
Summarized by AI · Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Lecture 20: The End of Ancient Christianity · watch the clip
Paul's Christology: Pre-existent Divine Being
Paul's Christology, as expressed in Philippians, presents Jesus as a pre-existent divine being who, though not equal to God, possessed a divine form. He willingly humbled himself by taking on human likeness and the form of a slave, ultimately dying on the cross. This act of obedience led to his exaltation by God, receiving a name above all names and divine worship.
Summarized by AI · Luke's Maverick Gospel · Lecture 8: Luke and Its Reversals · watch the clip
Philippians 2 does not identify Jesus as Yahweh
Some interpret Philippians 2, a Christological hymn, to mean Jesus was given the name Yahweh. However, the passage states God 'highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name.' This signifies Jesus receiving authority associated with God's name, not becoming Yahweh himself. Paul's intent is to show Jesus's authority, similar to a messenger acting 'in the name of the king' without being the king.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · 8 Bible Myths Many Christians Believe · watch the clip
Christ's pre-existence and exaltation in Philippians 2:6-11
Philippians 2:6-11, often called the 'Christ poem,' describes Christ as existing 'in the form of God' before emptying himself to become human and obedient to death on the cross. Subsequently, God 'highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,' so that 'at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.' This passage combines the idea of a divine being descending and then being further exalted to a supreme divine status, even being treated like Yahweh.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus�� Disciples Think He Was God? · watch the clip
Phil 2:6-10
Paul's Incarnational Christology in Philippians and 2 Corinthians
Paul's statements in Philippians 2:6-10 and 2 Corinthians 8:9 reflect an incarnational Christology. He describes Christ as existing in the form of God, being rich in heaven, then emptying himself to become human and poor for humanity's sake, and subsequently being highly exalted by God. This suggests Christ's pre-existence in a divine form before becoming human.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Bart Unplugged: Rapid-Fire Answers on the Apostle Paul · watch the clip
Phil 2:25-30
Philippians as a Composite Letter
The letter to the Philippians exhibits an unusual structure, with Paul stating 'finally' in Philippians 3:1, yet the letter continues for two more chapters. Additionally, Epaphroditus is mentioned in Philippians 2:25-30 as having been ill, but later in the letter, he is spoken of as if he had just arrived from Philippi without mention of his illness, suggesting that Philippians may also be a composite of multiple letters.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 20: Collecting Paul’s Letters · watch the clip
Philippians 2 Verse Notes
Phil 2:5-8
Jesus as Human Prophet vs. Paul as Divine Sacrifice
Jesus understood himself as a human prophet proclaiming God's word, urging his people to repent because the kingdom of God was near. Paul, however, understood Jesus to be a divine sacrifice, a divine being who came from heaven to die for the sins of others, so that people could believe in him and receive eternal life.
Summarized by AI · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · Lecture 8: Did Paul and Jesus Have the Same Religion? · watch the clip
Christ's incarnation as a model for giving
Paul presented Christ's incarnation as the ultimate model for generous giving, stating that though Christ was rich, he became poor for humanity's sake. This refers to Christ giving up the riches of heaven to take on human form, specifically the form of a slave. This act of self-sacrifice serves as an example for Gentile Christians to be generous in their contributions to the collection, reflecting Christ's own self-emptying love.
Summarized by AI · Through the Eye of a Needle: Jesus's Teachings on Wealth and Their Modern Relevance · Lecture 6: Wealth in the Wake of Jesus · watch the clip
Phil 2:6-8
The Christ Hymn: Jesus' Pre-existence and Humiliation
In Philippians, Paul quotes a Christ hymn that describes Jesus as a divine being who existed in the form of God but did not grasp at equality with God. Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave and being born in human likeness, humbling himself to the point of death on a cross.
Summarized by AI · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · Lecture 4: Who Was Jesus According to Paul? · watch the clip
Phil 2:6-7
Philippians 2 and the 'Form of a Human'
In Philippians 2, Paul states that Christ, though in the form of God, 'emptied himself' and came 'in the likeness of humans' and 'appeared in the form of a human.' This language, particularly 'likeness' and 'form,' could be interpreted by Docetists to suggest that Jesus merely adopted the appearance of a human, similar to how God appeared in human form to Abraham in Genesis 18, without actually becoming fully human.
Summarized by AI · Earliest Christian Heresies · Lecture 3: Docetic Writings · watch the clip
Phil 2:7
Paul's 'Likeness' Language and Docetism
Paul's phrasing in Romans 8:3, where God sent his Son 'in the likeness of sinful flesh,' could be interpreted by Docetists to mean Jesus only appeared to have flesh, rather than possessing actual human flesh. While an orthodox reading suggests the likeness refers to the absence of sin in his flesh, the ambiguity allows for a Docetic understanding that Jesus's body was not truly physical.
Summarized by AI · Earliest Christian Heresies · Lecture 3: Docetic Writings · watch the clip
Phil 2:9-11
Paul's View of Christ's Exaltation
According to the Apostle Paul in Philippians, God exalted Christ after his death, giving him a name above every name, making him equal with God. This suggests an elevation to divine status, though not necessarily identity with God the Father.
Summarized by AI · Earliest Christian Heresies · Lecture 2: The Docetic Heresy · watch the clip
The Christ Hymn: Jesus' Exaltation and Divine Status
Following his humiliation, God highly exalted Jesus, giving him the name above every name, so that every knee should bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord. This exaltation places Jesus at a level of equality with God the Father, fulfilling a prophecy from Isaiah originally referring to God alone.
Summarized by AI · Paul and Jesus: The Great Divide · Lecture 4: Who Was Jesus According to Paul? · watch the clip
Jesus' exaltation echoes imperial deification patterns
The narrative of Jesus' death, God raising him, his exaltation, and ascension to heaven after being seen by followers, mirrors the Roman imperial pattern of a dead emperor being deified, ascending, and his successor becoming 'son of the divine.' This parallel suggests a deliberate use of familiar cultural frameworks to articulate Jesus' status.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Gospel Readers Already Knew a Son of God. It Wasn't Jesus. · watch the clip
Phil 2:10-11
Biblical passages cited by proponents of universal salvation
Proponents of Origin's views, such as Gregory of Nyssa and Melania the Younger, cited biblical passages to support the idea of universal salvation. They interpreted passages like Paul's statement in Philippians 2, where every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord, to mean that literally every creature, without exception, would eventually confess Jesus and be saved. This interpretation was used to bolster the argument for eventual universal salvation, which was a core component of Origin's reincarnation doctrine.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Early Christians Believe in Reincarnation? · watch the clip
Origin's Defense of Universal Salvation
The 3rd-century theologian Origin argued for universal salvation, citing passages like Philippians 2:10-11, which states that every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord. Origin believed that eventually, all conscious beings, including the devil, would be saved after many ages of purification.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Really Go to Hell? · watch the clip
Phil 2:10
Pauline Hints of Universal Salvation
Despite common interpretations, some of Paul's writings contain suggestions of universal salvation. He states that just as condemnation came to all through Adam, righteousness leading to life comes to all through Christ. He also suggests God imprisoned all in disobedience to show mercy to all, and that ultimately, every knee will bow to Jesus and God will be 'all in all'.
Summarized by AI · What the Hell? Jesus' Teachings on the Afterlife · Lecture 2: Who Invented Hell? · watch the clip
Phil 2:12
Paul's Apocalyptic Expectations
Paul's understanding of salvation is deeply rooted in apocalyptic expectations, as evidenced in 1 Corinthians 15. He anticipates a coming kingdom, a great judgment, and the transformation of human bodies into spiritual bodies, reflecting a future-oriented eschatology.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 20: Collecting Paul’s Letters · watch the clip
