Philippians 2:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

NIV: And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

NASB: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.

CSB: he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.

NLT: he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

KJV: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

NKJV: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

The first phrase here completes the thought begun in verse 7: that Jesus came to earth in human form as a servant. In addition, Jesus both was born and died in humility. His humbleness was not for show, but was part of being "obedient." In a similar way, Paul encouraged his readers to be humble in obedience to Christ, following both the example of Jesus and of Paul.

The last phrase of this verse refers to the horrific death of crucifixion. The cross was clearly a symbol of death in first century culture. Paul's mention of it here reminds us that the cross was more than a painful death. It was also a degrading, humiliating form of execution. Jesus did not die as a hero on a battlefield, but instead died innocently and shamefully in public view outside the city walls of Jerusalem. He was mocked, yet endured scorn as part of God's plan for His life as a sacrifice for sinners.

Philippians 2:6–11 is a poetic description of Jesus' willingness to humble Himself for our sake. Rather than coming first as God and King, Jesus freely took on the form of a human being. He was humiliated and oppressed, following the will of the Father, in order to be the sacrifice for our sins. As a result, ''Jesus'' will be given the ultimate glory and honor. Eventually, all people, whether they want to or not, will admit that Jesus Christ is, in fact, Lord. For some, this will happen too late.

Paul describes Jesus Christ as one willing to be humble, in obedience to God the Father. For this, God will exalt Jesus' name above all others. Someday, one way or another, all people will admit that Jesus Christ is Lord, and submit to Him. Paul wants the Philippian believers to live with contentment and unity, without complaining. Instructions are given regarding two visitors. The first is actually the one delivering this letter, Epaphroditus. The other is Timothy, Paul's trusted friend, who hopefully will be visiting soon.

Philippians 1 focused on the importance of perspective. A Christian's life, lived for Christ, may be hard or easy, but all things can give God glory. Chapter 2 frames this concept through the humility shown by Jesus Christ. His willingness to obey God the Father, even being crucified, is the ultimate example of humble service. In return, His name will be honored more than any other. Paul's instructions regarding Timothy and Epaphroditus also form a bridge to chapter 3, where Paul will contrast these good men with the dangers of false teachers.

Philippians is Paul's discussion of living the Christian life. In this letter to the church of Philippi, Paul highlights themes such as joy and glory. He also puts great emphasis on how a Christian's thinking—their attitude—affects the way they live out their faith. Paul is very thankful for the support of the Philippian church, but is also concerned about the influence of various false teachers. This letter is less theological than most of his other writings, and more practical.

Accessed 11/21/2024 12:20:29 PM