FROM the ancient church to modern times there have existed two. different interpretations of Phil 2 6-11. One sees the passage making reference in vss. 6-8 only to the human existence of. The other regards vss. 6-8 as referring both to Jesus' pre-existence to his earthly life. In spite of its obvious difficulties,2 it is the latter. The poetic language expresses the two natures of Christ, who was "in the form of God" and "emptied himself, taking the form of a slave" or servant. In this "human likeness" and "human form," Christ "humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross.". In reading Philippians 2:6-11, it is crucial to remember that the hymn is part of a letter, in a series of letters that Paul wrote, which were intended to be read by an orator to the Philippi congregation. Scriptural text, such as Paul's letters, is an intricate tapestry of complex patterns and images, and concentrating on a single image or "Christ Hymn" in Philippians 2:6-11. In metaphorical terms, Adam as contrarium is depicted as the "old" humankind, Philippians 2:6-11; Isaiah 45:21b-23LXX 1 Encomium Encomium is the Latin word for the classical Greek encomion, meaning the praise of a person.1 An encomium can also serve as a prologue to a hero's meritorious Philippians 2:6-11 — New International Reader's Version (1998) (NIrV) 6 In his very nature he was God. But he did not think that being equal with God was something he should hold on to. 7 Instead, he made himself nothing. He took on the very nature of a servant. He was made in human form. 8 He appeared as a man. The text is based on the confession of faith that Paul quotes in Philippians 2:6-11, which may well have been an early Christian hymn. Stanza 1 announces the triumph of the ascended Christ to whom "every knee should bow" (Phil. 2: 10). In stanza 2 Christ is the "mighty Word" (see John 1:1-4) through whom "creation sprang at once to sight." The hymn in Philippians opens up a different dimension of Palm/Passion Sunday. Philippians 2:6-11 bear more in common with poetry than systematic theology. There are echoes here of Genesis ("Adam" who is in the likeness of God, but who disobeys God), as well as John (in the movement from being with God to taking on the form of human For nearly a century, Philippians 2:6-11 has been known as a "Christ hymn" that may predate Paul. But whether it is pre-Pauline or a hymn are both uncertain. The verses that follow only affirm further Paul's primary rhetorical aim in Philippians 2:6-11 as encouraging obedience (verse 12) and constructive public witness (verses 14-16). Philippians 2:6-11 Contents Though he was in the form of God Tune: [Though he was in the form of God] Published in 3 hymnals Representative text cannot be shown for this hymn due to copyright. See page scan previews below. Text Information Text Information Scripture References ^ top Tune [Though he was in the form of God] Highcharts.com Phil 2 was a Christian moralization of a deus descensus myth.5 Dibelius insisted that the salient expressions of the hymn were not of a dogmatic character since the majestic style of the hymn showed they had only a I Cited by William Barclay in Expository Times, 70 (1958), p. 4. 2 E. Lohmeyer, Kurios Jesus: Eine Untersuchung zu Phil. 2,5-11. 0xdJ.