In “The Salvific Mission of Christ,” Haleigh shares her exegesis of Philippians 2:5-11 that she submitted for her Greek Exegesis class this semester. Her study provides insight for how we live and become like Christ in this world. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 first.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
There is quite a balancing act that begs its place here. The Christian finds themselves in the same dilemma Jesus Christ himself was in; knowing who sovereignty belongs to, and yet, being subject to the systems of humanity. Which brings us back to the beginning of this passage with verse five. Viewing this task of balancing authority in light of having the same mind of Christ Jesus sheds insight on how we are to carry ourselves in the human world amidst human systems. The resurrection of Jesus offers confidence in faith, as well as the ability to display a character that is in agreement with the faith we claim to have.
“That this is what God is like is the underlying Pauline point; and since God is in process of recreating us in his image, this becomes the heart of the present appeal. The Philippians—and ourselves—are not called upon simply to “imitate God” by what we do, but to have this very mind, the mind of Christ, developed in us, so that we too bear God’s image in our attitudes and relationships within the Christian community—and beyond” (Fee 45).
The deepest desire of Paul’s heart in the writing of this epistle is that the Philippians and all receivers of this message thereafter would genuinely grasp this concept. God is continually “in the process of recreating us in His image”, an image accessible to us through the living sacrificial example of Christ Jesus. Every move and motive of Christ was intentional, and Paul is presenting us with the responsibility of examining the very mind of Christ and allowing that to transform our attitudes and relationships with all people, even those who have authority over us by the world’s standards.
The ultimate reinforcer of the reasoning behind this call to a higher character is verses nine, ten and eleven. Here, the dominion of Christ is presented with more impact than earlier in the passage, for the purpose of communicating to the Philippians just how mighty Jesus was, and yet, He still went to the cross. It could be fair to ask ourselves, “Why would Jesus still go to the cross?” Looking at the original Greek can shed some light on this query.
Verse nine pivots from considering the life and sacrifice of Christ to the effect of His actions in obedience. Verse ten begins with a ἵνα clause, which can be translated as “that” or “in order that” (Philippians 2). This holds great significance when read as an entire passage of verses nine, ten, and eleven, because it shows that the life Jesus lived and the sacrificial death He endured was all for the glory of God the Father, and the hope that more of His children would run into His open arms.
As we ponder this question again, why Jesus would accept His fate of the cross, it is for that exact purpose; the hope of salvation for those He dearly loved. “Philippians 2 lets us hear again what God has done—loved us to death in Jesus—and what God will yet do by bringing us and all creation to worship, to confession, and to the glory of God” (Peterson 180). Paul allows us to enter into the heart of God our Father. Jesus embodied that Love and extended to us an invitation to a richer life. A life of love, of purpose, and of glorifying God the almighty Father. The image of our Savior suffering on a cross that was the epitome of Roman authority is our constant reminder that there are greater things to give your devotion to than human systems. However in that devotion, Christians are called to a life of radically loving others, and that may look at times like suffering and sacrifice.
Philippians 2:5-11 is an endless array of the authority of our God, and His vast love for us. Paul cascades the Philippians through the narrative of Christ; His revolutionary character, His agonizing sacrificial death, and His ultimate supremacy and triumph over it all. Paul’s ability to instill passion in his readers is impeccable, and he successfully depicts the complex nature of the person of Christ. We will never arrive in our comprehension of the love of our Savior, but thanks to church leaders and Biblical authors such as Paul, we are able to peer into the window of our Lord’s loving intentions, which is sufficient on this side of eternity.
Thank you for allowing us to serve and encourage you today. If “The Salvific Mission of Christ” was encouraging or insightful for you in any way, please let us know and consider sharing “The Salvific Mission of Christ” with someone else.
Author:
Hello, friends! My name is Haleigh! I am studying Pastoral Ministry at Bethel University. One of the most prominent passions in my life is women’s ministry. I have such a heart for women and helping them see how God created us with such for such an intentional purpose. Read more of my writing here.
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