The Mind of Christ: Unity Through Humility
Philippians 2:1-11 (the Christological hymn), with application verses 12-30
Here's the wild claim at the heart of this passage: The most powerful being in the universe — Christ, who 'existing in the form of God' — chooses to pour himself out, becomes a servant, and dies on a cross. That doesn't sound like how winners operate. So here's my question for us to wrestle with: Why would God choose to save the world by becoming weak?
Philippians 2:1-11 (BSB): Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
- morphē theou (μορφὴ θεοῦ)
- (morphē theou) — A Greek philosophical term (morphē) meaning 'the outward form or expression of essential nature.' In Philippians 2:6-7, it describes Christ 'existing in the form of God' — possessing the very nature and rank of God — then taking 'the form of a servant.' The morphological contrast is between divine essence and servant essence.
- tapeinophrosunē (ταπεινοφροσύνη)
- (tapeinophrosunē) — Greek: tapeinophrosunē — from tapeinos (low, humble) + phrēn (mind). A cardinal virtue in early Christianity (Colossians 3:12, 1 Peter 5:5). In Philippians 2:3, Paul commands this as the attitude that 'considers others more important than yourselves.' It is not self-debasement but other-elevation — looking not to your own interests but to the interests of others.
- sumpsuchoi (σύμψυχοι)
- (sumpsuchoi) — Greek: sumpsuchoi — 'united in soul' (from syn, 'together' + psychē, 'soul'). In Philippians 2:2, this describes the quality of Christian unity that goes beyond intellectual agreement. It is soul-bonding, the Spirit-created fellowship that makes believers 'of one mind' at the deepest relational level. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes this pairs with 'being of one mind' to show both relational and cognitive unity.
Paul wrote this letter around 60-62 CE from prison to the Philippian church — the first Christian community in Europe, a church he loved and that had supported him financially. The letter comes amid reports of joy (they stood firm in suffering) and challenge (disunity and selfish ambition were threatening the young church). So Paul anchors everything in the radical example of Christ: the One who possessed divine nature chose to empty himself, serve, and humble himself — even to death on a cross.
- 1.
Let me ask about this word 'emptied.' When we talk about Christ emptying himself, does that mean he stopped being God? Or is something else going on?
investigate - 2.
Paul uses four different words or phrases for unity in just these few verses — 'like-minded,' 'united in spirit,' 'of one mind,' 'united in soul.' Why all the repetition? What's he really driving at?
investigate - 3.
In verse 12 Paul says 'work out your salvation' — that sounds like we have to earn it. But then verse 13 says 'God works in you.' So which is it? Do we work, or does God?
investigate - 4.
Paul says we should be 'blameless children' in a 'crooked generation,' like lights shining in the darkness. What would that actually look like practically for us today — living that way in our world?
investigate
Four big ideas: First, Christ's 'emptying' wasn't him stopping to be God — it was him voluntarily holding back divine privileges to serve us. That's not loss, it's love. Second, Paul isn't just asking for doctrinal agreement — he's calling for soul-level unity, Spirit-created bonds that go deeper than belief. Third, when Paul says 'work out your salvation while God works in you,' it's not either/or — it's both at once: divine enablement and human responsibility. Fourth, complaining and arguing aren't small sins — they actually blunt the church's witness. The world is watching to see if our unity looks different from theirs.
Let me end with this: What's one specific relationship in your life where putting someone else's interests ahead of your own feels almost impossible? Maybe it's a coworker, a family member, someone in this room right now. This week, what's one concrete thing you could actually do — not just think differently, but serve them — to have the mind of Christ in that situation?
1. Let me ask about this word 'emptied.' When we talk about Christ emptying himself, does that mean he stopped being God? Or is something else going on?
The text says Christ 'took the form of a servant' — the very nature that was 'grasped' (his divine status) was set aside in favor of servant-hood. The emptying was not ontological (losing deity) but functional (not exercising divine privileges). This is not loss but love in action.
Theological scholarship has increasingly emphasized the 'functional' rather than 'ontological' reading of kenosis — Christ did not cease to be God but voluntarily restricted the independent exercise of divine attributes. This reading preserves both the full divinity and full humanity of Christ. — Training-assisted (representative of scholarly consensus) [4]
2. Paul uses four different words or phrases for unity in just these few verses — 'like-minded,' 'united in spirit,' 'of one mind,' 'united in soul.' Why all the repetition? What's he really driving at?
Paul is distinguishing between intellectual agreement ('same mind') and relational, affective unity ('united soul'). True Christian unity is not merely doctrinal consensus — it's heart-bond. The repetition is deliberate intensification: the Spirit creates a love-bond that goes deeper than opinion.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown emphasizes that the oldest manuscripts read 'Have this mind in you' — pushing readers not to Paul's example but directly to Christ's. The grammar suggests a present reality: 'let this mind BE in you' — not merely 'think about this' but 'be transformed by this thinking.' — Jamieson-Fausset-Brown [3]
3. In verse 12 Paul says 'work out your salvation' — that sounds like we have to earn it. But then verse 13 says 'God works in you.' So which is it? Do we work, or does God?
Paul is not presenting two separate mechanics but describing one reality from two perspectives. The passive voice in Greek ('God works in you') emphasizes divine enablement, while the active 'work out' calls for vigorous personal engagement. Calvinists and Arminians both find themselves in this text — but the text itself holds both poles without resolving them into a system.
Matthew Henry sees the Christological hymn as the 'great pattern' of humility. He emphasizes that the inducements to brotherly love in verses 1-2 flow from the believer's experience of Christ's consolation — 'The sweetness we have found in the doctrine of Christ should sweeten our spirits.' — Matthew Henry [1]
John Gill expands on the 'consolation in Christ' as solid, strong, and everlasting consolation 'founded on the greatness of his person, as God our Saviour, on the fulness of his grace, the efficacy of his blood, the perfection of his righteousness and sacrifice.' — John Gill [2]
4. Paul says we should be 'blameless children' in a 'crooked generation,' like lights shining in the darkness. What would that actually look like practically for us today — living that way in our world?
Paul inverts Moses' warning: where Israel failed (becoming a 'crooked and perverse generation' in Deuteronomy 32:5), the church succeeds through Christ's Spirit. The believing community becomes what Israel was called to be — a light to the nations. This is not replacement theology but fulfillment: the grafted-in community bears the olive tree's intended fruit (Romans 11:17-24).
- [1]Matthew Henry
- [2]John Gill
- [3]Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- [4]Training-assisted (representative of scholarly consensus)