Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, 6 Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In this short passage, St. Paul gives one of the clearest and deepest descriptions of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. He does so, however, for a practical reason. He is not writing only to teach doctrine. He is urging believers to live with the same attitude as Christ, especially in humility, selflessness, and obedience (v. 5). The passage is often called a hymn because of its elevated, rhythmic style. It moves in two great steps: first, the self-humbling of Christ (vv. 6-8), and then his exaltation by the Father (vv. 9-11).
Paul begins by saying, “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus” (v. 5). The point is not merely to copy Jesus outwardly. It is deeper than that. Those who belong to Christ are called to let his way of thinking shape their life together. Christians are to deal with one another according to the mind of Christ, not according to pride, rivalry, or self-interest (Phil. 2:3-4).
The hymn then opens with a striking statement: Christ was “in the form of God” and did not regard “equality with God” as something to be grasped (v. 6). Paul is speaking here of Christ’s true divine dignity. He does not begin with Jesus as only a holy man later rewarded by God. He begins with the one who already shares the divine condition. Yet this divine status is not used for selfish advantage. Christ does not cling to his dignity in a self-asserting way. Instead, he freely chooses the path of self-giving.
This is why Paul says, “Rather, he emptied himself” (v. 7). That does not mean that Christ ceased to be God. It means that he did not insist on the outward display of divine glory, but willingly entered the lowliness of our human condition. His “emptying” is explained by what follows: he took “the form of a slave,” came “in human likeness,” and was found “human in appearance” (v. 7). The one who is truly divine truly became man. He did not merely appear to be human. He entered real human life, with all its weakness and vulnerability, though without sin.
Paul’s language also points to a contrast between Christ and Adam. Adam reached out in disobedience toward what was not his to seize (Gen. 3:5-6). Christ, who truly possesses divine dignity, does not act in selfish grasping. Instead, he chooses humility and obedience (vv. 6-8). Where the first man’s disobedience brought ruin, Christ’s obedience opens the way of salvation (Rom. 5:12-19).
The humility of Christ is not abstract. It takes him all the way to death. Paul says, “he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (v. 8). In the ancient world, crucifixion was a degrading death, associated with shame, humiliation, and utter powerlessness. So the descent of Christ is complete. The one who is in the form of God accepts not only human life, but the lowest and most dishonorable kind of death. This also recalls the suffering servant described by Isaiah, who gives his life in obedience and for others (Isa. 52:13-53:12).
Then the movement of the hymn changes. “Because of this, God greatly exalted him” (v. 9). The Father’s exaltation of the Son is the answer to the Son’s humble obedience. This does not mean that Jesus became divine only after the Resurrection. Rather, the glory that was his is now manifested in his risen and exalted humanity. Rather, the glory that was always his as the eternal Son is now openly revealed in his risen and exalted humanity. After the Resurrection and Ascension, Jesus does not receive a new divine status he did not have before. Instead, the humanity he assumed is now glorified, and the one who humbled himself unto death is manifested before all as Lord. The one who humbled himself is vindicated, enthroned, and openly revealed in the glory and dignity that belong to him as the eternal Son made man, and in him we also see the destiny God intended for redeemed humanity.
Paul says that God bestowed on him “the name that is above every name” (v. 9). The climax of the hymn explains that name: “Jesus Christ is Lord” (v. 11). “Lord” here is not a mere title of respect. It is the divine title used in the Greek Old Testament for the name of God. This is why the next lines echo Isaiah 45:23, where every knee bows and every tongue swears allegiance to the Lord God alone. Paul applies those words to Jesus (vv. 10-11; Isa. 45:23). That is one of the strongest affirmations in the New Testament of the divine lordship of Christ.
The universal scope of this confession is also important. Every knee should bend “of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (v. 10). That is a way of saying that all creation is subject to him. The whole universe is summoned to acknowledge who Jesus truly is. Angels, human beings, and even the realm below are not outside his authority. The crucified one is now the universal Lord.
Yet the final line keeps everything rightly ordered: “to the glory of God the Father” (v. 11). The exaltation of Jesus does not compete with the Father. It reveals the Father’s glory. The Son’s obedience and the Father’s exaltation belong together. The whole movement of the hymn shows the unity of God’s saving work.
For Paul, this is not only something to admire. It is something to live. If Christ did not cling to status, privilege, and honor, his people cannot build their lives on pride and self-assertion (vv. 6-8). If Christ took the path of humble service, then Christians are to seek the good of others and not only their own interests (Phil. 2:3-5). The passage teaches who Jesus is, but it also teaches what Christian life must look like.
Lord Jesus Christ, you did not cling to glory but humbled yourself for our sake. Teach us to reject pride, to serve others with sincerity, and to walk in the path of obedience that you have shown us. Help us to confess with our lips and our lives that you are Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The New American Bible, Revised Edition. Washington, DC: Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, 2011.
- José María Casciaro, gen. ed., The Navarre Bible: New Testament, Expanded Edition. Dublin: Four Courts Press; New York: Scepter Publishers, 2008.
- Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, eds., Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010.
- Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Roland E. Murphy, eds., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990, 793-95.
- José Enrique Aguilar Chiu et al., eds., The Paulist Biblical Commentary. New York: Paulist Press, 2018, 1423-24.
- John J. Collins, Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid, and Donald Senior, eds., The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2022, 1697-98.
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