The Berean Table

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A narrated teaching walk through Philippians 2:1–11 — about 43 minutes. Press Begin the lesson and the slides advance with the narration; or explore silently with the arrow buttons.

1Philippians 2:1–11

Philippians 2:1–11 · A Teaching Walk Through the Passage

Have This Mind Among Yourselves

The self-emptying and exaltation of Christ Jesus is both the ground and the pattern of the church’s humble, united mind.

2Philippians 2:1–11

Opening Prayer

Prepare our hearts

Our Father in heaven, we come to your Word as those who have nothing in ourselves and everything in Christ. Open our eyes to behold the mind of Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, took the form of a servant and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Let us not admire him from a distance; unite us to him by faith, so that his humility becomes the shape of our life together. Convict us where selfish ambition and conceit have gone unconfessed, and transform us into a people of one mind and one love, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

3Philippians 1:27–2:11

Where we are

A letter from prison to a Roman colony

  • Paul, in chains — writing from imprisonment, most likely Rome, about AD 60–62, unsure whether he will be released or executed (Philippians 1:20–26).
  • Philippi — a colony of discharged Roman veterans on the Via Egnatia, proud of its citizenship and steeped in honour, rank, and the worship of Caesar as kyrios.
  • The letter — thanks for a gift carried by Epaphroditus, a report on Paul’s circumstances, and a plea for unity that surfaces in the appeal to Euodia and Syntyche (Philippians 4:2).
  • The pericope — the “So” of 2:1 draws the consequence of 1:27: an exhortation (vv. 1–4) and a hymn of Christ (vv. 6–11), joined by the hinge of v. 5, the theological centre of the whole letter.
4Acts 16:11–12

Where we are · The journey

From Rome to Philippi

Map: Philippi, a Roman colony on the Via Egnatia in Macedonia; the road and sea route that joined it to Rome, where Paul writes in chains; and the route by which Paul first reached it from Troas Rome Paul in chains, awaiting a verdict, c. AD 60–62 Philippi Roman colony in Macedonia; the church Paul planted on the second journey (Acts 16:11–40) Brundisium Dyrrachium Thessalonica Neapolis Troas Via Appia · Adriatic crossing Epaphroditus’ road to Rome (2:25; 4:18) Via Egnatia — Rome’s road across Macedonia Dyrrachium · Thessalonica · Philippi · Neapolis from Troas, by Samothrace (Acts 16:11)
Relief map: Nzeemin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (modern borders appear faintly). Routes and labels added.
5Philippians 4:18–23

Where we are · A manuscript witness

The oldest copy of the letter

  • Papyrus 46, copied about AD 200, is the oldest surviving copy of Philippians.
  • The leaf carries the letter’s last verses, ending with “Amen,” and then the title of the next letter, “To the Colossians.”
  • The name Epaphroditus (4:18) and the phrase Caesar’s household (4:22) are legible on this page.
  • The hymn of Christ in our passage was being copied and read within about 140 years of its writing.
Papyrus 46, about AD 200 — the last verses of Philippians, ending "Amen," and the title "To the Colossians." Chester Beatty BP II, f. 90; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Papyrus 46, about AD 200 — the last verses of Philippians, ending “Amen,” and the title “To the Colossians.” Chester Beatty BP II, f. 90; public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
6Philippians 2:1–4

The passage · ESV

The appeal (vv. 1–4)

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

7Philippians 2:5–8

The passage · ESV

The descent (vv. 5–8)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

8Philippians 2:9–11

The passage · ESV

The exaltation (vv. 9–11)

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 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.

9Philippians 2:6–11

The shape of the passage · vv. 6–11

Descent and ascent

The shape of the hymn: Christ descends from the form of God to death on a cross (verses 6 to 8), and God exalts him to the name above every name, to the glory of the Father (verses 9 to 11) HE HUMBLED HIMSELF · VV. 6–8 GOD EXALTED HIM · VV. 9–11 Christ is the subject of every verb The Father is the subject In the form of Godv. 6 Did not grasp equalityv. 6 — harpagmos Form of a servantv. 7 — emptied himself Likeness of menv. 7 — human form, v. 8 Obedient to deathv. 8 — humbled himself even death on a crossv. 8 therefore (dio kai) — v. 9 God highly exalted himv. 9 — hyperypsōsen Name above every namev. 9 — bestowed Every knee bowsv. 10 — heaven, earth, under the earth Every tongue confessesv. 11 — Jesus Christ is Lord Glory of God the Fatherv. 11
Verses 6–8 descend by Christ’s own acts; verse 9 turns on “therefore,” and God raises him to the name above every name.
10Philippians 2:1–11

The shape of the passage

Six movements

  1. If there is any encouragement in Christ — Philippians 2:1
  2. Complete my joy by being of one mind — Philippians 2:2
  3. In humility count others more significant — Philippians 2:3–4
  4. The mind of Christ: he emptied himself — Philippians 2:5–7
  5. Obedient to the point of death on a cross — Philippians 2:8
  6. Therefore God has highly exalted him — Philippians 2:9–11
11Philippians 2:1

Section 1 — Key Insight · Philippians 2:1

If there is any encouragement in Christ

  • The “So” (oun) of v. 1 draws the consequence of 1:27, turning from the church’s front against the world to its life within.
  • Four “if” clauses (ei with the indicative) state what the Philippians already possess, not conditions they must meet.
  • Encouragement in Christ (paraklēsis), comfort from love (paramythion), participation in the Spirit (koinōnia), affection and sympathy (splanchna kai oiktirmoi).
  • Paul argues from grace received to grace required: what God has given is the ground of what God asks.
  • Every gift is located “in Christ”: the Saviour is named as the church’s source before he is held up as its pattern.
12Philippians 2:1

Section 1 — Application · Philippians 2:1

Take inventory of what you have received

  • Before addressing what has gone wrong, take inventory of what Christ has already given you and those with whom you differ.
  • Argue from grace: lead as Paul leads, by reminding people of what is theirs in Christ rather than by pressure alone (Ephesians 4:1).
  • Circulate the gifts of v. 1 — encourage, comfort, bear one another’s burdens — rather than hoarding them (Galatians 6:2).
  • A warning: the “if” clauses are not a hidden test; assurance rests on Christ’s finished work, not on the temperature of our fellowship in a given week.

Ask yourself: When conflict arises in your church or family, do you begin by rehearsing what has gone wrong or by remembering what Christ has given you both?

13Philippians 2:2

Section 2 — Key Insight · Philippians 2:2

Complete my joy by being of one mind

  • Joy is the letter’s keynote, yet Paul’s joy is incomplete — not because of his chains but because of friction in the church (Philippians 4:2).
  • One command, “complete my joy,” is filled out by four phrases: the same mind, the same love, full accord, one mind.
  • Phroneō, used ten times in Philippians, names a whole disposition of mind and will, not merely an opinion.
  • Sympsychoi, “in full accord,” is literally one-souled, a word found nowhere else in the New Testament.
  • The “same mind” is defined in v. 5 as the mind of Christ Jesus: unity is conformity to him, not a compromise among preferences.
14Philippians 2:1–2

Section 2 — The argument · Philippians 2:1–2

Four gifts, one command, four marks

The four “if” clauses of verse 1 (encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, participation in the Spirit, affection and sympathy) flow into the one command “complete my joy” and its four marks of unity in verse 2 IF THERE IS ANY … (V. 1) … THEN BE OF ONE MIND (V. 2) Encouragement in Christparaklēsis Comfort from loveparamythion Participation in the Spiritkoinōnia Affection and sympathysplanchna kai oiktirmoi Complete my joythe one imperative, v. 2 Of the same mindto auto phronēte Having the same lovelove sets the tone In full accordsympsychoi — one-souled Of one mindto hen phronountes What God has given (the indicative) is the ground of what God asks (the imperative).
The four “if” clauses of verse 1 flow into the one imperative of verse 2 and the four marks of a church of one mind.
15Philippians 2:2

Section 2 — Application · Philippians 2:2

Unity of mind before unity of activity

  • Test decisions in the congregation by whether they advance the shared mind of the body or merely your own preference.
  • Unity is a matter of the mind before it is a matter of cooperation: examine your inward posture toward those with whom you differ (Romans 15:5–6).
  • Count it a worthy motive to bring joy to those who labour over you in the Lord by your unity with others (Hebrews 13:17).
  • A warning: the same mind is not uniformity of opinion, and “complete my joy” is no licence for leaders to demand conformity to their own preferences.

Ask yourself: Is there a brother or sister in your congregation with whom you cooperate outwardly while nursing an inward rivalry, and what would it mean to seek the same mind with them?

16Philippians 2:3–4

Section 3 — Key Insight · Philippians 2:3–4

In humility count others more significant

  • Selfish ambition (eritheia) is the spirit of the rival preachers of 1:17; conceit (kenodoxia) is literally “empty glory,” set against the true glory of v. 11.
  • Humility (tapeinophrosynē) was a term of contempt in Greek and Roman ears; the gospel made it a description of Christ (Matthew 11:29).
  • “Count others more significant” (hēgeomai) is a considered decision of regard, not a dishonest estimate of others’ gifts.
  • “Not only … but also” permits care for one’s own interests but forbids self-interest to draw the boundary of concern.
  • The verbs “count” and “more significant” tie the church’s humility to Christ, who “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped” (v. 6).
17Philippians 2:3–4

Section 3 — Application · Philippians 2:3–4

Humility is measured in decisions

  • Practise humility in specific decisions: ask what the other person needs before what you gain (Romans 12:10).
  • Refuse the empty glory of being seen; serve toward the Father who sees in secret (Matthew 6:1).
  • Care for your own calling, and take Timothy as the model of concern for others (Philippians 2:20).
  • A warning: counting others more significant is not self-contempt or submitting to abuse; it is a right estimate of oneself before God.

Ask yourself: In what area of your life — home, work, or church — are you most tempted to act from selfish ambition or conceit, and what would counting others more significant look like there?

18Philippians 2:5–7

Section 4 — Key Insight · Philippians 2:5–7

The mind of Christ: he emptied himself

  • Verse 5 is the hinge: the mind of Christ is both the pattern for the church and a possession of those “in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 2:16).
  • “Form of God” (morphē) is the form that truly expresses a nature; the participle hyparchōn shows he never ceased to be in it.
  • Harpagmos: he did not treat equality with God as something to be exploited for his own advantage.
  • “Emptied himself” (ekenōsen heauton) is defined by what follows — by taking the form of a servant: adding humanity, not subtracting deity.
  • Where Adam grasped at being like God and fell, the Son who truly was God refused to grasp and stooped (Genesis 3:5; Romans 5:19).
19Genesis 3:5; Romans 5:19

Section 4 — Adam and Christ · Philippians 2:6–9

Two men, two choices

Adam and Christ contrasted: Adam, made in the image of God, grasped at being like God, disobeyed, and was humbled, making the many sinners; Christ, in the form of God, did not grasp, obeyed to death on a cross, and was exalted by God, making the many righteous ADAM · GENESIS 3 CHRIST · PHILIPPIANS 2 STANDING THE CHOICE THE WAY THE VERDICT THE MANY Made in the image of GodGenesis 1:27 Grasped at being like God“you will be like God” — Genesis 3:5 Disobeyed and fell“one man’s disobedience” — Romans 5:19 Self-exaltation ends in humiliation“whoever exalts himself will be humbled” — Luke 14:11 The many made sinnersRomans 5:19 In the form of Godmorphē theou — equal with God, v. 6 Did not count equality with Goda thing to be grasped — harpagmos, v. 6 Obedient to the point of death“even death on a cross” — vv. 7–8 Self-humiliation ends in exaltation“God has highly exalted him” — v. 9 The many made righteous“one man’s obedience” — Romans 5:19 Where Adam grasped upward and was brought low, Christ, who had everything, went low and was raised high.
The first man grasped at equality with God and was humbled; the Son, who possessed it, did not grasp, and was exalted.
20Philippians 2:5–7

Section 4 — Application · Philippians 2:5–7

A mind that refuses to exploit advantage

  • Hold every advantage — position, gifts, wealth, a good name — as something to spend for others (Mark 10:42–45).
  • Self-giving does not diminish you: Christ showed what God is like by taking a servant’s form (Matthew 16:25).
  • This mind is “yours in Christ Jesus“: pursue it by abiding in him, in Word, table, people, and prayer (John 15:4–5).
  • A warning: “emptied himself” does not mean the Son laid aside his deity; a Christ who ceased to be God could not save.

Ask yourself: What advantage, privilege, or position do you possess that you are tempted to use for your own benefit, and how would the mind of Christ change the way you hold it?

21Philippians 2:8

Section 5 — Key Insight · Philippians 2:8

Obedient to the point of death on a cross

  • “Being found in human form” (schēma): to those who met him he appeared as a man, and he was one.
  • “He humbled himself” shares its root with the humility of v. 3, and the reflexive is crucial: no one humbled him.
  • Obedient (hypēkoos) to the Father, in his human nature, “to the point of death” — one obedience that fulfilled the law and bore its curse (Romans 5:19).
  • “Even death on a cross“: the slave’s punishment Rome despised and the cursed death the law declared (Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13).
  • The descent — form of God, servant, likeness of men, death, cross — is the lowest point of Christ’s humiliation and the highest point of his love.
22Philippians 2:8

Section 5 — Application · Philippians 2:8

Humility has the shape of obedience

  • Expect humility to take the shape of costly obedience when it costs comfort, reputation, or first place (Philippians 1:29).
  • Confront your sensitivity to shame by looking long at him who “despised the shame” of the cross (Hebrews 12:2).
  • Obey from the security of Christ’s finished obedience, not to earn acceptance.
  • A warning: Christ’s death is unrepeatable and substitutionary; we imitate the shape of his humility, not its achievement.

Ask yourself: Where is obedience to God currently costing you something — comfort, reputation, or the right to be first — and how does Christ’s obedience to death strengthen you there?

23Philippians 2:9–11

Section 6 — Key Insight · Philippians 2:9–11

Therefore God has highly exalted him

  • “Therefore” (dio kai) changes the subject: in vv. 6–8 Christ acted; in v. 9 God acts, vindicating the obedience of the Son (Luke 14:11).
  • Hyperypsōsen, “highly exalted,” and echarisato, “bestowed”: the Father’s gracious gift of the name above every name.
  • The name is Lord (kyrios), the Greek Old Testament’s rendering of the divine name; vv. 10–11 apply Isaiah 45:23 to Jesus.
  • “Jesus Christ is Lord” was the church’s earliest creed and, in a colony that hailed Caesar as lord, a dangerous one (Romans 10:9).
  • The hymn ends where the humble mind ends, “to the glory of God the Father“; every knee will bow, but universal confession is not universal salvation.
24Philippians 2:9–11

Section 6 — Application · Philippians 2:9–11

Confess him as Lord now, gladly

  • Confess Jesus as Lord by submitting every sphere of life to him now, gladly, before the day when every knee will bow (Colossians 3:17).
  • Rest in God’s vindication when your service goes unrecognised: he exalts the humble at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6).
  • Let the certainty that every tongue will confess fuel mission, so that tongues confess now in faith rather than later in defeat (Matthew 28:18–20).
  • A warning: humility is not a strategy for advancement — Christ did not stoop in order to be lifted up — and the exaltation is not the moment Jesus became divine.

Ask yourself: In what area of your life is “Jesus Christ is Lord” still a creed you recite rather than a rule you obey?

25Philippians 2:1–11

The throughline

Source, pattern, Lord

  1. Source — every gift the church has is “in Christ” (v. 1).
  2. Possession — the humble mind is “yours in Christ Jesus” (v. 5).
  3. Pattern — the one in the form of God took the form of a servant and died on a cross (vv. 6–8).
  4. Vindication — the Father highly exalted the one who humbled himself (v. 9).
  5. Confession — every knee, every tongue: Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father (vv. 10–11).
26Philippians 2:1–2

For discussion · Sections 1–2

Questions for the group

  1. When conflict arises in your church or family, do you begin by rehearsing what has gone wrong or by remembering what Christ has given you both?
  2. Which of the four gifts named in verse 1 do you find hardest to believe is truly yours, and what does that reveal about where you look for assurance?
  3. Is there a brother or sister in your congregation with whom you cooperate outwardly while nursing an inward rivalry, and what would it mean to seek the same mind with them?
  4. How can you bring joy to those who labour over you in the Lord this week by the way you relate to other members of the church?
27Philippians 2:3–7

For discussion · Sections 3–4

Questions for the group

  1. In what area of your life — home, work, or church — are you most tempted to act from selfish ambition or conceit, and what would counting others more significant look like there?
  2. Whose interests, other than your own, did you actively look to this past week, and whose did you overlook?
  3. What advantage, privilege, or position do you possess that you are tempted to use for your own benefit, and how would the mind of Christ change the way you hold it?
  4. Do you fear that humility will cost you your identity or standing, and what does Christ’s self-emptying teach you about that fear?
28Philippians 2:8–11

For discussion · Sections 5–6

Questions for the group

  1. Where is obedience to God currently costing you something — comfort, reputation, or the right to be first — and how does Christ’s obedience to death strengthen you there?
  2. What form of shame — looking foolish, taking the lower place, apologising first — are you most reluctant to bear for Christ’s sake?
  3. In what area of your life is “Jesus Christ is Lord” still a creed you recite rather than a rule you obey?
  4. How does the truth that God exalts the humble change the way you respond when your service goes unrecognised or your humility is taken advantage of?
29Philippians 2:1–11

Closing Prayer

Give us this mind

Gracious God, we thank you that you have shown us your Son, who did not count equality with you a thing to be grasped but emptied himself for us and for our salvation. We confess that we have looked to our own interests and counted ourselves more significant than others. Forgive us for the sake of the one who was obedient to death on a cross. Give us grace to have among ourselves the mind that is ours in Christ Jesus. Teach us to bow the knee now, gladly, before the day when every knee will bow, and keep us steadfast until we join every tongue in confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen.

30Philippians 2:11

Philippians 2:1–11

Jesus Christ is Lord

The Christ who was in the form of God took the form of a servant and died on a cross, and the Father who exalted him has given us his mind, so that the church’s humility is nothing less than the shape of the Lord to whom every knee will bow.

The full study, the summary handout, and more passages are at thebereantable.com — examine the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11).

About 43 minutes, narrated · open without narration
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Keyboard: ← → slides · space play/pause · T transcript. Scripture quotations are from the ESV®.