Philippians 2.5–8

The ultimate exemplar of the type of like-minded, humble pursuit of gospel unity that Paul wishes to commend to the church in Philippi is Jesus himself. In 2:5 he turns from simple exhortation to a concrete example by urging the Christians to "consider this [mindset/mode of living] among you, which also is in Christ Jesus." In other words, possess or embody Christ's way of life—a high standard to follow, indeed. But rather than point first to Jesus' exalted status, his glory, his majesty, Paul draws upon his lowliness to drive home his argument.

After all, "even though" [a concessive formulation] he existed in God's form—something Paul has no wish to deny—Jesus "did not consider 'the being equal to God' status as a thing to be grasped." How different Jesus' manner was, then, from how we tend to conduct our lives, even those of us who would carry around the title "Christian." We grab for every possible shred of dignity and status within our reach; if others fail to exalt us, we exalt ourselves. Our whole lives are a testimony to a struggle to reach the top by whatever means within our power—academically, financially, socially, et cetera. Christ's way was so different, and it was so because he placed his faith in the sovereign lord of the universe.

Rather than grasp for his rightful status as "God," Jesus did something different, something much unexpected. At this point (v. 6b) Paul delivers a strong contrast, "but!" [alla], to emphasize just how extraordinary Jesus' actions were when compared with typical human tendency. The one who existed in God's form nevertheless "emptied himself" of the privileges that "Godness" affords by means of taking/assuming a slave's form. Put another way, he exchanged the form of God for the form of slave, the radical reverse of our expectations and our own habits. Paul reminds us here that Jesus came not merely to testify to his glory but to serve. This service mindset is what Paul himself strives to embody—note already how he has put the cause of the gospel before even his own life—and what he wishes his converts in Philippi to take up as well.

Concurrently with Jesus' emptying himself [I take this verb as parallel with "empty"], he was "born in man's likeness (v. 7c)," which is to say, he became a man. This further phrase illustrates, firstly, that Jesus' appearance as a man (his "likeness") does not tell the full story about who his is. But it also suggests a close linkage between the concepts of "man" or "human" and the idea of "service"—at least insofar as Jesus' humanity became operative for the purpose of service. So far Jesus' humble actions seem laudatory, even counter-cultural, but the full extent of their radical nature has not yet been explored. That's why Paul goes on to say that,

While "being found with respect to outward appearance as a man" [I take this as a temporal clause, explaining when Jesus' following actions take place] Jesus "humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death." Our humility often consists of deferential treatment toward others; of avoiding the limelight; of letting someone else set in front of us while in line. Rarely does our humility take the form of serious self-limiting action. Jesus was humble "by means of" giving himself over in death. His path of obedience led to a destination of expiration; our way of obedience often results in a "temporary setback," because we can't imagine that God wants anything else for our lives other than success. And to top it all off, Paul goes out of his way to emphasize that Jesus' death was the worst then imaginable: it was death produced by a cross.

Why didn't Jesus resist? Was Jesus by his death simply seeking to enact a dramatic—and tragic—parable? What had he to gain from such servitude? What have we? Paul treats the substance of these questions beginning in verse 9.