What does Philippians 2 mean?

Be like-minded

Paul opens by asking the church to be "one in spirit and of one mind." He says to "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit," but in humility to "value others above yourselves." This is the problem the rest of the chapter answers.

The Christ hymn

Verses 6 to 11 may be one of the earliest Christian hymns. Jesus, "being in very nature God," did not cling to his rights but "made himself nothing," became human, and obeyed to the point of death on a cross. So God raised him to the highest place, and one day "every knee should bow" and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Work it out, because God works in you

Paul says to "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you." This is not earning salvation. It is living out what God has already started, with God doing the deepest work.

Real examples

Paul ends with two people who live this out: Timothy, who cares for others more than himself, and Epaphroditus, who nearly died serving. Humility is not an idea; it looks like ordinary people putting others first.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others., Philippians 2:3-4

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!, Philippians 2:5-8