The Christ "Hymn" of Phil 2:6-11
In my Nazareth to Nicaea channel, I’m doing a series of episodes about Philippians 2:6-11.
First up, genre: is it a hymn, creed, or poem?
Then, sources: is it a Pauline composition or pre-Pauline?
Watch the video or listen to the podcast version below:
In general, I'm not impressed with the argument that a passage isn't like Paul's style. We know people write in different genres (e.g. Luther and Tozer) and that people modify their styles based on their audience and purpose (e.g. many academics).
On repeated readings of the passage and the letters, I'm inclined to think that Paul is quoting from an earlier piece, either a hymn or creed, known to the Philippians. He's making a couple of overall points about unity and perseverance and basing his exhortations on this Christological passage simply because it's accepted. We might do the same with a chorus or hymn today (subject to copyright squabbles.)
Of course many educated and sincere scholars have come to different conclusions and I"m not at their level of this conversation.
Regardless of who's closer to the truth, I have to take Paul's exhortations to heart and life. This is always the hardest part for me - doing what I'm told.
I think that what is in views is the Devil's attempt to seize God's rulership over man. The nachash was a spirit and presented himself as a divine being, a shining serpent to Eve. As a result of this rebellion he was cast to the Earth and lost his wings, his ability to exist in Heaven with God, (think of the seraphs who were winged serpents in Heaven) so that he had to go on his belly and eat dust signifying that his food was no longer from the spirit realm but confined to the earthly sphere. In contrast Jesus existed in the form of God, he too was a spirit being, the highest of all spirits, yet he never gave a thought to such a seizure of power from God but rather when he was asked he emptied himself and became a man and served other men rather than attempt to rule over them as the Devil had done.