The song that says it all

Songs in the New Testament, part 1

Over the last 6 years, I have explored the songs in the Old Testament, beginning with the Psalms and Lamentations, continuing with the 10 songs used by Jews on special occasions, and ending with a candid look at the Song of Songs.

I am looking at the New Testament songs and want them to be suitable for anyone to read anywhere. I will hold off on the nativity songs from the Gospel of Luke until around Christmas.

⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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 made himself nothing, 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. 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.

Philippians 2:4-11 ESVUK

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I am beginning with the songs in Paul’s writings. I chose this one from Philippians because it is longer. Usually, Paul quotes just a few words, but here we have the entire song.

Paul’s writings are mainly based on the cross of Jesus. This is because he writes mostly about the mission of Christ and having faith. When he teaches on giving in 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9, he has as his subject the incarnation; God gave up all He had to become human; therefore, we should give generously, which moves on to the bountiful harvest that giving produces, using the harvest at the end of the age as his blueprint.

When Paul writes about how we should live, he writes not in terms of the cross, the incarnation, or the return of Christ, but in terms of resurrection. “22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:22. Christians have a job of bringing the values of the Kingdom of God in heaven to bear on earth. We do good works not for personal glory or to gain access to heaven but because these are the values of the Kingdom of heaven where Christ reigns.

What has this to do with this poem? It is probably not written by Paul at all; more likely, it is a quote from an early Christian hymn.

It starts with God in heaven, “Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God,” (vv. 5b -6a

It takes us through the nativity or incarnation: ” did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” (vv. 6b-7).

Though the life of Jesus: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself…” (v. 8a).

To the crucifixion: “...by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (v. 8b).

Then through the resurrection, “⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him…” (v. 9a).

To the ascension and reign in heaven. “…and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,” (v. 9).

And Chrust’s coming reign on Earth, “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.” (vv. 10 & 11).

Many Evangelicals mistakenly believe that Paul’s writings focus solely on the cross, fitting their doctrines into this perspective. While much of Paul’s work discusses the cross, not all of it does; other groups, like some Jesuits, also share this misunderstanding. I’ve made this mistake too, as shown in old blog posts. I leave those posts unchanged as they reflect my thinking at that time. Traditional Christians also make the error of trying to fit everything into the idea of the incarnation. Both approaches overlook the full scope of the Bible’s teachings.

A quick interlude for an English lesson: The word exemplar is not the same as example. (Takes a look out of the window at the nearest parked car…) The Volkswagen T-Cross is an example of a car, but it is not an exemplar. An exemplar is a special sort of example, something that is set apart as an example to be copied.

Paul uses this song to present Christ Jesus as an exemplar, a model of humility that we should imitate. It highlights not only Christ’s ministry as an example of good behavior but also focuses on His character, suggesting, “You should be like Jesus in this, and it would make me happy if you were.”

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