Kenosis in the Letter of Paul to the Philippians: The Way of the Suffering Philippian Community to Salvation

Abstract

In the so-called Christ hymn of Phil 2:5-11, Paul urges the Philippians to follow the example of the kenotic Christ. However, there is more at stake than an ethical exhortation. The hymn contains even more profound soteriological and ethical implications that are often forgotten in the Christological discussion. This article argues that the Christ hymn contains a soteriological motif that makes its appearance in Phil 2:5-11 and that is further unfolded in the remainder of the letter to the Philippians. For Paul, God’s voluntary self-emptying in coming into the world signifies His self-giving love and self-weakening humility and constitutes a revelation of God’s true nature. Moreover, the kenotic Christ is the new image that God intends to recreate in humanity in contrast to the old image of Adam corrupted by sin.