Philippians / Question
The passage describes Christ humbling himself, taking the form of a servant, and becoming obedient to death on a cross: Philippians 2:6–8. It then says God highly exalted him and gave him the name above every name, so every knee bows and every tongue confesses Jesus Christ is Lord: Philippians 2:9–11.
In Philippians 2:5–11 Paul tells the Philippians to adopt the same mindset shown by Christ Jesus. The passage traces a downward movement: from existing in God’s “form,” to choosing self-lowering, taking a servant’s role, and obeying to the point of a shameful death. This section serves Paul’s larger push for unity and humble, others-centered behavior within the community. Just before it, he urges the Philippians to do nothing from selfish ambition, to value others, and to look to others’ interests.
Paul presents Christ’s story as the pattern for the “mindset” he calls for (verse 5). The movement is deliberately downward, then upward.
A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.
Start with Philippians 2:6-8, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
6who, existing in the form of God, didn`t consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
8Being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.