THE GLORY OF THE CROSS

WHAT IS THE INSCRIPTION ON THE CROSS?

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...JESUS THE NAZOREAN, THE KING OF THE JEWS...

PETER CRUCIFIED UPSIDE DOWN

THE MARTYRDOM OF PAUL

THE PARADOX OF THE CROSS

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NOT BY HUMAN WISDOM OR POWER BUT

PAUL'S LETTER TOTHE PHILIPPIANS

LETTER TO THE PHILIPPEANS

• Philippi was Roman city in northern Greece: commercial and military
• Paul established church there in 49-50 AD
• Writing letter from prison
• Probably in Ephesus 55-57 AD
• Combination of several letters
• Purpose of Letter: encouragement, gratitude, reassurance

PAUL'S UNDERSTANDING OF SUFFERING

PHILIPPIANS 2:1-4

• Plea for unity and humility
• Based on believers' experience with Christ, God's love and the Spirit.
• Focus on others
• Presents supreme model of humility; pride divides, humility unites

Introduction to Hymn

"Have among yourselves the same attitude that is yours in Christ Jesus,"
(Philippians 2:5)

Jesus is model for Christian behavior.
Serve one another as you serve Christ.

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PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11

• Paul probably quoting an early Christian hymn
• Oldest Surviving Christian Hymn (? 50 AD or earlier)
• A poem of high Christology (emphasis on Christ's divinity)
• Revelation of God in OT fulfilled in Jesus Christ

THREE MAJOR STAGES OF CHRIST'S EXISTENCE

• Pre-existence with God eternally existing with the Father (2:6-7a)
• Earthly existence of Christ in his incarnation and death (2:7b-8)
• Exaltation of Christ in Resurrection and Ascension (2:9-11)

OTHER DIVISIONS OF THIS HYMN

• beginning - emptying - dying - being exalted - being named -being glorified
• 1st half - Christ's actions; 2nd half - God's actions
• Modeled on servant song of Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12

NAMES FOR HYMN (PHIL 2:6-11)

• Carmen Christi (Latin) Song of Christ
• Kenotic hymn (from Greek kenosis "emptying"): Jesus taking on human flesh

USE OF THIS HYMN IN LITURGY

• Liturgy of the Hours (Sunday evening prayer)
• Solemn liturgy of Palm Sunday and Good Friday
• Expresses the theology of Christ's passion, death and resurrection

"Who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped" (Phil 2:6)

"In the form of God"
Jesus pre-existent with God

ALLUSION TO ADAM

"SOMETHING TO BE GRASPED" (HARPAGMON)

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THE MYSTERY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY

SELF SACRIFICE FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS

Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. (Philippeans 2:7-8)

HOW JESUS "EMPTIED HIMSELF"

• Becoming truly human
• Totally obedient
• Death on a cross (Paul added)
• Christ did not empty himself of his divinity

"coming in human likeness"
same human nature as man

"found human in appearance"
made himself simply a man

OUR ACTIONS:

• Be humble and do the will of God
• Understand our own suffering through the suffering of Jesus
• Love and serve each other unselfishly
• Jesus as our model

"Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, and those in heaven and on earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:9-11).

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God proclaims in Isaiah:

"To me every knee shall bend. Every tongue shall swear" (Isaiah 45:23b).

To worship and adore!

PHILIPPIANS 2:11

JESUS IS LORD

• Sacred name of God revealed to Moses is YHWH ("I am who I am") in Hebrew
• The name "Lord" (Kyrios-Gk or Adonai-Heb) is name substituted in OT for sacred name of God.
• God exalts Jesus and says Jesus is Lord which describes the divine nature of the resurrected Christ. Astounding!

SUFFERING SERVANT ORACLES HELP TO INTERPRET JESUS SUFFERING

"Because of his anguish he shall see the light; because of knowledge he shall be content; My servant, the just one, shall justify the many, their iniquity he shall bear. Therefore I will give him his portion among the many, and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty, Because he surrender himself to death, was counted among the transgressors, Bore the sins of many and interceded for the transgressors"
(Isaiah 53:11-12).

GLORY TO GOD THE FATHER

THREE MAJOR STAGES OF CHRIST'S EXISTENCE

• Pre-existence with God eternally existing with the Father (2:6-7a)
• Earthly existence of Christ in his incarnation and death (2:7b-8)
• Exaltation of Christ in Resurrection and Ascension (2:9-11)

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SELF SACRIFICE FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS

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