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In this famous section of Scripture, Paul describes the “emptying” of the Son of God who became a man—known as the doctrine of kenosis. While it is interesting to investigate the theological concepts regarding the nature of Christ’s “emptying,” to be fixated on that phrase from this passage is to miss Paul’s overall point: Be like Christ.
At the end of Philippians 1, Paul encourages the recipients of this letter to stand firm and to “conduct [themselves] in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). He charges them to be of one mind—unified in Christ—recognizing that they too are experiencing the same conflict and persecution he is (see Phlippians 2:2).
Because of all this, Paul reminds them to find encouragement in Christ. But if they should find encouragement in Christ, they should also seek to be like Him. He exhorts the Philippians to be united through humble service to one another, and he points to Jesus—the One who humbled Himself even to the point of death on the cross, as the exemplar of humility.
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This teaching is based on Ken Boa’s Handbook to Scripture.
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