The verb φρονέω (phroneō) is a significant word carefully chosen by Paul to highlight the importance of cultivating Christ-centered thinking in his urgent call for unity in his letter to the Philippians. It is remarkable in both frequency and significance. Despite its importance in the letter, φρονέω is not given enough attention. This paper proposes that a close examination of the wide array of meanings attached to the verb and a closer look at the mind of Christ—humility and selfless attitude—will help us understand Paul’s perspective on humiliation and exaltation and interpret the hymn more appropriately.
Phil 2:5-11 is one of the key passages in the letter. A proper interpretation of this important Carmen Christi (Hymn of Christ) will unpack the kind of attitude that Jesus adopts. It is common to pit the two main streams of interpretation (kerygmatic and ethical) against each other. I argue that this is a false dichotomy since a doctrinal exposition does not cancel out its ethical implications, and Pauline ethics is often grounded in theological foundations. Paul integrated both theology and ethics in the letter. The only possible way for believers to live in harmony with each other in the Lord is to have the mind of Christ in dogma and praxis. Jesus Christ is the ultimate pattern to which we are being conformed in the way we think, feel, decide, and act (cf. Phil 3:10).