Reflections on the Carmen Christi

Philippians 2:5-7 explains the heart of the Incarnation. The study of Christology is laden with complex philosophical ideas and intense theological assertions. One small mistake can brand someone a heretic. Christology is perhaps the most nuanced and specific branch of evangelical theology, and which it should be. However, this passage states the best aspects of Christology. Jesus, who was in the form of God, did not count equality a thing to be grasped. In being God, Jesus had a humble spirit and did not consider his status as something that he would not lay aside. Instead, he made himself nothing; lowering his status on our behalf. The King of the Universe became the servant of man. The one who gave us his image, took on our likeness. The one who is majestic, became defiled by men. The one who had every right to maintain his status in heaven as the most holy being, departed willfully from his throne and became in every way like us. Such clear Christological themes are presented in this passage. Christ is God. Christ became man. All of our theological terms and philosophical terms cower in comparison to this passage. Christ represents the highest degree of humility in this single act. Therefore, if our God can humble himself in this way, we ought also to act as he did.

In Philippians 2:8 we see the greatest example of humility demonstrated in all of human history. Not only did the God of the universe come to the world in the likeness of men, but he came and died. This idea becomes even more profound when we consider that we died convicted as a criminal, when he himself knew no sin. But it gets worse! They didn’t just hang him, or stab him. Instead, they killed him in the worst way possible. They crucified him! He hung on a tree. Still it gets worse. The law says that cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. Christ became a curse for us. The sinless, perfect, matchless, undefiled, unblemished, spotless King of Glory was treated worse then most murderers today in America are. What absurdity! Now, I know that this tells me a lot about my Savior. He is humble, loving, and gracious in a way that no words could express and in a way that no actions or deeds could equal. However, this event tells me a lot about myself as well. I am so evil, so utterly despicable, so incapable of goodness, so profoundly inept, so wicked, and so totally depraved that it took all of that to atone for me. Not an angel, or any creation could fix my problem. Only the subsiding of God’s wrath through the propitiation of Christ could draw me out of darkness.

In Philippians 2:9-11 we see the crowning moment in Christology. In becoming a man, Christ willfully subjected himself to suffering, yet he is now highly exalted above all things to the glory he previously had with the Father before his incarnation. His name is superior to all other names. God did not exalt Mohammed. God did not exalt Joseph Smith. God did not exalt anyone other than Christ. The very name of Christ exhorts such glory that even at the sound of his name, everyone will confess and bow to his lordship. This is an amazing thought. Our Savior is also our King! Now, something that is very interesting about this passage is that Christ is the one who is exalted, and Christ is the one with the greatest of all names…If God is jealous, desiring his own glory in all situations, what does this tell us about the Deity of Christ? The entire “Christ hymn” ends with such a profound statement that if not considered with its proper ramifications, it could be shrugged off as an old cliché statement about Christ. However, of all the things stated about Christ in this passage that point so clearly to his Deity, this one shouts it! Christ is the name above all names. No one else can say that. God would not be giving glory to himself if he allowed a creature to have the name above all names. Instead, Jesus is God. And there is no other way to understand this passage. When we read this passage we ought to sit back and proclaim that Christ is our Savior, King, and God!