The Carmen Christi is the passage in Scripture, Philippians 2:5-11. The phrase means “song of Christ” or “hymn of Christ.” it describes the humility and exaltation of Jesus. It is one of the most important areas of scripture dealing with who Jesus is and what He did. It describes His preexistence, His voluntary self-emptying to become a man, His death on the cross, and His exaltation. Some believe that this hymn pre-existed Paul, and others believe that he wrote it. Here it is.
Phil. 2:5–11, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
What are the main elements of the Carmen Christi?
There are different ways to analyze the main categories in the Carmen Christi. One arrangement could be as follows: 1)preexistence and equality with God, verse 6; 2) Christ’s humility and emptying to become a man, verse 7; 3) His obedience to the point of death, verse 8; 4) His exaltation, verses 9-11; 5) Confession of Lordship, v. 11.
- Preexistence – He existed in God’s form, necessitating a prior existence.
- “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God…
- Equality with God – He was equal to God. Therefore, it wasn’t something to be taken, grasped, or hoped for.
- …did not regard equality with God as a thing to be grasped,
- Incarnation – He became a man. This relates to the Hypostatic Union. There is much discussion about exactly what is meant by ’emptied Himself.’
- 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man…
- Humility – Jesus was humble. To humble Himself by becoming a man, He had to preexist in order to perform the action of humbling Himself.
- …He humbled Himself…
- Obedience unto Death – He submitted to the will of God the Father to be for sin.
- …by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
- Exaltation – He submitted to the will of God the father to be for sin.
- 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
- Universal recognition of Christ’s Lordship – Christ is Lord of all things and one people.
- 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
