Saturday 14 September 2013

Background

In a very significant way, today's passage may answer some ofthe challenges we have considered this week. It presents an imageof Jesus that stands in stark contrast to that of his namesake,Joshua, and which may not have been quite what John the Baptist wasexpecting either. But it certainly stands alongside the costly 'terms and conditions' of following Jesus, withthe abandonment of all self-interest. Paul clearly understandsJesus and the implications of being his disciple.

This much-loved passage, the inspiration for many popularChristian hymns and songs, is often used as proof that Paulbelieved in the divinity of Jesus. At first sight this might seemquite obvious. However, we need to ask where this 'Christ-hymn'came from. It is probably the best example we have of very earlyChristian poetry, and Paul may well have been quoting something hehad previously learned. But its origins may lie elsewhere - in thedeveloping cult of Roman emperor worship.

The idea that Roman emperors were divine began during the firstcentury, and a new religion was developing. At first emperorsencouraged the belief that they joined the gods when they died,then later that they became divine when crowned as emperor, andfinally that they were born divine. Interestingly we can traceexactly the same developing belief with regards to the divinity ofJesus. What is also interesting is that the title 'Lord' wasadopted as the exclusive title of the emperor. And there is alsoevidence that emperors would sometimes dress as slaves, or asgladiators, as part of some elaborate role play.

All this suggests the possibility that the 'Christ-hymn' beganlife as part of the imperial cult, and was subversively adapted byChristians as a direct challenge to the emperor - Jesus Christ isLord, not emperor Nero. And this title is only given to himfollowing his death and resurrection (exaltation in verse 9). Sothe hymn does not explicitly identify Jesus with 'God', or suggestthat he becomes 'God' - 'God' and 'Lord' are not equivalent here.Such ideas come later in the development of Christian teaching, andtend to obscure Paul's stark challenge: "Let the same mind be inyou that was in Christ Jesus".

To Ponder

• A faith based on a 'self-emptying' following of the example ofJesus may not seem very appealing. Do you think this is howChristianity is usually understood today?

• For most Christians, the belief that 'Jesus is God' is thecentral doctrine. Would it matter if this belief was not shared byPaul? Why? Or why not?

• This 'Christ-hymn' was a direct and subversive challenge to theimperial 'Lordship' of Paul's time. Which claims to 'Lordship'should Christians subvert and challenge today?