Day 9 (19 Dec): The Hymn of Christ

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(Philippians 2:5 - 8)

Make your way to any shopping mall this December, and chances are you will be greeted by familiar Christmas soundtracks. Whether it’s Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” or the cheerful “Feliz Navidad,” Christmas songs have a remarkable ability to lift our spirits. They tap into something deep within us—the universal longing to love and to be loved.

Yet long before these festive tunes filled our malls and playlists, the early church had a song of its own. In Philippians 2:5–11, the Apostle Paul records what many scholars call the “Hymn of Christ.” Whether Paul composed or adapted it from an existing early Christian hymn, this passage stands as one of the most poetic and profound declarations of who Jesus is and what He has done.

At the heart of this hymn is a love unlike any other. Jesus—fully divine—neither counted equality with God a thing to be grasped (v. 6) nor leverage it for “His own advantage” (NIV). On the contrary, He made a staggering choice.

He “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (v. 7). This emptying, as theologian Millard J. Erickson clarifies, was not a surrender of His divine nature or attributes. Christ did not become less God. Rather, He laid aside the privileges of His divine position so that He could enter into the fullness of human vulnerability. From the Nativity crèche to Calvary’s cross, Jesus’ life on earth was marked by such humility and obedience (v. 8).

What underpins the entire narrative is this: our Lord Jesus Christ takes on humility for humanity. Instead of pursuing a self-exalting story of power, Jesus chose the downward path of sacrificial love. He is the perfect picture of humility—one who considers the interests of others above Himself; one whose birth, life, and death all sing the same melody of love.

And this is what makes Christmas truly worth celebrating.

In light of the above, how differently would you celebrate Christmas this year? Perhaps it means allowing the “Hymn of Christ” to shape not just our theology but our daily posture. Paul urges us to adopt this very mindset—the same as Christ Jesus (v. 5, NIV)—in our workplaces, our schools, our church, our friendships, and our homes, echoing His humility and love.

So, my brothers and sisters, this Christmas, may we not only sing this “Hymn of Christ” with our lips, but also live it out with our lives! Amen.

Ps Koh Chao Rui

Bukit Batok Presbyterian Church