Homilies on Philippians — Homily 6

St. John Chrysostom

1. 0. Greeting

[[Philippians 2.5]]-8

Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, when exhorting His disciples to great actions, places before them Himself, and the Father, and the Prophets, as examples; as when He says, For thus they did unto the Prophets which were before you [[Matthew 5.12]]; [[Luke 6.23]]; and again, If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you [[John 15.20]]; and, Learn of me, for I am meek [[Matthew 11.29]]; and again, Be merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful. [[Luke 6.36]] This too the blessed Paul did; in exhorting them to humility, he brought forward Christ. And he does so not here only, but also when he discourses of love towards the poor, he speaks in this wise. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor. [[2 Corinthians 8.9]] Nothing rouses a great and philosophic soul to the performance of good works, so much as learning that in this it is likened to God. What encouragement is equal to this? None. This Paul well knowing, when he would exhort them to humility, first beseeches and supplicates them, then to awe them he says, That ye stand fast in one Spirit; he says also, that it is for them an evident token of perdition, but of your salvation. [[Philippians 1.27]]-28 And last of all he says this, Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking upon Him the form of a servant. [[Philippians 2.5]]-7 Attend, I entreat you, and rouse yourselves. For as a sharp two-edged sword, wheresoever it falls, though it be among ten thousand phalanxes, easily cuts through and destroys, because it is sharp on every side, and nought can bear its edge; so are the words of the Spirit. [[Hebrews 4.12]]; [[Revelation 1.16]] For by these words he has laid low the followers of Arius of Alexandria, of Paul of Samosata, of Marcellus the Galatian, of Sabellius the Libyan, of Marcion that was of Pontus, of Valentinus, of Manes, of Apollinarius of Laodicea, of Photinus, of Sophronius, and, in one word, all the heresies. Rouse yourselves then to behold so great a spectacle, so many armies falling by one stroke, lest the pleasure of such a sight should escape you. For if when chariots contend in the horse race there is nothing so pleasing as when one of them dashes against and overthrows whole chariots with their drivers, and after throwing down many with the charioteers that stood thereon, drives by alone towards the goal, and the end of the course, and amid the applause and clamor which rises on all sides to heaven, with coursers winged