Abstract:
This thesis consists of an exegetical-theological analysis of the Christological hymn of Philippians 2:6-11. It is deals with one of the most difficult and most studied passages in the New Testament and it is the most important part of the letter to the Philippians. Starting with the work of Hans Lietzmann in 1926, most academic people consider the pericope a “hymn” to Christ. The hymn presents a description of the self-humiliation of Christ in his incarnation and death, together with his subsequent exaltation by God to the place of highest honor, being granted to him the title of Kyrios. The goal of the research, based on the exegetical-theological analysis of the passage, is to verify the pastoral and Christological perspectives of the hymn. The methodology employed was the historical-critical one partially following the steps proposed by Uwe Wegner. However, the exegetical-theological analysis presents the form proposed by Milton Schwantes, in 1982, where he approaches the text asking about the face, feet, heart and eyes of the text. In this way, the thesis is structured in four chapters. In the first chapter (“the face of the text”), we present the Greek text, the provisional translation, the textual analysis (Greek text of Philippians and the textual criticism of the passage) and the literary analysis (delimitation, authorship, structure and background). In the second chapter (“the feet of the text”) we discuss the authorship of Philippians, its literary integrity, the place and date of origin and the recipients of the letter (the city of Philippi and its inhabitants as well as the history of the church of Philippi and what we know about this community). In the third chapter (“the heart of the text”) we carry out the exegetical-theological analysis of the hymn and the new translation of Philippians 2:6-11. Finally, in the fourth chapter (“the eyes of the text”) we present the pastoral and Christological perspectives of Philippians 2:6-11, with the purpose of situating them in the broader context of Paul’s theology. The exegetical-theological analysis showed that: (i) the hymn is a call to follow the example of self-humiliation and self-abasement of Christ in ecclesial and congregational relations, as well as to be under His lordship; (ii) the hymn affirms the divinity, pre-existence, incarnation and lordship of Christ over all things to the glory of God the Father.
