PHILIPPIANS 2:8

8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Verse 8 “Heuristics” are problem-solving devices. In law, they help us make fast decisions without having to try every case individually. In psychology, they explain why people arrive at certain conclusions. In philosophy, “heuristic devices” are used to explore ideas that otherwise we couldn’t tackle. In computers, “heuristics” solve one problem by bypassing others. There are all sorts of applications – but the word always means the same: something which helps us make discoveries.

The term comes from “Eureka!”, which in turn comes from the Greek word heurisko which is used in this verse. Jesus was “discovered” to be in human form. The word suggests the staggering, surprising, yet definite and certain nature of the discovery. This is something which really happened – and we saw it with our own eyes. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Having assumed this position, Jesus “humbled himself” and became “obedient to death”. If God became a man, we’d probably expect him to take on a prominent position within his creation; but, Paul says, the amazing thing is that when he had already humbled himself by becoming human, Jesus continued to humble himself further. He even became “obedient to death” – something that wasn’t necessarily or inevitably part of the human package for the sinless Son of God – and not just that: death on a cross too.

It’s often been pointed out that the cross bore a tremendous stigma in Roman society. Cicero made a speech about it: “The very word "cross" should be far removed not only from the person of a Roman citizen but his thoughts, his eyes and his ears. For it is not only the actual occurrence of these things but the very mention of them, that is unworthy of a Roman citizen and a free man."

And so there’s a progression of amazement in the way the hymn describes Jesus’ humility: not only did he become a man, but a lowly one – and not only that, but he accepted the curse of death – and not only that, but also crucifixion!

“Obedient to death” is an interesting phrase. It doesn’t mean Jesus submitted to death’s power; that power was broken once and for all in the triumph of the cross. The word “obedient” really means “attentively listening”. Jesus took on all that death meant and shirked none of it. All that it does to human beings, it did to him.