Jesus' Cross

In reminding the Philippians how to be neighborly Paul refers to the cross of Jesus. The numbers point at a community of people living together in a camp shaped like a cross.

Philippians 2:1-11

FA ¹If you have found, therefore, 1|4 consolation in the anointed, 2|4 or wholehearted love, 3|4 or fellowship of the spirit, 4|4 or compassion and mercies, ²complete my joy by being in 1|4 1 accord, 2|4 and 1 love, 3|4 and 1 soul, 4|4 and 1 mind. ³Do nothing through strife or boasting, but in humility let each regard his neighbor better than himself. ⁴Let a man not be mindful only of his own things, but also let everyone be mindful of the things of his neighbor. Philippians 2:1-4⁵Reason this inside you which Joshua the anointed also reasoned: ⁶Who being in the form of god did not consider it robbery to be equal with god, ⁷but stripped himself and took the form of a servant and was in the form of the children of men and in fashion was found as a man ⁸and humbled himself and was obedient to death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Because of this, god has also highly exalted him and given him a name which is greater than all names, ¹⁰that in the name of Joshua, every knee will bow in the skies and on land and under the land ¹¹and every tongue will confess, that the Master is Joshua the anointed P Isaiah 45:23 to the glory of god, his father. Philippians 2:5-11 (Philippians 2:1-11 BRB)

Count

1+1+1+1 = 4 = Numbers

Numbers

The passage in the book of Numbers this passage aligns with is that of the arrangement of the camps of Israel in four sections, at compass points, causing the whole camp to form the shape of a cross. Here's the relevant passage:

FE ¹The Master spoke with Moses and with Aaron and said to them, ²Every man will camp by his own banner with the mark of the house of his father of the children of Israel around the tent of time. Numbers 2:1-2³Those who camp 1st toward the east will be of the banner of the camp of Judah according to their hosts and the head of the children of Judah Nahshon son of Amminadab. ⁴The number of his host was 74,600. Numbers 2:3-4⁵Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Issachar and the head of the children of Issachar Nethanel son of Zuar. ⁶The number of his host was 54,400. Numbers 2:5-6⁷Then will camp the tribe of Zebulun and the head of the children of Zebulun Eliab son of Helon. ⁸The number of his host was 57,400. Numbers 2:7-8⁹The total number of the camp of Judah was 186,400 throughout their hosts. They will march 1st. Numbers 2:9¹⁰On the south side will be the banner of the camp of Reuben according to their hosts and the head of the children of Reuben Elizur son of Shedeur. ¹¹The number of his host was 46,500. Numbers 2:10-11¹²Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Simeon and the head of the children of Simeon Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. ¹³The number of his host was 59,300. Numbers 2:12-13¹⁴Then will camp the tribe of Gad and the head of the children of Gad Eliasaph son of Reuel. ¹⁵The number of his host was 45,650. Numbers 2:14-15¹⁶The total number of the camp of Reuben was 151,450 throughout their hosts. They will march second. Numbers 2:16¹⁷Then the tent of time will march with the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. As they camped so they will march every man by his banner. Numbers 2:17¹⁸On the west side will be the banner of the camp of Ephraim according to their hosts and the head of the children of Ephraim Elishama son of Ammihud. ¹⁹The number of his host was 40,500. Numbers 2:18-19²⁰Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Manasseh and the head of the children of Manasseh Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. ²¹The number of his host was 32,200. Numbers 2:20-21²²Then will camp the tribe of Benjamin and the head of the children of Benjamin Abidan son of Gideoni. ²³The number of his host was 35,400. Numbers 2:22-23²⁴The total number of the camp of Ephraim was 108,100 throughout their hosts. They will march third. Numbers 2:24²⁵The banner of the camp of Dan will be on the north side by their hosts and the head of the children of Dan Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶The number of his host was 62,700. Numbers 2:25-26²⁷Those who camp by him will be the tribe of Asher and the head of the children of Asher Pagiel son of Ocran. ²⁸The number of his host was 41,500. Numbers 2:27-28²⁹Then will camp the tribe of Naphtali and the head of the children of Naphtali Ahira son of Enan. ³⁰The number of his host was 53,400. Numbers 2:29-30³¹The total number of the camp of Dan was 157,600. They will march last with their banners. Numbers 2:31³²These are the numbers of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers; all those who were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were 603,550. ³³The Levites and the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among the children of Israel as the Master commanded Moses. Numbers 2:32-33³⁴The children of Israel did according to all that the Master commanded Moses, so they marched by their banners and so they camped every man in his camp according to the house of his fathers. Numbers 2:34 (Numbers 2 BRB)

Note the four standards under which the twelve tribes camp, three at each compass point. These four branches probably match the four things Paul speaks about in Philippians.

Note the way each of these tribes has specific neighbors they have to be around and learn to get along with.

Note the way this arrangement is the shape of a cross. This matches the way Paul refers to Jesus' cross as the basis for how to get along with those around you.

Note the way Jesus' name is greater than any other name; greater than Judah or Reuben or Joseph or Dan. It's saying all these branches camp and march under his name or standard or command. To bow the knee probably means to submit and take directions, i.e., to march when he says to, more than to kneel.

There's more here, but this is a decent first pass.

Ryan Eaton 2013-08-27