St. Paul and ancient hymns

Scholars think that Paul incorporated early Christian hymns or poetry into his letters. The most obvious example is in Philippians 2. Urging the community to protect their unity by being humble as Jesus was, Paul uses language with a poetic flavor or style: “He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, death on a cross” and “at the name of Jesus every knee, heavenly, earthly and under the earth, should bow, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (2:6-11). Jewish Christians were familiar with and formed by Hebrew psalms.

In Ephesians Paul urged Christians to be Spirit-filled and to speak out in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (5:19). It is to be expected that Paul should have borrowed the language of song to enhance his letters and inspire his readers.