Jesus, the Apostles, and the New Testament — Oral Christian Tradition

Early Christian Hymns and Confessions

c. AD 40-65

New Testament letters preserve concise statements about Christ that may reflect material confessed, sung, or taught in early worship.

Full Account

Passages such as Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and 1 Timothy 3:16 use elevated, structured language suited to confession and worship. Whether every passage is a quotation from an earlier hymn cannot be established with certainty.

Their theological content is nevertheless early: Jesus is proclaimed as preexistent, incarnate, crucified, risen, exalted, and worthy of universal confession. Worship and doctrine reinforced one another as congregations remembered the apostolic faith.

Historical Significance

These texts show that high belief about Christ was embedded in the earliest church's worship and teaching.

People, Places and Sources

Key people: Jesus Christ; Paul; early Christian congregations
Key places: Philippi; Colossae; Ephesus; churches of the Roman world
Languages: Greek
Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11
Colossians 1:15-20
1 Timothy 3:16