Generous Pride: The Emotion of Pride in Philippians

Abstract

This study draws on the modern psychological distinction between “bad pride” and “good pride” in order to elucidate the apostle Paul’s balanced presentation in Philippians 3 of a version of self-confidence that is negative (i.e., “placing confidence in the flesh”) in contrast with a version of approved boasting into which the believing community is invited (i.e., “boasting in Christ Jesus,” Phil 3:3). Hubristic, or bad, pride connects with a version of social engagement that is inevitably competitive and therefore self-seeking. Through Paul’s own model, as well as through that of Christ himself, such a version of pride is to be rejected by believers. On the other hand, the experience of being in Christ furnishes the opportunity to orient one’s emotion of pride outside of the self, becoming entangled in Christ and his community. Paul uses this good version of pride as a way to safeguard the Philippian community from the potential threat of opponents who would seek to draw them away from Christ and back onto a self-produced version of identity and value.