It seems that a straightforward reading of our New Testament sources does not equate Jesus with God as we would later see with the gospel of John and even later with the doctrine of the Trinity. For example, Jesus in desperate prayer in Gethsemane doesn’t seem to be praying to himself, just as Paul says Jesus “was raised,” which suggests something being done to Jesus, not something Jesus did to himself. But here’s a connection you might not have considered: Paul seems to be doing exegetical work on the book of Esther. For example, Paul says

⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

⁶ who, though he existed in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be grasped,
⁷ but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    assuming human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a human,
⁸     he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.

⁹ Therefore God exalted him even more highly
    and gave him the name
    that is above every other name,
¹⁰ so that at the name given to Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:5-11)

How does this relate to Esther? As I said, Paul sometimes seems to be alluding to Esther, which makes sense because Ether saved the Jewish people from destruction at the hands of Haman, just as Jesus would later save mankind.

One example often cited is in Romans 9–11, where Paul discusses God’s sovereignty over the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles. In Romans 11:25–26, he writes about a partial hardening of Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, leading to the ultimate deliverance of “all Israel.” This idea of God working behind the scenes to bring about redemption echoes the narrative of Esther, where God’s name isn’t mentioned, yet His providence is evident in the events that save the Jewish people from destruction through Esther’s actions.

Another potential allusion could be in Galatians 4:4–5, where Paul speaks of Christ coming “in the fullness of time” to redeem those under the law. This concept of perfect timing aligns with Esther’s story, particularly in Esther 4:14, where Mordecai tells Esther she may have come to her royal position “for such a time as this” to deliver her people. The emphasis on divine timing and purpose might suggest an implicit connection.

Esther played a pivotal role in saving the Jews from Haman’s plot in the biblical Book of Esther. Haman, a high-ranking official in the Persian Empire under King Ahasuerus (often identified as Xerxes I), despised the Jews, particularly because Mordecai, a Jew and Esther’s cousin, refused to bow to him (Esther 3:1–6). Haman convinced the king to issue a decree to annihilate all Jews in the empire on a specific date, the 13th of Adar, determined by casting lots (purim) (Esther 3:7–13).

Esther, who had become queen without revealing her Jewish identity (Esther 2:10, 20), was urged by Mordecai to intervene. He famously told her, “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Risking her life, Esther approached the king uninvited—a capital offense unless he spared her by extending his scepter (Esther 4:11, 5:1–2). He did, and she invited him and Haman to a banquet.

At a second banquet, Esther revealed her Jewish identity and exposed Haman’s plot to destroy her people, including herself (Esther 7:3–6). Enraged, the king ordered Haman hanged on the very gallows Haman had built for Mordecai (Esther 7:9–10). Since Persian law couldn’t revoke the original decree, Esther and Mordecai worked with the king to issue a new edict allowing the Jews to defend themselves on the appointed day (Esther 8:8–11). On the 13th of Adar, the Jews successfully fought back, and the next day, the 14th, became a day of celebration—later known as Purim (Esther 9:20–22).

Returning to the question of Jesus as not being God, we seem to have a reversal of Xerxes exalting arch enemy of the Jews Haman in Esther with God exalting beloved messiah Jesus in the Philippian Christ hymn – a position Jesus earned with his service and did not previously have.

In Esther: Xerxes Exalts Haman

In Esther 3:1–2, King Ahasuerus elevates Haman, an Agagite, to a position above all the other officials, commanding that everyone bow to him. This exaltation is secular, rooted in royal whim rather than merit or divine will, and it sets the stage for Haman’s prideful abuse of power. Haman’s rise is temporary and ultimately self-destructive—he plots genocide against the Jews (Esther 3:6), only to fall spectacularly when his scheme unravels. Esther 7:9–10 sees him hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai, a reversal of fortune marked by poetic justice. Xerxes’ initial exaltation of Haman, an arch-enemy of God’s people, proves shortsighted and revocable, reflecting human folly and the instability of earthly power.

In Philippians: God Exalts Jesus

In Philippians 2:6–11, often called the Christ hymn, Paul describes Jesus, who, though existing in the form of God, humbles himself, taking on human likeness and dying on a cross (vv. 6–8). In response, “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (v. 9), so that every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord (vv. 10–11). This exaltation is divine, eternal, and purposeful—rooted in Jesus’ obedience and self-sacrifice, it fulfills God’s redemptive plan. Unlike Haman’s fleeting rise, Jesus’ elevation is permanent, universal, and tied to his identity as God’s beloved Son.

Literary Reversal?

A reversal emerges when we contrast these two exaltations:

1. Agent of Exaltation: Xerxes, a fallible human king, exalts Haman, an enemy of God’s people, while God, the infallible divine King, exalts Jesus, the beloved Savior.
2. Character and Motive: Haman’s rise is driven by pride and malice, leading to destruction; Jesus’ exaltation follows humility and love, leading to salvation.
3. Outcome: Haman’s elevation ends in shame and death (a downward reversal), while Jesus’ humiliation ends in glory and life (an upward reversal).
4. Scope: Haman’s authority is temporary and regional, confined to Persia; Jesus’ lordship is eternal and cosmic, encompassing all creation.

This inversion could suggest Paul intentionally crafted the Christ hymn to echo and subvert narratives like Esther’s, where human rulers exalt the unworthy only to see them fall. In Jewish tradition, Esther’s story underscores God’s hidden providence overturning evil. Paul, steeped in that tradition, might amplify this in Philippians by presenting Jesus as the ultimate exalted figure—where Haman’s story ends in defeat, Jesus’ culminates in triumph.

Did Paul Have Esther in Mind?

As a Pharisee familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures—including Esther, read annually at Purim—Paul could have been influenced by its themes. The reversal of an enemy’s exaltation into downfall versus a savior’s humiliation into exaltation fits the biblical pattern of God flipping human expectations (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:27–28).