it a hymn?2 Does it function within a baptismal liturgy? Should it be read in light of Jewish blessings or berakah material?3 Is Greek poetry a better backdrop for the passage? While all these options have their champions, none can claim majority support. We have little evidence that this passage was a hymn, was part of a liturgy, or reflects Greek meter. Given that Paul was a Jew, it is quite likely that his praise to God would reflect Old Testament sentiments and Jewish practices common in his