captured the attention of biblical scholars and that have been identified as christological hymns—hymns in praise of Christ.3 Before diving into the necessary preliminary matters in this introductory chapter, it is important to outline several features of these texts that make the study of them so imperative. First, based on their contents alone these are some of the richest and deepest passages in the New Testament. Even a casual reading of these passages puts the reader in touch with some of the