As the musical commentator Francis Drésel suggests, the structure of many of Anton Bruckner's choral works "places them firmly in the tradition of Palestrina, thus setting them apart from the large-scale Romantic and post Romantic works of the period, while each in its own way attests to the originality of its composer and of its age." Among the most audacious of Anton Bruckner's motet settings is the D minor four part gradual Christus factus est pro nobis, arranged for mixed a cappella chorus. This work, one of Bruckner's so-called "Vienna Motets," was one of a group of four gradual settings to be published in 1886.

Of these works the Bruckner scholar Dietmar Holland has written "Bruckner now expressly set himself apart—and indeed productively—from the reform efforts of Cecilianism as a source of inspiration. From his own compositional strength he converted the call for older vocal polyphony and Gregorian plainchant as basis of the melody, to an inner artistic concern." The text for this setting is taken from the Letter to the Philippians, chapter 2: "Christ became obedient for us unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause, God also hath exalted him and has given him a name which is above every name."

Central to a group of significant compositions in which Bruckner reached the peak of his achievements in the creation of small-scale liturgical works during his Vienna period, this setting is distinguished by its harmonically conceived vocal style, and its remarkable purity of expression. Bruckner dated the manuscript score May 20, 1884, and the piece reveals the particular significance that the celebration of Maundy Thursday exerted over him throughout his life. On this day, the Church remembers the suffering of Christ on the Mount of Olives, and at the same time, recalls the origins and institution of Christian priesthood. The work was originally performed as part of Bruckner's Chorale Mass of 1884, in which he interpolated two separate motet movements in place of the traditional Kyrie and Gloria. In order to make this Mass usable for worship throughout the Church year, Bruckner later added the two missing movements, although these have not been preserved.

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