Philippians 2:5-7; Form of God ~ 20231105 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
11/05 Philippians 2:5-7; Existing in the Form of God; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20231105_philippians-2_5-7.mp3
In Philippians 2, Paul turns our eyes to Christ Jesus.
Paul is exhorting the Philippians to be of one mind, to have the same love, to be united in soul. He exhorts them to live in step with the gospel, to stand firm in one Spirit, with one mind to strive side by side for the faith of the gospel. With heart and soul and mind, with their whole being, pursuing the one thing, that Christ be magnified.
He roots this exhortation in the fact that he knows they have received and experienced encouragement in Christ, comfort of love, fellowship of the Spirit, compassionate mercies.
In Philippians 2:5-8 he grounds his exhortation to the church to think the same, to think the one thing, in Christ himself. Their thinking among themselves is to be patterned after and empowered by Christ.
We are pushing out into rich and deep waters here. This section is lyrical, almost poetic; some have guessed that Paul is quoting a Christ hymn of the early church. I’m going to give you a very literal translation of the original, which is awkward in English, but it will help us appreciate both the lyrical qualities, and the difficulties that this creates for translation.
5 this think in yourselves, which also in Christ Jesus
6 --- who in form of God existing
-----------not grabbing he considered the to be equal with God
7 -----------but himself emptied,
---------------orm of slave received
------------in likeness of man became,
-----and in appearance found as man
8--------------humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death
------------------death even by cross
9 ----Therefore also the God him super-exalted
---------and gave to him the name, the above every name
10----------that in the name of Jesus every knee bow
-----------------in heaven and in earth and infernal
11-------------and every tongue confess that Lord Jesus Christ
--------------------to glory of God Father
The Big Picture; Exhortation to Think the Same
We are going to start by stepping back, seeing the big picture, the main point and the general flow of the passage, then we will zoom in to focus on some of the important details.
First of all, this is a command; ‘think’ is in the imperative; he is commanding us to think this thing. This is the same word for ‘think’ that he used twice in verse 2; involving the intellect, emotions, attitude, and will; this is a response of the whole person striving after the one thing.
Think this in yourselves or among yourselves. He is addressing the church, and he is commanding them to think together, to strive together, to be united in passion and purpose, to live consistent with the gospel.
What is the ‘this’ that they are to think? According to verse 3, it does not look like selfish ambition or strife, it does not look like conceit or vain glory. It looks like the humility of considering others above self, (v.4) not looking out for self, but also for that of the other.
‘This’ is the thinking that is found in Christ Jesus, in his self-emptying of the incarnation, in his humble obedience to the crucifixion, which led to his exaltation by the Father, ultimately bringing glory to his Father.
It’s Not About Me!
This passage is humbling in its focus; it’s not about us! We are not the focus of the passage, the glory of God is. We aren’t even mentioned, except in the fact that every knee will bow to Jesus and every tongue confess that he is Lord. Our salvation is not the focus of the passage either. The incarnation is held up, but as an act of self-emptying, not as a necessary step toward our rescue. The cross is mentioned, but as an act of obedience to his Father, not as a means of our salvation. It’s not about us! Jesus is pursuing not his own glory, but the glory of his Father, and the Father responds by advancing the glory of Jesus. It is only in Christ that we can begin to think this way; not seeking our own but that of the other.
The big picture will help keep us on track as we begin to look at some of the details.
Existing in the Form of God [ὃς ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων ]
The starting point of verse 6 asserts that Christ Jesus exists in the form of God. His state of being is in the form of God. What does it mean to exist in the form of God? The word ‘form’ [μορφῇ] means the outward appearance of a thing, the visible form. The compound word ‘conform’ is used in Philippians 3 to describe the change in our physical bodies to be like Jesus’ glorious body at his coming. The compound word ‘transform’ is used this way in Matthew and Mark’s account of the transfiguration of Jesus.
Matthew 17:2 And he was transfigured [μετεμορφώθη] before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.
The focus is on the change in his visible appearance. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, by beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed from glory to glory, into the same image. The focus is on an outward visible manifestation of what is inside.
If ‘form’ means the outward visible form of a thing, what does it mean to exist in the form of God? This means something like how Hebrews describes Jesus the Son of God;
Hebrews 1:3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, ...
Paul says in Colossians 1:15 that Jesus ‘is the image of the invisible God’
John tells us of the pre-incarnate Word:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ... 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Jesus put on visible display the glory of the invisible Father, his character and nature. In Jesus we see the glory of God. Throughout the Old Testament the glory of God was the outward visible manifestation of the presence of God.
We know from these passages that Jesus can put on visible display the glory of God because he is intrinsically God. Jesus, himself fully God, can display ‘the image of the invisible God’, ‘the radiance of the glory of God, and the exact imprint of his nature’.
For Jesus to exist in the form or outward visible display of God’s essence indicates that Jesus himself possesses that essence.
The next verse uses this same word to say that Jesus took on the form of a servant. He received the outward visible characteristics of a slave.
This first phrase describes Jesus in his pre-incarnate glory; we could translate it ‘existing in the form or image or glory of God.’ This is the starting point.
Not Selfishly Clinging to His Equality [οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ]
The next phrase describes his inner attitude, what he did not think, Existing in the form of God, he did not consider his being equal with God a thing to be selfishly held on to. ‘His being equal with God’ sheds light on and further clarifies ‘existing in the form of God’. He existed in the outward appearance or form or glory of God because he was intrinsically equal to God. The glory of Jesus was the same glory of the Father. But the point of this phrase is to describe his attitude toward himself. He did not consider that being equal to God an object of selfish grabbing. It was not something to be forcefully possessed or exploited for his own selfish advantage.
But Emptied Himself [ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν ]
Attitude displayed itself in action. Not considering that which was his own something to be selfishly held, he emptied himself. He made himself nothing. Of what did Christ empty himself? This has sparked some debate. This word for emptying is [κενόω] which gives the name to the kenosis theory that Christ gave up some of the attributes of deity, specifically his omni- attributes. In his humanity, they say, he stopped being omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent. But this is no different than saying that he laid aside his deity, that he stopped being God.
Jesus, being equal to his Father, displaying the glory of the Father, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present, unchanging, perfect, could not become anything but equal with his Father. As God, he could not lose his equality with God.
The answer to the question ‘of what did Christ empty himself?’ is not ‘of his deity, or any attributes of deity.’ Rather, the answer in the text is ‘himself’. He emptied himself, not of something, but of self. He did not look out for that which was his own; he looked out for that of the other; he considered others above himself.
Form of Slave He Took [μορφὴν δούλου λαβών,]
How did Christ empty himself? The next phrase tells us. Not considering his being in the form of God something to be taken advantage of, he emptied himself, the form of a slave taking. Christ emptied himself not by giving up something, but by taking something. He emptied himself not by subtraction, but by addition. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers said this: “He had not lost His former being, but He had become what He was not before; He had not abdicated His own position, yet He had taken ours” [c.360 Trinity, III.16]. Gregory of Naziansen put it this way: “What He was He continued to be; what He was not He took to Himself.” [(329-389); 379 Orat.XXIX.19:]. Leo explained: “so bending Himself to take on Him our humility without decrease in His own majesty, that remaining what He was and assuming what He was not, He might unite the true form of a slave to that form in which He is equal to God the Father, and join both natures together by such a compact that the lower should not be swallowed up in its exaltation nor the higher impaired by its new associate.” [(c.400-461) Bishop of Rome Serm.XXI.2]. Remaining what he was, he became what he was not. Continuing as undiminished God, he took on the additional nature of mankind. Remaining God, he became human. He emptied himself by taking the form of a slave. The glory of deity clothed in frail humanity. The outward visible form, the glory of God wrapped in the outward visible form, the shame of a slave.
Jesus prayed in John 17
John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
Jesus existed in the form of God, possessing the glory of God. He was with God and was himself God, and he became flesh and pitched his tent among us. His glory was wrapped in the garments of slavery.
In John 13,
John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Jesus, with full awareness of his own identity, his pre-incarnate glory, his divine nature, his equality with his Father, did not take advantage of his position for his own selfish ends, to be served, but instead wrapped himself in a towel and took the place of a slave.
John 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Jesus the Lord and Teacher showed us that the true nature and glory of God is not grasping to get for oneself but rather freely giving of oneself.
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In Likeness of Man Became [ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος]
In likeness of man he became. Jesus came to be something he had not been before. He became in the likeness of mankind. He was like mankind in that he became fully human. As Hebrews says:
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
He is like us in every respect, yet without sin.
1 John 3:5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.
He became fully like us, yet without the selfish instinct of exploiting everything to his own advantage.
5 this think among yourselves, which also in Christ Jesus
6-----who in form [glory] of God existing
-------------not seeking to exploit his equality with God
7------------but himself emptied,
--------------form of slave he took
--------------in likeness of man became,
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2023.11.05 Sermon Notes
Philippians 2:5-7; Existing in the Form of God
Command: Think this among yourselves
Philippians 2:2, 5
Think this: consider others above self
Philippians 2:3-4
A humbling focus; it’s not about me
Philippians 2:5-11
Existing in the Form of God; outward appearance
Philippians 3:21; Matthew 17:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18
Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15; John 1:1, 14, 18
Not selfishly clinging to his equality with God
Philippians 2:6
But emptied himself by taking
Philippians 2:7
the form of a slave
John 17:5; 13:1-5, 12-17; Mark 10:45
the likeness of man he became (yet without sin)
Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5
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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org