What does "emptied himself" mean in Phil.2:6?
By Ron Jones ©Titus Institute 2003
What does Phil.2:6 “Jesus did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself” mean?
The Selflessness of Jesus Christ
In Phil.2:1-3 Paul encourages the believers in Philippi to be of one mind
and not to be selfish toward one another. Paul then gives the supreme example
of what it means to “do nothing out of selfish ambition” in
v.3. He exhorts his readers to have the same attitude Christ had when he
did this. Then in v.5-11 he shows what attitude Christ had and what he did
to demonstrate that attitude.
The purpose of this passage is not to give an explanation of the deity or
humanity of Christ (although that is behind it theologically), but to explain
that Jesus became a servant, giving up the “way of life” of
deity to take on the “way of life” of a servant. Jesus exchanged
the form of God for the form of a bondservant (v.6-7)
In v. 6 Paul says, "who although he existed in the form of God did
not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Paul moves back
through time into eternity into Christ's pre-incarnate state before Christ
became a man to reveal to us what led Christ to his decision to become a
man.
"Form" (morphe) in the Greek is the outward expression of something,
it is a particular mode of existence of something, how something manifests
itself or displays itself outwardly. "God" means "deity."
Paul says in Jesus' pre-incarnate state He existed in a state of the outward
expression of God which is how God manifests himself in heaven.
And what in Scripture is another word for the manifestation of God or the
display of who God is? It is the glory of God. God's glory is the manifestation
of who He is. It is the outward expression of the nature and attributes
of God. The "form of God" is "the glory of God." (Ex.
33:17-23)
Before the Son of God became a man he existed in the fullness of the glory
of God. Christ displayed in His person the fullness of God's glory. One
of the ways that glory is expressed is by light (1 Tim. 6:15-16, Rev. 21:22-23).
Before the Son of God became a man He dwelt in unapproachable light; He
manifested the splendor and majesty and glory of God. He was merely manifesting
His essence, that is His deity. “Form” (morphe) implies that
Christ is God because it is the outward manifestation of one’s inward
essence; only God can manifest the glory of God.
But in v. 6 Christ did not hold onto this existence in this outward manifestation
of his deity. Paul says that He "did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped." "Equality with God" is literally in
the Greek “to be (exist) equally with God." "Equally"
is a neuter adjective which functions adverbally. An adverb describes manner
of being, how Christ existed. This is another way of describing the form
of God, the outward manifestation of God. What does it mean to “exist
equally with God”? It means to exist equally in position, authority,
privileges, and glory as the Father and the Spirit, as God. This equality
is not in person or essence, but in manner of existence. Again, this implies
deity, because only God can exist as God.
Paul is saying that Christ did not regard His existing in divine position,
privilege, authority, honor and glory as something to be held onto at all
costs, as something to be grasped tightly. But he was willing to give it
up. He is like an earthly king who had all the wealth prestige, position,
honor, and glory and looked upon it not as something he would never give
up, but who was willing to give all that up for a time to meet the needs
of his people. It is not giving up His kingship, but the outward expression
of it.
The Son of God existed in all the splendor and majesty of deity all the
position, authority, and privilege that it afforded yet, he did not regard
it as something to be held onto tightly, never to be given up. What an incredible
attitude, what incredible humility and selflessness. When there was a need
for Him to give that up temporarily, He humbly and selflessly did that very
thing.
In v. 7 Paul says "but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant
and being made in the likeness of men." He emptied Himself of that
which He did not regard as a thing to be grasped. He emptied Himself of
the form of God and his existence of living in a manner equal with God.
He laid aside the outward expression of the majesty and splendor of God.
He did not empty himself of His essential glory, which is part of His nature
as God only the outward expression of it. He temporarily veiled the unapproachable
light, which He displayed. He temporarily laid aside the outward expression
of His divine position, authority, privilege, honor, and glory.
He veiled His glory, stopped exercising His authority as God, stopped using
His privileges as God, stopped receiving honor due Him as God while all
the while still being God and still having all these things in His essence.
He did this by taking the form of a bondservant and by becoming in the likeness
of men. Both of these clauses describe what He did when He emptied Himself
, what took place at the moment of emptying.
Paul says in v. 7, "taking the form of a servant." Christ emptied
Himself of the form of God, the outward expression of deity and took upon
himself the form (morphe) of a servant, the outward expression of a servant.
“Servant" is “doulos” and refers to one who is in
subjection to someone else, one whose will is submitted to the will of another.
Christ took upon Himself the outward expression of a servant. Christ exchanged
dwelling in glory for dwelling as a servant. Christ exchanged dwelling in
authority and honor, as the ruler of the universe, for dwelling in submission
and obedience, the submission and obedience of a servant. And whose servant
did He become? God's (Jn.4:34, Jn.5:30) Christ whose will was supreme, submitted
His will to the Father and while a man only did the Father's will.
This is Christ’s attitude. The perfect master became the perfect servant.
He not only showed the outward form of a servant but He was indeed a servant.
This speaks of his human nature. He became a servant of God, by becoming
a man. This is implied here and in v.7.
He was v. 7 "being made in the likeness of men." "Being made
in the likeness" means “becoming an exact representation of something
else in its appearance.“ In other words, when Jesus took the form
of a bondservant he became in appearance as a man. He didn't look any different
than any other man. He was an exact and perfect likeness, because He became
a man. The emphasis by Paul here is not on Jesus' becoming a man (although
that is stated by Paul in other Scriptures), but how he appeared outwardly.
He exchanged the outward glory of divine perfection for the imperfect body
of humans. He exchanged the throne of God for the world of men on earth.
He exchanged the privileges of deity for the toil and labor of man. He exchanged
the authority of deity for the servitude of men. But yet, He was willing
to do this.
Why? Because He did not regard His position in heaven as something to hold
tightly to. But with humility of mind, He regarded us as more important
to Himself than He was to Himself.
This Paul describes in v. 8, Paul says, "And being found in appearance
as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross." Paul wants to describe to the Philippians the
extent to which the Son of God went in thinking of others before Himself
in pure humility. Christ not only entered the human realm, but when He was
in this human realm He humbled Himself. He lowered Himself even farther
than He had already done and became obedient (as a servant of God) even
to death on a cross.
Then Paul not only wants the Philippians to be motivated to be humble by
Christ's attitude and consequent action, but also by the results of Christ's
humility. What happened when He displayed this humility? He was exalted,
lifted up in honor to the highest place. Read v.9-11 which describes the
exaltation of Jesus Christ to the highest place of honor, with a name above
all names to whom all will bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!
