Pastor David B. Curtis
Pastor David B. Curtis
We are studying one of the most important Christological passages in the Word of God dealing with the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This passage is what Paul would call the "meat" of the Word. Every Christian ought to understand this text. This is the normative passage on the Hypostatic union and the Kenosis.
All of chapter two centers around verses 3-4, which is a call to humility. The degree to which you are found capable of putting into practice the exhortation of verses 3 and 4 will be in direct proportion to the degree to which you understand the theological basis upon which it is made. If you are ever going to live out verse 3-4, it will be because you understand the theology of verses 5-11. Theology precedes practice.
Before we get into the verses, let me say a word about their authorship. The authorship of verses 5-11 is often questioned. Did Paul write these verses? Paul wrote Philippians so we would naturally think he must have written verses 5-11. But many commentators say that this was an early church hymn that Paul borrowed and used here. The early church had hymns that circulated among the people, devoted almost exclusively to extolling the person and work of Christ. Several of these hymns are found in Scripture, for example:
Colossians 1:15-20 (NKJV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Compare that to many of the hymns that are written today. Another one in found in:
1 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.
Philippians 2:6-11 is one of these hymns.
Philippians 2:6-11 (NKJV) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Paul uses these verses as an example of humility, but did he write them? I believe Paul wrote this, and then the church used it as a hymn.
Paul might have had John 13 in mind as he wrote this passage. John 13:3-5 has many parallels with Philippians 2:6-11. Let's compare them.
John 13:3 (NKJV) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,
Philippians 2:6 (NKJV) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
Both of these verses speak of His pre-existence, that he was eternal.
John 13:4 (NKJV) rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.
Philippians 2:7 (NKJV) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
In John, he laid aside his garments which is a picture of the kenosis. In Philippians, he laid aside the manifestation of his glory and puts on the form of a bondslave.
John 13:5 (NKJV) After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
Philippians 2:7 (NKJV) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
In John, he washes the disciples feet -- a slave would wash the feet of guests. In Philippians, he takes the form of a bondslave.
John 13:12 (NKJV) So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?
Jesus puts back on his garments and sits down, signifying that his work was completed. In Philippians 2:9-11, God exalts Christ. His glory is restored when his work is completed.
John 13:13 (NKJV) "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.
Philippians 2:11 (NKJV) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus Christ is called Lord.
John 13:14-15 (NKJV) "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 should do as I have done to you.
Jesus is our example, and in Philippians 2:6-11, he is our example of humility. Jesus said:
Mark 10:43-44 (NKJV) "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 "And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
In John 13, we see him acting this out. In Philippians 2:3-4, Paul tells us to walk in humility, and in verses 6-11, Christ acts it out. This great Christological passage was sung by the early church in honor of Christ.
Let's review verses 5-7a. In verse 5, we are told to have the attitude of Christ which was that of verses 3-4-- humility.
Philippians 2:6 (NKJV) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
The word "being" speaks of his pre-existence. The word "form" speaks of his essence and essential nature. The word "equal" speaks of Christ being exactly equal with God in every way. Christ didn't consider equality with God something that he had to manifest.
Philippians 2:7 (NKJV) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
The word "reputation" is the Greek word kenoo which means: "to empty himself." What exactly did Christ empty himself of? Not his deity-- or he would cease to exist. Not the attributes of deity-- it is impossible to surrender an attribute without changing the character of the essence to which it belongs. God cannot change. He is immutable! What then did he empty himself of? Glory:
John 17:5 (NKJV) "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
John 17:24 (NKJV) "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
He surrendered His right to manifest Himself visibly as the God of all splendor and glory. He emptied Himself of His legitimate and natural desires and prerogative as deity. The natural desire and prerogative of deity is that of being glorified.
What is God's glory?
First, we must understand that God's glory is intrinsic, it belongs to His nature. We don't give this to Him, it is His by virtue of who He is. If neither men nor angels were ever created, God would still be a God of glory.
Genesis 3:8 (NKJV) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Adam and Eve lived in the presence of God. The Hebrews had a word for that presence -- shekinah, which means: "to dwell or reside." SHEKINAH is the transliteration of a Hebrew word not found in the Bible but used in many of the Jewish writings to speak of God's presence. The term means: "that which dwells," and is implied through out the Bible whenever it refers to God's nearness either in a person, object, or His glory. It is often used in combination with glory to speak of the presence of God's shekinah glory. Adam and Eve lived with the Shekinah glory of God.
John 4:24 (NKJV) "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
God is a Spirit-- He does not have a body. If God has no body, how did He manifest Himself to Adam and Eve? What did they see? I believe that He appeared in a glorious incandescent light. In the presence of light, he manifest himself. That's the way He appears throughout Scripture. When God appears to man, when He walked in the garden with Adam, what member of the Trinity was this? It was the pre-incarnate Christ. Jesus Christ is always the visible member of the Trinity. So God's intrinsic glory is simply the manifestation of Himself, and He does this by declaring His attributes. When we see God's attributes, we worship or glorify Him.
Exodus 33:18 (NKJV) And he said, "Please, show me Your glory."
This is Moses' request of God. Watch God's response:
Exodus 33:19 (NKJV) Then He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
God's "name" is the embodiment of all His attributes. So, what is God's glory? It is the embodiment of all His attributes. God reduced them to a glorious light in order to show them to Moses.
Exodus 33:20-23 (NKJV) But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." 21 And the LORD said, "Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 "So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. 23 "Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen."
The word "face" is used here for full glory. God is incorporeal -- He has no body. No one could ever see the full glory of God and live, so God showed Moses a little of His after glow.
Exodus 34:5-8 (NKJV) Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." 8 So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.
God's glory causes worship. That is exactly what the glory of God should cause us to do -- worship, which is to give to God His worth. Moses wanted to see God's glory, and he showed him His goodness, mercy, and grace because that's His glory. Seeing His attributes causes us to glorify Him.
In chapter 33 of Exodus, God shows Moses His glory, then in chapter 34, He proclaims His attributes, mercy, love, goodness-- these are His glory.
We see God manifested by fire in the burning bush:
Exodus 3:2-6 (NKJV) And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." 4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." 6 Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.
We see Him manifested in the glory cloud in the sky.
Exodus 13:21 (NKJV) And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.
They followed the visible manifestation of God in the glory cloud.
We see His glory in the tabernacle.
Exodus 40:34-38 (NKJV) Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36 Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
The children of Israel saw a visible manifestation of God in the glory cloud.
God's intrinsic glory is not given to Him, it's already His. God's glory is as essential to Him as light is to the sun, as wet is to water. We cannot add one thing to God. You might have heard a preacher say, "God needs us." That is not true. God does not need anything or anyone, He is the self-existent One. If this is true, then why does the Westminister Shorter Catechism say that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? Let me make a distinction: We cannot add one thing to God, but we can adorn the doctrine of God.
Titus 2:10 (NKJV) not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
We can enhance the teaching of God in the world by our godly behavior. This is what Matthew 5:16 teaches:
Matthew 5:16 (NKJV) "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
We cause men to glorify God by our good works. When we live a holy life, we adorn the doctrine of God. We don't adorn God, but we do the doctrine of God.
God is glory, and we are simply to declare it.
1 Chronicles 16:24 (NKJV) Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
How do we declare his glory? By declaring his attributes. We reflect His glory by putting away sin and living in holiness. We declare His glory by being like Him.
John 11:39-40 (NKJV) Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"
What was Jesus referring to when He said, "you would see the glory of God?" How did God manifest Himself there? He was referring to the attribute of omnipotence-- He raised the dead. As we see His attributes, we glorify Him. Have you ever thought about:
Psalms 19:1 (NKJV) The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
How do the heavens declare His glory? They show His power, wisdom and majesty. As I look out at the stars on a clear night and see their beauty, there is no way I could ever believe that it all just happened. Creation implies a Creator. When I look up into the heavens and see the brightness of the stars, I am moved to worship the God who created it all.
So, when we talk about glory, we're talking about the manifestation of His attributes or a visible display of light.
In the Kenosis, Christ veiled His per-incarnate glory by taking on humanity, but He did not diminish or destroy any part of it. When the sun is obscured by a cloud, there is no real change of its glory, nor are its beams extinguished, nor is the sun itself in any measure changed. Its luster is only for a time obscured. The sun was never effected by that cloud, but our vision of it was. Christ was never diminished in glory, but He veiled His glory.
What about:
John 1:14 (NKJV) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Doesn't this say that His glory was manifest? Yes, and notice the two attributes -- grace and truth. Through these attributes, Jesus glorified God in his humanity, which is what all of us are to do, but the glory of His deity was veiled. He looked like a man, like any other man except for a brief time during the transfiguration.
Matthew 17:1-3 (NKJV) Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Jesus literally lit the place up with His glory.
From His own will, Jesus Christ did not use His attributes to benefit himself, they were not surrendered, but voluntarily restricted. During the incarnation, the humanity of Christ relied on the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He was dependant. When He raised the dead, he did it by the power of the Spirit. When He read men's minds, He did it by the power of the Spirit. What ever He did, He did by the power of the Spirit. He lived in dependance upon the Spirit of God.
Let's go back to Philippians.
Philippians 2:7 (NKJV) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
The word "reputation" is kenoo-- "to empty himself." He emptied Himself of the manifestation of Glory and Power. He considered the work of love a greater thing than the display of power and glory. This is how we are to act, according to verses 3-4. Why don't we? Because we think of ourselves as so marvelous, so prestigious. We look upon our power and possessions and fame and reputation and we're not willing to give it up to serve others. Compare your riches to that of the pre-incarnate Christ. Ours are a dung heap-- yet we clutch it at all costs.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NKJV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
Paul uses a play on words in this chapter. In verse 3, he uses the word "kenodoxea" which means: "empty glory." It is from kenoo -- "empty, and doxa -- glory." Then in verse 7, he uses "kenoo" which means: "empty himself." Paul says, "Don't be involved in empty glory, but follow the example of Christ who emptied himself." We build ourselves up, we insist on our rights -- Christ didn't. How many things do we do in life so men will give us glory?
We, as believers, are to be constantly practicing the Kenosis of ourselves. We are to empty ourselves to make ourselves of no reputation.
We started last week to look at the seven steps downward of the Lord Jesus Christ. From heaven's glory to the death on a cross.
Philippians 2:7 (NKJV) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
The word "form" is morphe which means: "essential nature." We looked at this word in verse 6. This is not a mask or Halloween costume, he didn't pretend he was a servant. In his essential nature, he became a servant. He took the essence of a dulos-- a bondslave.
In verse 6, we see that Christ was in the "form of God"-- which refers to the possession of the essential attributes of deity. In verse 7, He takes the "form of a bondslave" -- the slavery of a person who has submitted himself to a master, in order to do his will in every respect.
In verse 6, we see the inner essence of God-- nature of deity. In verse 7, we see the inner essence of humanity -- nature humanity. Was Jesus Christ God or man? Yes! He was 100% God and 100% man. This is the hypostatic union -- undiminished deity and true humanity in one person forever.
He became a dulos -- he came to do God's will.
Matthew 20:28 (NKJV) "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
This is God voluntarily becoming a servant for us. A.W. Pink says this, "What marvelous grace we behold in that wondrous decent from heaven's throne to Bethlehem's manger! It had been an act of infinite condescension if the One who was the Object of angelic worship had deigned to come down to this earth and reign over it as King; but that He should appear in weakness, that He should voluntarily choose poverty, that He should become a helpless Babe-- such grace is altogether beyond our ken; such matchless love passeth knowledge. O that we may never lose our sense of wonderment at the infinite condescension of God's Son."
The word "coming" emphasizes the notion of becoming, of a beginning. Do you see the contrast here from verse 6, "being?" Christ always existed in the form of God (verse 6), but he came into existence in the likeness of men.
The word "likeness" is homoioma which suggests similarity but difference. Though his humanity was genuine, he was different from all other humans in that he was sinless. We see this same Greek word in:
Romans 8:3 (NKJV) For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,
Jesus Christ had real human flesh-- he felt pain, sorrow, wept, died, but he was sinless.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus Christ was impeccable-- not liable to sin, exempt from the possibility of sinning. During the incarnation, Jesus Christ did not sin. The sinlessness of Christ incarnate differs from the sinlessness of Adam before the fall. The first Adam was temptable and peccable. The Second Adam was temptable and impeccable.
Christ was tempted as to his person (Hebrews 4:15), He was tempted more than any person on earth. As God, Christ could not be tempted:
James 1:13 (NKJV) Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
Therefore, temptation came to Christ through his human nature. If Christ couldn't have sinned, was the temptation real? Yes! Haven't you ever been tempted and not given in? The human nature of Christ was temptable and peccable but joined in hypostatic union with the divine nature He is temptable and impeccable.
Philippians 2:8 (NKJV) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
The word "appearance" is schema-- "outer appearance." People saw him only as a man. Christ gave up the outward appearance of God (schema), but not the essence (morphe) of God. His glory was veiled and he looked like a man.
The reality of his humanity is emphasized in this verse. Our Lord possesses true humanity which is just as important as his deity. To make atonement, he had to be a Theanthropic person.
We see his humanity all through the New Testament. He had a human birth, his conception wasn't human, but his birth was. He came through the birth canal and was wet and wrinkled like any other baby. Martin Luther wrote in his hymn, "The little Lord Jesus no crying He makes." Is that true? No! He was a normal baby-- he cried. I'm sure he kept Mary up at night crying. It's not a sin to cry. He had human growth and development. He grew up just like any other human being.
Luke 2:40 (NKJV) And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
Luke 2:52 (NKJV) And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
At the age of 12, he astounded scholars in the temple -- He was sinless. Just think what you could have done at 12 if you didn't have a sin nature. He had human experiences-- emotions, feeling, desires and needs. He was hungry, thirsty, weary, he sorrowed and wept. He had a human relationship with God. Jesus said:
Luke 18:1 (NKJV) Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
Prayer is the necessary activity of a man who stands in a right relationship to God. Jesus prayed, why? He needed to, he was dependant upon God in his humanity.
Part of the Kenosis is the sustaining ministry of God the Holy Spirit to the humanity of Christ. This is prophesied in Isaiah 11:1-3, when the son of Jesse would come, the spirit of wisdom and understanding would be upon him; it was related to the Virgin birth (Matthew 1:20), His birth was by the Holy Spirit; He was constantly filled with the Spirit (John 3:34); His public ministry was of the power of the Spirit, (Matthew 12:18; Luke 4:14-15, 18,21).
Matthew 12:28 (NKJV) "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Jesus functioned in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in the power of His deity. Why is that so important? His ministry was marked with the repeated necessity of making choices, and he always made the right choice. Of all men who ever lived, he alone could say, "I do always those things that please the Father" (John 8:29). These choices were very real and involved the exercise of his will. Was it his human will alone functioning on these occasions or was his human will under the control of the divine nature? If the latter is true, then it is hard to see how Christians, who do not possess deity to control their human wills, can be called upon to look to Christ as their example. But if Jesus Christ did indeed divest himself of the exercise of the divine nature and lived among men in real dependence upon his Father and found his strength and wisdom in a pure humanity empowered by the Holy Spirit, then we can understand that his prayers were real prayers, his decisions were real decisions, his actions and reaction were genuinely human, and he is, indeed, our example in all things.
If Jesus Christ was dependant upon God for all he did, how much more should we be?
We think of the humiliation as God becoming man, but the point of humiliation is from his status as man. Thirty years of preparation under discipline. The God-man spent thirty years in preparation for three years of ministry.
"And became obedient to the point of death."
The word "became" is the Greek ginomy. It is an instrumental particle, it indicates the means by which the action of the main verb is accomplished. The main verb is "humbled himself." How did he do this? By becoming obedient. That is the best way to become humble-- by obedience. There is no humility like that that is produced by obedience to the Bible.
It was to the will of God that the obedience was given, and even when that will pointed to suffering and death, he accepted it. "Not my will," he said to his heavenly Father, "But your will be done" (Luke 22:42). Can you say that? Your will be done.
The word "even" calls attention to the shocking form of death. When we think of "Cross," we think -- torture, but there are worse tortures. The point here is that the shame of the cross is worse than the physical agony.
There was no greater way in which people of the first century could express their utter disgust with a human being than by crucifying them. It was the chief, the most extreme form of human degradation that existed. It was in the fullest sense of the word an obscenity. In polite Roman society, the word "cross" was an obscenity, not to be uttered in conversation. Cicero said, "Let the very name of the cross be far removed not only from the body of a Roman citizen, but even from his thoughts, his eyes, his ears." By Jewish law, anyone who was crucified died under the curse of God.
Deuteronomy 21:23 (NKJV) "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.
Galatians 3:13 (NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),
This utterly vile form of punishment was that which Jesus endured, and by enduring it, he turned that shameful instrument of torture into the object of his follower's proudest boast.
Why did Christ do it? To be our substitute!
Romans 5:8 (NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
He died for US! Jesus did all the work, all we need do is trust what He did. Luther said, "Nothing more is required of justification than to hear of Jesus Christ and believe on Him as our Savior." Salvation is free but it wasn't cheep.
The underlying thought of verses 5-8 is this: Surely, if Christ Jesus humbled himself so very deeply, you Philippians should be constantly willing to humble yourselves in your own small way. Surely, if he became obedient to the extent of death, yes, death by a cross, you should become increasingly obedient to the divine directions, and should accordingly strive more and more to achieve in your lives the spirit of your Master, that is, the spirit of oneness, lowliness, and helpfulness, which is pleasing to God.
This speaks to us, today. We are to have the attitude of Christ-- humility.
Media #077a
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