Philippians 2:5-8

The Mind of Christ

In continuing the ideas of unity and the consideration of others which promotes it, Paul refers to Christ. He wanted the Philippians to have the same disposition, or attitude as Christ. To live like Christ, one must think like Christ thought and live accordingly (1 Peter 2:21.) Before Christ came to earth, he existed as the very essence of God. We might say it was his nature to be God. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; John 5:17-18; John 1:1-3). When Paul describes our Lord as the firstborn, in this passage, he means the preeminent one. Jesus did not exploit, or hold on to at all cost, his equality with God, but was willing to give it up for the sake of man and in obedience to God (1 Peter 2:5-6).

To do that, he had to give up the power, glory and worship which belonged to him as God. The American Standard Version says he "emptied" himself. The idea is that he sacrificed his glory and took the nature of man. John told the early church, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God....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" (John 1:1; John 1:14; John 17:5; 2 Corinthians 8:9). To come to earth as a man, Christ truly had to empty himself of all the splendor of the Godhead.

There are two senses in which Christ took the form of a servant. First, man was created as a servant. His whole existence is fulfilled in obedient service to God (Ecclesiastes 12:13). When Jesus took man's likeness, he took the form of a servant. Second, he came to serve man, not be served (John 13:1-17; Luke 22:24-27; Mark 9:35; 10:43-35). As God, he did not have to die, but he chose to lay down his life for our sakes (1 Peter 2:7-8; John 10:17-18; Hebrews 2:14-15). He did it because of the joy that would result from his sacrifice, despite having to suffer the worst death known (Hebrews 12:2; Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Galatians 3:13). To come to earth, Jesus gave up the form that naturally accrues to being God and took the figure of a man (John 4:24; Luke 24:39). Jesus is now glorified man, which we hope to be one day (1 John 3:2).