If this passage is stating that of Christ was God the Son in heaven before that. before being made into a man, I can’t understand it for the following reasons:
- Paul is exhorting us to be humble and to esteem others better than ourselves (vs. 3-4). He goes to show that Jesus was the supreme example of this attitude (v.5). Yet if Jesus was God the Son in heaven and thought it was proper (“not robbery”) to be co-equal with the Father before descending to earth, how does that demonstrate humility? Does that mean that God the Son thought it possible to be greater than God the Father and showed humility in not trying to usurp the Father?
- If being in the form of God is speaking of physical form, does it mean that Christ took on the physical form of a servant? A servant has the same physical form as any other human being. Furthermore, human beings are not normally servant-like in their attitude; they tend rather to pride and selfishness. So just taking on a human form does not equal being in the form of a servant.
- His exaltation was dependent on his obedience to the death of the cross (v. 9). This makes no sense if he was God the Son, temporarily appearing as a man to demonstrate God’s love. If he were God the Son, co-equal and co-eternal, his status above angels and man could hardly have anything to do with his short appearance in human form. He obviously would have been exalted standing billions of years
Not speaking of physical form
It is obvious that Paul is not speaking of physical form in this passage. He is alluding to Christ’s status, power and character and the humble attitude he had in relation to other human beings. Furthermore, this humility was not something that was automatically built into him; he did not bring it from heaven to earth. During his time on earth, “He became obedient unto death” (v. 8); “He learned obedience by the things which he suffered” (Heb. 5:8).
The status and power of Jesus
Jesus was born king of the Jews: “There came three wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Matt. 2:1-2). At his birth the angels announced to the shepherds, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:11). Thirty years later, an astonished Nathaniel proclaimed, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel” (John 1:49). In this exalted status, Jesus could have demanded he be worshiped as God just as many human kings were considered gods.
At his baptism, Jesus was given awesome power to use as he should choose. He could forgive sins, raise the dead, control the powers of nature, endlessly multiply food, heal the sick,
restore withered limbs and turn rocks into bread. He was truly God-like in the power and authority given him. But he did not use the power for his own benefit; he humbled himself and took on the attitude of a willing servant.
The temptation in the wilderness was an example of Christ’s humility and obedience instead of self satisfaction. He was rich in power but he did not use his advantage to become king or for any personal benefit. And when he was exhausted from his endless toil and poverty, he did not use his power to relieve his suffering. In addition, he did not use his power in his greatest hour of need — to destroy the Romans and his enemies. Rather he said to Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36).
His character and his words
Christ had his Father’s character in that he did all that his Father asked him. He portrayed his Father’s glory so perfectly that he was the “express image” of the Father during his mortal years (Heb. 1:3).
And his words were spoken with authority, for “He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand” (John 3:34-35). Those who heard him were “astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power” (Luke 4:32).
A king who served
The phrase “thought it not robbery to be equal with God” is translated in the RSV as “he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” The latter translation makes much more sense because Christ did not strive for equality with the Father. He stood as a direct contrast to Adam, who tried to become like the angels and therefore sinned in order to gain the knowledge of good and evil. In spite of his status, power and authority, Jesus always humbled himself before God and man.
At the last supper, he summarizes the attitude Paul is talking about in Philippians 2: “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:13-15). He was God-like in authority and power but he served others thus setting all of his followers a pattern to follow. This is exactly the point of Philippians 2:5-8.
Jesus humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, knowing that his kingdom was not of this world but of the age to come. His whole life was characterized by serving others, especially his Father. Jesus was the greatest man who ever lived, and, as a man, not a God, he is a wonderful example of humility and obedience.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One