Philippians 2:1-11

Some religious people try to isolate New Testament selections to prove that Jesus was a God-man who came to earth. One of these is Philippians 2:1-11. Yet, when viewed in the beauty with which God had the Apostle Paul write this truth, we see that Jesus Christ is our lord and savior, and NOT equal with God our Father, the Creator.

Jesus totally depended on his Father, Who is greater than him.

John 5:30:
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 14:28:
Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

Jesus had all of the authority and power of his Father as the Messiah. He was physically God’s only begotten Son, because God put life in Mary’s womb so that he could be born nine months later. He was the perfect, sinless man—the second Adam. And yet, he did not use all of that power and authority and ability for his own ends, to do his own will. Instead, he became a slave, and gave his life as a ransom for our sins.

Mark 10:44,45:
And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant [doulos, a bondslave] of all.
For even the Son of man [Adam] came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The four gospels record Jesus’ earthly ministry from four different points of view. They were written for one specific purpose:

John 20:31:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

When we believe on God’s Son—that his Father raised him from the dead and made him our lord—then we have life through his name (Romans 10:9,10). Now we too are to live as bondslaves in service to others, for we have “Christ in” us, the hope of glory.

Galatians 5:13:
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve [douleuō, to serve as a bondslave] one another.

Colossians 1:27:
… which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Purpose and Structure

To better understand Philippians 2:1-11, look at the structure below in Greek and English. It is color-coded to show many Greek words that are repeated or are related to other Greek words.

Structure in Greek

Structure in English

Paul wrote this letter to the believers at Philippi to encourage them. This section of the letter shows how we can walk in love and serve one another. Rather than focusing on having “our own way,” we look for opportunities to give and help others. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of someone who put others’ needs ahead of himself. We are to follow in his steps.

I Peter 2:21:
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered [endured] for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.

Here is a basic overview:

1. Since we have consolation, comfort, fellowship, and inner mercies in Christ, we should be like-minded, with the same love, as one soul, with one mind.

2. We should NOT have any striving or egotism, BUT should lower our own self-concern and focus on helping others.

3. We should have the same thinking (among ourselves) as Jesus Christ:

A. Even though God promised him all of His authority and ability as the Messiah, Jesus did NOT try to “play God” in his earthly ministry and do things his own way. BUT, he made void all of the greatness that he had, and took on the “form of a servant” to his fellow men.

B. He was a suffering servant as Isaiah had prophesied (Isaiah 53:1-12). He had the likeness of other men, and could minister to them where they needed it. He was unique in that he had sinless blood as God’s only begotten Son. Yet as a man, he took on the form of a slave. He was “found” in the designs and daily activities as an individual man.  When people saw Jesus, they saw God’s great design of what the Messiah and redeemer should be.

C. Living a life of service among men, he lowered himself and put his own interests last, obeying his Father—even to the point of dying for us on the cross (the “lowest” possible status in death).

D. Therefore, God raised Jesus from the dead and made him lord at God’s own right hand. Every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is now lord (the “highest” possible position in life). When we make Jesus lord, that will glorify God, our Father.

God’s Logical Message to Us

This brief description of how Jesus Christ thought in his life of service flows logically from one point to the next. It shows what he did not do (claim God’s authority for any selfish purpose), and what he did do (denying earthly power and becoming a servant, lowering himself in obedience to his Father). The following layout shows the logical progression of thought.

Philippians 2 Logical Layout

The first main verb shows Jesus denying kingship and becoming a servant.

1. He denied the authority he himself had
2. By taking the form of a servant
3. IN: The likeness of mankind becoming; and (IN): The outward habits of a man being found

Jesus had no choice in how he was born. God made him a sinless human so that he could regain what Adam lost. Jesus was the perfect spotless Passover lamb and sacrifice for sin (I Peter 1:19). But he did have a choice in how he lived. In his outward habits, he endured all temptation, yet never lost his love for and obedience to the Father. He was in all ways tempted, but never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).

1. He lowered himself
2. Becoming obedient unto death
3. Even the death of the cross

The next main verb shows Jesus becoming the lowest form of slave possible. He obeyed his Father even unto death, the most horrible death of all. He washed his disciples’ feet before his death (the job of the lowest of slaves). He was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave.

The Suffering Servant

God knew that mankind would need a redeemer. Isaiah prophesied of who this Messiah would be.

Isaiah 53:2-5,11,12 [English Standard Version]:
For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men [anthropos, plural], a man [anthropos, singular] of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant [doulounta], make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death [thanatos] and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

The Greek Old Testament uses words that show what the Messiah would be and do.

He would be rejected by mankind (anthropos, plural).
He would be an individual man (anthropos, singular).
He would be a servant (verb form of doulos).
He would serve unto death (thanatos).

God gave the Apostle Paul revelation to write Philippians 2:6-8. It shows that Jesus Christ was the true Messiah who would be a servant from among men all the way to death, as the Prophet Isaiah had foretold.

Philippians 2:6-8:
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant [doulos], and was made in the likeness of men [anthropos, plural]:
And being found in fashion as a man [anthropos, singular], he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death [thanatos], even the death of the cross.

The Greek text of Philippians 2:6-8 has beautiful poetic form. It is followed by an English translation.

ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων

οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ

ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν

μορφὴν δούλου λαβών

ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος

καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος

ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν

γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου

Being in godly form the Messiah with all his God-given authority

He did not try to seize equality with God by force

But emptied himself of worldly ambition and vain glory

And took the form of a servant

Being in the likeness of mankind

He was found in habit as a man

He lowered his own self

Being obedient to death

 

Notice the color-coded lines that form a beautifully symmetric structure:

As the Messiah he had all of God’s authority / having been on earth in the likeness of all mankind

He did not try to seize equality with God by force/ he was found in his lifestyle as an individual man among men

He did not try to use his Messianic authority for his own gain / he lowered himself in service

He became a slave / he obeyed all the way until death

Also notice how the same words are used in this poem:

ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων

οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ

ἀλλὰ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν

μορφὴν δούλου λαβών

ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος

καὶ σχήματι εὑρεθεὶς ὡς ἄνθρωπος

ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν

γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου

Being in godly form the Messiah with all his God-given authority

He did not try (past) to seize equality with God by force

But emptied (past) himself of worldly ambition and vain glory

And took (past) the form of a servant

Being (past) in the likeness of mankind

He was found (past) in habit as a man

He lowered (past) himself

Being (past) obedient to death

IN the form of God corresponds to IN the likeness of mankind

The godly FORM of the risen Christ corresponds to his taking the FORM of a servant

Though he was the Son of GOD with sinless blood, he did not think to use this authority to seize the place of GOD

He denied his OWN earthly authority and lowered his OWN self in service

His BEING like other men made available his BEING obedient unto death

He was like the rest of MANKIND in that he had a human mother, and was found in his lifestyle as a MAN

Following Christ’s Example

As you can see from the color-coding on the Greek and English structures, there are many words used of what we are expected to do that are also used of what Jesus Christ has done. Our thinking is to be like his. When we humble ourselves, then the Father can lift us up in life to serve Him and bless others.

I Peter 5:6:
Humble [tapeinoō, the same word referring to Jesus humbling himself in Philippians 2:8] yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

This section of Paul’s letter to the Philippians does NOT say that Jesus was a God-man who took off his “Godness” to come to earth. Rather, it lines up perfectly with the four gospels and the rest of the Bible.

Jesus was conceived of Mary; he was born without sin; he always did the Father’s will and never sinned; he was crucified and raised from the dead; he ascended to God’s right hand and is now lord of all. He did NOT do his own will, BUT his Father’s will.  He was a servant, obeying unto death.

Today Christ is the head of the “body of Christ,” which is made up of all born-again believers. Just as he obeyed in his earthly ministry and was glorified by his Father, so we too obey and will some day be exalted with new bodies. We get our direction from God our Father, through our “head,” the Lord Jesus Christ. That is how God works in us.

Philippians 2:12,13:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear [respect] and trembling [full obedience].
For it is God which worketh in you [among you all] both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

When we keep Christ as our head, and follow his example of loving and respectful obedience, we can walk in his steps. Then we will put others ahead of ourselves, knowing that our heavenly Father takes care of us as we do our best for Him.