Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 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 (Philippians 2:5-8). I heard those verses taught once and used to exalt the speaker. The claim was that we are created in God’s likeness and image, and we strive to be Christ-like; so we should not consider it robbery to be equal with God. Paul is saying the exact opposite. Paul is saying Jesus humbled himself and took on the form of mankind, even to the point of death.

There is a turning point in the verses we need to examine; the point turns on the word “but”. The word “but” states what came before is going to be contrasted by what follows. And what follows is, “taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” Paul was not claiming mankind was equal with God, but that Jesus humbled Himself to come in the likeness of mankind; You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands (Hebrews 2:7). Are the Angels greater than God? They would have to be for the humility Jesus showed in coming as a man to make us equal with God.

Jesus came as a man to be a servant to mankind, in the physical where even sinful man could see the example. Jesus came into the world as one in bondage to sin; He Who knew no sin came as one in bondage, so He could be a redeemer to those of us in slavery to sin under a curse of death. Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death; He Who knew no sin came as one in bondage and died for the sins that held us in bondage. Does that make us equal with God? No! That makes us redeemed; purchased for a price. It changes us from bondservants to sin under death, to bondservants to grace unto life.

Jesus said, “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Paul wrote, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:14-16). Jesus came from the Father and did the work of the Father. Those redeemed by Jesus belong to the Father, redeemed by Jesus as a work of the Father. Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work (John 4:34). Jesus humbled Himself to bring us into an adoption relationship with the Father.

Jesus was made a little lower than the Angels, in the form of sinful mankind, to suffer death for us. Jesus did not claim to be equal with the Father, but said, “You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). When Jesus was in the form of God, He did not think it robbery to be equal with God; but when Jesus was in the form of man He said, “My Father is greater than I.” We are to strive to be Christ-like; Jesus the Christ humbled Himself and died to Himself to give mankind life.

© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.