Philippians:2:5-8
rwp@Philippians:2:5 @{Have this mind in you} (\touto phroneite en humin\). "Keep on thinking this in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (\ho kai en Christi Isou\). What is that? Humility. Paul presents Jesus as the supreme example of humility. He urges humility on the Philippians as the only way to secure unity.
rwp@Philippians:2:6 @{Being} (\huparchn\). Rather, "existing," present active participle of \huparch\. In the form of God (\en morphi theou\). \Morph\ means the essential attributes as shown in the form. In his preincarnate state Christ possessed the attributes of God and so appeared to those in heaven who saw him. Here is a clear statement by Paul of the deity of Christ. {A prize} (\harpagmon\). Predicate accusative with \hgsato\. Originally words in \-mos\ signified the act, not the result (\-ma\). The few examples of \harpagmos\ (Plutarch, etc.) allow it to be understood as equivalent to \harpagma\, like \baptismos\ and \baptisma\. That is to say Paul means a prize to be held on to rather than something to be won ("robbery"). {To be on an equality with God} (\to einai isa theoi\). Accusative articular infinitive object of \hgsato\, "the being equal with God" (associative instrumental case \thei\ after \isa\). \Isa\ is adverbial use of neuter plural with \einai\ as in strkjv@Revelation:21:16|. {Emptied himself} (\heauton ekense\). First aorist active indicative of \keno\, old verb from \kenos\, empty. Of what did Christ empty himself? Not of his divine nature. That was impossible. He continued to be the Son of God. There has arisen a great controversy on this word, a \Kenosis\ doctrine. Undoubtedly Christ gave up his environment of glory. He took upon himself limitations of place (space) and of knowledge and of power, though still on earth retaining more of these than any mere man. It is here that men should show restraint and modesty, though it is hard to believe that Jesus limited himself by error of knowledge and certainly not by error of conduct. He was without sin, though tempted as we are. "He stripped himself of the insignia of majesty" (Lightfoot).
rwp@Philippians:2:7 @{The form of a servant} (\morphn doulou\). He took the characteristic attributes (\morphn\ as in verse 6|) of a slave. His humanity was as real as his deity. {In the likeness of men} (\en homoimati anthrpn\). It was a likeness, but a real likeness (Kennedy), no mere phantom humanity as the Docetic Gnostics held. Note the difference in tense between \huparchn\ (eternal existence in the \morph\ of God) and \genomenos\ (second aorist middle participle of \ginomai\, becoming, definite entrance in time upon his humanity).
rwp@Philippians:2:8 @{In fashion} (\schmati\). Locative case of \schma\, from \ech\, to have, to hold. Bengel explains \morph\ by _forma_, \homoima\ by _similitudo_, \schma\ by _habitus_. Here with \schma\ the contrast "is between what He is in Himself, and what He _appeared_ in the eyes of men" (Lightfoot). {He humbled himself} (\etapeinsen heauton\). First aorist active of \tapeino\, old verb from \tapeinos\. It is a voluntary humiliation on the part of Christ and for this reason Paul is pressing the example of Christ upon the Philippians, this supreme example of renunciation. See Bruce's masterpiece, _The Humiliation of Christ_. {Obedient} (\hupkoos\). Old adjective, giving ear to. See strkjv@Acts:7:39; strkjv@2Corinthians:2:9|. {Unto death} (\mechri thanatou\). "Until death." See "until blood" (\mechris haimatos\, strkjv@Hebrews:12:4|). {Yea, the death of the cross} (\thanatou de staurou\). The bottom rung in the ladder from the Throne of God. Jesus came all the way down to the most despised death of all, a condemned criminal on the accursed cross.
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