STUDYING THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS
Phil. 2:5-11
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. In many ways, Phil. 2:5-11 is one of the most comprehensive
passages written about Jesus.
1. The essence of it all is found in a shorter version in 2
Cor. 8:9.
B. As is shown in Phil. 2:3-4, "selfishness" is the summation of
that which destroys unity and helpfulness among us.
1. Verses 5-8 give the greatest example of unselfishness ever
to be found.
I. Phil. 2:5
A. "Let this mind in you" - Let this mind (the unselfish mind
mentioned in Phil. 2:4) be in you which was also in Christ
Jesus.
1. We are to have in our hearts the humble, unselfish desire to
serve, which was the essence of the life of Christ.
2. We will come back to this point in the conclusion of this
lesson.
II. Phil. 2:6-8
A. It helps in our understanding of this passage when we learn the
exact meaning of the Greek words which are used.
1. "Existing"(KJV, and NKJV, "being"; Greek: "huparcho").
a. This term means "being," but it has the deeper
implication of pointing to that existence which is the
basic essence, the innermost nature.
b. Thus, the fact that Christ was "existing in the form of
God" suggests that Deity was His basic essence, His
innermost nature.
2. "Form" (Greek: "morphe").
a. "Form" is that which is intrinsic and essential about
anything.
b. The Holy Spirit reveals in this passage that the "form"
which Jesus had is God. He existed in "the form of
God."
c. Other passages reveal the eternal nature of Jesus. Micah
5:2; Heb. 1:10-12
3. "Counted not the being on an equality with God a thing
to be grasped." (ASV)
a. The phrase "counted not...a thing to be grasped" is
derived from a single Greek word ("arpagmos" with the
negative) which means "seizure" both "the act of
seizing," (e.g., "robbery," as in the KJV, NKJV), or the
thing seized (as in ASV and most other translations).
(1) The word "equality" (Greek, "isos") can be
translated "as much as," "as great as." Luke 6:34;
Rev. 21:16.
b. The KJV and NKJV, "thought it not robbery to be equal
with God," is satisfactory if it is understood to mean,
"It would not have been robbery (He would not have been
a thief) if he retained all that He had (all the glories)
while in heaven with the Father."
c. The New Century Version translates this verse: "...He
did not think that being equal with God was something
to be used for his own benefit."
(1) The New Revised Standard Version: "...He did not
regard equality with God as something to be
exploited."
d. The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses
translates this verse: "Who, although he was existing in
God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely,
that he should be equal with God."
(1) This is completely unsatisfactory because it says the
opposite of what the verse and the reaming
paragraph teaches.
(2) Verses 6-7 reveal that Christ existed in the form of
God, and although He was on an equal plain ("as
much as") with God (in the sense of everything He
had in heaven), He did not hold on to it, but
emptied Himself.
4. "Made Himself of no reputation" (KJV, NKJV) -"Emptied
Himself" (ASV, NASV)
a. The Greek verb "emptied" ("kenoo") used here means
"to empty or make void."
b. This passage is simply saying that Jesus gave up
(emptied Himself of) the glories of heaven and came to
earth. John 17:5; 2 Cor. 8:9
c. One cannot empty Himself of His attributes, because
"attributes" by definition is actually what one is.
(1) The American heritage Dictionary defines
"attributes": "A quality or characteristic inherent
in or ascribed to someone or something."
d. Thus, Jesus did not give up His Deity, because Deity
cannot stop being Deity. Rom. 9:5
5. "Taking the form of a bondservant" - The word "form"
here is the same word "morphe" which was used in verse 6.
a. Notice that Jesus "took" the form a servant, whereas He
"existed" in the form of God.
b. He always "existed" or "exists" in His essential nature
(Deity), but He temporarily "took" the form of a
servant.
6. "And coming in the likeness of men" - The word
"likeness" (Greek, "homoioma") means "like, resembling,
such as the same as."
a. Jesus partook of flesh and blood as is true of other
children of God. Heb. 2:14
7. "And being found in appearance as a man" - The word
"appearance" or "fashion" (Greek, "schema") refers to that
which is outward, incidental, or transitory about anything.
a. The "fashion" or "form" of this world passes away. 1
Cor. 7:31
8. "He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point
of death, even the death on the cross."
a. He came to this earth with the command to die on the
cross, and He was fully obedience to that command.
b. "This was a cursed, painful, and shameful death - a
death accursed by the law (cursed is he that hangeth on
a tree) - full of pain, the body nailed through the
nervous parts (the hands and feet) and hanging with all
its weight upon the cross, and the death of a malefactor
and a slave, not of a freeman - exposed as a public
spectacle. Such was the condescension of the blessed
Jesus." (Matthew Henry).
III. Phil. 2:9-11 - His humiliation was rewarded by exaltation.
A. Most likely, the name given to Christ because of His humble
obedience is "Lord," as is also mentioned in verse 11.
1. After Acts 2:36, Jesus is constantly referred to as "Lord."
Acts 7:59-60; 9:1; 10:36
B. Out of appreciation for those things done for us, we humbly bow
our knees, both literally and figuratively.
C. The "things under the earth" probably simply refer to those who
are dead.
1. It is not suggesting that there is some large subterranean
cavity in the earth where a great group of souls dwell.
2. Rather, those who are buried under the earth shall rise
again and confess with the living that Jesus Christ is Lord.
D. Notice that it is to the glory of God the Father to confess
Christ. Phil. 2:11
1. All should confess Jesus is Lord now. There is coming a day
when everyone will be forced to confess. Rom. 14:10-11
2. The confession involves more than just saying the words
"Jesus Christ is Lord."
a. It must be based upon sincere, from the heart, belief.
Rom. 10:9-10.
b. If we fail to confess with the mouth what we believe in
the heart we will be lost. John 12:42-43
c. Jesus Himself placed stress on the importance of people
confessing Him. Matt. 10:32-33
d. The confession should be followed by baptism, as was
done by the Ethiopian Eunuch after he made the good
confession. Acts 8:36-38
3. Confessing "Jesus is Lord" is not a one-time act.
a. We must live a life consistent with the confession that
we have made.
b. Paul's charge to Timothy showed that the confession,
and its follow-up, continues until the appearing of
Christ. 1 Tim. 6:11-14
c. Let us hold fast our confession. Heb. 4:14; 10:23
Concl.
A. Thus, in this passage we see Jesus on an equality with God in
heaven.
1. He left all the glories of heaven and became a servant for
the benefit of man.
2. He humbled Himself and became obedient and went to the
horrible death of the cross.
3. His humiliation and obedience was rewarded with great
exaltation.
B. The purpose of the passage is to urge us to behold the divine
example, and closely look at our own individual lives.
1. As Paul began, "Let this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus."
2. May the example of our Master and Lord inspire us to be
humble and obedient just as He was.
a. If we follow in His steps, as He was exalted, we will
someday be exalted also.
3. 2 Tim. 2:12 says, "If we endure, we shall also reign with
Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us."