Philippians 2:7

But made himself of no reputation "But" here introduces the infinitely gracious action of the Saviour as the contraryto what it would have been had He "thought His Equality with God a prize." We may paraphrase, "That He did not so think of it, He shewed by making Himself," &c. See Bp Ellicott's careful note here, in which this explanation is advocated against that which would paraphrase, "AlthoughHe thought it no usurpationto be equal with God, yetHe made, &c."

" Himself" is slightly emphatic by position, laying a stress on the sacred free will of the Lord in His Humiliation.

" Made himself of no reputation:" lit., as R.V., emptied Himself. The (Romanist) Rhemish Version, 1582, verbally following the Vulgate (semetipsum exinanivit), has, "exinanited Himself." From the Greek the word kenôsis(κένωσις) has passed into theological language, appearing here and there in the Fathers, frequently in modern treatises. Of recent years much has been said upon this great mystery in the direction of proving or suggesting that during "the days of His Flesh" (Hebrews 5:7) the Lord (practically) parted with His Deity; becoming the (Incarnate) Son of God only in His glorification after death. Such a view seems to contravene many plain testimonies of the Gospels, and most of all the pervading toneof the Gospels, as they present to us in the Lord Jesus on earth a Figure "meek and lowly" indeed, but always infinitely and mysteriously majestic; significantly dependent indeed on the Father, and on the Spirit, but always speaking to man in the manner of One able to deal sovereignly with all man's needs.

It is enough for us to know that His Humiliation, or to use the word here, Exinanition, Kenôsis, was profoundly real; that He was pleased, as to His holy Manhood, to live in dependence on the Spirit; while yet we are sure that the inalienable basis of His Personality was always, eternally, presently, Divine. The ultimate and reasoned analysisof the unique Phenomenon, God and Man, One Christ, is, as to its actual consciousness, if we may use the word, a matter more for His knowledge than our enquiry. Bp Lightfoot's brief note here says nearly all that can be said with reverent certainty: " -He divested Himself" not of His Divine nature, for this was impossible, but of the glories, the prerogatives, of Deity. This He did by taking upon Him the form of a servant."

and tookupon him] Lit. and better, with R.V., taking. The thought is that the Exinanition wasthe "taking"; not a process previous to it. In the word "taking" the Lord's free choice and action is again in view.

the form of a servant Lit. and better, of a bondservant, a slave. The word rendered "form" is the same as that in Philippians 2:6, on which see note. Here, as there, the thing implied is not semblancebut manifestation. He became in reality, and in consequent appearance, a bondservant.

With what special reference is the word "bondservant" here used? Does it point to His stooping to serve menin great humiliation? Or to His undertaking, in the act of becoming Man, that essential condition of man's true life bondservice to God? The order of words and thought is in favour of the latter. The Apostle goes on to say, in effect, that His taking the slave's "form" was coincident with His coming "in the likeness of men" generally, not of specially humiliated or oppressed men. As ManHe was "bondservant". And this points to a bondservice related directly to God, as Lord of man. In this as in other things He was the archetype of all His true followers.

True, our blessed Lord made Himself the servant of all, and on one occasion (John 13) took literally the place and work of a menial attendant; a fact to which much allusion is made by St Chrysostom here. But all the while He was far more Lord than servant, certainly than bondservant, in His relations with men, even in His most tender and gracious relations. Literal "slavery" to man He certainly did not enter upon; royally descended as He was, and toiling as a free artificer, and commanding and teaching always with authority.

and was made Lit., coming to be, becoming. The fact is stated as coincidentwith the last statement. See previous note.

in the likeness of men A double suggestion lies in the words; (a) that He was really likeman, as He truly wasman; accepting the conditions involved in a truly human exterior, with its liabilities to trial and suffering; and (b) that He was also more than man, other than man, without which fact there would be not resemblance but mere identity. Cp. a somewhat similar case, Romans 8:3, where lit. "in the likenessof the flesh of sin."

" Of men," not "of man:" as if to make the statement as concrete as possible. He appeared not in the likeness of some transcendent and glorified Manhood, but like men as they are.