Philippians 2:6

“who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God. thing to be grasped”

“Who”: Jesus. “Existing”: Many commentators point out the same thing in reference to the tense of the Greek word, rendered "existing". “It is. present tense participle. It denotes to be, to be in existence, involving an existence or condition both previous to the circumstances mentioned in the context, and continuing after it” (Jackson p. 45). “Christ Jesus had always been (and always continues to be) God by nature. The One who in His pre-incarnate state exists in. manner equal with God is the same divine Person who in His incarnate state becomes obedient even to the extent of death” (Hendriksen p. 105). “The present participle of huparcho. to exist, which always involves. pre-existent state, prior to the fact referred to, and. continuance of the state after the fact. Thus in 1 Peter 2:6. the phrase, ‘Who being (huparchon) in the form of God', implies His pre-existent Deity, previous to His Birth, and His continued Deity afterwards”. [Note:. Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. W.E. Vine "Being" p. 116.] An ancient controversy that has in recent years surfaced in the church is the contention that when Jesus came to earth He emptied Himself of His Deity. First of all, the tense of the word "being" (existing) informs us that Jesus did not cease to be God or Divine when He came to earth.. think Jackson is right when he said, “The thing that seems to be at the root of this misunderstanding is. failure to recognize that the Lord's earthly limitations were not the consequence of. less-than-God nature; rather, they were the result of. self-imposed submission reflecting the exercise of His sovereign will”. [Note:. 'Did Jesus Christ Exist In The "Form of God" While On Earth?'. Wayne Jackson. Reason and Revelation. Vol. 15, March 1995 p. 22.] The problem with interpreting Jesus' humble place of submission to the Father, or dependence upon the Father or the Holy Spirit while upon the earth, as being. Jesus with. less-than-God status (John 14:28), is that Jesus is still subject to the Father. The "authority" that Jesus presently has, does not include "authority" over the Father (Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Acts 2:34). The very fact that prayer is to be directed "through" Jesus, to the Father, demonstrates that much (Ephesians 5:20; Ephesians 3:14). Jesus is "at" the right hand of the Father, but He has not taken the Father's position of authority (Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3). Thus, if "subjection" implies. less-than-God status, is Jesus less than "Divine" even now? Jackson put it this way, “Finally, if it is to be argued that Christ laid aside His status of being in ‘the form of God' by virtue of His humanness and His subordination to the Father, then one must likewise contend, if consistent, that Jesus does not possess the ‘form of God' now” (p. 22).

This idea that Jesus was less-than-Divine when He was upon the earth creates many more problems that it solves: If Jesus was just. mere man, than how could He say to Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9)? Why did He allow people to call Him “God” (John 20:28)? Why did He claim to be God. Note: Jesus did not say, “I used to be God” or, “I will be God again one day”. He was claiming. present Divine status (John 5:18). Why did He accept worship while upon the earth, if He was just. man? (Matthew 8:2; Matthew 4:4; Acts 10:25; Revelation 22:8) How can God cease to be God?. thought one of the essential qualities of God was His unchanging nature (Hebrews 13:8). What about His sacrifice for sins? How can the death of. mere man atone for our sins?

“Form of God”: “Is identified with the essence of. person or thing” (Vincent p. 431). “The essential nature and character of God” (Hawthorne p. 84). “Being in the very nature God” (NIV). “The essential form which never alters” (Barclay p. 35). “The essential attributes” (Robertson p. 444). “Denotes the special or characteristic form or feature of. person or thing” (Vine p. 123). Note that in this context, it does not say that Jesus took the "form" (essential nature) of. man, instead Jesus took the "essential" form of. servant (Philippians 2:7). Jesus was. man, but He was more than. man (John 1:1; John 1:14). This is another clear statement as to the Divine nature of Jesus Christ. How can one have the "essential attributes of God" and not be God? The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is God (Isaiah 2:6; John 1:1; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3 “exact representation of His nature”, Philippians 1:8).

“Counted not”: Esteem, consider, suppose or think.”And yet He did not see” (Knox). “Yet He did not look upon” (TCNT). We were told earlier in this chapter to "count" others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Some may ask "Why should I?" The quick response is that Jesus, the Son of God, "counted" us (sinners) more important that His own comfort, rights and privileges.

“Being on an equality with God”: “Did not cling to His prerogatives as God's equal” (Phi). “Equality”: “Status of divine equality. 'Isos' means exactly equal --in number, size, or quality” (Jackson p. 46). Existence in. manner equal with God” (Muller p. 79). “In. manner of equality” (Hendriksen p. 105). “The same in size, number, quality, etc” (Vine p. 38).

“A thing to be grasped”: “As above all things to be clung to” (TCNT). “Grasped”: “To seize or carry off by force. It may have two meanings (a) in the active sense, the act of seizing (b) in the passive sense,. thing held as. prize. 'Who though He was subsisting in the essential form of God, yet did not regard His being on an equality of glory and majesty with God as. prize and. treasure to be held fast'” (Vine pp. 215-216 “Prize”). “To be eagerly clung to or retained,. prize to be selfishly hoarded” (Jackson p. 46).

Bruce puts it well when he says, “There is no question of Christ's trying to snatch or seize equality with God: that was already His because He was in very nature God. Neither is there any question of His trying to retain it by force. The point is rather that He did not treat His equality with God as an excuse for self-assertion or self-aggrandizement; on the contrary, He treated it as an occasion for renouncing every advantage or privilege...as an opportunity for self-impoverishment and unreserved self-sacrifice” (p. 69). Hawthorne reminds us, “Human evaluation may assume ‘that God-likeness means having your own way, getting what you want', (but) God saw God-likeness essentially as giving and spending oneself out"...This then makes clear that contrary to whatever anyone may think about God, His true nature is characterized not by selfish grabbing; but by an open-handed giving” (p. 85). We often forget that God cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). He cannot go against His own nature (Hebrews 6:18).. like the point that "being God" does not mean "having your own way". Instead it involves selfless giving (Luke 6:35). God serves us! On. daily basis (Matthew 5:44; Acts 14:16; Acts 17:25 “neither is He served by human hands...since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all things”.) How little do we understand "service". Here is the shot between the eyes. God calls us to serve, because He serves. God expects us to place the needs of others, ahead of our own, because He does that. Hence, serving others is for the mature, the spiritually strong, and those who have character. Unselfishness is the path to true dignity, selfish ambition is the path to immaturity and eternal destruction (Romans 2:8).