Philippians 2:6

Philippians 2:6. who being originally in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God. In this exceedingly difficult and important passage, it is necessary to say something of the separate words of the verse, but it should be borne in mind that the words each form part of a context without reference to which they cannot be rightly understood. The apostle is enforcing the lesson of humility, and the avoidance of all factious or self-seeking conduct, and Christ's example is pointed to for this end. ‘Christ being in the form of God:' here the word ‘being' is not the usual simple substantive verb, but a stronger word which is employed when the nature of a thing, in contradistinction to its mere existence, is to be predicated. Here it relates to the existence of Christ before His manifestation in the flesh, and its fuller force is fairly represented by the addition of the word ‘originally.' ‘Form' is here all that makes a thing to be recognised for what it is. Hence, when ‘the form of God' is spoken of, we must understand all those attributes which make the Divinity known as such. All these the apostle says Christ had originally, and in this way was ‘in the form of God,' though He had not been manifested unto men. It is of this clause that the next words have been taken by the Authorised Version to be an expansion. ‘He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.' Nor would it be so. For, since he from the first had all the essential attributes of the Godhead in Himself, to make Himself equal with God would be but to have and hold what was His own. But this is not in harmony with St. Paul's argument, who does not wish to dwell on what Christ might rightly hold as His own, but on what He laid aside. It is therefore better, and more in accord with the original construction, to make this clause connected closely with what follows. The structure of the sentence is: He did not do one thing, but He did another. What Christ did not do was this. He did not count His equality with God as a prize to be held fast. He possessed this equality, but consented to forego it for a time, that He might work out the salvation of men. Thus he became an instance (how mighty!) of one who looked not at His own things, but also at the things of others. This rendering is in entire accord with the reasoning of the apostle; and for proof that the original may be so taken, the reader is referred to the notes of Dr. Light-foot on this Epistle, where the subject is fully discussed.

In the words ‘to be on an equality with God,' the Greek shows the equality contemplated is in all the attributes and qualities of the Godhead. To express this the neuter plural is used, and so Christ is not mentioned as a person equal to God, but the equality is predicated of Him in all things.

In a somewhat different sense from either of the above, the words have been taken by some in the sense that Christ did not think of His equality with God as something which He, having seized, must carefully guard, and so could not venture on laying it down at all. But this rendering does not do justice to what St. Paul is dwelling on, that Christ for the sake of mankind laid down of His own will that which He had from eternity, and His right whereto none could question.