Phil 2:5 - 11 The Kenosis

Bruce Thompson

Philippians • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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Last we learned that Paul’s prayer for the Philippians was that they would One, that is have unity. Not that they had to be the same without individuality but rather that they would be unified in mind and purpose.

I told you that the concept of the mind and attitude is alluded to some 15 times.

In verse 3 we are told, “but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

How is that concept, that attitude of heart going?

It is not natural in this world today and neither was it then. As a matter of fact this “mindset” is completely contradictory to the attitude of the world, because lowliness of mind is about the least attractive thing to the thinking of this world.

“The ancient Greeks considered lowliness of mind to be a fault, not a virtue. “The pagan and the secular idea of manhood is self-assertiveness, imposing one’s will on others; when anyone stooped to others he did so only under compulsion, hence his action was ignominious [disgraceful]. The Christian ethical idea of humility could not be reached by the secular mind; it lacked the spiritual soil.” (Lenski)

“In pagan writers generally, the word had a bad meaning, ‘abject, grovelling.’ But when it comes into the New Testament, its meaning is ennobled.” (Wuest)

“Men do not quarrel when their ambitions have come to an end.” (Spurgeon)

“If I consider you above me and you consider me above you, then a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and no one is looked down on.” (Guzic)

So to pick up let’s look at verses 5 - 11.

Now let’s remember that in Chapter 1 Paul was telling us about his experiences and what was happening with him. And the toward the end of Chapter 1 and into Chapter 2 he transitioned to his hope for the Philippian church.

What was the apparent problem in the Philippian fellowship? Quarrels and lack of unity.

Paul gives them some practical things to work on. What are the in vs 3?

Now in verses 5 -11 he gets to some real meat. This is one of the most important sections in the NT. It’s theological weight is heavy.

We call this section the “kenosis” for reasons we will discuss later.

Here are some of the questions we will ponder:

Who is Jesus? Is He all God ? Is He all man? Is He 50/50?

Has Jesus always been? Who was He in eternity past?

When did Jesus become God?

Did He stop being God when He became a man?

What did Jesus empty Himself of in His incarnation?

The Kenosis

We begin in vs 5 with “ Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,”

Wuest writes: “Paul does not give all that is in the mind of Christ in these verses. He selects those qualities of our Lord which fit the needs of the Philippians at that moment.... This lack of unity among the Philippian saints became the occasion for perhaps the greatest Christological passage in the New Testament that sounds the depths of the incarnation.”

Let this mind means that it is something that we have choice about.

But let this mind shows us that it is also something we must choose to walk in. You have to let it be so.

Q- How can one change their mindset? It is a matter of the spirit. Only the spirit of God can truly change your mind. See also -2.

Paul goes on to tell us about who Jesus is before telling us what His mind set was and is.

Vs 6 Who, being in the form of God..

The New King James Version Chapter 2

6 who, being in the form of God,

This is really a mouth full so try to follow: The Who refers to Jesus clearly.

Let’s try to get a handle on the word Form next. It is the Greek word “morphe” and is very difficult to translate. Form means the inward character of a thing as well as the outward expression of that character. It has nothing to do with shape. So Paul seems to be saying that Christ both possessed and expressed the essence of Diety before His incarnation.

Jesus as the Son of God has always existed as God the Son. A co-participant with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in that divine essence which constitutes the Triune God.

Paul also tells us that buy using the Greek word translated being that our Lord’s possession of the Divine Essence did not cease to be a fact when He came to Earth to assume human form.

So Paul is saying to us that Jesus has always been God and remained God even as a man. It is error to say that Jesus stopped being God while on earth.

6b - Jesus set aside His privileges

So now lets examine the second half of verse 6:

Did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

The word robbery here has two distinct meanings. 1., a thing unlawfully siezed, and 2., a treasure to be clutched and retained at all costs.”

So some translations use one and some the other. Check you footnotes. In the cases the context indicates which is correct.

In this case the second is appropriate for the context. Paul is saying Jesus did consider it something to be grasped or held tightly to be equal with God.

To be equal with God:It wasn’t that Jesus was trying to achieve equality with the Father. He had it, and chose not to cling to it. Jesus’ divine nature was not something He had to seek for or acquire, but it was His already.

Remember, Paul’s point here is to illustrate humility and lowliness of mind for the benefit of others. So if our Lord did not consider the expression of His divine attributes something to grasped, that means that He was willing to waive His rights to that expression should the need arise.

So Jesus, being fully God, gave up the privileges of being God while on earth in obedience to the Father.

Q- What privileges are we talking about? Omnipresence, omnipotence, Omniscience.

The New King James Version Chapter 2

7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Q- If we are to have this Christ Mind-set, what does this mean in regard to our rights? What rights might we have to willingly surrender?

Vs 7 -8

Q- How is Jesus’ humility different than under-rating oneself or feeling worthless? Jesus choose to suffer humiliation willingly.

but made Himself of no reputation - the words made Himself literally means “emptied” Himself. It the Greek word “Kenosis”.

The question here is, what did Jesus empty Himself of? Paul will tell us plainly in the following verses, but we must take care that we do not think that Jesus emptied Himself of His deity in any way.

The answer I believe is that He emptied Himself, that is, set aside the rights and privileges of being God. Jesus lived a completely normal life in the sense He was under the same constraints and limitations as we do except He was with out sin. Though he maintained the essence of deity, He added to His divinity true humanity. Both fully God and fully man. He is called the “the-athropas” the God Man.

If you are having a difficult time with this you are on the right path. We have no way of relating to this except as a human.

Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the Father, under the power of the Holy Spirit. He did nothing on His own but only as directed by the Father.

Go to: , :30

This truth will radically change your view of Jesus.

When he says, He made Himself of no reputation, think of where Jesus was prior to His incarnation, Almighty God worshipped and glorified in the heavenly realm. To a poor baby born in a stable.

Q- Where would we expect to the messiah?

On top of all that He did it willingly, He didn’t lose a vote 2-1, and was forced to come.

Taking the form of a bondservant: literally He added to His divinity the, form, the essence, the outward expression of a Bond servant; not just a man but the lowest of the low.

We all as believers like to believe we are servants. But if you would like to know if you are really a servant take the servant test. Which is how do you respond when you are treated like one. Servants generally are not, but certainly do not expect: appreciation, thanks, or notice by anyone.

Coming in the likeness of men: Jesus was a real human being not a spirit or phantom as the Gnostic’s would teach.

see

Vs 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

In appearance, He was a man, but not only a man.

It was not enough that He was humiliated to become a man, He willingly lay down His life in obedience to the Fathers will.

Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world .

..even the death of the cross. Not just any death. It was the kind of death only meted out on criminals, and only if they were not Roman citizens.

For the Jew it was even worse:

“If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORDyour God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

“The lower he stoops to save us, the higher we ought to lift him in our adoring reverence. Blessed be his name, he stoops, and stoops, and stoops, and, when he reaches our level, and becomes man, he still stoops, and stoops, and stoops lower and deeper yet.” (Spurgeon)

Vs 9-11 The Name above all names

Therefore God has also highly exalted Him: the literal meaning here is that, because if His humiliation the Father has “super exalted” Him.

This is a basic of the Christian life, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up. Those who have faithfully served God with their lives can expect to be exalted and rewarded as well.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

(NKJV)

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Given Him the name which is above every name: it’s not just a name, but THE NAME, which is above all others.

Read Wuest page 72

This goes beyond giving Jesus the Divine name Yahweh. When we consider the Hebrew concept of the name, it also implies that God declares that Jesus has a character and person above all.

Vs 11 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So does this mean that everyone ultimately will be saved? No. It means you can bow the knee in joy and worship now or reluctantly with shame later.

Lord is the Greek Kurios the word used in the LXX for Yahweh. In this, Paul draws on the idea of : I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. Notice that in Isaiah, it is to Yahweh that all knees bow and tongues confess. In Philippians it is to Jesus, showing that Jesus is Yahweh.

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