Taken From A Lecture by David McClister

Phil. 2:1-13 Phil. 2:1-13 – We are to be humble as Christ was humble. This Is A Controversial Passage This Is A Controversial Passage “…did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped (6).” :…but emptied Himself…being made in the likeness of men.”

When You Focus So Deeply On The Details,You Often Don’t See The Big Picture. When You Focus So Deeply On The Details,You Often Don’t See The Big Picture.

They Are So Focused On “Equality” and “Emptied” They Don’t Look At The Actual Context. They Are So Focused On “Equality” and “Emptied” They Don’t Look At The Actual Context. Many Have Gone To The Wrong Source To Find Out What Those Words Mean. Many Have Gone To The Wrong Source To Find Out What Those Words Mean.

From the 2 nd -4 th Centuries There Was Much Debate About This Passage and The Person of Jesus. From the 2 nd -4 th Centuries There Was Much Debate About This Passage and The Person of Jesus. “How Can Jesus Be Both God and Man at the Same Time?” “How Can Jesus Be Both God and Man at the Same Time?” Finally, The Catholic Church Convened A Council to Settle The Debate - The Council of Chalcedon 451AD. Finally, The Catholic Church Convened A Council to Settle The Debate - The Council of Chalcedon 451AD.

truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [co-essential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood;

one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten God (μονογενῆ Θεὸν), the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ…

Creed is built on strange-sounding terminology. Creed is built on strange-sounding terminology. Nowhere in the N.T. do the writers speak of Jesus’ two natures, His “substance,” His subsistence, or His essence. Nowhere in the N.T. do the writers speak of Jesus’ two natures, His “substance,” His subsistence, or His essence. The creed seems to be based on an assumption; that “two natures” are somehow inherently incompatibable. The creed seems to be based on an assumption; that “two natures” are somehow inherently incompatibable.

Phil. 2 is read as if Paul were discussing the two natures of Jesus. Phil. 2 is read as if Paul were discussing the two natures of Jesus. It is also read as if Jesus had to give up one nature (deity) to take on the other nature (humanity). It is also read as if Jesus had to give up one nature (deity) to take on the other nature (humanity). Some believe Jesus gave up deity while on earth and was simply a man. Some believe Jesus gave up deity while on earth and was simply a man.

Paul Was Not Thinking About How Jesus Could Be Two Natures (the Chalcedonian Statement). Paul Was Not Thinking About How Jesus Could Be Two Natures (the Chalcedonian Statement). Does The New Testament Even Discuss or Explain This Question? Does The New Testament Even Discuss or Explain This Question? “If the Bible does not answer your question, it means you are asking the wrong question.” “If the Bible does not answer your question, it means you are asking the wrong question.”

Philippi Was A Roman Colony. It Was Roman Through and Through. Philippi Was A Roman Colony. It Was Roman Through and Through. In Rome, HONOR was everything. In Rome, HONOR was everything. One Achieved This By the Acquisition, Increase, and Display of STATUS. One Achieved This By the Acquisition, Increase, and Display of STATUS. You Had To Show Off Your Status. You Had To Show Off Your Status.

“Conduct Yourselves”…”Work Out Your Salvation.” “Conduct Yourselves”…”Work Out Your Salvation.” A Christian Does This By Having The Right Attitude and Pursuit. A Christian Does This By Having The Right Attitude and Pursuit. What Does This Look Like? What Does This Look Like? – Jesus Christ and an attitude of humility

Exaltation Through Humility Exaltation Through Humility “He Did Not Regard Equality With God A Thing To Be Grasped.” “He Did Not Regard Equality With God A Thing To Be Grasped.” – He Was In The Form of God. KJV = “Thought it robbery to be equal with God” KJV = “Thought it robbery to be equal with God” – Misleading.

The Greek Wording Is Debated and Can Be Translated With Different Meanings. The Greek Wording Is Debated and Can Be Translated With Different Meanings. It Could Mean = “Something Claimed” or “Gained” It Could Mean = “Something Claimed” or “Gained” Jesus Was Not a Honor-grabbing, Status-coveting person. Jesus Was Not a Honor-grabbing, Status-coveting person. He Did Not Consider His Equality with God To Be a Status or Honor That was So Valuable That He Could Not Sacrifice It For The Sake of Others (McClister). He Did Not Consider His Equality with God To Be a Status or Honor That was So Valuable That He Could Not Sacrifice It For The Sake of Others (McClister). The Issue Is Not Whether He Has Equality or Loses It, But His Attitude Toward It He Exchanges The “Form of God” for The “Form of Man”

Jesus Humbly Was Willing To Empty Himself For Others. Jesus Humbly Was Willing To Empty Himself For Others. Paul Does Not State What He Emptied Himself Of. Paul Does Not State What He Emptied Himself Of. 2 Cor. 8:9 2 Cor. 8:9 “Emptied Himself” Explained In 7-8. “Emptied Himself” Explained In 7-8.

Phil 2: Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.