Philippians 2:7 If Christ emptied himself of deity while on earth, then how could he be God?

Question

Paul seems to say that Jesus "emptied" himself of his deity or "equality with God" (vv 6-7 ) in order to become human (v 8 ). How could Jesus could be God if he left his deity aside to become a man? Jehovah's Witnesses say he could not ( Reasoning from the Scriptures 1989,198, 419 )

Answer 1

Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation (κενόω), and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

κενόω - To make empty, to empty, falsify, be fallacious.
(I) The antithesis of plēróō (G4137), to fill. Kenóō is used in Rom_4:14; 1Co_1:17; 1Co_9:15; 2Co_9:3; Phi_2:7 meaning to empty oneself, to divest oneself of rightful dignity by descending to an inferior condition, to abase oneself.

(II) The use in Phi_2:7 is of great theological importance. It refers to Jesus Christ as emptying Himself at the time of His incarnation, denoting the beginning of His self-humiliation in verse eight. In order to understand what is meant by Jesus' emptying Himself, the whole passage (Phi_2:6-8) must be examined.

The two states of the Lord Jesus are spoken about here. In verse seven, the state of His humiliation is referred to as having taken "the form [morphḗn {G3444} {acc.}] of a servant [doúlou {G1401} {acc.}]," and having become "in the likeness [homoiṓmati {G3667}{dat.}] of men [anthrṓpōn {G444}{gen. pl.}]." In contrast to this, we have His preincarnate, eternal state spoken of in verse six as "being in the form [morphḗ] of God," and "equal [ísa {G2470}] with God."

The truth expressed here concerning His preincarnate state is that He had to be equal with God in order to have the form of God. He could not be God the Son without being Deity. He who showed us the morphḗ of God, the form of God, the essence of God, had to be equal with God Himself.

The fact that Christ in His human form showed us God presupposes His being God at all times. He never claimed to be something without really being that in His essence. If He had, He would have been making a false claim.

As to the use of the subst. harpagmós (G725), robbery or plunder, see the verb harpázō (G726), to seize, catch, pluck or pull (2Co_12:2, 2Co_12:4; 1Th_4:17; Jud_2:3; Rev_12:5). As a subst., harpagmós is used only in Phi_2:6.

It refers to Christ's not taking that which did not belong to Him by being in the form of God. His whole life was characterized by being (hupárchōn [G5225]) that which He always was. Prior to His incarnation He was in the form, the essence of God, and after His incarnation He was still in the form of God in spite of His voluntary humiliation.

Notwithstanding His essence of deity, He took upon Himself the true essence of a servant (morphḗn doúlou). In order to be a servant, however, He had to become a man and appear in the likeness of men (en homoiṓmati anthrṓpōn).

By doing this He emptied Himself of the proper recognition that He had with the Father as God who is Spirit (pneúma [G4151]; Joh_4:24) and entered into the world of men, most of whom did not at all recognize Him for who He was.

The use of the aor. act. part. labṓn (lambánō [G2983], to take), having taken (with reference to the form of a servant), indicates that humanity did not displace deity in His personality. Rather He took upon Himself voluntarily, in addition to His preincarnate condition, something which veiled His deity. Proper recognition is called dóxa (G1391), glory, praise, from the verb dokéō (G1380), to recognize. In the form of man and servant, He lacked the recognition among men that He had with the Father (Joh_17:5). This voluntary humiliation of Christ began with the incarnation and was carried through to His crucifixion. In His resurrection, He laid aside His form of a servant.

Answer 2

This is a good example of one of the major tactics of the organization. Using scripture out of context. Paul is speaking to the attitude of the Phillipians. Verse five states,"Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus:" Then in verse six Paul states that though Jesus, who is "in very nature GOD, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped" or held on to.

Jesus could not empty Himself of something He was not first filled with. The WORD was "God", not, "was a god". See John 1:1 NIV. (Or ANY other Bible translation except the "New World" Translation. Including the Original Greek).

Note that in verse seven that He made himself nothing, but in verse nine it is God who exalted him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name. Both actions would require the same power.

Also of interest is verse eight which states that He was" found in appearance as a man". Here Paul is saying that, while Jesus walked the earth, He was a man in appearance only.


The point of Paul's words here is what is important. Jesus humbled himself to the point of a horrible death although He did not have to. He did it out of love for us. Paul is saying to the Philippians, and, to us that, if Jesus could lower Himself from his heavenly position of power and glory to the point of laying down His innocent life for us, then we should surely be willing to lay down our selfishness and pride and love each other. The subject here is humility and, as usual, Christ is our powerful example.

I have always found it interesting that some people have no problem accepting a husband and wife becoming "one flesh" even though the husband is considered the "Head" in the marital relationship, but for some reason we are unable to grasp the "oneness" of an all powerful God! Or, simply to believe Jesus's own words when He stated that He and the Father are one.

His ways, His thoughts, are so very far above ours. And yet He loves us. The truth is, for me anyway, that if I understood everything about God... He would certainly not be God.

Answer 3

Jesus was fully man to accomplish the redemptive plan of the God-head, that is to pay the penalty of sin. "Only in the shedding of the blood can there be remission of sin." Spirits have no blood, only created beings like man. That's why God emptied Himself of His deity (the scripture says for the time being or temporarily) so that (Philippian 2:8) he could humbly walk the path of obedience towards death - so that we could (Philippians 3:10) experience the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings and become like Him in His death, in the hope that we will be raised from death to life.

Jesus is God because His Father said so. Philippians 2:9 "For this reason God raised Him (Jesus) to the highest place above (the only highest place is the throne of God) and gave Him the name that is greater than any other name (logical that it also include the name given God the Father). And so, in honor of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on eath, and in the world below will fall on their knees (to worship Jesus!) And in placing Jesus on this position, god the Father declared in Hebrews 1:8 "About the Son, however, God said, 'Your kingdom (addressing Jesus), O GOD, will last forever and ever!'

Answer 4

This is actually, contrary to what JWs might think .. one of the strongest verses in the Bible that speak of Christ being Equal to the Father.
He put on the Likeness of the Flesh of Sin.. He put on the Form of a man in order to live a perfect human life, yet a genuine human life as God.
This is Incarnation.. God becoming a man... outwardly we might have looked at this simple man and wonder how on earth could He be God. Unlike satan who would want to outwardly seem appealing, he appeared to Eve as the beautiful cunning beguiling serpent. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was " appealing to the eye".. So opposite to God, Who as the man Jesus Christ Had no outward beauty that we should desire Him.. He was dispised and rejected by men.. He was a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief.
This Jesus Christ was Emmanuel, God with Us. wow.
What did he empty Himself of? All the grandure of being God. The glory of Being God.. the Splendor of Being God.
He limited himself to speak ONLY the words of His Father.. He did not do one deed outside of the Father.. He was one and completely One with the Father because they ARE One.

Good Question sister
in Christ
sandy

Answer 5

Jesus gave up his deity when He came to earth. He was just a man. Since He was born of the virgin Mary, he didn't have a sin nature because He wasn't born of man. So the only difference between Jesus and us is He didn't have a sin nature to distract Him. He was a man with the Holy Spirit dwelling in Him just as christians have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Another thing to consider: The Bible says God never sleeps nor slumbers, but in the gospels, we see Him sleeping in the back of the boat when a storm came. HMMM. The doctrine of 'full man and full God' was invented to give people the impression that we could never live up to what He was able to accomplish. But we can do everything Jesus did. He even said we would do the works He did and greater ones as well. EXCELLENT QUESTION.

Answer 6

Why is it so hard for some to understand that the God, who translated Elijah from earth to heaven, could also translate His body, the Word, into Mary's womb? The Word/body became flesh; the Godhead is two-fold, God the Spirit and Jesus, the temple/body:

John 4:24, Jesus said, "God is a Spirit".

Colossians 1:15, speaking of the Son, "Who is the image of the INVISIBLE GOD"

Colossians 2:9, speaking of Christ, "For IN HIM dwelleth ALL the fulness of the Godhead BODILY".

Whoever places the seed within the mother's womb, is the child's father, and God, the Spirit, placed his body within the womb of Mary, therefore He is the Father of that body.

Man is created in the image and likeness of God; a two-fold being, body & spirit. Look up the meanings for the words image and likeness in Strong's Hebrew Dictionary; they have different meanings. Image means phantom or illusion, and likeness means shape or model. (Genesis 1:26)

OUR image and OUR likeness is referring to the two-fold Godhead; body and Spirit. Jesus sits on the throne, but God the Spirit is everywhere present and nowhere absent; yet these two are ONE PERSON.

Answer 7

Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Your argument is not valid. God is who the verses are talking about.

Answer 8

Indeed.

Jhn 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit"

Jesus was flesh while God remained a spirit. This he told the women at the well.

John 4:24 "God is a Spirit".

If Jesus was God then the women would not be able to see Jesus since Spirits are invisible like Jesus father.

Jhn 1:18 "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him]."

Answer 9

Jesus posseses divine qualities of God even when he was a human. When Jesus EMPTIED himself, he forgo his LIFE in heaven as a spirit and his high positions. That’s why Jesus became LOWER than angels when he became human. If Jesus was fully God and fully Man (both at the same time) when he was on earth then he NEVER was lower than angels. (Heb 2:7). If Jesus was God-man on earth when he became human, then he didn’t really EMPTIED himself which conflicts with Phil 2:7.

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EDITED

It is also of interest to note that both Weymouth and An American Translation render the passage, “the fullness of God’s nature.”

“The fullness” that dwells in Jesus is the decision of someone else, that is the Father Colossians 1:19 (KJ, Dy).

Again
In Col 2:9, Strong’s dictionary defined theotēs also as divinity . Divinity means “the QUALITY or state of being DIVINE” .www.m-w.com , so it is correct to translate theotes as “divine quality”.

Eph 3:19 will explain to you what Col 2:9 means. Having the fullness of God, or being filled with it does not mean that the one filled with the fullness of God , will become God himself nor make the Christian fully God himself. What the Christians will be filled is the fullness, not of being God, but of the divine qualities of God. This is the same in Jesus, what he is filled is the fullness of the divine qualities of his God, the Father.
What are these divine qualities? Love, kindness, and other Godly qualities, etc.

Answer 10

I think this is pretty reasonable understanding of this passage:

"(1) that it cannot mean that he literally divested himself of his divine nature and perfections, for that was impossible. He could not cease to be omnipotent, and omnipresent, and most holy, and true, and good.
(2) it is conceivable that he might have laid aside, for a time, the symbols or the manifestation of his glory, or that the outward expressions of his majesty in heaven might have been withdrawn. It is conceivable for a divine being to intermit the exercise of his almighty power, since it cannot be supposed that God is always exerting his power to the utmost. And in like manner there might be for a time a laying aside or intermitting of these manifestations or symbols, which were expressive of the divine glory and perfections. Yet,
(3) this supposes no change in the divine nature, or in the essential glory of the divine perfections. When the sun is obscured by a cloud, or in an eclipse, there is no real change of its glory, nor are his beams extinguished, nor is the sun himself in any measure changed. His luster is only for a time obscured. So it might have been in regard to the manifestation of the glory of the Son of God. Of course there is much in regard to this which is obscure, but the language of the apostle undoubtedly implies more than that he took an humble place, or that he demeaned himself in an humble manner. In regard to the actual change respecting his manifestations in heaven, or the withdrawing of the symbols of his glory there, the Scriptures are nearly silent, and conjecture is useless - perhaps improper. The language before us fairly implies that he laid aside that which was expressive of his being divine - that glory which is involved in the phrase “being in the form of God” - and took upon himself another form and manifestation in the condition of a servant."

Answer 11

This might help...

"...CHRIST JESUS...who being in the FORM OF GOD, thought it not robbery to be EQUAL WITH GOD: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
(Philippians 2:5-8)

" In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God. .....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us". John 1