It Starts Small

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:6-8

Who is Jesus?

This passage stands as a cornerstone of faith, echoing through the ages as one of the most vital doctrines in the Bible. It reveals the profound nature of Jesus, encompassing both His divine majesty and His genuine humanity. It unpacks the mystery of the incarnation, boldly confronting the fundamental theological questions that stir our souls. “Who is Jesus?” reverberates with significance, for the very essence of the gospel hinges on our belief in Him. Who do we place our trust in? This passage not only illuminates the answer. It also challenges us to embrace the humility He exemplified. We are urged to weave that same humility into the fabric of our lives.

In the NASB version, it passionately proclaims that He “existed” in the form of God. The word “existed” captures the awe-inspiring truth of Jesus’ continuous state, both then and now. He is eternally existent—there has never been a moment when He didn’t exist! The “form of God” transcends mere appearance; it reveals that Jesus’s very essence is indistinguishably the same as God’s. In other words, Jesus is eternally God! There has never been a time when He wasn’t God. Nor could there ever be a time when He ceased to be God. How can this be, you may wonder? God is a magnificent Trinity, a divine unity of three distinct yet equally powerful beings. And while Jesus is eternally God, He humbly chose not to cling to His rights as God.

One of the most important teachings of the gospel is that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man.

he made himself nothing

These words resonate profoundly within the core of the doctrine of the incarnation. It is crucial to understand that no external force compelled Jesus or diminished His strength. He made a deliberate choice. It was a passionate decision. He temporarily set aside specific elements of His glorious deity. This was driven by an extraordinary purpose. This action does not imply that He lacked divine abilities or that He was incapable of utilizing them. To think otherwise would lead to the unfathomable conclusion. It would suggest that He ceased to be God, even if just for a fleeting moment.

Rather, He chose not to make use of certain aspects of His deity.

• His glory – The disciples were profoundly moved. They caught a breathtaking glimpse of His divine glory during the transfiguration. He unveiled His magnificent true state to them during this event.
• His own authority – On this earth, He humbly embraced the Father’s will with unwavering obedience and surrender.
• Extreme riches – In the splendor of heaven, He held everything in His possession. Yet on this earth, He lived in utter poverty.
• Omnipresence – In an awe-inspiring manner, He remained fully aware of all that unfolded across the cosmos. He had the ability to heal even from afar. Yet, He still chose to confine Himself to one humble location.
• His intimate relationship with the Father – In the most heartbreaking moment on the cross, He relinquished His precious fellowship with the Father. He bore the weight of the world’s sins and cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

While Jesus walked among us and embraced the human experience, He profoundly set aside His divine rights. This act echoes the essence of the timeless tale of The Prince and the Pauper. Imagine the prince leaving the opulence of his castle. He dives headfirst into the struggles of a commoner. He is stripped of his wealth, authority, and the might of his army. In that transformative moment, he becomes impoverished, compelled to toil for his daily bread. Yet, he never ceases to be a prince in his heart. Instead, he willingly lays down his regal privileges. He does this for a fleeting yet illuminating journey.

taking the very nature of a servant

He did not arrive the first time to assert power or command people to cater to Him. He came not to be revered, but to be a beacon of service (Mark 10:45).

⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45

Jesus exemplified the true essence of service. He humbly knelt to wash His disciples’ feet. It was a breathtaking act of love and humility. If the Son of God can stoop to elevate others, how much more should we strive to do the same? Reflect for a moment: what is one way you relish the kindness of others serving you? As you look to the week ahead, consider how you might profoundly serve those around you. Identify one impactful method to reach out to others.

made in human likeness

Jesus, in an extraordinary act of love, became a man! This is the awe-inspiring essence of the incarnation. He is the God-man, fully 100% man and 100% God! This profound doctrine of Scripture often eludes our grasp due to our human limitations. We will never fully comprehend the vastness of God, who transcends our understanding. It’s mind-boggling to think that Jesus could embody both divinity and humanity simultaneously, yet this glorious truth stands undeniable. God is an eternal spirit, while man comprises a body and a spirit. In a miraculous union, Jesus came to us as a body infused with that eternal spirit. He perfectly satisfies the definitions of both God and man.

We witness the incredible truth that Jesus embodies both a human and a divine nature. In his human nature, he experienced fatigue, hunger, sleep, and the joy of conversation. In his divine nature, he performed miraculous healings from afar. He bent the laws of time. He transformed water into exquisite wine. He exercised unmatched dominion over nature, illness, and even death itself! If you ever find yourself questioning the teachings of a certain fellowship, consider their understanding of Jesus. Also, ponder whether they veer into cult-like beliefs. This is a pivotal area where many cults deviate from the core truth. Among the most prevalent heresies concerning Christ, we find a shocking array of falsehoods that must be scrutinized:

• He is only a god (Arianism, Jehovah’s Witnesses).
• He was created by God and is the highest of all God’s creation.
• He was only a man that was somehow indwelt by the Spirit of God. Kind of like a shell taken over by something else.
• He was not actually a man; his body was a kind of apparition.
• He somehow became God later in His life when he reached a certain spiritual level, perhaps at His baptism.

These heresies are insidiously propagated by those who reject the Word of God. We must remain vigilant against them. We must also stand against any other distortions that undermine the divine nature of Jesus or His humanity!

becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

The purpose of the incarnation was for Jesus to die on the cross. This was a profound act of love to take away our sins. It was meant to fulfill His divine mission as a man. This was not simply a quest for experience. It was not an act of curiosity. Jesus willingly endured this sacrifice to rescue us from the depths of our transgressions. Becoming a man was essential to God’s magnificent plan. It allowed Christ to be our representative, just as Adam was in the garden. His death was not an ordinary farewell; it was the most excruciating and humiliating kind imaginable. This was the culmination of His unwavering obedience and profound humility. Jesus gazed into the horizon. He was fully aware of the agonizing journey ahead. Yet, He chose to embrace it. He understood the immense pain it would entail. Are you prepared to obey God? Will you take a step of faith, even if it requires you to sacrifice your own comfort?

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Cross References

• Colossians 1:15-17
• Hebrews 1:2-3
• John 5:18
• John 10:33
• Matthew 20:2
• 1 Timothy 2:5
• Hebrews 4:15

Discussion Questions

• What does it mean “he existed in the form of God”?
• Was Jesus equal with God?
• Was He still equal with God when He came to earth and became a man?
• What does it mean that he didn’t regard equality with God a thing to be grasped?
• Explain the phrase “emptied himself.” Did Christ empty Himself of deity? Did He exchange deity for humanity?
• Did Jesus truly become a man? Why is the doctrine of the incarnation important?
• What does the phrase “found in appearance as a man” imply? (There was something more, not less, to His humanity. That is, He was also deity at the same time.)
• What was unique about death on a cross that made it singled out here?
• Share one area you can imitate Christ’s example of service and humility in the coming week.

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