Philippians 2 8

Philippians 2:8 kjv

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:8 nkjv

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.

Philippians 2:8 niv

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death? even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:8 esv

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:8 nlt

he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal's death on a cross.

Philippians 2 verses

Philippians 2 8 Meaning

Jesus, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.

Philippians 2 8 Context

Philippians chapter 2 continues Paul's exhortation to the Philippian believers for unity, humility, and a Christ-like mindset. He uses the example of Jesus' self-emptying (kenosis) to illustrate the supreme model for their behavior. Verse 8, in particular, describes the foundational aspect of Jesus' humbling – His divine status and His choice not to exploit it. This is set against the backdrop of a call for believers to imitate this selfless humility in their relationships with one another. The ultimate goal is to bring glory to God.

Philippians 2 8 Word Analysis

• ὃς (hos): "who" - Relative pronoun introducing a description of Christ.

• ἐν (en): "in" - A preposition indicating location or state. Here, it denotes being "in" the very essence or being of God.

• μορφή (morphe): "form," "shape," "guise." This refers to the essential outward expression or manifestation of something's inherent nature. It's not just an outward appearance, but the characteristic attributes.

  • Used in Mark 16:12 describing Jesus' appearance after resurrection.
  • Also used of the "form of a servant" in verse 7.

• θεοῦ (theou): "of God" - Genitive case, showing possession or origin. Refers to the one true God.

• ὑπάρχων (uparchōn): "being," "existing," "holding existing possessions." Present participle of ὑπάρχω (uparchō), indicating a continuous state of being. It emphasizes that Jesus inherently possessed this form of God, not that He adopted it or received it.

• οὐχ (ouch): "not" - Negative particle.

• ἁρπαγμὸν (harpagmon): "a grasping," "a seizing," "a prize," "booty." Derived from ἁρπάζω (harpazō) - to snatch away, to seize violently. The word implies something to be held onto tenaciously or something to be seized and claimed as one's own right.

  • Used in Eph 5:6: "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." (The meaning of 'harpagmon' can be debated, but contextually implies something that could be illicitly claimed).

• ἡγήσατο (hegeisato): "considered," "deemed," "reckoned," "accounted." Imperfect tense of ἡγέομαι (hegeomai) - to think, to regard. This implies a deliberate decision and judgment about the nature of His equality with God.

• εἶναι (einai): "to be" - Infinitive of εἰμί (eimi).

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "ἐν μορφῇ θεοῦ ὑπάρχων" (en morphē theou uparchōn): This phrase powerfully asserts Jesus' pre-incarnate, essential, and ongoing divine nature and being. He eternally existed as God, possessing the very characteristics and essence of Deity.
  • "οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο" (ouch harpagmon hegeisato): This clause highlights Christ's voluntary choice not to exploit or cling to His divine status as if it were something to be illegally seized or held onto jealously. It was not a privilege to be grasped, but a state of being freely possessed and willingly set aside.

Philippians 2 8 Bonus Section

The concept of "form" (morphe) is significant. It implies not merely an outward appearance, but the essential, inherent nature of a being. Jesus was not merely playing the part of God; He possessed the divine nature itself. This contrasts sharply with the serpent's temptation in Genesis 3:5, where the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil promised godlikeness, something to be grasped for. Jesus, already possessing divine being, did not grasp; He submitted. This passage strongly counters any idea of "social trinitarianism" where the Son's divinity is a role granted by the Father, or any notion of Arianism where Christ was a created being. His equality with God is presented as an eternal reality from which He voluntarily humbled Himself. His equality with God was not a prize to be gained, but a state of being freely surrendered.

Philippians 2 8 Commentary

Philippians 2:8 states that Jesus, existing in the very form of God, did not consider His equality with God something to be greedily held onto or desperately grasped. This is the heart of the Kenosis passage, the self-emptying. It’s not that Christ ceased to be God, but that He voluntarily refrained from asserting His divine prerogatives as one might selfishly hoard a treasure. His divine nature was not something He 'snatched' or 'grasped' in the sense of illegally acquiring it or jealously clinging to it. Rather, it was His from eternity. Instead of maintaining His rightful position of divine privilege, He set it aside. This selfless humility, demonstrated in His incarnation and eventual crucifixion, is presented as the ultimate model for believers to follow in their humility towards one another. It calls for us to look not to our own interests, but to the interests of others, mirroring Christ's supreme act of selfless love. This humility is foundational to true Christian unity and purpose.

• Practical application: Believers are called to humility by Jesus’ example:
  • Not demanding personal rights in every situation.
  • Setting aside pride for the sake of unity and service.
  • Prioritizing others’ well-being over personal gain or comfort.