…Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
–Philippians 2:6-7
Christ Jesus was simultaneously both fully God and fully human.
The well-known Gospel records of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John form the historical narratives and biographical records of the words and works of Jesus of Nazareth. Within the framework of these writings are four basic perspectives of the person of Christ Jesus, revealing characteristics of both his divinity as well as his humanity. In Matthew He is the Sovereign King. In Mark He is the Suffering Servant. In Luke He is the Son of Man. In John He is the Son of God.
In his divinity, Christ did things only God could do. He claimed equality with God (John 5:18). He never sinned (Heb. 4:15) but pronounced forgiveness of sins (Matt. 9:2). He received worship from men (Matt. 8:2). While walking earth, He claimed to have lived previous to people who had died long before (John 8:58). He claimed to have existed with God even before creation (John 17:5) and He Himself is Creator of all (Col. 1:16). He chose people to receive salvation (John 15:16, 19). He was raised from the dead never to die again (Ro. 6:9). He passed through walls (John 20:19), and He passes divine authority to whom he chooses (Luke 9:1). He foretold a time He would pass divine judgement over the earth (Matt. 25:14-46).
Though fully God, Paul tells us of a day when, although Christ existed in the form of God, (He) did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:6-7). In His humanity Jesus grew hungry and tired (Mark 11:12; John 4:6). He partook of human emotion (John 11:5) and felt human rejection (Isaiah 53:3; John 7:1-7). People surprised Him (Luke 7:9). He was tempted to sin (Matt. 4:1); He suffered in the hands of sin (Luke 12:50; John 19:1) and yet He purposed to condemn sin in a human body (John 1:29) becoming the offering for sin (Romans 8:3). Jesus took the posture of a slave (John 13:1-17) and left behind the example of a perfect life dependent on God (1 Cor. 15:45), as that is what man was made to be.
In Philippians 2:5-13 Paul gives us details revealing characteristics of both Christ’s divinity and Jesus’ humanity. Before leaving the heavenly realm to enter His creation, Paul tells us the first thing Christ did was He “emptied himself” [of His divine privileges] (Philippians 2:7 NASB).
What exactly are these “divine privileges”? Categorically, they included God’s omniscience (perfect, unlimited knowledge), His omnipotence (perfect, unlimited control) and His omnipresence (perfect, unlimited presence). Christ restricted His knowledge, surrendering His mind to know only that which our Father chose for Him to know and say only what our Father taught Him to speak. Christ restricted His power, control and authority over His own life to perform and do only that which our Father performed through Him (Acts 2:22). Christ restricted His ubiquity as Eternal Spirit to become confined to a single place, at a single time, walking solely in a single human body. In simpler words, Christ gave up the independent exercise of His divine attributes, using His deity only under the power of the Holy Spirit at the command of His Father.
Many scriptures, both explicit and implied, corroborate the truth that Christ “emptied Himself” in this way. For example, Luke 2:52 tells us Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Jesus grew in favor with God because he passed each new test perfectly by depending on our Father by faith. Maybe you’re wondering how all this is pragmatic for you. And yet the doctrine of the Incarnation is not meant to be some lofty theological concept but is a truth containing timeless ramifications, which are practical for everybody every day.
Being born naturally in Adam, like our first forefather we too partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, dying spiritually (Romans 5:12) and become independently responsible to make our lives function without divine assistance. In this way we’ve all usurped God’s role in the world. The details vary, but to one degree or the next, this involves a determined free-for-all to establish omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence over our personal lives—
For example, we don’t like not understanding, so we search for answers to explain our past, reasons for all the trouble today, and knowledge of where our lives are headed. There’s unrest over the future— how things will play out, how it all will end. And most people enjoy or maybe even crave control—the power to change ourselves and influence our society. Furthermore, we live in an age of anxiety where we’re bombarded by too many choices. We’re in a hurry and are constantly prompted to respond to the incessant buzzing of phones, devices and calendars. Many people feel pressed to become all things for all people, i.e. to be everywhere all the time, attending to every beck and call. Such efforts to be omnipresent often involve the felt need to create an image or uphold a self-image which has taken years to manufacture and maintain.
But Jesus’ goal as He journeyed toward the cross was to allow His Father to direct events however He desired as was necessary to accomplish His redemptive plan. So, Paul tells us we are to have this attitude in ourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God...emptied Himself. What in us thinks we’re in the form of God? We ourselves, using our flesh, have attempted to be God as we depend on our own mind, will, emotions and physical resources to run our life (with God’s help of course). Our flesh always seeks ways to offer us a Christ counterfeit. Thus we are to take Christ’s posture of “total surrender”—the continued lifestyle that yields and depends on God rather than attempting to control and cope with the circumstances of your life. Therefore, are you willing to:
…not know?
…not understand?
…be content without answers?
…lose control of whatever—kids, health, finances, reputation?
…slow down and simply be present?
The world’s way to victory is trying harder, doing more, and holding up our rights. But God’s key for victory is the surrender of self-will and a newfound willingness to count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ (Phil 3:8). This is the attitude that always precedes the “experiential cross” of Luke 9:23-24—And Jesus was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
You see…the work of the cross is finished, but the way of the cross is experienced…in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:11)
For further reading: Matthew 10:40; 24:36; 26:39; Luke 2:40; 10:16; John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 8:28; 10:30; 13:20; 14:10, 24, 31; Acts 2:22; Hebrews 5:7-8