Christ in Philippians

In Philippians, besides the usual recognition of Christ as the source and giver of grace and peace, which comprehend all spiritual blessings, and the acknowledgment of Him as the end of our being (i. 21, 22), we have in ii. 6-11 the clearest declaration of the divinity of Christ. It is said,

1. That He "was (or existed, huparchon) in the form of God," i.e., was God both as to nature and manifestation. He could not be the one without being the other. The word morphe may mean either the mode of manifestation, that which appears, as when it is said "the king of heaven appeared on earth en morphe anthropou;" or the nature or essence (phusis or ousia) itself. The latter view is adopted by most of the fathers. The former, however, is more in accordance with the common usage of the word, and with the immediate context. He who existed in the form of God, took upon Him the form of a servant (morphen doulou), i.e., the real condition of a servant.
   
2. He is declared to be equal with God. The isa einai theo he did not, consider as an harpagmon, i.e., an act of robbery, or an unjust assumption. He was fully entitled to claim equality with God.
   
3. This truly divine person assumed the fashion of a man, which is explained by saying He was found "in the likeness of men." He appeared in form, carriage, language, mode of thinking, speaking, feeling, and acting, like other men. He was not purus putus homo, a mere man, but "God incarnate," God manifest in the flesh.
   
4. This divine person, clothed in man's nature, humbled Himself even unto death, even to the death of the cross.
   
5. Therefore He (not God, or the divine nature in Christ, but the Theanthropos), is exalted above every name that is named, "that at the name of Jesus (i.e., the name of the Theanthropos, as it is He as a divine person clothed in the nature of man, who is the object of worship), every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." This is an exhaustive amplification. It includes the whole rational creation, from the highest archangel to the weakest saint; all, all that have life acknowledge Christ to be what God alone can be, their supreme and absolute Lord. It is because Christ is and has done what is represented, that the Apostle says, in the following chapter, that He counted all things as nothing for the knowledge of Christ, and that his only desire was to be found in Him and clothed in his righteousness. This divine Redeemer is to come again, and "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. (iii. 21.)
   

(Hodge v 1 p 514)

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1. Kathee's French Press and coffee grinder arrived. We need to buy some coffee beans tomorrow before we can try it out.
   
2. We worked late (5:45) tonight.
   
3. We stopped by the Subway on Hennepin downtown to pick up dinner.
   
4. Tonight's reading in Leviticus 23 & 24 tonight. The MacAuthur study Bible has some helpful charts on the Jewish feasts
   
5. Roger is at reserves this weekend so we are home alone.
   
6. We are still in very cold - below zero driving in (as I recall -8 degrees) and 8 degrees driving home.
   
7. Mom's Valentines flowers arrived and she was pleased.
   
8. I slammed by right thumb in the car door as I got out of the car here at home. I slipped just as I closed the door and my thumb went in the door jamb. I'm sure no lasting damage but it hurts.