Introduction
This is the second blog of a series of blogs concerning a conversation I had in Haiti with a Jehovah Witness. The previous blog focuses on John 14:28, where my young friend says the verse proves that Jesus is not God. This post will focus on another passage that the Jehovah Witnesses (JW) use to discredit the divinity of Christ.
Philippians 2:5-11
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The JW focus on three phrases in this passage: "in the form of God," "a thing to be grasped," and "emptied himself by taking the form of a servant." This blog will address all three phrases.
In the Form of God
From what I gather, the JW equate "in the form of God" with "to appear like God." According to the JW, Christ is not God, but the archangel Michael. Therefore, Jesus only appears like God. Furthermore, they assert this passage is talking about Christ recognizing his subordinate position and is not trying to wrest away God's glory from God. It is easy to see how the phrase can be misinterpreted in that manner; however, if we look more closely at the Greek, we see the true meaning of the passage. "Form" is the best translation of the Greek word "morphe," which my expository dictionary defines as the following:
An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
An excellent definition of the word is that of Gifford: "morphe" is therefore properly the nature or essence, not in the abstract, but as actually subsisting in the individual, and retained as long as the individual itself exists... Thus in the passage before us morphe Theou is the Divine nature actually and inseparable subsisting in the Person of Christ... For the interpretation of 'the form of God' it is sufficient to say
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it includes the whole nature and essence of Deity, and is inseparable from them, since they could have no actual existence without it; and
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that it does not include in itself anything 'accidental' or separable, such as particular modes of manifestation or conditions of glory and majesty, which may at one time be attached to the 'form,' at another separated from it ...
The true meaning of morphe in the expression "form of God" is confirmed by its recurrence in the corresponding phrase, 'form of a servant.' It is universally admitted that the two phrases are directly antithetical, and 'form' must therefore have the same sense in both. (pp. 124-125, W. E. Vine).
Notice that the dictionary article points out that the word "form" has the same meaning in both phrases "form of God" and "form of a servant". If Christ was a servant, then the passage must be read as "Christ was God." According to Matthew, God called Christ a servant (Matthew 12:17). The Bible also teaches in several places that Jesus was a person that served God and served man (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, Luke 22:27, John 13:12-15), We must conclude that the Bible teaches that Christ is a servant. Thus, "In the form of God" in the Philippians passage must mean Christ has the same essence as God the Father.
Did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped
This second phrase is used by JW to try to prove that Jesus is not equal to God. They claim Jesus does not claim to be equal to God because he is not God. However, this passage from Philippians points to Jesus's mission. Paul is claiming that Jesus submits humbly as a servant to God the Father in order to accomplish the mission of Redemption: God the Father sent Christ the Son to suffer and die in order to redeem a people out of a fallen world. Peter O'Brien in his commentary explains the phrase in its historical context.
Unlike many oriental despots who regarded their position for their own advantage Jesus understood that equality with God did not mean 'getting' but 'giving', to use Moule's phrase. 'The pre-existent son regarded equality with God not as excusing him from the task of (redemptive) suffering and death, but actually as uniquely qualifying him for that vocation.'
"... precisely because he was in the form of God he did not regard this equality with God as something to be used for his advantage'. (p.216, O'Brien)
O'Brien was asserting that Jesus did not use the fact that he was God to excuse himself from service. A good example of the opposite attitude was the Tekoite nobles in Nehemiah. Christ was not like those nobles who "would not stoop to serve their God." (Nehemiah 3:4). These nobles used their nobility as an excuse not to serve. On the other hand, Christ understood that being God was the reason he had to serve. Christ was the only one who could be our sacrifice.
But Emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant
This phrase is twisted by different sects to mean different things. JW claim Jesus emptied himself of his "divinity." They also claim that this "emptying" was not giving up his identity as God because he was not God, but rather a masking his God-likeness. However, evangelical theologian, F. F. Bruce, points out the incarnation was not a change in being, or a masking of his deity, or a restriction of his attributes or a limitation to his power, but rather the incarnation was a change in how the Son of God manifested his glory.
The implication is not that Christ, by becoming incarnate, exchanged the form of God for the form of a slave, but that he manifested the form of God in the form of slave.
( p. 218, F.F. Bruce as quoted by Peter in O'Brien, The Epistle to Ephesians)
Notice we are to imitate Christ in this way: through our loving and humble service to one another we are to reflect the glory of Christ in our lives.
Conclusion
In our witness we must be bold with the Gospel, but be humble and loving in our approach. It would be hypocrisy to talk about how the humility of Christ proves Christ is God and then be arrogant and prideful in our conversation. Use this argument not as a sword to skewer the arguments of our audience, but rather use it as an opportunity to point out the infinite beauty and holiness of a God, who chose to humble himself to the point of being a servant who gave up his life for us so that we may live with him in eternity.
