A Godhead Question

[Truly Blessed]

In Oneness circles we teach that Jesus Christ pre-existed as the Word and then became flesh and dwelt among us. I’m interested in how you explain Philippians 2:6-11.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”


Verse 6 refers to “who”. Verse 7 uses the word “himself” and “him”.Verse 8 says “he” humbled “himself”. Verse 9 refers to “him”.

It seems that Paul is referring to Jesus Christ in the pre-existent state using the same pronouns as the person of Jesus in the flesh on earth, rather than as an “it” which would seem more appropriate if one was referring to the “word”.

Why does it say, “…made himself of no reputation”?

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

In Oneness circles we teach that Jesus Christ pre-existed as the Word and then became flesh and dwelt among us. I’m interested in how you explain Philippians 2:6-11.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”


Verse 6 refers to “who”. Verse 7 uses the word “himself” and “him”.Verse 8 says “he” humbled “himself”. Verse 9 refers to “him”.

It seems that Paul is referring to Jesus Christ in the pre-existent state using the same pronouns as the person of Jesus in the flesh on earth, rather than as an “it” which would seem more appropriate if one was referring to the “word”.

Why does it say, “…made himself of no reputation”?

Jesus is God. Jesus was God before He was incarnate as flesh. He was not an it. OPs don't teach Jesus was a it before the incarnation

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

In Oneness circles we teach that Jesus Christ pre-existed as the Word and then became flesh and dwelt among us. I’m interested in how you explain Philippians 2:6-11.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”


Verse 6 refers to “who”. Verse 7 uses the word “himself” and “him”.Verse 8 says “he” humbled “himself”. Verse 9 refers to “him”.

It seems that Paul is referring to Jesus Christ in the pre-existent state using the same pronouns as the person of Jesus in the flesh on earth, rather than as an “it” which would seem more appropriate if one was referring to the “word”.

Why does it say, “…made himself of no reputation”?

I believe this whole passage speaks of the man, Jesus Christ, and doesn't refer to his preexistence as God. (The Word was God) Jesus, as a man, knowing he was YHWH in the flesh humbled himself, made himself of no reputation, like a slave he came to serve and die. Jesus didn't exalt himself as a king even though he was and is the King of Kings, the Lord of glory, the creator of heaven and earth.

[COOPER]

Great is the mystery of Godliness.

Is Jesus the Image of God from creation, the Garden and with Sarah and Abraham also the Image in the fire that walked with the Three hebrew children? The king said the fourth was like the son of man.

Was God Spirit and Image at the creation of man when he said; "Let Us" make man in our image?

Originally Posted by COOPER

Great is the mystery of Godliness.

Is Jesus the Image of God from creation, the Garden and with Sarah and Abraham also the Image in the fire that walked with the Three hebrew children? The king said the fourth was like the son of man.

Was God Spirit and Image at the creation of man when he said; "Let Us" make man in our image?

Great is the mystery. The writer then tells us what the mystery is: God was manifest in the flesh.

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

Why does it say, “…made himself of no reputation”?

look a that the following phrase..."and took upon him the form of a servant"....that's what it means; he did not exalt himself, he didn't seek press coverage, he didn't put up billboards, he just did what a servant would do....he did the work.....without being a publicity seeker or one that made a show or spectacle of himself......

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

In Oneness circles we teach that Jesus Christ pre-existed as the Word and then became flesh and dwelt among us. I’m interested in how you explain Philippians 2:6-11.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”


Verse 6 refers to “who”. Verse 7 uses the word “himself” and “him”.Verse 8 says “he” humbled “himself”. Verse 9 refers to “him”.

It seems that Paul is referring to Jesus Christ in the pre-existent state using the same pronouns as the person of Jesus in the flesh on earth, rather than as an “it” which would seem more appropriate if one was referring to the “word”.

Why does it say, “…made himself of no reputation”?

TB the Spirit of God is called a He-Him in th Old & New Testament. Thus He & Him does not necessarily speak of God in the incarnation.
"God is a Spirit and they that worship HIM must worship HIM in spirit & in truth." for example?

[Truly Blessed]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Jesus is God. Jesus was God before He was incarnate as flesh. He was not an it. OPs don't teach Jesus was a it before the incarnation

I hear many OPs speak of the Spirit as "it".

[Truly Blessed]

Originally Posted by RevDWW

look a that the following phrase..."and took upon him the form of a servant"....that's what it means; he did not exalt himself, he didn't seek press coverage, he didn't put up billboards, he just did what a servant would do....he did the work.....without being a publicity seeker or one that made a show or spectacle of himself......

It doesn't say that God humbled Himself, it says Jesus humbled Himself as if He existed in eternity and although He had equality with God, He made Himself nothing. Can God become nothing?

[RevDWW]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

It doesn't say that God humbled Himself, it says Jesus humbled Himself as if He existed in eternity and although He had equality with God, He made Himself nothing. Can God become nothing?

I was writing about the flesh and blood Jesus........if all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Jesus, then Jesus had could have exalted Himself .....