Philippians 2:5-11:
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and
was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name
which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.”
first sight these words do not seem to refer solely to Christ, since even the devil and his own, who continually aspire to equality with God, do not think their action robbery in spite of the testimony of their conscience to the contrary.
But with Paul the little word “think,” or “regard,”
possesses a powerful significance, having the force of “perfect
assurance.”
---But the wicked
cannot boast it no robbery when they dare take upon themselves the form
of God; for they know, they are satisfied in themselves, that they are
not God.
---Christ, however, did not, nor could He think himself not equal
to God; in other words, He was confident of his equality with God, and
knew he had not stolen the honor.
Paul’s words are chosen, not as an
apology for Christ, but as a severe rebuke for those who arrogate to
themselves the form of God against the protest of conscience that it is
not their own but stolen."
Martin Luther
