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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Christ 'made Himself nothing'? | Phil 2:6 | Makarios | 7753 | ||
In what sense did Christ "make himself nothing" in the Incarnation (Philippians 2:6-9)? Did He give up some or all of His divine attributes? | ||||||
2 | Christ 'made Himself nothing'? | Phil 2:6 | Searcher56 | 7893 | ||
Nolan, Jesus said in John 10:30 "I and my Father are one." He emptied Himself of His divine privileges, but not of His attributes He went from … … Creator to a creature, who was despised by His creation … Mansion in glory to a manger and grime, and no place to lay His head … Fellowship with the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the heavenly hosts of angels to friendship with prosititutes, theives, lepers, and outcasts … Directing to being directed - by His Father and men … to the death on the cross. |
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3 | Christ 'made Himself nothing'? | Phil 2:6 | Makarios | 7912 | ||
Good answer, Steve! I agree with you, and you and I are on the same 'train of thought' here. Christ did not give up any attributes as you have well stated! "Making Himself nothing" essentially boils down to three things: a veiling of His preincarnate glory, a voluntary nonuse of some of His divine attributes on some occasions, and the condescension involved in taking on a human nature.. Part of Christ's 'making Himself nothing' involved veiling the glory that was His for all eternity as God. This was necessary in order for Him to take on the appearance of a man. Christ never surrendered His glory. (If you recall the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus allowed His intrinsic glory to shine forth for a brief time, illuminating the whole mountainside- Matt. 17). Rather, Jesus veiled His glory in order to dwell among mortal human beings. If Christ had not veiled His preincarnate glory, humans would not have been able to behold Him. It would have been the same as when the apostle John beheld the exalted Christ in His glory in Rev. 1:17 or as when Isaiah beheld the glory of Christ in his vision in the temple (Isaiah 6:5, John 12:41).. Christ's 'making Himself nothing' also involved a voluntary nonuse of some of His divine attributes on some occasions in order for Him to accomplish His objectives. Christ could never have actually surrendered any of His attributes, for then He would have ceased to be God. But He could (and did) voluntarily choose not to use some of them on some occasions during His time on earth in order to live among humans and their limitations (see Matt. 24:36). However, it is critical to note that during His three-year ministry, Jesus did in fact use the divine attributes of omniscience (all knowingness- John 2:24; 16:30), omnipresence (He was everywhere present- John 1:48), and omnipotence (He was all-powerful, as evidenced by His many miracles such as raising people from the dead- John 11). Therefore, in whatever limitations Christ may have suffered when He 'made Himself nothing', He did not subtract a single divine attribute or in any sense make Himself less than God. Third, Christ's 'making Himself nothing' involved condescending by taking on the likeness ("form" or "appearance") of a man, and taking on the form ("very nature") of a bondservant. Christ was truly human. This humanity was one that was subject to temptation, distress, weakness, pain, sorrow, and limitation. Yet, at the same time, it must be noted that the word "likeness" suggests 'similarity but difference'. Though His humanity was genuine, He was different from all other humans in that He was sinless. Nevertheless, this represented a great condescension on the part of Jesus. Thank you for your thoughts Steve! What I said above should be merely added to your answer. |
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