Philippians 2:5–11 is a profound statement. It describes Christ’s existence in four chronological stages:
1. Pre-existence
Before becoming human, He existed “in the form of God” and had “equality with God.”
2. He became human.
By emptying Himself of the form of God and equality with God, He became truly human. He began His human life as a vulnerable baby. Like us, He had to grow in wisdom and stature. He became weary, thirsty, hungry. He was poor, despised, and forsaken, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Jesus did not merely appear human; He was truly and fully human.
3. He was dead for three days.
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death on a cross. He suffered an extremely cruel death and remained in the grave for three days. His entire life was a test to see whether He would remain obedient, even under the most severe circumstances. Satan was permitted to test Him, even to death. Yet Jesus remained faithful. Through death, He rendered the devil powerless.
4. God highly exalted Him.
But God raised Him from death, highly exalted Him, and gave Him “the name above every name.” As a result, every knee will bow to Him.
Does Philippians 2 teach that Jesus is fully divine, equal to the Father?
First, the passage maintains a distinction between the Son and “God.” It reserves the title “God” for the Father alone. This implies that the Son is not “God.”
Second, before He became human, the Son existed “in the form of God.” This makes a distinction between Him and God, and confirms that He is not God. He only appeared in the form of God.
Third, before He became human, the Son had “equality with God.” This also makes a distinction between Him and God, and confirms that He is not God. God gave His authority to Jesus Christ. Christ was equal in authority, but that authority was received from God; it was not inherently the Son’s own.
Fourth, to become human, Jesus emptied Himself of equality with God. This also confirms that He is not fully divine because God can never empty Himself of equality with Himself. That Jesus could empty Himself of equality with God shows that He received His equality with God from God; it was not essentially His own by nature.
Fifth, after the Son was resurrected and caught up to heaven, “God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.” This also shows that He is not fully divine. He received that supreme name from God; it was not inherently part of His nature.
Sixth, every knee will bow to Jesus. But that also does not mean that He is fully divine. Every knee will bow to Jesus because God gave Him a name above every name. Furthermore, every knee will bow to Jesus to the glory of God (Phil 2:11). Likewise, elsewhere, God commands all the angels to worship His Son. Jesus is not worshiped independently of God, or as equal with God.
This challenges the traditional Trinitarian interpretation, which teaches that the Father and Son are a single Being, sharing a single divine nature, mind, and will.
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