Philippians 2:5-11

by PSacramento 22 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  PSacramento

  In Paul's letter to the Phillipans, typically dated 50-60 AD, Paul says:

  Your attitude should be the same as Christ

  You being the very nature(Form) of God, did not consider equality to God as something to be held on to (grasped), but made himself nothing, thaking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness

  And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obident to death, even death on the cross

  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name thatis above all names that at the name of Jesus every knee shoudl bow in heaven and earth and under the earth and every tounge confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
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  PSacramento

  Paul cleary states that Jesus, before being made human, was in the form of God, his nature was God ( Echos of John 1:1) and that he didn't view this equality as soemthign to hold on to (grasped) but made himself human.

  After his death on the cross, God exalted him to the highest of places(positions) and gave him a name that is above ALL names and that all should kneel and bow, all in heaven and earth and UNDER the earth.

  Paul makes it clear that God proclaims Jesus as Lord to the Glory of God The Father himself.
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  PSacramento

  Phillipans was one of the first letters Paul wrote, the fact that Paul proclaims ( as does God) that jesus is Lord pretty much sets up that when Paul referres to LORD, he referres to Jesus ( See Romans 10:13), he also makes it clear that in His view, a view given to him by God, through Jesus, that Jesus was, before becoming Human, God, the very nature and form of God.
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  Farkel

  :Paul makes it clear that God proclaims Jesus as Lord to the Glory of God The Father himself

  Paul The Governing Body makes it clear that God proclaims Jesus them as Lord to the Glory of God The Father himself

  (Jesus does get some glory of course, but only in moderation.)

  Farkel
• 

  PSacramento

  Farkel,

  well...lets not go there, LOL !

  Philippians gives us an idea of what the earliest Christians thought of Jesus and not just any Christian but Paul, someone that persecuted and tortured and witnessed the death of Christians, someone the got the Gospel from Jesus himself AFTER being ressurected.

  It means quite a lot.
• 

  PSacramento

  Other Translations like the New Living Translation read:

  Though he was God, he did not demand or cling to his rights as god.

  Young's Literal Translation:

  Who, being in the form of God, though (it) not robbery to be equal to God.

  The KJV and the NKJV

  Who, in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be Equal with God
• 

  PSacramento

  If we move on to the last part, Paul makes it clear that God makes it so, that to Jesus everyone everywhere must not only Kneel but also Bow ( be subject to) Jesus.

  He could have said everyone must kneel or eveyone must bow, but Paul says that every KNEE must BOW, adding the emphasis of submission and one dares say worship.

  All this to the Glory of God, for as we know, all the honour the Son, Honour the Father and all that honour the Father, honour the Son, for the Son and Father are One.

  In Paul's view, Jesus and God always shared the same Divinity, but in his ressurection he has assume the role of the Father in many things, as judge and as our salvation ( New covenant superceedes the Old), he assumes this role to the Glory of God.
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  BluesBrother

  This passage reminds me of an embarrassing call in "the ministry" many years ago when I was young and green . I read this verse from the NWT. It said :-

  "Keep this mental attitude in YOU that was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. 7 No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men."

  This lady seemed and surprised and asked to check her own Bible. "Certainly" I said, confident that I was onto a winner and would "disprove the trinity"..When she read it, the words had a totally different meaning. I had to offer to go and look into it and call back...Of course I never called back.
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  PSacramento

  Bluesbrother,

  NO other bible translation changes the meaning of that verse like the NWT does.
• 

  PSacramento

  Why the NWT translates like that is beyond me.

  Paul already states that Jesus was in the form of God, he then states that Jesus did NOT view being equal to God something to hold on to or seize AND made himself nothing, that is the point of that verse, to show that Jesus didn't hold onto his nature/equality with God but allowed himself to become Human.