The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 90

me>ment., whnt wns the miud tlrnt wns in him? It ,vns not to clutch nt nnd to rctnln hi~ l!forions prcro~alives ~s I\ prize. _On the contrary, he emptieo. himself, i.e. of these i!l0rious prerogatives, wl11lc not ecnsmg to be God. Emptying hinrnclf, tho new form rhnt. be took wa~ tha_t of a 8e1_"1'a_nt, i.e_. he actunlly became a servant. 'l'ho pru:ticulnr J,,rm of scn>ant 1s pomtc<l to m 1ts l){'m~ added that he was made in the likeness of "an, i.e. hnd the human qualities, while not mere man. '!'be descent from tho form of G,,d to the fo:m of the human s?nnnt was immeasurable. From being infinite (beyond cond1tio~s), he became fi?,1te (was placed under conditions). From having uncreated perfection, be became sub,1ect to a human development. From beincr eternal, he came under the condition of time. From being omnipresent, he cnme ;nder tho condition of space. From being omniscient, he came to know neither tbo day nor tho hour of the end. From being almighty, he came to need power to help him in his weakness. Such was bis emptying himself. (2) Humiliation in humanity. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, ye&, the death of the cross." This part of the humiliation is described as within human observation. lle was found in fashion as a man. He was publicly recognized as having the outward marks of a man-" look, dress, mode of living, gesture, mode of speaking and acting." His humiliation did not stop with his descent to humanity, but in humauity be fonnd further opportunity, not now of emptying himself which could only be once, but of humbling himself. 'J'bis, which human eyes witnessed, was his becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross, --i,e. the most shameful of all deaths. And there was more than appeared to human eyes. That death of the cross was really God in humanity suffering wrath on account of sic, and that obedience to the death of the cross was the human will completely and cheerfully given up to the Divine will in the direst extremity. This marks the depth of the humilialion-the possessor of the Dit>ine glory coming down to be the bearer, not merely of all the shame that man could put upon him, but of the Divine wrath agninst sin. Such, then, is the eda,ibition of the mind that was in Christ. He went throuf!h infinit.e self-abasement for (jar sat vation. He looked not merely to his own things; ho looked beyond to our things. Nay, did he not put us before himself? He clunf! not to his Divine position as wha.t could never be parted with; but he emptied himself of position, that be might grasp ns in his saving love. Let the same mind be in us. Let us not clutch at position when, by abasement of ourselves, we can advantage men. Oh, how the factious seeking of place and power is exposed in the intense light of the Divine Son not counting his place and power a prize? How is vain-glory-glorying in empty things-{!xrosed in the light of the Divine emptying 1 2. Exaltation. (1) Bis 'Same. "Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the Name which is above every name." We are here taught that the exaltation of Christ in our nature was the reward of his humiliation. In becoming obedient, even unto death, yea, the death of the cross, he obtained, not only infinite merit for us, but rather for us·in him- ~elf. Aud his recompense was that he was exalted, and more thnn that, highly exalted. This pre-eminent exaltation consisted in there being gifted to him the Name whic\1 is above every name, i.e. as appears from tho language foll~wing, the Name of Jcrns. It is a way of honouring men to give them names. This honour does not always correspond to worth. For we are told that what is exalted amon~ men is 11Lo11Jinalion in the eight of God. And, even when the name represents reality, how coufi.ned is it in its imlJ<)rt, even at the best I The_ name of hig~e8t impor_t is the Namo of Jesus Saviour as settinu forth the great savmg work which best illustrates the charactc; of God: Not arbitrarily, then, but righteously, God has surrounded this Name with the highest dignity aod with lordship too. (2) Universf!l re<X!gnition of his Fan-.,:. "That in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of thmgs m heaven nnJ. ti,iuns on earth and things under the earth, and that e¥ery tongue should confesR that. Je~ Christ ill Lord to the glory of God the 1''ather." '!'he language is founded ou hll.. xlv. 23, "That ~oto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.'' It is here repreS£:uted that what is to move and animate the worshippers is, not the •uv<:reiguty of God so much praised in the forty-fifth of lsaiah, but, what is brought al.oo into connection there, the glorious significance of the Nami3 of Jcsu~. 'l'ho v.-orshippers are here desi!!Ilated by the external symbol of adoration, as bowmg the knee. A.lid they 11.re cl~sified exh&UStively, and with a certain inrlefiniteneSB, as CU, II, 1-30.] 'l'lIE EPI8TLE •ro THE I>IIILIPPIANS. 87