Philippians 2
Last updated
Last updated
(Paul)
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,[] being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Shining as Lights in the World12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Paul equates Jesus to the second Adam or the last Adam.
Adam was made in God's likeness, as were all humans, including Jesus
Adam ate from the tree to be equal with God
Jesus did not eat from the tree and voluntarily came here to redeem man
Adam's Pride vs. Jesus' Humility (v. 6–7):
Adam, in the Genesis account, sought to "be like God" by grasping at divine knowledge and status (Genesis 3:5). His action reflects pride and an attempt to elevate himself beyond his created status.
In contrast, Jesus, though He was already made in God's likeness, like all human beings, "did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped." Instead, He "emptied Himself" (Greek: kenosis), willingly taking on human form and the role of a servant.
So, while Adam fell, Jesus came down voluntarily.
Adam's Disobedience vs. Jesus' Obedience (v. 8):
Adam's disobedience brought sin and death into the world. He failed to submit to God’s command and acted in defiance, which led to his fall and expulsion from Eden.
Jesus, in contrast, "humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross." His obedience reversed the effects of Adam's disobedience, as Jesus submitted fully to God’s plan, even enduring the humiliation and suffering of crucifixion.
Parallel: Adam’s disobedience led to death for humanity; Jesus' obedience brought life and redemption.
Exaltation of Jesus vs. the Fall of Adam (v. 9–11):
Adam’s grasp for divinity resulted in his fall and humanity's separation from God.
Jesus' humility and obedience resulted in God exalting Him: "God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name." Jesus’ exaltation restores the relationship between God and humanity, bringing redemption and glory to God.
Parallel: Adam was cast down for his pride, but Jesus was exalted for His humility.
"Thus it is written, 'The first man Adam became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven."
Here, Paul contrasts Adam, the first human, with Jesus Christ:
Adam: Represents humanity's fall into sin and death. He is described as "a living being" created from the dust of the earth.
Jesus (the Last Adam): Brings spiritual life and redemption. He is described as "a life-giving spirit" who originates from heaven.
The comparison highlights Jesus' role in restoring humanity's relationship with God, which was broken by Adam.
"For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)
Adam’s Disobedience: Introduced sin and death into the world, which spread to all humanity.
Jesus’ Obedience: Brought grace, righteousness, and eternal life to those who believe in Him.
Additionally, some Christians attempt to resolve the contradiction between Jesus being “less than God” during his earthly ministry and being “equal to God” in heaven by arguing that he temporarily "emptied himself" of divinity (Philippians 2:7). According to this view, Jesus was subordinate only while in human form, but regains full divine status after his ascension. However, this claim breaks down under closer scriptural scrutiny—especially in the book of Revelation, where Jesus is depicted speaking from heaven, post-ascension, yet continues to act and speak as a servant of God, not as God Himself.
Jesus receives revelation from God, rather than originating it: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants...” (Revelation 1:1). A divine being does not need to be given revelation—this is a mark of subordination.
Jesus refers to God as “my God” repeatedly while in heaven: “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God... I will write on him the name of my God... the city of my God... which comes down out of heaven from my God” (Revelation 3:12). This is not the language of equality—it is the language of devotion and submission. Four times in a single verse, Jesus emphasizes that even in heaven, he has a God above him.
Jesus is called “the Lamb of God”, not God Himself. Angels and heavenly beings distinguish between God and the Lamb (Revelation 22:1, 7:10, 14:4, 21:22). Revelation consistently maintains a separation between the two.
God is described as the Eternal One, “the One who is, who was, and who is to come” (Revelation 1:8). Later, this title is ambiguously attributed to Jesus in Revelation 22 without clear contextual justification. Notably, the red-letter editions of the Bible shift from black to red mid-paragraph, creating a misleading appearance that Jesus is claiming divine attributes—yet the flow of the text suggests it is still the angel speaking.
Finally, Jesus’ own words in Matthew 7:21–23—spoken in reference to the final judgment—reveal that he does not claim intrinsic divine authority. He acts in the name of the Father and declares he never knew the lawless, not that he was the judge in his own right.
Taken together, these passages make it clear: even in his glorified heavenly state, Jesus continues to speak about God, receive from God, and submit to God. The consistent distinction between Jesus and God in the book of Revelation directly challenges the claim that post-resurrection Jesus is fully equal to God in essence or authority. Instead, the text affirms what Jesus said during his ministry: “The Father is greater than I” (John 14:28)—a statement that remains true even in heaven.