"Let each of you look not to your own interests, but even to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in the form of a human, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:4-11, translation from the GNT)
The Form of Jesus is God.
The Form of Jesus is Slave.
The Form of Jesus is Human.
Fully human and fully divine, right?
Then, what does fully human mean?
Fully slave?
Interesting.
Peterson thinks of it this way:
"Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges o deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death- and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth- even those long ago dead and buried- will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father." (Phil. 2:4-11, according to Eugene Peterson's paraphrase The Message).
I love it.
Jesus emptied himself, humbled himself, and died in the worst way. And because of this, he lived in the best way. His name was given to him by God, above even the names Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, Allah, Buddha, Confucius, Calvin... And that name, what happens to that name, the name of Jesus Christ? Then what?
All will bow.
All will confess.
All will be redeemed. In Heaven, on Earth, under the Earth.
"If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind... Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you- and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me." (Philippians 2:1-2 & 2:12-18, NRSV)
