Albert Barnes Commentary Philippians 2:7

"but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;" — Philippians 2:7 (ASV)

But made himself of no reputation. This translation does not at all convey the meaning of the original. According to this, it would seem that He consented to be without distinction or honor among men, or that He was willing to be despised or disregarded. The Greek is, eauton ekenwse. The word kenow means, literally, to empty, to make empty, to make vain or void. It is rendered made void in Romans 4:14; made of none effect in 1 Corinthians 1:17; make void in 1 Corinthians 9:15; and should be vain in 2 Corinthians 9:3. The word does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, except in the passage before us. The essential idea is that of bringing to emptiness, vanity, or nothingness. Therefore, it is applied to a case where one lays aside his rank and dignity and becomes, in respect to that, as nothing; that is, He assumes a more humble rank and station. Regarding its meaning here, we may remark:

1. That it cannot mean that He literally divested Himself of His Divine nature and perfections, for that was impossible. He could not cease to be omnipotent, omnipresent, most holy, true, and good.

2. It is conceivable that He might have laid aside, for a time, the symbols or the manifestation of His glory, or that the outward expressions of His majesty in heaven might have been withdrawn. It is also conceivable for a Divine Being to suspend the exercise of His almighty power, since it cannot be supposed that God is always exerting His power to the utmost. Similarly, there might be for a time a laying aside or suspending of these manifestations or symbols, which were expressive of the Divine glory and perfections.

3. Yet this implies no change in the Divine nature, or in the essential nature of the Divine perfections. When the sun is obscured by a cloud or in an eclipse, there is no real change in its glory, nor are its beams extinguished, nor is the sun itself in any measure changed. Its luster is only obscured for a time. So it might have been regarding the manifestation of the glory of the Son of God. Of course, much about this is obscure. However, the apostle's language undoubtedly implies more than that He merely took a humble place or behaved in a humble manner.

   Regarding the actual change in His manifestations in heaven, or the withdrawal of the symbols of His glory there, the Scriptures are almost silent, and speculation is futile—perhaps even improper. The language before us clearly implies that He laid aside what expressed His Divine being—the glory involved in the phrase "being in the form of God"—and took upon Himself another form and manifestation in the condition of a servant.

And took upon him the form of a servant. The phrase "form of a servant" should be allowed to explain the phrase "form of God" in Philippians 2:6. The form of a servant is that which indicates the condition of a servant, in contrast to one of higher rank. It means to appear as a servant, to perform the duties of a servant, and to be regarded as such.

He was made like a servant in the lowly condition He assumed. The whole connection and force of the argument here demand this interpretation. Storr and Rosenmuller interpret this as meaning that He became the servant or minister of God, and that in doing so, it was necessary that He should become a man.

But the objection to this is obvious. It greatly weakens the force of the apostle's argument. His object is to state the depth of humiliation to which He descended, and this was best done by saying that He descended to the lowest condition of humanity and appeared in the most humble garb.

The idea of being a "servant or minister of God" would not express that, for this is a term which might be applied to the highest angel in heaven. Though the Lord Jesus was not literally a servant or slave, yet what is affirmed here was true of Him in the following respects:

1. He occupied a most lowly condition in life; and

2. He condescended to perform such acts as are appropriate only to those who are servants. I am among you as he that serveth (Luke 22:27). .

And was made in the likeness of men. The marginal note is habit. The Greek word means likeness, resemblance. The meaning is, He was made like men by assuming such a body as theirs. (See Barnes on Romans 8:3).