Philippians 2:8, commentary and pictures

Being found in outward fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That final step came after preexisting in the form of God and equal with God, emptying himself and taking a servant's form in human likeness. In doing so he laid aside heavenly glory, riches, power and majesty, veiling divinity in mortal humanity so sinful people could behold him and he could die. He truly became man, taking mortal fallen flesh in Abraham's seed and David's line with its weakness and infirmity, yet without sin, to be touched, tempted and slain as representative and substitute. His willing obedience unto the cruel shameful death of a criminal made atonement, bore the law's curse, vindicated God's law and government, and is therefore why the Father highly exalted him, and is the humble self-denying mind to be in believers.

Words and Immediate Sequence

Being found in fashion as a man means being found in human form, and in that form humbling himself and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. The completeness of the sacrifice lies in this, that one who could have remained in heaven honored by the Father and angels did not look to his own surroundings or hesitate at suffering, but looked on the interests, sufferings and doom of the fallen race and interposed to suffer in their stead that they might regain the inheritance sold to an enemy. His self-abasement in saving sinners was followed by exaltation to the highest position, to the greatest exaltation any being could aspire to. That humbling is the example and lesson for the whole course of life, to cease seeking self-interest and self-exaltation and in lowliness of mind to look to the interests of others. In contrast Lucifer aspired to that station for selfish glory in pride and fell with a train of angels, proving self-sacrifice leads to life, joy and eternal riches while selfish ambition leads to sorrow and death.

The verse describes one originally in the form of God and on an equality with God emptying himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and then being found as a man humbling himself as a further final step downward in obedience even to dying a cross death on Calvary, the lowest humiliation possible. The mind and spirit that wins in the long conflict between right and wrong is this self-emptying, the opposite of Lucifer exalting himself to be like the Most High and dethrone God, who is love. His disposition was to become whatever was necessary to demonstrate that God is good and only good and to demonstrate the power of righteousness, leaving the outcome with God, wherefore God highly exalted him and gave him the name above every name. All was contained in the first decision to empty himself, so he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, demonstrated step by step downward through all stages of intelligent creatures from the highest to sinful man in his lowest estate. His willingness to lay aside heavenly joy and suffer was driven by love for fallen humanity, the salvation of all who would receive his help being the joy set before him, not for personal gain since he already possessed divine glory and lacked nothing. He was innocent and without corruption, yet bore the world's accumulated sin and God's wrath against sin as the only one able to make propitiation for it, his suffering being necessary to reconcile people to God and meet the law's demands without giving permission to transgress the law.

It was the same divine exalted person who had glory with the Father before the world was who became man and died. He himself humbled himself, became a man, and was obedient to death on the cross; it was Christ himself, not merely his body or humanity, who became obedient unto death. His human nature was not a separate person inhabited by the Son, for the Word took flesh and himself lived in human form, taking the seed of Abraham and changing the form and manner of his existence by God's power and consent. His humiliation and death were his own and not the acts of a different person, and this personal sacrifice is the measure of his condescension and love. Deity was divided not in spirit or purpose but in office and position, the Eternal Father occupying the throne of universal dominion while Deity in the person of the Son came down to poor wanderers in darkness as an eternal sacrifice for the lost, a new manifestation not a new principle of God's love.

Being in the likeness of God and made in the likeness of men is not likeness only as in a picture or representation, but real likeness in quality, essence and substance. Philippians 2:5-8 gives the truth about Christ as to form and fashion, with Christ who was in the form of God taking the form of man and being found in fashion as man, while Hebrews 1 and 2 give the parallel truth as to nature and substance, Hebrews 1 presenting Christ as God and Hebrews 2 presenting Christ as man. He became a real man composed of flesh, and humbled himself in obedience to death on the cross, his body and his human nature being one rather than a human body joined to a separate personal nature.

The death of the cross was the death of a criminal, not merely the death of a servant, regarded as an especially shameful and degrading punishment. It was the most cruel, shameful, terrible, agonizing and revolting death possible, the punishment for the basest criminals. The humiliation began with incarnation but reached its culmination when nailed to Calvary's cross, submitting to an ignominious death as the just for the unjust. This was the lowest point to which true humiliation could descend and could never be greater, a crowning manifestation of condescension and humiliation never to be surpassed, equaled or repeated through eternity. The disgrace attached to the cross stirred contempt toward the gospel among Gentiles, while Jews regarded the crucified one as cursed under the law, yet believers valued and gloried in Christ and his cross. This death expresses the character and wonderful love of God and makes the cross the science and song of all intelligent creatures in the universe through endless ages, so that the name The Lamb that was slain remains an unfolding and inspiring strain in the songs of a clean universe.

His betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion fulfilled what was foretold in types and prophecies. Born of woman in the direct lineage of Abraham, by taking the form of a servant and becoming obedient unto death even the death of the cross he fulfilled the first part of the Eden promise that the woman's seed should be bruised, which was as much of the promise to Abraham through his Seed as was then due, so he did not establish a temporal sovereignty though Jews and even his own disciples expected it because they did not grasp the full import of the promise to Adam and Eve. The second part of the promise, that the Seed shall bruise the serpent's head, remains to be fulfilled in his future triumph when those healed by his bruising share his victor's crown as Abraham's numberless posterity. He did not withdraw from suffering because the details had been foretold and had to be fulfilled, and his submission testified that God's prophetic Word is true and that he is the Messiah, through which obedience the plan of redemption was accomplished for humanity. At betrayal and arrest he could have prayed for more than twelve legions of angels but let the prayer die on his lips so the Scriptures saying it must happen this way would be fulfilled to the last detail, letting his hands be bound like a criminal, baring his brow to spitting, permitting his body to be mockingly robed and crowned with thorns, and then dying, proving supreme reverence for the Old Testament prophecies and complete submission to their authority. His coming down from the highest place to the lowest place that could be occupied corrects false expectation of a Messiah taking an earthly throne and kingly power according to human desires, his lowliness and obeying to the point of dying being the cup of suffering apportioned to him and the fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world was laid. He had to die, as every transgressor of the law has to die if he continues in sin, and the types and prophecies foretold this death as the very strongest evidence that he is the world's Redeemer, his death not ending in defeat but in glorious eternal victory, the voluntary crowning sacrifice of his mission to save a fallen world to be a lasting subject of deep thought and study for the church.

His humble death on the cross meant enduring rejection and crucifixion by pagan Rome, in which the diabolic character of Satan was more fully shown than in any other pagan nation. Through Herod the Great at his birth and through Herod Antipas and Pilate at his death, Satan worked to destroy him, with Herod and Pilate becoming friends to inflict the cross as the most shameful death possible in order to put out his name forever. God defeated that purpose by raising him from the dead and setting him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, he who as God manifest in the flesh had walked among men for thirty-three years as the light that lights every person.

The verse is connected with dispute over how his divine and human natures were related, some teaching distinct divine and human natures while others taught one nature in which the two were united or that he was God before the incarnation and man during it. Those who held that the supreme self-existent unchangeable God was never born of a woman and never died taught that God took on himself the nature of man by being born of woman, and that human nature suffered and died on the cross, so that Jesus Christ who was born and died cannot be that supreme God, and saying only his human nature was born and died does not remove the contradiction. In the Trinitarian view described, the death of the cross was suffered only by his human body, neither his soul nor his divine nature dying, which makes the atoning sacrifice only the sacrifice of the body, the supposedly inferior part of a threefold nature. If only his human nature suffered and died, that death would be a human sacrifice and by itself would not make an adequate atonement for the many lives lost through sin.

The verse shows the divine Son became a mortal human being and died, demonstrating that God can change an immortal being's nature and impose death, so that immortality does not place a being beyond God's power, without claiming that Adam was immortal. It exposes the inconsistency of claiming God could not execute a death sentence on an immortal being. The death he died on the cross is the death he died, he having not died before and not dying afterward, so his death was neither a first nor a second death in the sense discussed, but the death of the cross. If he reached perfection through evolution, his death would have to be the final step in that process, with his perfection realized only in a future life beyond what evolutionary theory can explain.

Divinity Laid Aside

In becoming human the Son surrendered the glory he had with the Father before the world began, laying aside heavenly glory, riches, prerogatives, power, honor and majesty to save the world. Though all the wealth of the universe was his as Creator, he became so poor he had nowhere to lay his head, accepting human weakness, poverty and mortality so that he could die. He was the very personification of the Father in person and in glory, yet he did not count that state too precious to release when a world could be saved by its sacrifice, emptying himself completely and taking the form of sinful man, sinful flesh, the form of a servant. His human nature was not a separate person inhabited by the Son, for the Word himself took flesh and lived in human form, and his humiliation preceded his offering, distinguishing his sacrifice from the Passover lamb which submitted without prior humiliation. The condescension and change were so full and complete that he will never again be what he was with the Father before he became flesh, revealing wonderful love.

He veiled his divinity in humanity because sinful people could not have borne his heavenly glory or stood before him without being destroyed. He remained divine while sharing the human experience from childhood to manhood, living among people as a man and member of the human family. As man he was mortal, yet he freely laid down his life rather than being compelled to die, bearing the sins of the world and their penalty so humanity would not perish eternally. He became human without losing identity, oneness with the Father, or deity, laying aside power and glory to demonstrate God's power over sin in human flesh and joining himself to humanity forever as an eternal sacrifice. His human and divine natures were joined inseparably but remained distinct, his deity not lost through becoming man, though at times it shone through and revealed him as Son of God, a mystery finite minds cannot fully comprehend that gives a bond of sympathy which divine power Satan could not overthrow.

To meet fallen humanity he laid aside glory and power and lived in dependence on the Father for life and daily strength, as sinful people depend on him. He spoke not his own words and did no miracle by his own power but depended on the Spirit given without measure, so that God in him did the works and cast out devils. By choice rather than necessity he refused to use his divine attributes in his contest with evil in order to be a perfect example, rendering as Son of man perfect obedience to the law he as Son of God had proclaimed from Sinai, though subject to all conditions and limitations of humanity. Though familiar with heaven's honor and power he remained within human limits, refused to use power to rescue himself from danger or to relieve his own trials or prove divinity, but endured hunger, suffering and contempt as man's representative in perfect faith and trust. To be baptized into his name is to renounce self and yield every desire, ambition, power and ability to God for his use.

Though he alone of all beings had right to equality with God, to share the Father's glory and inherit his throne, he did not count it a prize to be grasped, seized, retained or clung to for self-advantage while other lives were in jeopardy. He did not meditate usurpation, put himself forward, call attention to himself or manifest himself, but emptied himself of self, made himself of no reputation, and took the form of a bond-servant in the likeness of men. Though possessing everything and equal with the Father, he did not grasp or hold on to position and advantage but became poor so people might share his riches, become joint heirs and receive right to the tree of life, gaining everything through giving up all. His mission was wholly unselfish and undertaken solely for others' good, to seek and save the lost and call sinners including the chief to repentance because he loved them with the Father's love.

His willingness to lay aside heavenly joy and suffer was driven by love for fallen humanity, and the salvation of all who would receive help was the joy set before him. His sacrifice was not for personal gain since he already possessed divine glory and lacked nothing, for saving sinners was his greater joy and doing good to others was more blessed than receiving. He left the glory he shared with the Father, took human nature, lived a life of toil and sacrifice and died a cruel shameful death, enduring it for the joy of the good his self-sacrifice would bring and with peace rooted in that promised reward. His followers therefore share both his sufferings and his peace, accepting labor and self-denial in his service.

He emptied himself of self so that God filled him with all the fullness of the Godhead, revealing not himself but the Father. By emptying himself of all that would please self, all glory and honor, all ambition and self-seeking, and his own will to do the Father's will, he made a vacancy of heart into which the Father poured infinite fullness and his own Spirit without measure. Coming from the highest position to the very lowest, all the way down to death on the cross he ministered the things of God to others, coming not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom, and in ministering the fullness of God to the lowest depths he filled all things. His sacrifice, suffering, sympathy, love and yearning tenderness manifest the love of God that filled him, and his death as climax declares that this is love, God's love even to the sinner, done that man might be saved and possess the same character. The same way obtains the Spirit for all, by yielding up all of self as he yielded up all, and the 144,000 follow this pattern, emptying themselves for service until God exalts them and places his character upon them.

In self-emptying he identified his interests with humanity and laid down himself so the Father could work in and through him to glorify the Father. This surrender of his own will allowed God's life and power to be fully expressed in him, so he represented the Father rather than himself, resisted Satan and advanced into Satan's kingdom until he completely spoiled it. This was the only way he could glorify the Father and was well pleasing to the Father, as proved by the voice at his baptism and again near the close of his ministry on the mount of transfiguration. His obedience was unreserved submission carried even to death, expressed in Gethsemane as letting the Father's will prevail, so the Father's will was done in and through him completely and the Father rather than himself was made known. Christians who abide in him are to follow this pattern and walk as he walked, committing themselves to God, letting God's will be done in them and hiding self that only the Lord may be seen.

His self-emptying is the opposite of Lucifer exalting himself to be like the Most High and dethrone God for his own glory even to God's throne. It is unselfishness, love, self-denial and self-effacement, the utter emptying of self even unto the nothingness of death, that God might be glorified and man might be saved. Though he could have stayed in heaven honored by Father and angels, he did not look to his surroundings nor hesitate at suffering, but looked upon the interests, sufferings and doom of the fallen race and interposed to suffer in their stead that they might regain the inheritance sold to an enemy. His whole life was self-denial for others' good, declaring infinite love, since no man has seen God and the only-begotten Son declares him. All was contained in the first decision to empty himself, so he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, purposed from when the first charge came against God's government to vindicate divine government and save all, embracing not only man but all creation.

Self-sacrifice leads to life, joy and eternal riches and made him worthy of exaltation and the adoration of angels and the whole universe, while selfish ambition as in Lucifer and Satan who grasped after equality brought ruin, sorrow, death and fall. Because of that humbling God highly exalted him to the greatest exaltation any being could aspire to and gave him the name above every name to be acknowledged as Lord by all, in contrast to Lucifer who aspired to that station for selfish glory in pride and fell with a train of angels. Unlike Lucifer who sought to grasp equality and lost everything, Christ willingly laid aside equality as second Adam to destroy the devil's works and restore dominion and inheritance lost in the fall. Having taken man's form and accepted the world's sins, death demanded him and he answered the summons in obedience to the utmost extremity, and because of that obedience it was impossible he should be held by death, so he triumphed and brought its keys, becoming adoration of angels while subject to worldly authority and put to death through Satan's instigation yet raised by God.

The verse presents Deity divided not in spirit or purpose but in office and position, the Eternal Father occupying the throne of universal dominion while Deity in the Son came down to poor wanderers in darkness as an eternal sacrifice for the lost. It was a new manifestation but not a new principle of God's love, for where Lucifer exalted self to usurp the throne and gather all to himself, the Son abased self, turned from the throne to suffer, emptied self and gave all for the needy. That contrast of self-exaltation and humility, hate and love, death and life, Satan and Christ is the controversy waged in every soul, calling each to choose humility and life. The infinite God consented to the humiliation of his own Son so men might be lifted to a place with him upon his throne, a mysterious conflict defeating darkness whose contemplation purifies and ennobles.

Angelic Servant Stage

The downward path reached through every rank of intelligent existence from the highest to sinful humanity in its lowest condition, first becoming Michael, one who is like God, an angelic messenger among angels and chief only by more devoted service, and then becoming man down to the very lowest depths even to death. As Michael the Archangel, chief of all angels because first in service, he had already emptied himself and taken a servant's form by becoming an angel, the Angel of Jehovah, passing through every stage of intelligent existence down to the depths of the curse of sin before being found in fashion as a man and humbling himself further to the death of the cross. In that angelic place he showed under the strongest temptation and opposition and falsehoods from evil spirits that angels could live righteously and holily before God. His death on the cross was therefore not the beginning of his giving but the climax of a sacrifice purposed from the beginning, in which he faltered not and failed not and then ascended far above all heavens to fill all things and meet every vacancy made by sin.

His humiliation began with laying aside his divine nature and taking the nature of angels, before later taking human nature. His identity as Michael, the one who is like God, shows that God was with him as he lived among angels on their plane and in their sphere. By living there in perfect loyalty to God he surrendered the throne and equality he shared with the Father and laid aside glory and exalted position to become one of the angels.

That loyal life among angels answered Satan's accusations and showed that God's rule was just. By living in their sphere in perfect loyalty he demonstrated to the angels that Satan's rebellion was unjust. He thus led the loyal angels in the righteous conflict against evil.

His obedience both as man and as angel was willing and of his own volition, and he could have refused to obey. It was impossible for him to sin only in the sense that sin will ever be impossible, because he did not have it in his heart to disobey, and what he will not he cannot do. In his humanity he had the free will Adam had in Eden and could have yielded to temptation, but he kept his will in harmony with the Father's and resisted the tempter at every point.

Human Nature Assumed

He truly became human, taking Abraham's seed and changing the form and manner of existence by divine power and consent, so that being found in human form meant real mortal manhood that could be seen and touched, with physical conditions of human nature and not a separate human person merely inhabited, and the nature that died on the cross was human.
His coming in flesh took him out of glory into the dark world to reach Adam's lost children, clothed as the Branch in humanity and sent in love to wayward people.
As man born of woman under law and made in sinful flesh he came as humanity's representative to redeem those under law condemned to death for adoption as sons, becoming sin for the sinner so the sinner might become God's righteousness.

He took mortal, sinful, fallen flesh, entering after four thousand years of sin the weakened human condition with inherited tendencies, infirmities, degeneracy and lowered moral worth, formed in David's line in likeness of sinful flesh down to its lowest condition.
He did this to die as substitute, to condemn sin in the flesh, to stoop to weakness in order to lift fallen people up to God, and to overcome on behalf of all who have faith.
Though sharing the throne of the universe in glory he took that likeness to exalt sinful humanity to a glorious estate, and that self-denial is the pattern for true discipleship.

Though supreme Ruler and Creator he accepted poverty, lowly birth in stable and manger to a lowly woman, upbringing in Nazareth, work as a carpenter, association with fishermen and the lowly, hunger, thirst, weariness and having nowhere to lay his head.
Though King of kings and Supporter of the universe he chose lowly human life without royal status, luxury, outward display, rank or splendor, veiling glory and shunning earthly attraction so that only heavenly truth and the testimony of prophecy would draw people and all could approach him.
He left honor and glory shared with the Father to live among people in lowliness and poverty rather than with angelic attendants or earthly honor, to rescue from destruction and help the needy, heal the sick, comfort sufferers and free those afflicted.

He entered human life as a helpless child subject to weakness and dangers, born and growing like others, depending on food and water, experiencing hunger, thirst, exhaustion and bodily suffering, growing from infancy to manhood.
He faced struggle against Satan as every human must, pledging to live as man relying on the Father's promise and faith rather than power unavailable to others, with risk of failure and eternal loss and the world at stake so that if he had failed a world would have been lost.
His humiliation was spent in unceasing ministry traveling from place to place giving comfort, help and heavenly power, so absorbed in mission nothing could draw him away, and after crucifixion, death, rising and ascension he retains humanity as the man Christ Jesus.

He laid aside royal robes, crown, throne, glory and majesty and clothed divinity with humanity in rude human garments, taking ordinary features of the human family without unusual beauty to draw attention.
He did this because he could not take his place among men in glory, so that humanity could touch humanity, be afflicted with all human afflictions, understand temptations, become a faithful judge of the conflict with satanic agencies, and learn to be a merciful and faithful high priest.
As representative, substitute and surety he lived a human life to disprove the claim that humanity belonged forever to the tempter and could not be reclaimed, and through that experience to give power to those who receive him to become sons of God.

He humbled himself by taking humanity and living among people in lowly form, meeting them where they were and ministering to rich and poor, free and bond.
He came to rescue fallen humanity as a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, to heal the sick, bless children, forgive the defiled, speak loving words to troubled sinners, bring peace, free those afflicted, bring life to the dead and offer redemption to all who accept it.
He left all the glory, kingdom and throne to come as a helpless babe in human arms, taking earth's sin and woes to die personally for each, walking the weary way bearing want and shameful taunts in tireless love that risked all.

By taking human nature he experienced human trials and temptations and can understand them, sympathize with human weakness, succor the tempted and help those who seek support, which angels who had not known sin could not share.
He was formed in flesh bearing inherited tendencies that can assail humanity, making him perfect substitute and Savior, and by coming close enough to be touched by infirmities he could lift people up and save them.
His close union with the Father brought strength to bear in saving from eternal ruin and raising above the ruin of the fall, teaching by example to draw near and understand from another's point of view.

In his divine person he could have withstood death and refused its dominion and could have sustained his human nature against disease by pouring vitality and undecaying vigor from his divine nature, for linked to man through humiliation he was none the less God, mortal as member of the human family yet as God the fountain of life, losing none of his godlike attributes while veiling demonstrations of deity.
Yet he voluntarily laid down life in obedience unto death to fulfill Scripture, knowing beforehand all steps of humiliation, to give life, bring immortality to light and make expiation for a condemned groaning world.
Though Lord of life with the same power by which five thousand were fed, he lived in a peasant's home, wore coarse garments, mingled with the lowly, toiled with his hands in the carpenter's shop at Nazareth, trod streets unrecognized while angels attended, and refused to employ divine power to lessen burdens, lighten toil, relieve trials or prove divinity, but endured hunger, suffering and contempt as man's representative in perfect faith.

He remained obedient through human temptations without sin because he continually yielded his will to God and kept it in harmony with the Father's, submitting even under temptations of human nature.
Though distinct in personality yet one with the Father, as Majesty of heaven and Prince of life he became obedient to every law, tempted in all points yet meeting every temptation with the Word and never bringing railing accusation, passing over the ground all who take his name must tread and coming forth pure and untainted.
In humanity he had the free will Adam had in Eden and could have yielded, but he resisted at every point, strengthening humanity through daily prayer and communion so he could bless others and remain steadfast amid temptation and opposition.

His coming as a poor helpless child at Bethlehem, living long years as exile in toil and pain with death on the cross ever before him as goal, was sanctioned by the Father as the only way infinite wisdom could win the ruined race while remaining just.
It proves evil does not inhere in nature as implanted by God but sin is the creature's fault and not misfortune, and exposes as libel the claim that this holy life was evolved from an ape's brain, for his crimsoned steps to Calvary expose sin's blight.
He came at the appointed time to save the lost by taking human nature and dying on the cross, was laid in Joseph's nearby tomb, and grave and death's band could not hold him.

Clothing divinity with humanity he took man's nature and name and his place as second Adam to suffer and bear Adam's sin, shame and death, in order to lift Adam's sons to receive the divine nature and bear the Father's character and name forever.
In humanity he passed over the ground where Adam fell, stood where Adam stood as surety, endured affliction, scorn, hatred and temptation that Adam failed to withstand, and overcame through obedience, purity and steadfast integrity.
His sinless life disproved the claim that people could not keep the law, redeemed Adam's failure, placed the race on vantage-ground, and his righteousness imputed to believers opens the way to overcome through him and work out a perfect character.

Obedient Suffering Death

His humbling came before his obeying and his offering, for he first laid aside heavenly glory, took mortal human nature and a servant's form, and accepted treatment as a rebel against his Father's government, and this willing condescension and not merely suffering on the cross reveals love and is worthy of remembrance. Unlike the Passover lamb which submitted to being offered without first undergoing humiliation, his humiliation preceded his offering, making his sacrifice distinct, and that humility and obedience reached their lowest depth in death on the cross, for he took humanity upon himself, became poor, and descended through self-denial and self-sacrifice until he could go no farther in condescension.

He freely chose at every step as man's voluntary substitute, accepting the human condition and choosing obedience through death on the cross. In Gethsemane he yielded his will to the Father before accepting sin's full penalty at Calvary, and with the Gethsemane conflict ended he consented to endure the curse of sin. His surrender to the divine will in Gethsemane and his final surrender on the cross were acts of victory, followed by resurrection and exaltation, and the cross of Calvary is the focus of faith in his presence and power to give victory as humanity's substitute and surety who laid aside royal state and came in human form. That humbling unto the shameful death of the cross to save guilty humanity included agony in the garden as the sins of the whole world were laid upon him, becoming poor so that through his poverty they might be made rich, exposing how little those he died to save are willing to suffer for truth.

His sacrifice was not merely his death but his complete devotion to doing God's will throughout life, with obedience culminating in death on the cross. His humility encompassed his whole earthly mission from lowly birth and circumstances through Bethlehem to Calvary, as the exalted Ruler of the universe who took human nature, bore the world's sins, passed through human experience step by step into suffering, and willingly accepted death. His humiliation began with leaving heaven and incarnation but reached its culmination when nailed to the cross, submitting as the just for the unjust to an ignominious death, the lowest point to which true humiliation could descend, never to be greater, surpassed, equaled or repeated through eternity. That death expresses the character and wonderful love of God and makes the cross the science and song of all intelligent creatures through endless ages, so that the name The Lamb that was slain remains an unfolding strain in the songs of a clean universe, and his washing of the disciples' feet was a crowning act of humility before betrayal.

His earthly life involved continual suffering, deprivation, poverty, hardship and toil, going from city to city helping the needy, ending in betrayal, mockery, abuse, persecution and crucifixion. He stepped lower and lower from highest exaltation, humbling himself to bear insult, reproach, accusation, shameful abuse, ignominy and contempt, feeling its bitterness as no other being could though pure, holy and undefiled, though he made and sustained the world by the word of his power. There was no room for him and he had to flee until his work was done, betrayed by one follower and denied by another, mocked, taunted, crowned with thorns, forced to bear the cross, arraigned as a criminal, persecuted, reviled, struck, spit upon, condemned as a traitor, scourged till weak and scarcely able to walk, and nailed to a wooden cross where he gave up his life for sins. He endured unexampled patience and long-suffering under virulent persecutions and mockings even to shameful humiliation and death at the hands of his enemy, by which as Prince of love he proved beyond question his right to rule and purchased peace as a voluntary willing sacrifice to redeem creatures from bondage and from the power of sin and death, continuing in mission until life-work was accomplished.

He consented to die in the sinner's stead that by a life of obedience man might escape the penalty of the law, becoming obedient unto a death that was most shameful and cruel, the death of the cross as a malefactor not as an honored hero but as a condemned criminal suspended between heaven and earth. He died a lingering death exposed to tauntings and revilings of a debased mob, laughed to scorn, numbered with transgressors, disowned even by kinsmen, seeing the sword pierce his mother's heart and expiring amidst derision, executed between two criminals though just dying for the unjust. His humiliation included poverty, shame, contempt, binding, scourging, rejection, unjust trial and condemnation, and severe torture of crucifixion, showing no one is too low for him to save or beyond cleansing power of his blood. All his sufferings were counted small in view of the result for man and the whole universe, and his cry It is finished rang through every world and heaven itself, showing the contest between the Prince of Life and the prince of darkness practically over with Christ Conqueror and answering that there is self-denial with the Father and Son.

He humbled himself to endure insult, blows, jeers and taunts in Pilate's hall, seated on mockery's throne, crowned with thorns, wrapped in scarlet robe, given a flimsy reed for scepter while knees were bent in insult, bearing it all meekly with brow and soul torn. His royal lineage as Prince of Peace, King of Glory, Lord of light, Lord of Lords and King of Kings was never plainer than in that night of sorrow, more glorious in that lowliness than when the world sings triumph and princes press to his footstool, for the crown of thorns was his coronation diadem and seal of kingship. His suffering included being forsaken by his Father as he bore the world's sins, and his patience under affliction when oppressed, reviled and suffering did not retaliate or threaten but entrusted his cause to the righteous Judge, encouraging sufferers to endure faithfully.

Though he could have resisted those who came to arrest him and summoned angels, he submitted to insults and death so that he might exalt humanity to share his throne. At betrayal and arrest he could have prayed for more than twelve legions of angels but let the prayer die on his lips so the Scriptures saying it must happen this way would be fulfilled to the last detail. Letting hands be bound like a criminal, baring brow to spitting, permitting body to be mockingly robed and crowned with thorns, then dying, proves supreme reverence for Old Testament prophecies and complete submission to their authority, leaving an example that dying mortals should approach Scripture with awe and heart-searching, and believers should likewise accept lowly treatment, yield points wounding pride without exalting self, and hear hurtful remarks without retaliating.

He was innocent and without corruption, yet bore the world's accumulated sin and God's wrath against sin as the only one able to make propitiation for it. His suffering was necessary to reconcile people to God and meet the law's demands, and it did not give permission to transgress the law. His death was a willing substitution for sinners redeeming them from the sentence of God's unchangeable law while sustaining that law and revealing God's justice and love, the innocent Lamb offered for the guilty to whom sanctuary lambs pointed. Though sinless and untouched by sin he took guilt of sinners and bore sin's penalty so they could stand justified before God, willingly entering humanity's condemned condition of degradation and bondage to redeem them, facing and overcoming temptation on their behalf to bring deliverance, so that through him they may be made righteous, conformed to God's holy law and receive eternal life.

His death was suffering for sinners and for sin, proving he was truly put to death in the flesh. He underwent the death that came through Adam's fall; faith does not exempt people from that death but saves from dying eternally. He entered the death humanity incurred through disobedience under imputed sins of the whole world, though equal with the Father and possessing creative power, so that lost life could again be within reach and Satan's attempt to misrepresent God frustrated. He went into the tomb alone, died once to sins, and rose free and justified from those sins needing no justification for himself, and because of that obedient death his sacrifice has infinite merits acceptable before the law in place of the sinner's death and imputed to all who claim it by faith so they reckon themselves dead to sin but alive to God, leaving an example to follow, exalted to judge, give repentance and forgiveness, save to the uttermost, and bring a clean thing out of an unclean.

His righteousness consisted in perfect obedience to God's commandments and will, maintained even when obedience cost his life, in contrast to the first Adam's failure through disobedience. As man he willingly emptied himself and submitted in man's stead to God's law, delighting to do God's will with God's law in his heart, doing no sin and keeping his Father's commandments, living the character God requires of man and becoming Prince of life, so that being righteous the death he suffered could not hold him, and God filled him with fullness of power and life so in him the law was not law of sin and death but law of the Spirit of life. He was perfectly obedient throughout life for humanity and obedient in death to the law's demands upon transgressors, and because obedience merits reward under principle of law his obedience was followed by resurrection and exaltation, his example calling followers to obey him, with salvation as healing of sin coming to the obedience patterned on his. His mission was to set an example of obedience and to die the Just for the unjust, and because of this obedience God highly exalted him.

His is complete obedience called the obedience of faith going as far as dying, while sin is disobedience and transgression bringing curse on earth and all in it, and faith in him and his obedient example is the remedy. His obedience meant refusing to compromise any principle of righteousness even when it led to death, accepting rejection, persecution, suffering and crucifixion rather than worshiping Satan to gain the world's glory and authority, his rightness meeting death for humanity's sake. That obedience means keeping his Father's commandments including the seventh-day Sabbath, setting the pattern believers must follow by walking as he walked. He is the highest example of obedience willingly submitting even to death, showing loyalty comes before offerings which cannot take its place but serve only as tests of loyal obedience, for God demands obedience first and always with his law within the heart delighting to do his will.

His suffering obedience fitted him for work as high priest, for he had to be made like humanity before he could mediate for people. The Word became flesh sharing human nature, weakness and suffering, coming as man prepared to suffer and die and to serve as merciful high priest. As human tempted as we are bearing sins and willingly obeying even to death, he can feel weaknesses and serve as merciful faithful High Priest, his death showing love and mercy given to redeem from all iniquity. After crucifixion and resurrection he ascended as elder brother to intercede, standing before the Father as Advocate and propitiation for every repentant one receiving him and believing on his name, encircling the race with human arm while grasping the Infinite throne with divine arm, having bought every member at infinite price loving each so much he would have given life even for one alone. His laying aside riches, glory, honor and worship to come to a darkened world of perplexity and heartache to lift sinners and learn to be merciful faithful high priest moves those who never saw him to love and rejoice with unspeakable joy because he is risen, they are saved by his life, and he promised to prepare a place and come quickly to receive them.

His death was the sacrifice God willed for fallen humanity, and God's pleasure was in his faithfulness through suffering, not in lack of sympathy for his suffering, for he remained faithful and obedient even to death.

Atonement and Salvation Accomplished

All was contained in the first decision to empty himself, so he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, his death on the cross being not the beginning of his giving but the climax of the sacrifice of the ages. That purpose was formed in the beginning when the first charge came against the government of God, and was decided in the council of eternity to vindicate that government and save all, embracing not only man and this earth but all creation. In purpose he died then as truly as he died on Calvary, demonstrating step by step downward through all stages from the highest to sinful man in his lowest estate, even to a grave among the sons of disobedience, that he might both save the lost and prove false forever the accusation that God is a tyrant whose service is hard. He humbled himself that believers might be exalted.

His obedient death completed the eternal purpose of sacrifice, giving all in fact as he had already given all in purpose from the beginning, and proving the integrity of that purpose and of God's love for man. It was purposed and wrought so that men might be redeemed and made sons of God, knitting mankind into one with himself and the Father. That ruling purpose from eternity was freely willed in heavenly council to do the Father's will, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, to pay sin's penalty, to purge sins by himself, and through death to destroy him that had the power of death. His lowliness unto dying was the cup apportioned to him and the fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world, foretold in types and prophecies as strongest evidence that he is the world's Redeemer, and his death was not to end in defeat but in glorious eternal victory.

His death made atonement for the fallen race, and holiness is the fruit of that sacrifice, through which he offers the gift of holiness and calls people to give themselves wholly to God's service. His death was for human sin and reveals God's love, and his death, resurrection and ascension together are the saving truth to be learned and taught. Through his blood there is cleansing from sin, healing, and freedom from guilt and bondage, for he gave his life as a ransom and bore sins in his body to bring people back to God from love for them. His self-sacrifice is how he purged human sin.

His death was a willing substitution for sinners, redeeming them from the sentence of God's unchangeable law while sustaining that law and revealing God's justice and love. The innocent Lamb was offered as substitute for the guilty, to whom the sanctuary lambs pointed forward as the climax of sacrificial love. On the cross he bore the curse of sin and removed the curse hanging over the race, for sin's penalty had to be paid and his perfect obedience even to death paid the price of redemption necessary for humanity to live. Though equal with the eternal Father he suffered the cruel death of the cross to ransom humanity, and that self-abasement is central to the atonement as mystery beyond finite wisdom.

Though innocent he willingly entered humanity's condemned condition of degradation and bondage to redeem people, that through him they may be made righteous, conformed to God's holy law, and receive eternal life. His self-emptying was to win humanity back and restore the earth and its original dominion, and the character revealed in that humiliation led to his exaltation, with the blessings he surrendered as Son of God shared with those in him. As second Adam he laid aside equality to destroy the devil's works and restore the dominion lost in the fall, unlike Lucifer who grasped at equality and lost everything. He left his Father's kingdom, bore iniquities upon the tree, poured out blood to wash away sin and prepared escape from death, establishing a perfect plan so that through faith and obedience men might be restored to God's favor, share his throne and at last have eternal life.

He gave up his own glory to restore the glory lost through sin and accepted the death penalty deserved by sinners, so they could triumph over death and stand blameless before the law. Though sinless and just he was made sin and made to bear sin for humanity, dying as the Just for the unjust, treated as the sinner deserves and coming under the law by birth as representative to bear guilt and its penalty in their place. Because he was Lawgiver and wholly faithful, his freely suffered shame and death could bear the penalty, vindicate the law's honor and show it cannot be set aside, while his death cleanses from guilt, imparts righteousness and redeems, cleanses, restores and exalts humanity. His perfect obedience in human nature teaches that people may obey.

By becoming human and willingly obeying even to ignominious death, his descent reveals the depth of God's love, and his death is the remedy that saves from sin and makes eternal life possible. His self-sacrifice, suffering and death rescue from hell and bring salvation, pardon and love, opening the way for human salvation and calling for giving life and years to him even when service brings suffering. His path of humiliation included anguish to save the fallen, expressing condescending love toward those under sentence of death.

His death was the infinite price paid to buy sinners and the world, and the greatness of that price proves how greatly he desired what he bought, with heart set on obtaining sinners so that those coming to him may be sure he is willing and anxious to receive them. His sacrifice is the basis for grace that makes prayer acceptable and for salvation purchased with blood and life through complete self-effacement. The costly sacrifice procured salvation at immense cost, marvelled at by angels, and the price measures God's valuation of man and the worth of eternal salvation, whose footsteps those who value it should willingly follow whatever the cost.

In emptying himself he became man and God was found in the man, so that in him man appears on one side and God on the other, and in him God and man meet in peace and become one, abolishing enmity in his flesh. He who was in the form of God took the form of man, he who was equal with God became equal with man, he who was Creator and Lord became creature and servant, he who was in the likeness of God was made in the likeness of men. In humanity like his brothers he gave example of obedience, and through divinity he gives power to obey, joining humanity to God for deliverance from sin and lifting sinners to God by a life of righteousness. In him human and divine were united to reconcile God and humanity and unite finite with Infinite, taking man's nature and name as second Adam to bear Adam's sin, shame and death that Adam's sons might receive the divine nature and bear the Father's character forever.

By taking human nature and enduring suffering and death he became a stepping stone for fallen people, so that through his merits, excellence and virtue God accepts their efforts to keep his law. Through the merits of his blood fallen people can be exalted to share the divine nature, and by touching his humanity they receive power to be partakers of the divine nature and overcome corruption through lust. He overcame for humanity so his merits, power and virtue can be claimed as believers cooperate with him and live in harmony with his law, cleansing their natures and imparting his righteousness. In ascending he brought redeemed human nature with him and placed it at God's right hand united with himself, having sunk to the low condition to raise humanity with himself.

His incarnation cannot be separated from salvation but founds the whole plan, for as man's representative born under the law to satisfy the law for all transgression he must be made flesh before he could die, and his incarnation must be fact before his resurrection could be true. He came at the appointed time to save the lost by taking human nature and dying on the cross, and grave and death's band could not hold him. Salvation depends not only on humble life and sacrificial death but also on resurrection, since eternal life is given through him and hope rests on his rising, yet redemption is not complete until death is abolished and the saved receive immortality filled with happiness and every good of which they are capable.

Man is responsible for sin yet bound to sinful flesh unable to rise above it or do good, so God's goodness is revealed in the free gift of righteousness through his self-emptying to do for man what man could not do. The eternal Son left his throne and emptied himself of transcendent glory to take a servant's form to help man, a gift no rights against the Creator could claim, leaving only unmerited choice to follow him in loving service.

His self-emptying was so that no one who chooses life need be lost and where sin abounds grace does much more abound, demonstrating to the universe that God is good and only good and that all his plans work for the best good of creatures. He humbled himself even to death, the lowest possible point where he contacts humanity, death being the lowest depth and sum of all evils with sin and sickness tributary to it. Because the greater includes the less, his taking every ill possible to man makes salvation sure for everyone without exception, descending to share the lowest condition so he could suffer with the lowest and lift every trusting soul to eternal righteousness and life.

His humiliation was spent in unceasing ministry traveling from place to place giving comfort, help and heavenly power to all who came, so absorbed in mission nothing could draw him away. By joining divinity with humanity he could draw on divine strength to resist darkness, and his earthly work and final suffering had an appointed time from which he withdrew from opposition until it came. What it cost heaven to make men partakers of the divine nature included pledging from childhood to manhood to live perfectly as the Father's representative and die for a lost race, with the world at stake, for had he failed a world would have been lost.

Law and Government Vindicated

His humbling himself and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, was a step in God's eternal purpose to reveal infinite love in a way sin-blinded minds could understand, and included the sacrifice for the redemption of the lost. That self-giving death was the climax of his sacrifice for sinners, demonstrating God's love and the goodness of his government, and through it he became the source of eternal salvation for those who obey him. In that humiliation he laid aside glory and exalted position, surrendering throne and equality, to reveal God's character and prove loyalty to heaven's government, living out the principles of God's law so that grace can redeem people and raise them to moral integrity. His life was pure benevolence and unselfish labor given for humanity's salvation to display God's glory in human happiness, and by entering the death humanity had incurred through disobedience he put lost life again within human reach while frustrating Satan's attempt to misrepresent God and displaying the principles of God's government by selfless loyalty to the Father.

His self-giving completed in death on the cross demonstrated God's love and character, while his life and ministry showed God's power to save. By facing temptation by the word of God and remaining faithful through suffering and death he answered Satan's accusations against God's goodness and justice and vindicated God's dealings with humanity, and his death reveals God's suffering for human sin. In contrast to Lucifer's desire for honor and supremacy, his self-sacrifice revealed that God had made the greatest sacrifice possible to save sinful humanity, bearing the law's penalty to demonstrate God's justice and make it possible for people through penitence and humility to accept his righteousness and triumph over Satan. As Majesty of heaven and Commander of the heavenly hosts he put off crown and royal robe to take human nature so that humanity might touch humanity, passing through all human experience and suffering in man's stead to give his life for the life of the world, and his coming shines as a beam of righteousness from heaven amid earth's moral darkness to enlighten every person so that all who repent and turn to him become his heritage. His death proved God's administration and government to be without flaw and forever settled Satan's charge about the conflicting attributes of justice and mercy, so that every voice in heaven and out of heaven will one day testify to the justice, mercy, and love of God, and it had a broader and deeper purpose than man's salvation alone, vindicating God's character not in this world only but before all the universe, a marvel and mystery the sinless ones of all unfallen worlds desire to look into. The eternal Word gave himself to redeem fallen people who desire redemption and to reveal and vindicate God's character before the universe, destroying sin.

His obedience vindicated God's law forever and revealed God's goodness through love and mercy toward sinful humanity, and as God's servant come to earth his life of obedience set the example that a servant obeys the master's law and cannot abolish it. His example contrasts with the power that exalts itself and seeks to change God's law, for he humbled himself and obeyed the law in honor of his Father. He did not die to make it acceptable to remain in sin or to abolish God's law, but having left heaven's throne, laid aside his royal robe, taken humanity and come to a world marked by sin's curse to reach people in misery, he came to give people another opportunity to prove loyalty to God and to connect humanity with God and earth with heaven. His implicit obedience to the law sinners had broken vindicated the principle of obedience and confirmed him as a competent Saviour whose obedience was made perfect through suffering, showing that the disciple must follow him and that saving faith produces obedience and works through love. By submitting to the law's extreme penalty even to death he upheld the law rather than abolishing it, and if he did not remove the law no one else can overthrow it.

He willingly submitted to the law's full demands and penalties even to death on the cross, with filial trust and willing acceptance of suffering without complaint or resistance, showing he found no fault with the law and that its requirements and sanctions are righteous and good. There was no exemption from the law's full demands even for God's sinless Son, and the cross demonstrates the law is immutable and impartial, making the same demands of humanity as of Christ. As humanity's substitute he bore the law's penalty and curse to redeem people from them, and his suffering shows the law's claims have not been weakened or set aside. By obeying even to death he came not to abolish or abrogate the law but to establish it, so no one can overthrow it.

He humbled himself in complete submission and obedience to the Father's established order and law rather than changing the law or setting up a law of his own, and this was necessary for him to be Saviour, for there is only one final authority in God's universe. To oppose the law would be to oppose God himself, take God's place, set up another government, and repeat Satan's work of discord, disharmony and rebellion, whereas in contrast to Satan's opposition to God's government his humbling, obedience and sacrifice accomplish reconciliation by reconciling man to God, not God to man. His submission and sacrifice countered Satan's opposition and turned people back to God, removing the enmity of the natural heart toward God and his law as the pattern of loyalty. His obedience displayed God's justice, mercy and enduring love, established God's law in human hearts and made redemption sure, for he could save humanity because he kept God's law rather than abolishing it. His willing suffering of death on the cross to give humanity another probation demonstrated the law is immutable, not one part to be set aside, since the law sustains God's throne and remains the rule of his government, so the cross exalted the law and showed it retains authority. As heaven's brightest ornament through whom the Father made all things he became obedient unto death to redeem guilty people from the curse of God's law, vindicating the law and showing it cannot be set aside nor its judgments reversed, for the holy unchangeable law as transcript of God's character could not have its claims set aside, so God gave his only-begotten Son to die.

His life corresponded with God's life and his character matched the standard of righteousness expressed in the Ten Commandments, representing in human life and character what God's word expresses. His self-giving love in leaving glory and the Father's house and enduring the crown of thorns so people might receive eternal life expresses the same principle of love contained in the Ten Commandments. He chose death rather than turn from loyalty to Jehovah, accepting even the shameful death of the cross, and his life and death put the law's principles into action, displaying love, mercy, unselfishness and sacrifice for fallen humanity.

As Creator and the one who proclaimed the eternal law at Sinai, having taken human flesh into vital union with divinity and obeyed even unto death, he passed over the ground where Adam fell and endured the test at which the first parents failed, tempted in every point as humans are yet without sin, and through his death vindicated his right to pardon transgression and sin. His obedience to God's immutable law even unto death vindicated the law rather than setting it aside, upholding and establishing it rather than abolishing it. By submitting to its extreme penalty he upheld the law, and if he did not remove it no one else can overthrow it.

His obedient death was an infinite sin-atoning sacrifice made on humanity's behalf to give immortal life, and he will forever bear the marks of that earthly humiliation even as redeemed and angels honor him, with appreciation of it bringing closer harmony with heaven. To redeem guilty humanity from the law's curse he became obedient even to death as an expiatory sacrifice that honored and vindicated God's law, showing its claims and judgments cannot be set aside, for the law is holy and just and without sacrifice sinners would perish, and his obedience and death reveal its perfection and enduring authority. His death does not give license to continue sinning, for remission of past sins calls people to turn from sin and live for God, and he saves from sin, not in sin. Salvation through faith in him gives power for holy obedience and does not remove the need to obey God's righteous commandments, for grace establishes the law, and his suffering and death make eternal life possible through faith and obedience. His willing humility in laying down life entered the death incurred through disobedience so lost life could be within reach, frustrating Satan's misrepresentation of God and displaying God's government by selfless loyalty.

His loyalty set up no opposed will or law against the Father's but humbled himself and obeyed even to death, revealing God's justice, mercy and enduring love. Having come under the law and paid the penalty for human transgression he made the law's righteousness clear and affirmed it remains in force, saving as a law-keeper not a law-breaker and becoming humanity's Redeemer, ground of hope and example of loyalty. His obedience established God's law in human hearts and made redemption sure, for he could save because he kept the law rather than abolishing it. His death to give another probation showed the law immutable and sustaining God's throne, exalting the law, while as exalted Son and Lawgiver offering a life of immeasurable worth he suffered the penalty to redeem sinners and uphold the law's honor. That sacrifice reveals the seriousness of sin and depth of love, leading the redeemed to humility and abhorrence of sin and guarding against future rebellion, for the holy unchangeable transcript of God's character could not be set aside and required the Son's death.

Resurrection Exaltation Crowned

He rose through the righteousness and power of an endless life so that he might fill all things, having gone down to the lowest depth and nothingness in death. His humiliation belongs to the sequence in which he left his exalted position with the Father, became flesh, died, rose, and was exalted to God's right hand. His exaltation came through resurrection, not through translation at death, for while dead he lay in Joseph's tomb until resurrection and only afterward was exalted to his position in heaven, and the grave and death's band could not hold him. His death was for sins and eternal life comes through him and his resurrection, not from anything in natural human life.

His incarnation, suffering and death in servant form even to the cross were the reason the Father highly exalted him, gave him the name above every name, and bestowed universal homage and supreme universal rule, and all are required to honor him as Lord. The one exalted is the same Jesus who humbled himself and died, lifted from earth to heaven so that the cross is the ground of his glory. His servant character developed on earth as Son of man fitted him to be exalted as the sinless representative of the human race before God's throne, and his selfless character shown in loving righteousness, rejecting wickedness and serving wherever needed is why true honor comes that way rather than by seeking position.

That exaltation is his being seated with the Father on the Father's throne, associated with the Father in rule over all created things with all power in heaven and earth, and because he is Son of man made judge his exaltation to judge in the great assize draws the universe to him. That position on the Father's throne is held as priest after the order of Melchizedek, and only he holds it, with priestly ministry coming first before he rules the nations with a rod of iron as King of kings on his own throne. His suffering and death were followed by being crowned with glory and honor and receiving the worship of the heavenly hosts as reward for his sacrifice to redeem humanity.

God's raising him from the dead after obedient death even to the cross assures his victory over the works of the devil. While on earth he was subject to worldly authority and was put to death through Satan's instigation, but the grave could not hold him, for God raised and exalted him above every name. His humility and suffering culminated in death on the cross, and through that death he destroyed the devil's power over death and delivered those desiring freedom from bondage, with humiliation and suffering leading to exaltation and glory.

His humility and death in weakness are the basis of his being King of glory, and the power revealed at his second coming is the manifestation of the power present in his humble life and death. Though other kings lived before him, God exalted him above all earthly kings, with humility coming before exaltation in heaven as the path disciples follow. His humiliation is the path to exaltation, and the crucifixion had part in his exaltation, for the cross was the ladder to the throne through unselfishness, humiliation and obedience in consequence of which God highly exalted him.

Because of that obedience in redeeming work through a life of suffering and shameful death, God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name, giving him to be head over all things to the church, head of the church and Saviour of the body, not by arbitrary assignment but as inevitable result of his redeeming work. He went into the tomb alone without the world with him, died once to sins under imputed sins of the whole world, and rose again free and justified from those sins needing no justification for himself, so his death is acceptable before the law in place of the sinner's death with infinite merits imputed to all who claim it by faith to reckon themselves dead to sin but alive to God. He has not laid aside human nature but retains it as he stands in God's presence as substitute and surety and living intercessor for fallen humanity, with all power given him and all things committed into his hands to complete the redemption begun in humiliation, exalted to judge and to give repentance and forgiveness and save to the uttermost.

His humbling himself to obey unto death on the cross is the cause of his exaltation and highest glory that makes angels bow, and the prints in his hands and wound in his side remain throughout eternity as tokens of his exaltation and power, with the brightest shining at his coming in glory coming from the pierced side. His humiliation began with incarnation but reached culmination when nailed to Calvary's cross as the just for the unjust, the lowest point to which true humiliation could descend, never to be surpassed, equaled or repeated, expressing God's character and love so that the cross is the science and song of all intelligences and the name Lamb that was slain remains the unfolding strain in the songs of a clean universe. His taking humanity meant giving up the form of God and he remains in human form forever with crucifixion marks through all eternity, an infinite sin-atoning sacrifice to give immortal life forever bearing earthly humiliation while redeemed and angels honor him.

His death was his greatest humiliation, and his exaltation came not at resurrection but at ascension to his Father's throne, with resurrection necessary for glorification but not itself that glorification. His suffering in frail human form obediently enduring death on the cross was part of the path trod in the world, and his completed work led to victory and exaltation to his heavenly throne. His death in which he gave himself for humanity is therefore more fitting than his resurrection as the day to honor for its witness to his love.

This earth where he was humiliated even to death and despised and rejected is the fitting place for his reward and exaltation in visible majesty and glory over a renewed creation, where he must be honored and accepted as rightful ruler. The world that gave him a cross and crown of thorns must give him a throne and crown of glory with every knee bowing, and as he dwells by his Spirit in the renewed soul he must yet dwell personally in the renewed earth. Satan must not keep permanent victory where victory was temporary but must be vanquished on the very ground where Christ was humiliated, for having descended step by step to be lifted on the cross to draw all to himself with no greater condescension or lower place possible, he became poor so fallen people could possess eternal treasure.

Pattern For Believers

The same humble self-denying mind found in him is to be in believers, esteeming others better than self, looking to the things of others, and living in unity and lowliness of mind. Without this mind no one can fulfill his law, for lack in fulfilling that law is lack of this mind, and the remedy is to receive and retain the mind carried to complete unselfishness in humbling himself and obeying to the point of dying a cross death. When individuals and managers of conferences and institutions daily fulfill the law in this mind, the loud cry fills the earth, the gospel of the kingdom is speedily preached to all the world, and the end comes. Though he could have stayed in heaven honored by the Father and angels, he did not look to the glory of his own surroundings nor hesitate at sufferings to be passed through, but looked upon the interests, sufferings and doom of the fallen race and interposed to suffer in their stead that they might regain the inheritance sold to an enemy, and because of that humbling God highly exalted him to the greatest exaltation any being could aspire to, in contrast to Lucifer who aspired to that station for selfish glory in pride and fell with a train of angels, proving self-sacrifice leads to life, joy and eternal riches while selfish ambition leads to sorrow and death.

The verse reveals the greatest miracle of grace and the mind of self-emptying unselfishness carried to its climax, and believers are called to choose that same mind and way of acting, to empty self and give up all of self and all hope in self till unselfishness reaches dying on the cross. His name means absolute self-denial, self-abnegation and self-effacement, that God might be manifested and glorified, for he yielded himself wholly without reserve to do the will of God, standing in man's place for man, so that Jehovah becoming his salvation made him Saviour, and God filled him with all the infinite fullness of the Godhead and was glorified in him. This is not destruction of the person but recovery of the true self and right place under God's rule, distinguishing the God-created true self which yields itself to God from selfishness, the false self that exalts itself and holds the true self in bondage; the choice is ours while the power is God's, and when people receive his mind self is emptied and God is manifested in them, which is true self-government and true self-government as God and humanity made one. His victory over sin was won in human flesh, and his humble obedience in taking human nature and obeying even to death shows the mind that is to rule in believers, lived as an example with death for human offenses. His experience is the pattern for everyone brought into life-union with him through the new birth, to win humanity back and restore the earth and its original dominion, with the character revealed in becoming Son of Man bringing to him and to those in him what he gave up in emptying himself as Son of God. That humility and unselfish gentleness revealed in obedience to death made him great and strong through the eternal Spirit and dear to believers, and receiving this same greatness of humility makes salvation sure; the mind must be in believers through renewing of the mind by the Holy Spirit, humbling self and making life a sacrifice, taking human sins that humans might take his righteousness and being formed in man's image that humans might be re-formed in God's image, transforming the whole life to hate what was once loved and love what was once hated, surrendering the will so God's will operates the members to accomplish his purpose, proving God's good and acceptable and perfect will by expressing it in life, and removing the breach between God and the restored member.

His self-humbling is the pattern and path of true exaltation, so whoever wants exalted position, greatness in the kingdom, and leadership must follow him in this humility, for he that humbles himself shall be exalted. Right exaltation comes from God after self-humbling, the opposite of Satan and human self-exaltation, and his servants must follow his example by exalting their Master and ignoring self while waiting until God's own good time to be exalted by him, for though equal with the Father he set aside reputation, took servant form, and therefore God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name. His mortal life led through assault, grief, and ignominious death before triumph and glory, teaching that those who would triumph with him must let go of self-love and earthly gain, share in sorrow and struggle, and endure suffering through him, for the cross comes before the crown and his path to exaltation began with deep humility and obedience even to death. His example calls followers to deny fleshly desires, give up self-seeking ambition and earthly advantage, and yield desires, ambitions, powers and abilities to God, for to be baptized into his name is to renounce self in consecration and be immersed and swallowed up in absolute self-effacement for God and humanity. Being found in fashion as a man he revealed nothing of himself, did not put himself forward, call attention to himself, or manifest himself, but sought not his own will but the will of the Father who sent him, though he alone of all beings had right to aspire to equality with the Father yet counted it not to be grasped; his divinity could empty itself and still abide while finite beings cannot accomplish this by themselves, so those seeking God's Spirit must give up self-seeking ambitions and trust God to exalt them, emptying self of self and doing the Father's will rather than making self the center, laying aside heavenly status and earthly advantage and giving up what the world holds dear.

His humility is the continuous lesson from Bethlehem to Calvary, and the same humble mind should be in everyone who bears his name. His servant character developed on earth as Son of man fitted him to be exalted as sinless representative of the race before God's throne, showing true honor comes through loving righteousness, rejecting wickedness, and serving wherever needed rather than seeking position, and that the path to true success leads through humiliation in perfect unselfish example. His taking the lowly place serves as example for turning from worldly pride, status and esteem, standing against self-seeking and desire for personal greatness which blinded Pharisees and left disciples slow to understand redemption, in contrast to people who exalt themselves and neglect the poor and suffering. His becoming preeminent through uniting himself with the lowly, suffering and dying for them makes him touched by human weakness and able to help those seeking sympathy and support. His character of servant in humility and obedience even to death teaches that humble willing service is not beneath a person and can express a united and happy heart, for though Lord of all and worthy of obedience he laid aside rights and power, sought no high position, and chose to serve. He did not consider heaven desirable while humanity was lost but left the courts, exchanged priceless riches for poverty, accepted reproach and insult and shameful death that through poverty lost sinners might become rich members of the heavenly family, and that humiliation is the path followers must tread in joyfully ministering to the wretched and inferior instead of regarding lowly service as humiliating; willingly setting aside rights he obeyed even to death to redeem humanity, calling followers to give up personal rights and comforts for others' good and God's glory, to set aside status and comfort, identify with those served, and become servants to reach and save others by accepting the lowly condition of fallen humanity.

His humility illustrates that faithfulness to God must take priority over worldly reputation, comfort and advantage. His willing obedience even when obedience led to the most cruel death calls for bravery and willingness to do right, beginning now and with his help. Believers overcome only through his strength and life, not their own, by following his pattern of humble obedience even unto death, overcoming as he overcame through humble obedience to the Father's will. This sets the pattern of same submission to God's will, making it their purpose to die to self, deny self first, take up the cross and follow him just as he bore his cross in perfect obedience to die according to determinate counsel and foreknowledge. His self-giving in giving up life with the Father, humbling himself and becoming a Son born for humanity patterns dying to selfishness, where giving up ease and pleasure to live for others makes new life and fruit possible just as seed must die to bear fruit, and the Christian chooses this death now and is born again as God's child; his supreme action was obedience in making God's will his own by obeying even unto death, teaching Christians to make God's will their own by doing it, to take up the cross and follow him doing willingly what goes against natural inclination.

His willing obedience to death calls believers to deny self, share his sufferings, and consecrate all they have and are to his work, moved by gratitude and love. Having humbled himself to lowest depths and endured shame so people might be lifted to purity, holiness and completeness, receive peace, rest and joy, and share his throne's glory, his life is a model of unselfish service calling followers to deny themselves, take up the cross and follow him. Though he had greater honor than any human he accepted suffering and bore the world's sins, paying sin's debt through precious blood, showing his people should willingly deny themselves and bear their lighter cross for his sake. Having resigned all glory and tasted death to win life for others and fulfilled the law for sinners so all his merits might become theirs, his wondrous story of love gives new life to those who know it, and believers should look to him, strive to follow day by day where his footsteps mark the way, and draw strength so they do not falter or grow weary in the strife, with wholehearted service rather than spare-time service and doing willingly what goes against inclination. His humiliation and obedience are the pattern for Christian perfection not in resting in extraordinary spiritual experiences but in taking up the cross and following him through suffering, though found in human form humbling himself and obeying even to death. His humility in salvation's work patterns followers who must put to death the flesh with its desires.

His humility and meekness in obeying even to death teaches that eminence does not entitle to honor or precedence, for honor is rightly offered through courtesy and goodwill, not demanded. Wealth or social rank must not make Christians less willing to practice humility, repentance and self-denial in imitation of his suffering humility in lowly human condition and obedience even to death. His humility and obedience even to death is the pattern to imitate by living out truth rather than merely professing it, including laying aside pride and costly or unnecessary adornments that do not serve as clothing, so outward choices reflect a humble heart and bring influence for truth. Obedience and holy subjection in belonging wholly to him are a delight, while serving and exalting self brings continual trouble. His depth of humiliation teaches believers to be humble and subject to one another, learning through the cross his love for humanity and souls' value, with self-denying work to save others reflecting that faith. Those who follow him in humble obedience to God's commandments will inherit eternal life and share honors of his name, proving humility is the safe and sure road to true greatness as opposed to making a name for self, for his humbling when becoming man in servant form led to God's exalting him with a name above every name. His descent into depths in humble obedience was the way to rise above all and fill all, giving the pattern that the way to rise into God is to sink in self, be conscious of incompetence to do anything aright, be emptied and purged from self, and descend to the uttermost to rise to the highest and be filled and used by God.

The humility belonging to his Spirit, though in God's form and equal with God yet making himself of no reputation, taking servant form, humbling himself and becoming obedient even to dying on the cross, is shown in those possessing his Spirit by meekness with long-suffering and forbearance toward the weak and erring, forgiveness toward the repentant, and patience toward all, while boldly rebuking sin, in meekness reproving the erring, patiently instructing the ignorant, and seeking to lead all to knowledge of truth. His humility is the test of new life, shared by being dead to desire for praise, not resenting contempt or favoring approvers, and willingly accepting humiliation and being considered unimportant in meek and lowly mind. His humility and refusal to use power to compel obedience model that followers must not force others to obey God's law. His humility and self-renunciation pattern a life remaining godly amid prosperity by using wealth without pride, vanity or attachment to worldly goods.

Mission Service and Giving

His humble, just, true, meek, teachable, faithful, submissive, self-sacrificing Spirit is the missionary spirit that gives strength to missionary work, and all who have it will be true missionaries dedicating their lives to win people, laboring quietly and sacrificially without seeking exaltation or display and consecrating time, talents and entrusted resources in unreserved surrender.
The same mind was shown when he came not to exalt himself but to serve in humility and self-denial even to death.
His love goes beyond loving those who love us and sets the standard for loving one another as he loved, which is the love born-again people having the Holy Spirit will have toward others, requiring them to use landed estates, gold, silver and every gift not for hoarding, larger barns, added farms, indulgence and luxury but to supply bodily necessities, advance higher conditions of life and help save lost souls, bringing wills into submission to divine authority.
Considering his voluntary humbling to take the conditions and responsibilities of human life and to obey even to the shameful, agonizing, revolting death of the cross out of love, accepting indignity and abuse, reveals God's love and calls forth gratitude and love and banishes selfishness, because those redeemed are not their own and should serve without grudging or selfish motives.
Though the Majesty of heaven he left the heavenly courts, clothed divinity with humanity and walked among men not as a king demanding homage but as one whose work was to serve, valuing people by the price paid and caring how to aid and bless from compassion so they might be cleansed and share eternal glory, which puts to shame ambition and strife for position and requires learning meekness and lowliness and becoming servants of all before being fit to teach truth.
His purpose of putting self aside to raise those fallen who had forfeited exaltation is the mind Christians are called to have, and it made him victorious over the world, the flesh and the devil and will do the same for them, winning back people and earth and restoring dominion so that believers sharing his character share what he gave up and receive the inheritance.
He gained triumph by giving himself to death instead of using force, winning through meekness and suffering rather than destroying foes, and his followers triumph the same way, overcoming by what is suffered with the sword of the Spirit and not with civil power, coercion or intolerance.
His self-giving expresses pure unselfish benevolence shown throughout earthly life by doing good, seeking and saving the lost and calling sinners even the chief to repentance because he loved them with the Father's love, having divested himself though alone entitled to share glory and inherit the throne, and this founds the gospel rule that the one needing help is the neighbor to be approached whether near or far, even laying down life as test of Christianity.
His life as pattern of unselfish love putting others before self, unlike Satan whose motive is self-advancement, means following him is finding happiness in seeking others' good.
His sacrifice is the price of redemption and the pattern that because he gave all followers should give all in service, and his willing self-humbling in servant place to death reveals love calling people to choose him and receive freedom and strength to resist temptation, a willing personal sacrifice seeing each person's need that invites without compelling.
Though exalted Ruler and Lord he served sinful people, stooping to wash the feet of disciples too proud to do it themselves, and that submission into enemies' hands unto death is memorialized by followers washing one another's feet before the Lord's Supper, teaching that loving service not status is true greatness and rebuking pride, jealousy and arrogance.
His humility and suffering are remembered in the ordinances, which bring home the depth of self-abasement and call to humble service without considering self too important.
True Christianity is unselfishness, love, self-denial and self-effacement, utter emptying even unto nothingness of death that God might be glorified and man saved, which is faith laying self on the altar and accepting God's will in word and in Christ as supreme standard through whom God was manifest in flesh and is manifest in believers' flesh, opposite Lucifer's selfish exaltation, and with him all who are his are exalted.
His humble life also makes ordinary work done according to God's will worthy of service alongside him, for he walks with and helps followers in daily tasks.
His unselfishness went so far as obedience unto cross death by emptying himself of all pleasing self, all glory and honor, ambition, self-seeking and own will to do the Father's will, not pleasing himself but seeking others' good and laboring for their happiness forgetful of self, making vacancy into which the Father poured infinite fullness and Spirit without measure, the same way by which yielding up all obtains the Spirit.
His self-surrender in setting aside glory and taking humanity to seek and save the lost is the pattern for serving others and doing right at personal cost.
His servant humility is the example of the meek spirit to be sought rather than the carnal heart, and of obedience through suffering, teaching to avoid spectacle and display and self-exaltation and to seek the Spirit's control.
His self-giving attitude of not being wrapped up in own interests but considering others' needs is the model for sacrificial service, teaching entry into harmony with God's purpose by forgetting self in serving others, valuing souls by the great price paid and working with love, simplicity and faith for those in darkness.
His self-denial, in which as captain and example he gave up home and friends, became poor, worked for others instead of self without glorifying himself and finally gave life, requires those coming after to deny riches, friends, fame, expensive food, clothing and pleasure and to give money, time and self to rescue captives and warn other lands so work may be finished, a measure beside which human mission sacrifice is small.
His leaving home in glory to come to the dark world makes it an exalted privilege to leave home, relatives and native land at great cost to carry work to distant fields.
His willingness to descend from highest in the universe to lowest condition of sinful humanity in David's line and to obey even to cross death enables him to overcome on behalf of all who have faith, and his coming in birth, suffering all human life, shedding blood and crucifixion was done for others' sake, which self-denying suffering for others is what love is, a love annihilating self even for rebels that the Christian imbued with it bears to others in message and life outshining selfishness.
His example as servant calls the missionary nurse to serve selflessly making eternal interests the chief aim beyond professional duties without sacrificing principle, and calls those seeking ministry to study his example and pray for an understanding heart rather than rushing toward title or position.
Paul emptied himself in the same way by counting earthly things as loss to know resurrection power, and Christ then filled him with righteousness and life, in condescension bringing salvation within reach so fallen man may become a stepping-stone to lift fellows, willingly partaking shame and overcoming faults.
As Prince of love he proved right to rule beyond question by marvelous condescension, enduring persecution and mockings with patience even to shameful death at enemies' hands to redeem creatures from bondage and power of sin and death and to purchase peace, becoming King of willing subjects with rule established not by force but by self-renouncing love.
He left exalted position to begin earthly career as visible teacher and example of the true way even sinners may secure blessings by faith in light of word and life, giving a final perfect system adapted to man who learns by example, practicing precepts in body, heart and mind, expounding the law in its spiritual import, applying it to all conditions, removing false interpretations and rescinded accommodations, proving that heaping earthly riches fails, wherefore God lifted him high.
Though he could have stayed in heaven honored by Father and angels he did not look to surroundings nor hesitate at sufferings but looked on fallen race's interests, sufferings and doom and interposed to suffer in their stead that they might regain inheritance sold to an enemy, choosing suffering and obedient death rather than glory to ransom the lost, which shames selfishness and shows no required sacrifice too great, in contrast to Lucifer aspiring selfishly and falling, proving self-sacrifice leads to life and riches while ambition leads to sorrow and death.
He gave up glory and riches to save lost rebellious sinners and make them heirs to eternal riches, and the exalted Son through whom all things were created by death made peace and brought redemption through blood, becoming poor so people might become rich, veiling dignity though having authority over worlds, a humility disciples must copy without attraction to worldly glory.
His great sacrifice including Gethsemane agony under the world's sins exposes how little those saved are willing to suffer for truth.
Throughout earthly life he sought to do his Father's will and honor him, not seeking own will but hiding self and showing only the Lord, committing himself to God even when sorrowful unto death, entering death incurred through disobedience so lost life might be within reach and misrepresentation frustrated, displaying government's principles, leaving example to follow and exalted to judge, give repentance and save to uttermost.
His suffering and death make eternal life possible through faith and obedience.
His complete self-abasement is perfect commandment-keeping opposite sin's self-exaltation, bringing every thought into obedience and linked to receiving the Holy Spirit in fullness, requiring renouncing self, pride and self-sufficiency and bringing will into conformity so God supplies fullness transforming to serve and bless.
He did not grasp position though equal with the Father and possessing everything but humbled himself obedient even to death, gaining everything through giving up all, becoming poor so people might share riches, become joint heirs and receive right to the tree of life, enriching not with houses and lands but imperishable treasure, requiring laying honor, wealth, friends, self and life on the altar and suffering something for his sake.
Willingly giving up all heaven with beauty, grandeur, company, honor and glory to take likeness of men as bond-servant from poorest to richest reveals the Creator's giving character, not forced but natural fruit of disposition endured for joy in absolute poverty, coming not to be ministered unto but to minister and become perfect captain bringing many sons to glory, moved by pity and redeeming love as pledge of Father's regard and sinner's refuge, displaying righteousness required by law.
Found in fashion as a man he came, ascended and intercedes as personal Saviour, veiling dazzling splendor to live among men so sinful beings could know Creator and receive all of God's personality they could bear without being consumed, the personal revelation who sustains all things nailed to the cross.
His humiliation is the great example connected with exaltation by the Father, bridging heaven and humanity so after rising he was exalted above every power, his character fullest in dying for right and his cross death the Messiah's chiefest glory given a name above every name.
He took likeness of sinful flesh though sharing throne glory to exalt sinful humanity to glorious estate, uniting humanity and divinity and becoming head of fallen race so people may be restored to God's image, which humility is pattern for true discipleship and missionary consecration of time, talents and entrusted means, calling to self-denying effort leaving heavenly comforts.
The completeness of his sacrifice shows how much he gave up to redeem rebellious humanity as supreme example, laying down life at Heaven's price not cheap money nor bulls and goats but precious blood, from obscure manger and carpenter trade through criticism, betrayal, abandonment, shame and long torturing criminal death.
His humble coming in mortal nature was an act of love leaving glory so people might become God's children and through new birth regain likeness to God, coming to meet need and give water of life seeking willing cooperation, bringing healing, calm, life to the dead and new creation and pardon to all grasping love and power.
His descent from divine honor to human lowliness and shameful death was an act of love for helpless people, pictured as taking and drinking the bitter cup prepared by sins for them and offering the cup of salvation and blessing in its place to make escape and raise to kingdom.
The death of the cross was the climax not beginning of self-humbling, moved by infinite love emptying self, stepping down laying aside majesty, taking servant form as messenger of covenant and carrying out to death purpose formed in beginning and council of eternity as Lamb slain from foundation, step by step to lowest depths to save and prove God not tyrant, descending without complaint to criminal death to seek and save and join earth to heaven, bearing our not his sins.
His incarnation taking human form and attributes while retaining divine power demonstrates sin can be conquered in flesh when humanity unites with offered divinity, and though having only human strength he took hold of divine strength and overcame, showing believers may live as he lived by same source.
Having taken human form and accepted world's sins as own he was obedient to utmost where death demanded him and answered summons, and because of that obedience he could not be held but triumphed and brought its keys, opposite Satan's grasping, becoming adoration of angels and universe, his blood as life given in their place justifying sinners.
Though God he did not appear as God but veiled tokens commanding homage, clothing divinity with humanity to reach humanity, necessary to afford channel between God and man and restore likeness, laying aside glory to walk unrecognized in poverty amid sin, refusing to pour undecaying vigor into humanity to resist disease but voluntarily laying down life bearing sins like a mountain to make expiation and bring immortality to light.
His self-denial is pattern for unreserved surrender, denying self, cutting needless expenditure and laboring for means to save hopeless souls in fellowship of sufferings, an example moving to give to help others hear, at infinite cost calling willingness to give up possessions and loved ones.
He was not compelled but voluntarily chose to exchange heaven for earth as substitute and surety to bear curse and results of transgression so man might escape eternal death, pledging to maintain Father's law, convince of sin and vindicate binding claims bringing back to obedience.
His humble obedience and death were to bring life and immortality to light through gospel, losing none of godlike attributes though laying aside glories, mortal as man yet fountain of life, knowing beforehand steps of humiliation to give life and make expiation.
He made himself like humanity so he could make humanity like himself, coming close to weakness, suffering and temptation to lift them, entering daily life and being touched by infirmities to save, teaching parents and teachers to draw near to children and meet youth with sympathy, becoming what we are to make us what he is.
Though supreme Ruler he accepted shame from manger to cross belonging to humanity, displaying God's love and giving perfect life to imitate that draws affections from worldly things and transforms into image, an example of surrender enabling victory by trusting power.
Though equal with God he chose Father's will and service of love rather than greater glory, dying to lift sinners and make eternal life possible, from mind in harmony submissive and delighting to do will, whereby he could bless cursers, love haters, pray for abusers and do to others as he would have done.
His humility included laying aside former glory, living without status, associating with poor and sinners and serving others, calling believers to be lowly, seek moral good of poor rather than standing, accept assigned humble place and use time, influence, possessions and talents in service instead of luxury, display or superfluities, carrying gospel with economy and simplicity.
Though he came to bring salvation he was rejected, praised as king then condemned with murderer saved and Prince of Life killed, yet innocent went willingly so even enemies could be freed, feeling rejection more keenly because higher and holier, every soul precious amid worldly distraction.
He freely gave up high condition for salvation, endured separation from Father's presence and became link joining God and humanity with love beyond measure, a sacrifice necessary to atone with which no earthly wealth compares.
His condescension as Lord upholding creation wrought redemption through compassion, thought, love and mercy beyond knowledge, calling for adoration, contrition, presentation of lent lives and hope of praising in heaven, precious to contemplate as riches of grace.
He became obedient to death so sinful people could become obedient to life, exchanging obedience to cross for obedience to crown and opening way to receive life which was his, an utter unselfishness to be followed into eternity when selfishness is gone and earth restored.
He left heavenly courts as King beside the Father adored by angels at awful cost to be born babe in manger to seek and save the lost, dwelling with humble in hunger, pain and woe, going rough way to Golgotha to sink beneath cross without counting loss, dying for each person at price angels cannot know only redeemed can praise, still Lord giving rest and hope beyond worry of seeing his face, keeping link unbroken to unite man to God and give power over Satan incomprehensible to selfishness.
Though divine he took human form and chose servant's low place without demanding honor or visible splendor, accepting rejection, suffering, poverty with nowhere to lay head, and that descent measures imperishable crown and heaven's praise, supreme example of humility and self-abnegation.
Though honored by heaven the Son truly entered lowly human life among sinful people to bear disgrace, serve, suffer and die, a real condescension displaying great love, giving up glory and joy to do good to rebels and give life for enemies before they loved him, in whom God became man to reconcile the world.
He humbled himself step by step even to cross to make atonement for guilty condemned humanity and lift from defilement, voluntarily passing through experiences without turning aside, amazing angels beyond description, descending to lowest to draw all, calling disciples from pride, selfishness and praise to humility and proportionate gratitude giving all capabilities.
Though Son of God he took servant nature and life of sorrow, poverty, rejection and suffering obedient unto shameful cross, refusing to remain honored in heaven or seek earthly honor, so through shame, poverty and suffering people may be made rich and escape deserved wrath and receive enduring eternal riches.
His divine status did not keep him from serving even lowest, with love leading him to leave glory for world of sin and suffering, his heart drawn to hardest hopeless fields, and those partaking most in going to needy are closest in fellowship.
His self-renouncing love is example to reject self-exaltation, serve and encourage others, endure suffering faithfully and put others first in devotion to saving, taking self-denial into daily treatment of one another, bearing wrongs without excusing by others' failures in humility and care.
He humbled himself to death renouncing glory had before world began so humanity might be saved, a model of disinterested love yielding precious for others' good, veiling eternal riches to live among fallen, accept poverty, mockery, insult and felon's death to redeem and elevate to purity, with tenderness pattern drawing by generosity.
He left heavenly glory to take human form humbling and accepting cross death as sacrifice bringing life and hope of being with him forever, cleansing from sin those leaving glory shared with Father to die on Calvary.
The verse reveals his mind in leaving glory to save people in danger, calling followers to set aside ease and give themselves to save others and labor earnestly and consecrate selves while they have time.
The verse reveals him laying aside glory for a time to save humanity, calling all believers not only ministers to put others first and work to rescue from death to truth, life and heaven, following steps in service and sharing joy of ransomed world.
The verse reveals him taking human nature with weakness, sharing lot of poor, oppressed and suffering, laying aside rank, becoming poor, veiling divinity and accepting weariness, hunger and thirst without using power for self because choosing to share lot as living sacrifice, like others except sin, demonstrating loyalty and helping tempted.
The verse reveals him laying aside glory and majesty so as not to frighten into feigned subjection, taking nature, becoming sin, fighting moral warfare in flesh, conquering and resisting unto death, rising because grave could not imprison Righteousness, and now as God-man pleading merits while pouring Spirit and sending heralds everywhere, aiming above all at death as expiation foreshadowed in type to destroy death's power and reveal God as love sweeping darkness.
The verse reveals him taking human nature and becoming leader, setting aside royal position to live in poverty and temptation without sin as example, so people might receive eternal riches, share divine nature, escape corruption and gain everlasting life, showing men may stand on vantage-ground keeping laws in love and be most exalted.
The verse reveals him humbling and obeying unto cross death in excruciating sacrifice, bearing sin and laying down life as ransom, making it possible for God to be just while justifying believers, surrendering former glory to declare righteousness, accepted only through faith in atonement.
The verse reveals him restraining power he could have used for self to endure having nowhere to sleep, hunger, homelessness, scorn and wounds, using power to provide for and heal others rather than for comfort or rescue, remaining conqueror in dying agony as pure example.
The verse reveals his death was not defeat but crowning triumph over darkness, followed by resurrection and ascension and the Father exalting him above every creature with highest name, a love moving unseen believers to joy and longing to see his face when he comes again.
The verse reveals his path to exaltation beginning with deep humility and obedience even to cross death, with cross before crown and way to rise in God being to sink in self and be emptied, purged and descending to uttermost to be filled and used.
The verse reveals depth of humiliation in coming down from glory, enduring Gethsemane and dying on cross, exposing pride and calling to humility rather than self-exaltation, to copy by putting away ambition, deceit, hatred and selfishness.
The verse reveals God's beloved holy Son taking human form, laying aside glory and stooping to die, with death under sin's burden bringing people near to God, coming from shared glory into sin and sorrow as wondrous love so people could come through him.
The verse reveals him leaving glory he had with Father and coming in lowliness even in manger, leading him to seek and save lost and lift even vilest to glory, paying price bringing possibility of eternal life, an example to deny self for others even giving up wanted things.
The verse reveals his descent reaching lowest depth at cross, with divinity clothed in humanity so he could represent God and bring moral power, with no farther self-denial possible, becoming poor and descending through sacrifice until cross.
The verse reveals the Majesty of heaven refusing to hold equality desirable while man was lost, stepping from throne, leaving crown and scepter, clothing divinity with humanity and humbling to cross death as complete infinite offering able to save to uttermost, reveal Father, reconcile, make new creature and exalt believers to his throne, a love too weak for words whose purpose is believers exalted with him.
The verse reveals him humbling to deliver from captivity, with death determined in heaven for world's sins and coming at cost of laying aside royal status, descending into death's world to break its power and free captives through resurrection.
The verse reveals his love through condescension and shameful death in leaving glory and enduring crown of thorns so people might receive eternal life, expressing principle contained in Ten Commandments, a life corresponding with God's life and matching righteousness, putting law's love, mercy and sacrifice into action in loyalty rather than turning.
The verse reveals his humility and self-denial without claiming due honor before Father pronounced blessing, with humility evident even in triumph as he honored relation to Father and government, against self-seeking blinding Pharisees and leaving disciples slow, against exalting self neglecting poor, refusing world's false glory offered by devil in obedience, humbling to honor humanity and giving life so receivers may share divine nature.
The verse reveals him humbling and accepting death in thinking of people before leaving throne and as Calvary drew near, bearing sins and guilt with care for each person so they can go free through mercy, dying on tree for each individually.
His self-giving is ground for serving and speaking faithfully in his name, buying lives and seeking lost, turning suffering into exaltation where every loss becomes gain.
The verse reveals that though divine he became truly human and humbled to lowest place, willingly enduring suffering, and his experience makes him sympathetic brother who even exalted still feels for people, exemplifying what men may become uniting weakness to strength, divine love near in pain.
The verse reveals his humiliation expresses divine majesty, and though crownless, poor, stripped and bleeding he was meek, and abasement did not end reign, for he is King in glory and intercedes there, his marred face keeping beauty and Calvary displaying glory surpassing heaven, crowning Word's work and revealing Father and Son as love.
The verse reveals he willingly left heaven and endured Calvary even though he knew people would reject love, and sacrifice was worth cost and love wins people, though misunderstood and apparently unsuccessful, burdened without seeing through tomb to resurrection and acceptance.
He left home of glory to come and die ignominious death, a sacrifice so great it cannot be comprehended, laying great debt on those died for that should have first place and move to self-denial, grounding call to show gratitude by giving to advance work, having lived homeless wanderer.
He who is Fountain of joy and Lord of glory became Man of sorrows covered with shame so people might be raised to happiness and glory, descending to cross so humanity could possess eternal riches, ennobling and subduing contemplators above temporary things, with meekness pattern for heirs.
Though sharing glory with Father, he gave up that glory to become one with race, and overcame defeating Satan and rising triumphant, buying eternal redemption through blood for those without hope, in mysterious conflict elevating to his throne.
Though pure and holy he willingly obeyed even to most shameful cruel death exposed to mockery, consenting to die in sinner's place so through obedience people could escape law's penalty, stepping lower feeling bitterness as no other though undefiled, made by whom world was sustained yet having no room, betrayed, denied, thorn-crowned, suspended as malefactor among transgressors counting sufferings small, crying It is finished in victory over darkness showing self-denial in Father and Son.
His humility and love in leaving glory, suffering mockery and dying for fallen humanity is measure of love people must cultivate for God and one another to be fit for kingdom where pure love reigns, an inconceivable love leaving bliss to suffer as substitute so God remains just while justifying, a meek life to follow by grace.
He laid aside royal position and descended to lowest depths, faced temptations and defeated enemy on every point, giving pattern of self-denial to put self aside and take his character, meeting temptations through strength from above.
He humbled himself and accepted death with shame, and his suffering is placed among olive trees with death on tree connected with cross.
He obeyed by dying to save sinners personally, and saving obedience requires faithfulness in return, so unfaithfulness should lead to zeal and repentance, and followers must bear cross and walk suffering path which though hard leads safely to God.
Though divine he descended into deepest humiliation, coming near to guilty people and becoming one with them so through grace they might attain perfection, willingly obeying unto shameful death paying ransom with love beyond measure, choosing to bear consequences to uphold law's honor.
His example means taking his name involves laying aside self-interest, serving others and following obedient self-sacrificing attitude, hiding self and showing only Lord to bear revilings without reviling, following meekness especially when tempted to rebel.
His condescension in taking human nature was part of redemption, displaying God's great love and wisdom behind grace and calling heart to gratitude and humble adoration, freeing from guilt to give best rather than live for self.
He humbled himself and became human so he could reach people where they were, and gave life as self-sacrificing example for salvation of souls, entering daily life to lift by being touched, drawing closest to needy and hopeless into fellowship.
The sinless Son humbled himself descending into depths to make expiation for condemned world, accepting insult, reproach, betrayal, denial and cross without turning aside from plan, enduring to shame until life-work accomplished though maker of world.
He humbled himself through human life and accepted death, yet rejected earthly kingship, enduring at end mock crown and robe rather than earthly crown, against self-seeking greatness, setting aside royal honor without display to share divine nature.
He left heavenly glory, took human nature and bore sentence pronounced in Eden, and humble birth and death reveal God's love and make his path one followers walk bearing crosses toward freedom from curse, coming from highest to lowest correcting expectation of earthly throne, fulfilling covenant and types as strongest evidence of Redeemer in victory not defeat.
He humbled himself by taking human form and willingly accepting death on behalf of sinful people, sharing burdens, bearing guilt and curse and dying in their place, followed by victory over death and life for them, demonstrating love, upholding righteousness and making forever life possible in triumphant resurrection.
He gave himself wholly to God in obedience, fulfilling every requirement and doing what sinners cannot do, and his righteousness is received by faith, while surrender patterns sinners yielding so he dwells in them, his blood as life given in their place justifying.
His humbling is example behind commands to prefer one another and esteem others better than self, showing respectful deportment and obedience to superiors in God's order admissible and necessary, rebuking pride and calling to serve without considering self too important.
He humbled himself setting aside glory not living to please himself but coming to seek and save lost, and self-surrender patterns serving others at personal cost, sharing disciples' poverty, denying self, bearing burdens and completing work paying redemption price without outward pomp.
God's Son came from heaven to live in lowliness and poverty, and though despised obeyed unto shameful death so others might live, entering obscure life without rank displaying self-humbling to death.
Though worshiped by angels he left royal position and took humanity, becoming poor to give enduring eternal riches rather than earthly wealth, clothing divinity with humanity to reach humanity, revealing mystery of godliness, and after crucifixion and resurrection ascending as elder brother to intercede as Advocate encircling race with human arm while grasping Infinite throne.
He left Father's kingdom, took human nature and humbled himself in poverty and suffering finally dying shamefully to purchase eternal life, showing followers should expect suffering and find joy in suffering as he did, becoming compassionate refuge for mourners seeking peace.
He humbled himself as man and obeyed through suffering to shameful death, and sinless law-keeping makes him example of obedience to follow, learning obedience through suffering unto holiness since sin is transgression.
He gave himself fully to save believers, accepting death for their sake, as example to risk even lives in missionary work for those he died to save, showing ease, gain or fear cannot justify refusing needed work, his mission so exalted Paul's is nothing beside it yet inspiring service, giving purpose connecting participants with heaven.
His complete humility means giving up self-will so God can use person for mission, and church needs this self-emptying to be prepared for service, exemplifying moral principles on which God's work stands secure so those depriving self and investing means sympathize with Christ and cooperate with angels.
He humbled himself by living as poor man and obeying even to death, giving up glory and doing good to rebels and enemies before they loved him, revealing divine love in God becoming man to reconcile world, a condescension expressing wonderful love whose extent only God knows, supreme expression leading from heaven to death.
His self-sacrifice reveals love shaping followers against self-exaltation, envy, strife and prominence.
The Eternal Son gave himself as infinite sacrifice, laying aside divine beauty and taking fallen flesh in purpose in beginning and in fact when conceived and born of woman, becoming promised Saviour and Conqueror of Satan, part of plan laid before sin to redeem.
His life and death best illustrate sacrifice through poverty, fatigue, dishonor and death, not given for display, arbitrary pride, useless rules, unnecessary suffering or diversion of higher intelligences, teaching spirit of sacrifice without demanding pointless hardship.
Though Lord of glory he humbled himself and obeyed even to death, and self-humbling dignifies service so true greatness is serving others, for service gave life for lost, making service and love measure of greatness.
He voluntarily offered himself to God as priest for sins, and though slayers crucified him he yielded life freely and blood was laid down as expiation; the verse does not mean the self-existent God died, but that God reconciled world through Son, whose willingness made atonement possible for forgiveness and justification, facing darkness alone in victory as substitute.
He humbled himself leaving heavenly home and communion with angels, giving himself into evil powers' hands and suffering mockery and cruel death out of infinite love so alienated people without hope could share home and glory, daily meeting taunts with no place to lay head and nails through hands to redeem from fading earth where Satan rules, a love proven by shaking earth, hidden sun and rent rocks calling for wholehearted pleasing of God.
He humbled himself taking fallen humanity, then freely suffering shame and cruel death devised by enemies to save sinners, and because Lawgiver and faithful his death could bear penalty, vindicate honor and show law cannot be set aside, leading redeemed to humble themselves and hate sin, a perfect infinitely valuable offering fulfilling law beyond Jewish sacrifices and giving access to God, an offering no creature could make displaying seriousness of sin.
He humbled himself taking humanity and accepting self-sacrifice to accomplish redemption, and willing sacrifice expresses love for Father and humanity, so cross is sign of salvation not discouragement and love leads followers to accept self-denial, making possible rising and reigning with him calling for praise and wholly given life.
He is greatest example both human and divine, Immanuel, who always did what pleased Father with law within heart, doing no sin in complete oneness speaking Father's words and works, whose obedience unto death makes him only safe example and whose outcome was exaltation to eternal glory, teaching meekness, love and obedience with miracles proving divinity through darkness, rent veil, earthquake and resurrection.
He humbled himself and obeyed even to death, and willing sacrifice served to bring world to believe, while holy life gives perfect example of duty for followers sharing work, calling to earnest labor, unselfish yielding, following footsteps at cost, investing self and means, and using means and influence.
His self-sacrificing life exemplifies moral principles securing God's work.
He humbled himself to save humanity from sin and give life, and death fulfilled purpose to save and through suffering raised humanity to divine, an eternal sacrifice continuing in human form yet Son of God, identifying with humanity from infancy to manhood and retaining humanity at God's right hand.
His wounds are symbols of faithfulness to right, and scars in hands and feet identify him as crucified Savior whose love redeemed them, coming in lowly birth to die for sinners.
He willingly obeyed even when obedience led to cruel death, and example calls for bravery to do right beginning now with his help, grounding commands to love one another and submit wills to divine authority, carrying out salvation displaying love and pity despite temptation.
The Son took humanity and came without display revealing divine character through words and works, confronting Satan, exposing misrepresentation and showing law reflects unchanging character, making transformation into divine image possible, living out law misrepresented under tradition to dispel darkness and remove rubbish men covered it with.
He is shown in lowly first coming in which he came to be judged, but will return as Exalted One to judge, and those who embrace him now, hold fast faith and keep commandments can long for return, coming again not lowly but as King of kings with angels after serving as High Priest pleading merits.
He truly shared human life wearing flesh, keeping watch, walking painful path and bearing burdens, and frailty brings people near, but connection will not remain in suffering for they will share heaven and wear raiment, rising in glorified yet material recognizable body still bearing marks.
He accomplished greater redemption than Moses because he obeyed perfectly and suffered shameful death, delivering from sin, Satan and divine justice and securing spiritual blessings, whereas Moses' temporal deliverance served as type leading through wilderness to heavenly Canaan, in humility like Moses and pattern of Christian spirit and meek example.
His humility, patience and meekness in obeying even to death for sin are example for believers as they endure trials and follow him, calling to deny self and share sufferings and resist temptation.
The Son who shared Father's glory truly humbled himself surrendering former glory and accepting abasement, and died to declare God's righteousness and make God just while justifying believers, punishing sin justly in Christ while mercifully treating sinners dying to sin as Christ deserves in harmony of justice and mercy.
He humbled himself for humanity in self-denial, and humiliation is example to acknowledge him as Saviour and Leader and choose his side rather than rebellion, teaching humility, subjection and value of souls reflected in self-denying work.
The eternal Word humbled himself accepting death, giving himself to redeem those desiring redemption and to reveal and vindicate God's character before universe, moved by love for Adam's descendants to take nature and elevate believers, sufficient for whole world though few accept.
The Son left heaven and came as human, and even as helpless babe faced choice between God's wisdom leading to life and satanic philosophy leading to death.
He humbled himself and entered trial to redeem humanity, devoting all powers to saving from sin without failing, to establish cross as means of reconciliation, coming to lowest place to reform and save people not institutions, valuing every damaged soul to raise race to heights attained.
He left Father's glory and died, calling believers to renounce all and give themselves fully to God, since earthly attachments may keep them from readiness when he comes, shaming selfishness by willingness for woe and cruel death.
He took mortal form and humbled himself to suffer and die, making him compassionate refuge for mourners seeking peace, sharing through cross in human sorrow and meeting people in need.
His humility and suffering culminated in death through which he destroyed devil's power and delivered those desiring freedom, and humiliation led to exaltation and glory, giving life to atone and save from death.
His humbling throughout human life culminating in crucifixion made him sure foundation of salvation, the Rock on which sinners can build for eternal life, resigning glory and tasting death to win life, fulfilling law so merits become theirs, giving strength not to grow weary.
His love for afflicted led him to leave glory, live self-denyingly and die to save humanity, as pattern and source of true benevolence, serving poorest unrecognized, healing and directing to Father and establishing brotherhood of every class and nation, strengthening humanity by prayer to bless amid opposition.
When most needed the Son laid aside divinity and came as God's representative and Light to live out law misrepresented under tradition, dispel darkness and remove rubbish men covered law with, distinct yet one with Father, laying aside robe and crown, obeying every law, meeting temptation with Word, passing ground all must tread pure as example opening way to partake divine nature in self-denying blessing.
The humiliation of heaven's Majesty in taking deteriorated nature stooped low without losing dignity, submitting to insult, mockery, being called prince of demons and tasting woe as man of sorrows to unmask Satan's claim, sympathize, enable partaking of divine nature and bring many sons to God, laying human pride in dust, giving fully amid agony, deprivation and hatred through personal labor to save.
His unselfishness devoted every motive to others' good, exchanging heaven's wealth for poverty, palace for stable, throne for manger, crown for thorns and adoration for scoffs, solely for others' good.
He humbled himself and obeyed through death, leaving glory, suffering in Gethsemane and under abuse and dying bearing guilt, as pattern and reason for denying selfish desires, not turning from manger-to-cross path but enduring full woe and penalty giving all.
Though in human form he humbled himself and obeyed even to death, making life pattern of true humility and of humility and service marking Christian life, teaching self must be conquered for self-seeking is contrary to cross.
He as King left glory, came in likeness of sinful flesh and died to save men, first as friendless stranger in manger, and in divine-human nature has since been High Priest pleading merits, and will come again not lowly but as King of kings, sharing triumph only by sharing humiliation and receiving benefits of death.
He left home and died so sinners could be forgiven, and self-giving love is reason to serve others and deny selfish desires.
He humbled himself and accepted death including being forsaken while bearing sins, and patience without retaliation but entrusting cause to Judge exemplifies endurance for sufferers under oppression, with lack of place to lay head and refusal to revile displaying humble spirit.
Though Lord and Creator he humbled himself to serve others, rebuking pride, jealousy and arrogance and calling followers to serve without considering themselves too important, stooping to tasks lower than expected with tenderness, patience and peace making service life's work.
He left throne and came to die with care for each person, bearing sin by willing death so people may go free, leaving glory and dying on tree for each individually so each may be free.
He left royal courts and died for salvation, and self-denying sacrifice calls for cheerful labor in weariness and pain in his cause instead of toil only for personal interests, against spending on pleasure while giving grudgingly to weak, giving up more than most precious earthly help as reason to give comforts so those not knowing God may hear.
He willingly humbled himself taking humanity and obeying even to death, demonstrating God's love and upholding righteousness, taking sinners' place to make eternal life possible, followed by triumphant resurrection, dying and rising for justification as Redeemer.
He humbled himself by taking humanity and obeying through death, experiencing sorrow and temptation so he can help tempted, and in cruel death bearing world's guilt and enduring hiding of Father's face, handed to wicked men hung as guilty sinner with bodily and mental agony.
He gave up position and entered human family by incarnation, redeeming Adam's failure, and victorious lifeblood sacrifice opens way to approach God and receive salvation by faith, passing over ground where Adam fell in perfect obedience placing race on vantage-ground.
He did not consider heaven desirable while humanity was lost, but left courts, exchanged riches for poverty and accepted shameful death so through poverty sinners might become rich and members of heavenly family, clothing divinity with humanity to reach humanity, a path followers tread ministering to wretched instead of counting lowly service humiliating.
He took human nature and humbled in obedient love accepting death, and willingness to bear sorrows reveals compassion calling followers to be slow to judge, pray and help, identifying with fallen humanity for those in misery and calling to share sympathy and work for good.
He obeyed Father by accepting shameful death, and followers must also bear cross and walk suffering path, which though hard leads safely to God, sharing suffering and self-denial to share glory, surrendering everything even to die if God wills as complete consecration.
He gave himself in obedience leading to death, resisting sin unto blood in Gethsemane and enduring Calvary where work was finished, proving loyal obedience belongs to true redemption and not to plans that make God overlook sin.
The Son became human as substitute, taking upon himself wrath through rejection, denial, insult, abuse and crucifixion, a mystery beyond finite understanding and central to atonement commemorated in Lord's Supper, suffering for sins the just for unjust.
He laid aside glory and died to redeem humanity, and those redeemed who remain loyal will be carried by angels into his presence at his coming into final separation from sorrow and union with all good, bringing hope where sacrifices pointed to him.
He humbled himself to lowest place to reform and save humanity, aiming to save people rather than institutions, valuing every damaged soul and seeking to raise race to heights attained, revealing in cross both how low he went and how high believers may be raised by being crucified with him.
He willingly humbled himself and accepted death to free people from sin and reproach, and though innocent took others' burden, exemplifying that members should bear wrongs in humility rather than excuse themselves by others' failures, submitting absolutely to divine will, bearing world's sins treated as sinner so sinful may be treated innocent in atonement.
The Majesty of heaven became fully human and humbled to human nature, being tempted as humanity is and rendering obedience required of human without unavailable power, showing people overcome as divine power works through humanity by faith, with victory through divine help despite severest conflicts providing example to follow through aid.
He left home and Father's throne alone for cursed earth and died, and why evil was allowed under Satan is not fully known now, but when he comes to reign, restore Eden and bind Satan forever reason will be seen and ways vindicated.
The verse shows what the name of Jesus stands for: self-emptying, self-denial and self-effacement so God could use him to save, so asking in his name means sharing surrendered spirit, and self-emptying fitted him for service, yielding wholly to do will so Jehovah becoming salvation made him Saviour filled with fullness, with exaltation giving name eternal saving power bringing healing from habits.
His humility reached shame and suffering enduring insults, betrayal, denial, thorns and cross though he made world, continuing until life-work accomplished.
His love for Adam's descendants led him to take human nature to elevate believers, and sacrifice was sufficient to save whole world though only few would accept it, ransoming from hell bringing pardon and love at cost of death.
He humbled himself taking humanity and accepting death, becoming poor not for worldly pleasure but so others might be made rich and follow self-denial, veiling dignity though having authority, with meekness to copy without attraction to pride.
He humbled himself taking humanity for salvation, and though familiar with heaven's honor remained within human limits and refused to use power to rescue himself from danger, enduring temptation on humanity's behalf, weakened unlike angels' glory yet obedient bearing hunger, suffering and contempt as representative in perfect faith, sharing work, sorrow and fatigue to understand hardships showing honest labor honorable.
His union of human and divine nature gives humanity power to follow teachings, with resistance to evil and service setting example of highest education, revealing self-denial at heart of Christian education and inspiring voluntary trusting obedience as sinless Son living as Son of Man faithful unto death.
He accepted human nature and humbled himself as sacrifice required to answer for transgression, because God could not lessen law's claims and only Son's life could make atonement, redeeming from curse at price measuring law's worth proving holy and just, vindicating law and magnifying it before universe with no indulgence for future sins for he saves from sin not in sin.
The verse presents him as divine yet temporarily deprived of full exercise of divine power, taking human form, humbling himself and obeying even to death.
He humbled himself coming as man and submitting to God's law as Substitute, Surety and example, pledging life for transgressors and living through every stage to show how to live during probation, counted as sinner with sins laid on him suffering penalty in place of guilty displaying love and glory.
He humbled himself by leaving dwelling and accepting suffering including thorns, nail-pierced hands and cross shame, meeting law's demands, making eternal life available through grace and calling for surrender and service, giving up all so forfeiters of life may inherit it.
He humbled himself and obeyed God even to death as example of humility and willing obedience marking reconciliation with God, displaying love and pity in steady obedience carrying out salvation.
His humbling to cross death came from mind in harmony with Father, submissive and delighting to do divine will, which is why he could lay aside glory and bless cursers, love haters and pray for abusers, hiding self and showing only Lord to bear revilings without reviling, entering death incurred to frustrate misrepresentation and display government, giving up all in entire submission which believers must join with little yielding to make work complete for life.
Though one with God as Creator adored by all he left glory to take servant form with privation and degrading death to save fallen man, a mystery unfallen worlds desire to understand, with broader purpose vindicating God's character before universe, an infinite sacrifice from transcendent glory through angels to sinful flesh declaring God hates sin but loves sinner, an object-lesson bearing marks eternally as evidence of Father and Son love for rebels.
The verse reveals an eternal pattern of cross running through life for God's sons, in being emptied and yielding breath as way to gain, with no gain except by loss, no life except by death and no glory except by bearing shame, yielding as true Seed to bring fruit becoming life-giving Spirit in once-for-all eternally effective sacrifice followed by exaltation.
His self-giving love in descending, enduring grief and giving himself in death makes it possible to rise from grave and reign with him, calling for praise, wholly given life and refusal to turn from grace, with infinite merits imputed by faith to reckon dead to sin and alive to God and exalted to save to uttermost.
His humility in becoming human though in God's form, taking servant form and obeying even to cross death is example believers follow by letting his mind shape actions and regarding others above themselves, hiding self and showing Lord obedient unto death with trust never disappointed, following meekness when tempted to harshness.
He stepped from heaven's purity into sin-tainted world of mockery, taking nature as it had become after deterioration rather than as Adam in Eden, enduring that woe to free mankind, bearing infirmities and degeneracy to reach fallen where he was and elevate from degradation.
He left heaven's majesty, riches and position to save fallen, receiving insult and abuse instead of worship, completing mission amid danger with angels sent to protect life until done, an infinite sin-atoning sacrifice giving immortal life bearing marks forever, harmonizing appreciators with heaven.
His humble obedience reveals depth of God's love in giving Son, and condescension from glory into trials, toil and death is supreme expression of matchless love for souls given to save even enemies, a love only God fully knows shaping followers against self-exaltation.
His unselfish work to save calls all believers to set aside self-interest and devote themselves to rescuing others from death and directing them to truth, life and heaven, following steps sharing joy of ransomed world, leaving safety and risking selves, constrained by same love even to lay down lives, revealing Spirit's power in darkest lands among heathen.
His willing humility included life of poverty so people might gain heavenly riches, and meek humble life is example to walk as he walked, laying aside glory to accept sorrow and grief.
Though holding heavenly glory he came as servant and gave life, calling followers to deny themselves, serve others and give of what they have for God's work, surrendering even life as example behind using means and influence.
His giving up heaven's riches in self-sacrifice for lost is standard for Christian giving, reflected as he dwells in people sharing self-giving spirit, with Heaven's liberality highest in cross giving up all then himself unto death appealing to benevolence to give freely for work and salvation rather than self-indulgence.
His harmony with Father's will led him to give up glory for servant's place, and humility set in human flesh an example whereby his mind enables people to live as he did and do will, revealing love shaping character against self-absorption and contrasting lowly Nazarene with earthly authority claims.
His descent from glory to crucifixion was ransom to rescue humanity, meant to move Christians from selfishness to serving and caring for others, buying by agonizing death.
His descent was undertaken to save humanity and destroy sin, and likeness enabled him to share brethren's trials while remaining without sin, entering conflict as soon as humanity joined Satan and fighting successfully, becoming nothing to bring final destruction so evil removed forever.
Though greatest he humbled himself rather than seeking honor, in contrast to pursuing wealth and power which encourages tyranny, so following example would prevent tyranny, against self-seeking blinding Pharisees, against exalting self neglecting poor, refusing false glory and humbling to honor humanity to share divine nature.
He chose to humble himself, giving scepter back to Father and leaving heaven's throne to bring light to darkness and life to perishing, as example to help and comfort others, and those leaving wealth and ease to minister to poor, sick and sinful in neglected places are lineal descendants gathering jewels.
He fully surrendered himself to Father, emptied of self and gave body in obedience, as example that believers surrendering to God and trusting power can gain victory, giving up all in submission paying part of price joined with great sacrifice for life.
His leaving glory and suffering for unjust was great sacrifice, and what salvation cost universe to make men partakers of divine nature calls for contemplating self-denial, pledging perfect life from infancy with world at stake in unceasing ministry giving comfort and power undrawn away, leaving courts and dying to save.
His humbling included agony as sins of whole world were laid upon him, and great sacrifice exposes how little those died to save are willing to suffer for truth, risking reputation a hundredfold more than daily mortification to bring salvation within reach and make weak man stepping-stone to lift fellows.
The spirit of Heaven is liberality with highest manifestation in sacrifice, giving up all and then himself unto death, appealing to every follower's benevolence to give freely for God's work rather than self-indulgence, modeling Christian character and giving calling to unselfish generous service, carrying work forward in same self-denial with full purpose in all done and spent, transforming lovers into likeness.
He humbled himself even to death, the lowest possible point where he contacts us, death being lowest depth and sum of all evils, proving he takes every ill possible to us and making salvation sure through union with him, descending to share lowest condition to suffer with lowest and lift every trusting soul to righteousness and life.
His death at Calvary was act of love for lost race, shedding blood to make atonement, magnify God's law and make eternal life possible, calling people to turn from sin and honor him, leaving heaven to suffer and die as personal act offering cleansing and robe of righteousness.
He who was Commander of all heaven laid aside robe and crown and came in human nature because race was helpless, making it possible for humanity to be united to his divinity, becoming poor so people could possess eternal treasure, uniting divinity and humanity so through laying hold of divinity people are saved and partake divine nature, descending step by step to cross to draw all calling for gratitude giving all powers.
His self-sacrifice in suffering and death to rescue sinners from grave calls forth grateful love, faithful service and willingness to bear reproach for him, rescuing from hell bringing pardon and love calling to give life and years even when service brings suffering.
The verse shows his humility in taking servant form and doing servant's work crowningly shown in washing feet, teaching true greatness is loving service rather than status or demanded respect, calling to humble service bringing home depth of abasement.
The verse shows his humility meant not grasping after worldly gains but choosing to do Father's will, giving time and energy to work pleasing to Father and laying up treasure in heaven, presenting well-ordered life devoted to purpose and wisest investment, with converted governed by love not fear refraining from harm because not desiring it.
The verse shows he took human nature and faced temptation and suffering even to death without yielding or complaining, and death reveals God's love and removes enmity to reconcile people, not to appease anger, submitting to established order countering opposition and removing natural enmity as pattern of loyalty.
The verse shows humbling out of love for people who had not sought him, making salvation and eternal life free gift not purchased by human deeds, and willing obedience proves salvation is by grace purchased through blood, human obedience unable to repay sin.
The verse shows complete surrender in human form in obedience to death for salvation, leaving tempter no foothold and making saving work successful, refusing to compromise even to escape crucifixion or gain world by worshiping Satan.
The verse means full deity dwelt bodily in him while doing good, so humbling was death of God incarnate, for which darkened sun, torn rocks and shaking earth were fitting, leaving Father's beautiful home to live amid sin with no place to lay head and nails through hands to redeem to glorious home, costing Father struggle consenting only because loving rebels as only way.
The verse shows setting aside greatness to live among sinful people sharing burdens, dying in their place with guilt laid on him, and winning life and light through death and resurrection.
The verse shows true dignity in humility, teaching genuine honor comes through humble character and obedience rather than position or enforced deference, and eminence does not entitle to precedence but honor is offered through courtesy not demanded.
The verse shows willing humbling and obedience as self-sacrificing provision for sinners unable to save themselves, the sinless bearing deserved penalty so they are counted blameless and triumph over death, with infinite merits imputed by faith.
The verse shows laying aside kingly position and clothing divinity with humanity as representative, substitute and surety to disprove Satan's claim that humanity was his forever and God could not reclaim it, taking ordinary features without unusual beauty, challenging rule at cost of love.
The verse shows laying aside glory and uniting humanity and divinity to become head of fallen race so people can be fully restored to God's image, bridging gulf to unite power with weakness to overcome appetite and stand victorious, staying in world yet not of it to succor tempted as example in unselfish work.
The verse shows humility and self-forgetfulness in leaving heaven to come to world of misery and death out of compassion for weak and erring, leaving peace to enter strife with pity free from selfishness as ideal love.
The verse shows yielding will and accepting suffering in obedience, and following him means renouncing self-will, serving him by serving those for whom he died and willingly giving him all, hiding self and showing Lord obedient unto death with trust never disappointed, following meekness when tempted to harshness.
The verse shows the Son in human form obeying to death to redeem humanity from death due to disobedience and to refute Satan's claim that God's law could not be kept, showing law changeless and eternal, facing ground where Adam fell without sin to disprove claim, redeem failure and work out perfect character.
The verse shows the condescension of the Prince of heaven stepping down, laying aside robe and crown and clothing divinity with humanity to become divine Teacher living free from selfishness as example of what people may become through grace, truly living aware of needs using human powers for good while drawing on divine power in mercy and healing displaying how Father would act.
The verse shows humility in taking human life with poverty and suffering to save sinners, coming as babe though he could have come with angels, making sharing divine nature possible and opening eternal riches, with lowly stable birth reflecting leaving throne to face unknown world.
The verse shows coming from heavenly home and dying for humanity, and self-giving love is reason to serve others and deny selfish desires, laying aside glory, honor and riches in sacrifice, toil and unselfish care as example to copy in selfless work for salvation.
The verse shows laying aside glory, taking human form and humbling in obedience even to death under sin's curse, patterning life of service and hardship calling followers to self-denial, willing service and consecrating abilities to God, carrying out will, turning from selfish interests, giving self in personal service to poor, serving message, and offering selves in saving work.
The verse shows humbling in obedience through death to save fallen humanity though he had high command and was worshiped by angels, coming to sin-marred world to suffer for unjust so people might share glory hereafter, becoming servant without reservation to accursed pagan emblem among criminals so humanity may live and associate with angels beyond comparison.
The verse shows becoming man as example of using brief life well, and because disobedience brought short life he used few years to make most of time and abilities.
The verse shows taking human nature to come near sinful humanity while in divine nature one with Father, coming down to lowest condition to lift people to God as living Saviour present with each soul, encircling race with human arm while grasping Infinite throne, born of humble parentage in obscurity and poverty revealing God as love sweeping darkness, meeting need giving water seeking willing cooperation and offering pardon and new creation.
The verse shows humbling to become human and die for sinners, bearing suffering to bring people to himself and standing at head of humanity as sin-bearing and sin-pardoning Saviour whose union of natures makes overcoming possible, revealing condescending love marvelous in saving any by grace.
The verse shows humility in coming as child and enduring temptation from childhood to manhood, carrying out sacrifice without failure to secure salvation and win victory received by faith, through whom humanity may lay hold of divinity and escape corruption, understanding children to help them become obedient, truthful and resolute.
The verse shows extent of humble obedience in coming from heaven's throne, leaving royal throne for world damaged by curse, to die on cross and make salvation possible, condescending as human obedient for sinners, leaving honor to meet need giving water seeking cooperation, living out law to redeem to integrity, leaving safety calling others to risk, clothing divinity to live among people.
The verse shows humbling and enduring suffering, grief, rejection and opposition even to death for ungrateful humanity, giving far more than money and setting example of costly compassionate service, leaving home to endure opposition on Calvary in self-denial, feeling rejection keenly as higher and holier.
The verse shows profound self-sacrifice in obeying even to death, including accepting misunderstanding, neglect, abuse and ingratitude without demanding appreciation, and calling for same spirit, bearing wrongs in humility rather than excusing by others' failures.
The verse shows taking mortal nature, humbling and remaining obedient even to death with victory through divine help despite conflicts more severe than any other's, providing example people may follow through divine aid, taking hold of divine strength with only human strength to overcome.
The verse shows living in low condition and humbling to die shamefully on accursed tree of Calvary, a little hill that touches heaven where mercy and truth meet, foolishness to reason yet only place of salvation.
The verse shows humbling and accepting shameful death for both capitalist and laborer, calling them to meet in reconciliation, treat each other by golden rule and worship Saviour.
The verse shows remaining in accepted humility and bearing humanity until giving life as voluntary crowning sacrifice of mission to save fallen world, to be lasting subject of deep thought, drawing attention through public events to recognize Messiah through prophecies, giving all voluntarily with sense of duty obligatory though touched by infirmities.
The verse shows humbling and giving up what he possessed to rescue fallen humanity, driven by desire to save others rather than himself, leaving purity from one pure motive with no selfish thirst for pleasure, fame, treasure or exaltation, seeing need when none could save and bearing sins and wages with thorns and shame so all may live.
The verse shows humbling by taking frail human nature and accepting suffering, shame and death as cost of rescuing humanity, entering tomb and rising victorious as first fruits in recognizable glorified body still bearing marks.
The verse shows humbling by taking human nature and standing where fallen humanity stood with liabilities, where victory required meeting and conquering tempter rather than being incapable of failure, to sympathize and rescue so victory can be theirs by faith, rendering required obedience without unavailable power as divine power works through humanity.
The verse shows humbling to take humanity's place and undergo test Adam failed, standing where Adam stood as surety amid affliction and overcoming through obedience, so righteousness can be imputed and open way to overcome through him, enduring scorn in place where Adam fell, facing tempter on Adam's ground as voluntary offering, keeping will in harmony with free will that could have yielded.
The verse shows humbling and giving life for salvation, leaving heavenly home, enduring weariness and shedding blood to ransom from death and rescue from hell, calling people to give themselves to him, leaving exalted glory to pay ransom and be propitiation for every soul.
The verse shows willing humbling and obedience even to death, and through cross he shares in human sorrow and meets people in need, exemplifying what men may become uniting weakness to strength and stooping in love near in pain.
The verse shows humbling by becoming human and obeying even to death after coming from shared glory into sinful world of sorrow, as wondrous love so people could come to God through him.
The verse shows the Son humbling by taking humanity and accepting death under law as representative bearing condemnation even to cross, without ceasing to be divine but laying aside prerogatives to experience weakness and help tempted.
The verse shows wondrous humiliation of eternal Son, eternal Jehovah, King of Glory and Creator and Upholder, in becoming Son of Man in weak sinful flesh to lift man from sin and death, stooping from height to enfold humanity laying life on altar to mend broken life and restore from death to life as Redeemer and Lord.
The verse shows humility and obedience in taking human form and accepting death, reflected in how suffering can humble and refine people, restrain selfishness and deepen sympathy to meet others' needs in Savior's character.
The verse shows self-sacrifice in giving life to elevate fallen humanity, and willing obedience even to death is pattern of pure self-sacrifice for Christians to give freely for others, giving himself as pattern for unselfish giving called for by salvation.
The verse shows leaving heavenly glory, taking human form and choosing obedient death as sacrifice necessary to atone for sin, with which no earthly wealth or pleasure can compare, enduring sorrow and pain as price buying us.
The verse shows the Son humbling by coming in humanity and shedding blood, and he alone could redeem and satisfy insulted justice, while human mercy cannot accomplish redemption though helping through generosity.
The verse shows deep condescension in willingly leaving glory to become poor and despised, enduring sorrow, spitting, scourging and crucifixion to die for rebels, paying penalty and coming close through personal labor to save, enduring privation and insults to redeem, stepping down as Commander laying aside robe and crown for those despising truth and enduring trial at hands of adversaries made so by love.
The verse shows humbling in human nature and obeying through death, coming to face God's test in perfect obedience that teaches people may obey, and when sins were laid on him he was counted among sinners as substitute treated as sinners deserve with curse falling on him, putting himself in condition of saved to suffer penalty displaying love and glory.
The verse shows humbling by taking humanity and coming to confront darkness, laying aside crown and clothing divinity with humanity to restrain Satan's power, in mysterious conflict defeating darkness to elevate to throne.
The verse shows humbling to save fallen people by giving up glory, coming to earth and dying for rebels who broke commandments, drinking suffering and offering blessing in its place, bearing bitter cup while offering salvation to raise to kingdom.
The verse shows self-sacrificing love in giving himself for salvation, with cross revealing heaven's liberality and calling followers to benevolence, good works and reflecting character, giving up all then himself appealing to give freely for work rather than self-indulgence.
The verse shows leaving radiant home to seek and save sinners, traveling lonely road of sorrow bearing sin's load, receiving cross of shame and lying in borrowed grave, pleading for weary heart to open to free, cleanse and give gain proving deep love.
The verse shows the Son, distinct yet one with Father, coming in human form, laying aside robe and crown, humbling to obey every law, meeting temptation with Word, passing over ground all must tread pure as example, and opening way to partake divine nature in self-denying blessing by word and work.
The verse shows taking humanity and humbling in life of service and shameful death, paying price to redeem every soul and uplift fallen, while humility rebukes self-seeking and teaches law's character.
The verse shows the Son humbling to take humanity's place and die for sinners, revealing condescending love that seeks to save debased people and raise them to immortal life, marvelous in saving anyone by grace.
The verse shows humility and obedience unto death as pattern of self-sacrifice whose spirit accepted through God's power can change desires to make self-sacrifice ruling principle where laws cannot.
The verse shows humbling by laying aside royal glory and stepping down from high command to redeem humanity, living in poverty that shows earthly rank has no value and made him approachable to every station.
The verse shows humbling to come from heaven to serve fallen humanity after pledging before world was made to give life as ransom if people turned, offering glory to those returning to loyalty, and coming did not abolish law but lived it perfectly to show it could be obeyed.
The verse shows humbling in human flesh and surrendering so Father could be revealed, descending to death and enduring every trial to reveal God's character through suffering, with tested character becoming sure foundation of everlasting righteousness and refuge, establishing righteousness and exalting conqueror, patterning believers making no reputation.
The verse presents acceptance of human nature and life among people as pattern brought near for imitation, with humility and obedience expressed in universal charity, practical care for body and soul and mercy toward needy.
The verse shows the Lord of glory willing to resign all glory and taste death to win life for others, fulfilling law for sinners so merits become theirs, and believers should look to him and draw strength so as not to grow weary, wearing yoke of restraint esteeming others better without strife, following footsteps enduring contradiction.
The verse shows giving own life to save sinners in obedience even to death, with blood as life given in their place, and through that life sinners are justified, with infinite merits imputed by faith to reckon dead to sin and alive to God and exalted to save to uttermost.
The verse shows the Son of Man leaving glorious home to win men to God, and those who leave wealth and ease to minister to poor, sick and sinful in neglected places are lineal descendants gathering jewels for crown, leaving safety at call and constrained by same love even to lay down lives revealing Spirit's power among heathen.
The verse shows humility and self-giving love: though adored in heaven he laid aside glory, took humanity, lived in poverty as homeless wanderer and gave himself for salvation, showing love that makes redemption possible and setting unselfish example calling to submit and sacrifice, grounding call to gratitude in giving.
The verse shows he who was God manifest in flesh walked among men for thirty-three years as light of every person, enduring rejection and crucifixion by pagan Rome through Herod and Pilate instigated to inflict most shameful death to put out name, defeated by resurrection to God's right hand, and contemplation ennobles, subdues and lifts mind above temporary things with meekness pattern for heirs.
The verse shows his readiness to leave heaven and come to earth for humanity, in contrast to human reluctance to rise toward him.
The verse shows he who was equal with God offered life on Calvary to save transgressor from ruin, and human family as transgressors are hopelessly ruined under law's penalty without strength to do good, but convicted sinner is not left in hopeless distress, shaming selfishness by woe and cruel death showing no required sacrifice too great.
The verse shows he left realms of glory for sinners and lived spotless life, and life is standard to compare Christian lives with in light of judgment, so fasting and praying over pride cannot be called hard.
The verse shows his humility in leaving heaven's glory for earthly lowliness, reflected in John's willingness to decrease so Christ might increase.
The verse shows he humbled himself and obeyed even to death to seek and save lost, and life is example for living among unbelievers without adopting world's pleasures and remaining faithfully at difficult post to witness by character.
The verse shows his selfless love in leaving heaven's peace to enter world of strife with pity free from selfishness as ideal love.
The verse shows he willingly accepted taking human nature as representative and Redeemer, and though appearance was weakened unlike angels' glory remained obedient to divine plan, bearing hunger, suffering and contempt without using power to relieve trials or prove divinity but enduring as man in perfect faith.
The verse shows him as Prince of heaven and glory who became man and was crucified, taking shame and bleeding on Calvary for human trespasses.
The verse shows he shared human life and trod man's way, giving assurance that he can guide people and providing pattern for heart and mind, humbling obedient to death.
The verse exemplifies moral principles on which work for God stands secure, and those who give up selfish interests and practice self-denial to build up God's work sympathize with Christ and cooperate with angels.
He humbled himself and became obedient to death in order to lift humanity up, becoming one with people and not passing poor with haughtiness, so divine love is present in lowliest places lifting humble.
He stooped to take human nature and enter fallen condition to lift humanity toward original purity, entering conflict as soon as humanity joined Satan and fighting successfully, and becoming nothing was to bring final destruction of sin so evil will be removed forever.
He voluntarily humbled himself to die for rebellious race, leaving glory, taking fallen humanity and suffering shame, pain and death, and obedience was offering no creature could make, for as Creator and Lawgiver he had dignity to vindicate law by bearing penalty, a perfect infinitely valuable offering fulfilling law beyond sacrifices giving access to God, displaying seriousness leading redeemed to humility.
Though found in human form he did not exalt himself, and humble manner stands against self-seeking and desire for greatness which blinded Pharisees and left disciples slow, and against exalting self and neglecting poor, with true glory in self-emptying refusing world's false glory, humbling to honor humanity and giving life to share divine nature.
Though Creator he profoundly humbled himself in submission to Father and became human being, even condescending to become babe in embryo, an immeasurable act whose significance will unfold through eternity, a change from immortal glory to mortality that is great mystery.
His path of humiliation in accepting suffering and death is pattern of complete consecration for followers, who share suffering, must be willing to surrender everything and even die if God wills, and those who share humiliation will share glory.
His self-denial stands in contrast to spending wealth on personal pleasure while giving grudgingly to weak; he gave up more for us than most precious earthly help we can give, reason to give up comforts so those who do not know God may hear.
He once wore human form and painfully bore dark cross with strength giving way beneath burden, and because he truly shared weakness and endured cross he can be appealed to for help and sustaining strength by those shrinking from trials, knowing suffering beneath lighter burdens.
His sacrifice was voluntary and complete, giving all even life, and sense of duty held him to accept lowest humiliation and go obediently to death, an obedience necessary and obligatory, while touched by human infirmities.
His humble willing self-giving as sinless Son living as Son of Man amid sin expresses love in service faithful even unto death, revealing self-denial at heart of Christian education and inspiring voluntary trusting obedience, giving himself as pattern resisting evil while laboring for others.
His descent from heaven exemplifies what human beings may become when they unite weakness to his strength, for divine love stooped to share suffering while remaining near to people in pain.
The verse teaches that he was preexistent and divine, equal with Father with creative power, and that he humbled himself by taking human nature in likeness of sinful flesh, clothing divinity with humanity, giving life to display glory in human happiness in pure benevolence and revealing glory through happiness as pattern for loving service, retaining humanity as substitute and intercessor with all power to complete redemption, making ordinary work worthy as he walks with helpers.
The verse teaches that in becoming man he left heaven including honor, glory, majesty, riches, courts, throne, high command and power, to come to earth to live, toil, suffer and save humanity, even poor heathen, meeting need giving water seeking cooperation, living out law to integrity, leaving safety calling to risk, preserved by angels until mission done then dying by those came to save, bringing healing and new creation to graspers, constraining missionaries to face trials even to lay down lives.
The verse teaches that his humiliation was willing obedience and entire submission to God's holy will, committing himself to God and letting Father's will be done, hiding self and showing only Lord, making eternal life possible through faith and obedience, entering death to frustrate misrepresentation and display government, giving up all which believers must join to make work complete for life, following meekness when tempted to harshness.
The verse teaches that he rose again free and justified from those sins, needing no justification for himself, and that death is acceptable before law in place of sinner's death, with infinite merits imputed to all who claim it by faith.
The verse teaches that because of that obedient death he was exalted to judge, to give repentance and forgiveness and to save to uttermost, and that he has not laid aside human nature but retains it as substitute and living intercessor with all power given him to complete redemption, identifying from infancy to manhood and remaining man Christ Jesus.
The verse teaches that his condescension is supreme expression of God's wonderful love for souls, whose full extent only God knows, given to save even enemies, and that appreciating it brings harmony with heaven, leaving majesty amid insult to preserve life until mission done then dying by beneficiaries, supreme expression leading from heaven to death shaping followers against self-exaltation.
The verse teaches that he descended even to death sharing lowest human condition so he could suffer with lowest and lift every soul who trusts in him to eternal righteousness and life.
The verse teaches that his selfless loyalty displayed principles of God's government and frustrated Satan's attempt to misrepresent God, and that he took human nature and gave life to display God's glory in human happiness in pure benevolence, living out law to redeem to integrity and providing pattern for loving sacrifice.
The verse teaches that his example calls followers to take up cross, doing willingly what goes against inclination with wholehearted service rather than spare-time service, putting God's service before comfort even at hardship and cost, making sacrifice necessary part of representing him.
The verse teaches that his humble life makes ordinary work done according to God's will worthy of service alongside him, for he walks with and helps followers in daily tasks, accepting humble burdens as common laborer without easing toil to understand hardships showing honest labor honorable and dignifying useful labor.
The verse teaches that his self-humbling obedience is the Master's example of utter unselfishness and that those who follow it will spend eternity in his presence when selfishness is gone and earth is restored.
He is Jehovah's elect servant from heaven foretold in Isaiah 42, God's earthly representative sent to fulfill heaven's eternal purpose in redeeming lost, and Jehovah the eternal Creator reigning over orbs who stooped to lay life on sacrificial altar to mend broken life and restore men from death to life.
His taking human form supports that God has personal form and is not without body or parts, while he remained express image of Father, and he who is personal revelation and sustains all things was nailed to cross for us.
The Son of eternal God offered to empty himself and place himself among creatures as God's remedy for sin to meet destruction caused by Lucifer's decision to exalt himself, in contrast to Satan who would ruin universe to gain supremacy, giving himself in self-emptying love to help hopeless so none choosing life need be lost and grace abounds demonstrating God good.
His humiliation and death were part of work to save sinners and bring them to complete glory, and his death, unlike Mary's or any other's, is means relieving people from penalty of broken law.
His spirit of sacrifice in leaving heaven to elevate humanity especially characterizes his ministry and sets pattern for those who teach his religion, and humiliation is pattern for serving without pursuing fame or leaving reward to God, exemplifying self-denial, temperance and patience whose lack shows not sharing his spirit.
The infinite sacrifice by which God tells his love is that the Son left transcendent glory, came down through ranks of angels and became partaker of sinful flesh, and from manger to cross to exaltation his life declares God hates sin but loves sinner.
His humiliation was an object-lesson of everlasting love, and even to eternity he will bear its marks as everlasting evidence of inseparable love of Father and Son for rebels.
His death was sacrifice unlike any human can make, revealing immeasurable love, in that though equal with God he laid aside glory to become flesh and die for fallen humanity.
The verse is connected with joy of belonging wholly to Christ, in that obedience and holy subjection are delight while serving self brings continual trouble.
The verse calls people to humble themselves before Lord and serve him in return for service and gift of life, and to follow footsteps accepting cost of gospel, showing worth of salvation.
His selfless humility sets aside self-interest and gives life for others, not for recognition; he alone can purify heart from pride, and those who live in him are transformed, corrected in motives and enabled to become less so others may become more, putting selfish self aside so true self appears, with meekness and patience putting away resentment.
He left home of glory to come to dark world, making it exalted privilege for followers to leave home and native land at great cost to carry work to distant fields, and leaving Father's throne calls others to leave safety and risk themselves for humanity, constraining missionaries to face trials even to lay down lives revealing Spirit's power.
He left courts of glory and gave himself to toil, suffering and death to redeem lost humanity, and self-giving is example for Christian service, calling followers to offer themselves and seek and save lost in loving self-sacrifice, leaving glory to give life in love, taking weakness obedient to death.
He left royal throne, clothed divinity with humanity, and humbled himself to bridge gulf sin made and unite divine power with human weakness, so people could be restored, regain favor, receive eternal life and overcome perverted appetite as victors, enduring deepest pain as example showing followers may overcome, staying in world to work for good and succor tempted as example in unselfish work.
He is self-denying and all-loving, and purposes are model for Christian character and giving; loving him and depending wholly on him transforms person into likeness in unselfish generous service, carrying work forward in same self-denial with full purpose in all done and spent, contemplating and copying character.
He humbled himself by taking fallen nature and dying in agony to restore what was lost, submitting willingly despite right and power to defend himself; self-emptying was humble subjection of will, opposite asserting rights, teaching modesty in asserting rights and willingness to yield, strange to proud mind refusing subject will even to receive forgiveness.
He truly became human, took humble place in weakness, and humbled himself in shame, suffering and obedience even to death to unite humanity with divinity and save from sin; he glorified Lord through life and saved children through death, taking nature obedient for redemption, coming in weakness and obeying for gift of salvation recalling suffering.
He took likeness of humanity and as Son of man humbled himself yielding up life as true Seed necessary to bring forth fruit; through death he became life-giving Spirit, his sacrifice made once for all and eternally effective, followed by exaltation and name above every name.
He willingly humbled himself as sinless to suffer indignity, abuse and shameful death at great cost, expressing love for lost and height of God's eternal love; burden and guilt at Calvary lie on human sins, not on those who cried out or nailed him, becoming human without sin to suffer painful shame as cost of gift for sinners.
He is first great Missionary whose love brought him from heaven; though royalty he laid aside robes, scepter and diadem and came into dark earth to rescue rebels at great cost, calling church to reciprocate with zeal and devotion especially in homelands and foreign fields with divine enthusiasm.
His taking humanity meant giving up form of God, he remains in human form forever, and marks of crucifixion remain on him through all eternity, humbling obedient to death.
His perfect obedience to Father fulfilled righteousness of law and made him righteousness for humanity, and through him sinful people are made righteousness of God, taking nature and suffering death.
He humbled himself by coming from glory to earth and suffering and dying for rebellious humanity as sacrifice for each person, making him pattern to follow and strengthening believers to serve and endure hardship.
His condescension in taking human nature was part of plan of redemption, displaying God's great love and divine wisdom behind mystery of grace.
He stepped lower and lower from highest exaltation in humiliation to bear insult and contempt, feeling its bitterness as no other being could though pure, and though he made world there was no room for him until work was done, betrayed, denied, mocked, thorn-crowned and bearing cross as criminal suspended as malefactor counting sufferings small crying It is finished in victory showing self-denial in Father and Son.
He humbled himself by laying aside glory and yielding will to Father's will, with whole being consecrated to doing Father's will and no place for self-seeking, which is pattern for fruit-bearing Christian abiding in him.
His life is highest example of unselfishness and humility as self-forgetfulness in giving up all for others, teaching that forgetting self comes from certainty of God dwelling in heart and enables every needed sacrifice, so unselfish souls bless world.
He accepted human nature and worked as common laborer without using divine power to ease toil, and by sharing work, sorrow and fatigue he understands hardships, showing honest labor is honorable and dignifying useful labor, living in peasant home wearing coarse garments unrecognized with angels attending, honoring toil with footprints teaching industrious duty.
The verse is reflected in his leaving heavenly courts in pity to lead wanderer back to fold, so redeemed belong to him and should give whole lives in willing service, and in confession that he was willing to leave all and suffer for others.
The verse shows his greatness in facing death through self-forgetting love, triumphing over suffering not with stoic coldness but by giving himself for others.
The verse means he came from highest place to lowest place that could be occupied, correcting false expectation of Messiah taking earthly throne and kingly power according to human desires, with lowliness and dying as apportioned cup fulfilling covenant and types as strongest evidence of Redeemer in victory.
The verse shows he laid aside riches, glory, honor and worship of angels to come to world darkened by sin, though he might have remained as King, becoming servant to lift sinners, lead them to God and learn to be merciful high priest, in hardship going city to city helping needy then persecuted, thorn-crowned, scourged and nailed giving life, moving unseen lovers to joy and longing to see face at coming.
The verse shows his selfless mind in coming not to please himself, and those converted with this mind are governed by love rather than fear, refraining from harm because they do not desire it.
The verse shows he left heaven, came to human world and humbled himself to suffer and die as personal act of love offering cleansing and robe of righteousness.
The verse shows he identified himself with fallen humanity and death was for those in misery and need, calling Christians to share sympathy and work for people's good.
The verse shows his willing obedience and sacrifice prove salvation is by grace purchased through blood, and human obedience cannot repay life of sin, descending to shameful death to save.
The verse shows he left exalted position and royal glory to pay ransom and be propitiation for sin to save every soul.
The verse shows that though Son of God through whom all things were created, he did not live for himself, with humility and self-giving marking life.
The verse shows he bore sins of world and endured suffering and shameful death so sinful people might have eternal life, a great sacrifice for them.
The verse shows his humility began in lowly birth and marked unselfish life of loving service, bearing shame and suffering, with death paying sinners' debt, obeying even to cross.
The verse shows his humiliation in taking human flesh into vital union with divinity, passing over ground where Adam fell and enduring test first parents failed, tempted in every point yet without sin, vindicating as Creator and Sinai proclaimer right to pardon.
The verse shows his self-sacrificing life among poorest, needy and suffering, unrecognized and unhonored, serving, healing and directing people to Father, establishing religion where every class and nation are brothers and equal before God, strengthening humanity through daily prayer to bless amid temptation.
The verse shows that after crucifixion and resurrection he ascended as elder brother to intercede, standing before Father as Advocate and propitiation for every repentant one, encircling race with human arm while grasping Infinite throne with divine arm, laying aside robe and crown to stand at head buying each with infinite price even for one alone.
The verse points to his death as death of shame for sinful people, through whom risen Savior offers hope and pardon.
The verse shows he stepped down as Commander of heavenly host, laying aside robe and crown and clothing divinity with humanity, for those who despised and rejected truth, enduring trial and crucifixion at hands of impenitent blinded Jews for whom love made them adversaries.
The verse shows his human life displayed how Father would act, truly living as man aware of needs and using human powers for good while also drawing on divine power in mercy and healing, setting example to reflect character by receiving Spirit.
The verse shows his inconceivable love in voluntarily leaving heaven's bliss to become sorrowful man and suffer as substitute so God can remain just while justifying believers, and humble obedience is meek life believers follow by grace.
His death involved divinity as well as humanity, so offering was not merely human, and manner of being was changed through omnipotent power while retaining divinity, concerning same pre-existent Word with God become flesh, taking nature subject to death leaving glory united in one person.
He humbled himself and obeyed Father even to death on cross, and example means taking Son's name involves laying aside self-interest and serving others.
His humiliation and death on cross reveal glory rather than diminish it, for though face was marred beauty and divine character remained and going to Calvary displayed glory surpassing heaven's splendor, revealing that both Father and Son are love.
His descent from glory and equality was undertaken to save humanity and destroy sin, and human likeness enabled him to share brethren's trials while remaining without sin.
He died for humanity, and suffering was greater than suffering of his followers, humbling in human form obedient unto death.
The verse teaches that remission through death does not give license to continue sinning, but calls for turning from sin and living for God, for he saves from sin and not in sin, and eternal life is made possible through faith and obedience, entering death to bring lost life within reach and frustrate misrepresentation displaying government, bearing marks forever harmonizing appreciators, honoring and vindicating law showing claims cannot be set aside, offering life only through accepting him else extinction.
The verse teaches that letting mind of Christ be in believers causes them to do as he did, hiding self and showing only Lord and being obedient unto death, so with Christ in them trust will never be disappointed, following meekness when tempted to harshness.
The verse teaches that he risked reputation and endured hundredfold more humiliation than believer's daily mortification that costs reputation, in amazing condescension to bring salvation within reach and make weak man stepping-stone to lift fellows, therefore becoming partaker of shame and overcoming faults rather than mastered.
The verse teaches that believers must give up all in entire submission to God's holy will even as he did to make work complete, thus paying part of great price, with little yielding joined with great sacrifice.
The verse teaches that his human experience was like ours, that though he had only human strength he took hold of divine strength and overcame sin, showing believers may live as he lived by connecting with same source.
The verse teaches that his life was opposite of self-absorption and stands as pattern of humility, meekness and unselfishness in contrast to self-exaltation, envy, strife and pursuit of prominence, following meekness when tempted to harshness, contrasting lowly Nazarene with earthly authority claims.
The verse teaches that his leaving Father's throne for humanity's sake calls others to leave safety and risk themselves, and same love constrains missionaries to face trials and even lay down lives, revealing Spirit's power among heathen.
He humbled himself by living as poor humble man and obeying even to death, giving up heavenly glory and doing good to rebels who hated him and giving life for enemies before they loved him.
He left heaven's glory, took human nature and bore sentence of sin, and humble birth and death reveal God's love.
His earthly life and death were marked by poverty, rejection and suffering, yet he endured them for humanity, humbling to accept cross.
He gave up heaven's glory, endured Satan's temptations and bore abuse without retaliation, and this mind of Christ is defense against evil and pattern.
His suffering and death rescue sinners from death and bring salvation, pardon and love, calling for giving one's life and years to him even when service brings suffering.