[Jesus]… did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
Summary: The nature of Jesus comes into focus in this passage. Understanding who Jesus is helps us understand how he wants us to live.
Who, exactly, is Jesus?
If you have read the Bible, or even if you have just heard about him from others, you probably know he is the “Messiah” (Matthew 16:16), the “Son of God” (Mark 1:1).
The Old Testament refers to him as “Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14), “Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6-7), and the “Anointed One” (Daniel 9:26).
These titles tie him closely with God. Jesus, himself, says that he and the Father “are one” (John 10:30).
In the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, he describes what an angel tells Jesus’ mother about his conception:
“The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:35)
People have tried to describe the exact nature of the relationship between Jesus and God in human terms, but I always find these descriptions wanting. I am reminded again of God’s words spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
In the NIV translation, Paul’s words tell us Jesus had “equality with God.” The Amplified version of the Bible says it this way: “He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity]…”
The point of all this is to say that Jesus is God.
I don’t claim to know how that works — how God can divide himself into Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and make it all make sense. This is where faith comes in. Thoughts that are “higher than [our] thoughts” are going to deal with things we cannot understand.
Paul’s point is that Jesus knew he was God.
Think about that for a moment.
There is nothing that Jesus could not do to subjugate his creation to him. He could have snapped his fingers, and the entire world would have bowed down to him, sung praises to him, danced for him, or anything else he wanted. Anyone who refused to honor him as God could have been vaporized in an instant. He could have turned the world into a giant ball of ice or set the whole thing on fire. Nothing that exists could have stood against him.
He is God.
He made the world (John 1:3), and he could unmake it just as easily.
Then Paul says that Jesus did not consider all this power “something to be used to his own advantage.”
Truly remarkable.
Application: Remember who Jesus is.
Food for Thought: God has given each one of us power in one form or another. What does Jesus’ example teach us about using that power?
The meditation and question this morning brought to my mind the story of David and Saul in the cave.
1 Samuel 24:1-7 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.” Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats’ Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.
David had been given the power and opportunity to end Saul’s life, and in reading about Saul’s treatment of David, one could easily conclude that David would have been justified in doing so. David instead chose to honor God. He said “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.” Despite what David may or may not have thought was justified or good, he recognized that Saul’s actions did not negate God’s anointing or faithfulness.
To me, David illustrated a truth for us about the power of God through Christ that we can find in 2 Peter:
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
It is true that God has given each one of us power in one form or another, but Jesus’ example teaches us that we are to use that power for “all things that pertain to life and godliness.” Given that we are fallen, we must rely on “the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” Jesus showed us this example in His ministry, ceaselessly praying and following God’s will and not His own.
Thank you, Chris.
Excellent example! Self-restraint is a key element of Christ-likeness.
All things were created through Him and for Him and all things are sustained by Him (Colossians 1: 16 – 17). This means whatever authority or gifts He has given to me are to be used for Him and to glorify Him rather than myself. The point is make Him known. He needs to be famous – I don’t (Matthew 5: 16).
Thank you, Rich!
He is, after all, our King! :- )
Hi Jeff