morph / μορφή from which we get words like morphed,
morphology which is the study of the shape or form of things is usually
translated as “shape” and this is insufficient.
Another way that it is used is
“form” in Philippians 2:6-7. “Form” is
closer but it still doesn’t drive home the intentions of Paul. The word
"form" in the ESV and other versions is sometimes interpreted here as
referring to a station in life or a position one holds, a rank. In the case of
Philippians, Jesus took the form of a slave or δούλου / doulou.
“…who, though he was in the form [μορφῇ] of God, did not
count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking
the form [μορφὴν] of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ~Philippians
2:6-7
So when “form / morphe” is used in this way it means that
Jesus was Deity but also condescended to the rank or position of a slave in His
earthly ministry.
Morphe / μορφή is a Hellenized philosophical term that
describes outward appearance one gives of their inward nature. The ‘wearing of
one’s heart on one’s sleeve.’ An outward appearance that proceeds from and
begins from that very inward nature. The ESV that states, “though he was in the
form of God” it is specifically telling us that the Lord is in a state of being
deity/divine and His outward expression as He was seen as human in His life
during His ministry as a human sprang from His inner substance of deity. Imago
dei. He was, “taking the form of a servant.” Along with divinity we see Him
giving and outward expression of inner nature as a servant, this expression is
also truly representative of His inner nature also. It means that the outward
mien Jesus gave of Himself was coming from His Deity, and while on earth He was
a servant, yet He was God before, during and in His incarnation…and obviously
after also. As God he worked and served. A servant leader.
The word "being / ὑπάρχων " (v.6), is also a
rather loose translation.. The word “being” refers only to the time denoted by
the context, the context here talks about Jesus’ preincarnate state before He
took on His humanity. But “being / ὑπάρχων” is talking about a pre-existing
condition that exists into the “now” or the present. But ὑπάρχων cannot only
mean Jesus’ condition or “state of being” from the time previous to coming to
earth but ὑπάρχων because it is written as Present (Tense) Active Indicative.
It is proclaiming that Jesus was in this state at the very time Paul was writing
to the Philippians…after His Death and Resurrection. This means that Jesus took
upon Himself the outward expression of a slave in his humanity and did not relinquish His deity
nor his servant nature in that deity. It is ongoing. He upholds all things by his word…even
now.
In Jesus we see a love in divine, human and servant form. When we
look at the surrounding text we realize from (v.5) that we are to “have this
mind in us” in our relationships with one another in the Body of Christ. We are
to have the mind of Christ (a slave) in our relationships to others (the body).
Jesus, who was and has always been (even now) in a form or “being” which outwardly
expresses His very core nature…which is/was and always will be Deity/human and to
serve or give. Even having known this and after “weighing His options”
considered it of infinite value to be equal with Deity but emptied Himself
anyway of this outward expression and took on the expression of a fully human, a slave even to
death.
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