5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. – Philippians 2:5-7 [NASB]
As Palm Sunday approached, I began to think about Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem. It struck me that Jesus’ humbling of himself began long before that moment – and took him to the cross!
In what way, then, did Jesus humble himself? We have to begin before the beginning. There is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. One God – a mystery beyond our comprehension.
There was no time, no space, no matter. And then God began to create. He created time and space. He created the earth and a universe to put it in. He created living creatures and mankind. Jesus, God the Son, took part in the creating of the earth and the universe around it. In fact, in John chapter 1 we are told that “without him was not anything made that was made”.
Notice that Jesus’ initial position was that of oneness with the Father. He was equal with God. Whatever it is like out beyond time and space, in the eternal NOW where God is, God the Son was there.
So how did Christ humble himself?
He gave up his glory. He entered time and space. He entered into his own creation. He became a human being. Notice that God the Son did not treat that status – of being part of the Godhead – as something to be grasped. As something to hang onto. Instead, he made himself nothing. So God the Son came to earth and became the Son of man. This is the Creator of the universe becoming part of his creation. As if a computer programmer were to enter the game he created.
He gave up his power. He who made the universe entered into Mary’s womb and grew there. He was born a helpless baby like all the others. There he is, a little baby, needing to be fed by his mother. Needing Joseph to earn enough to keep clothes on his back and a roof over his head. He has all the might and power as the God of the universe who created everything – and he is now dependent on Mary and Joseph.
He gave up his sovereignty. Jesus has the right to be in control, the right to command and to demand that everyone and everything do exactly as he wishes!
But Jesus wasn’t born into the household of the Roman emperor with imperial status and the right to demand the obedience of an empire.
He was born into the dynasty of the great king David – but it was a defunct dynasty, a dynasty with no power or influence whatsoever. Worse, Jesus was born in an unimportant stable into the care and keeping of the young wife of an ordinary workman.
There he is, sovereign Lord of the universe, yet growing up under the authority of Joseph and Mary. Obedient to the human beings that he has created!
– SSXG