Christ in the Likeness of Men

GOLDEN TEXT: “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” —Galatians 4:4,5

PHILIPPIANS 2:1-11

ALTHOUGH this lesson makes no mention of the angelic message of “peace on earth” and “good will toward men,” nevertheless it is very closely related to the birth of Jesus. Our Golden Text states that “God sent forth his Son, made of a woman.” Jesus’ birth, however, was but the necessary beginning of his becoming a man for the suffering of death.—Heb. 10:5,10; 2:9

Paul explains that Jesus was “found in fashion as a man.” (ch. 2:8) This suggests a prehuman existence. John informs us that Jesus was originally known as the Logos—Word, or mouthpiece—of the Creator, and that the Logos “was made flesh.” (John 1:14) The Apostle Paul tells us that the Logos was the “firstborn of every creature,” and Rev. 3:14 tells us that he was the “beginning of the creation of God.” Paul also states that by him “were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth.” (Col. 1:13-17) John confirms this, saying that without the Logos “was not any thing made that was made.”—John 1:3

This means that Jesus, in his prehuman existence, occupied a very exalted position in the universe. In our lesson Paul notes this, saying that Jesus was “in the form of God.” (vs. 6) An unfortunate translation of this text reads that Jesus “thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” This translation destroys the real point of Paul’s admonition—“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” (vs. 5) Surely Paul is not saying that we should strive to be equal with God. Yet this is what he would be teaching if the King James translation of verse 6 were correct.

This is just another case where the translators of the King James Version, believing that Jesus and God were equal, and in fact one and the same person, have colored their translation to lend support to their belief. Even so, it is little comfort they get from this distorted translation, for the whole passage clearly reveals Jesus and his Father to be separate beings.

There are various other translations of this text. The simplest one reads that Jesus thought not “by” robbery to be equal with God. Another rendering is that he “did not meditate a usurpation to be like God.” (Emphatic Diaglott) Both of these are in keeping with Paul’s admonition to us to have the mind of Christ, which he shows to be a humble mind that led to sacrifice and self-effacement; which is quite contrary to the thought of usurping Jehovah’s place in the universe.

It was Lucifer who endeavored to exalt himself “above the stars,” that is, above the bright ones of God’s creation, and to be “like the most High.” (Isa. 14:12-14) The Logos had no such attitude. Instead, as Paul states, “he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (vs. 7) Verse 8 states that he was “found” in fashion as a man. This might imply that from the time of the Annunciation to his birth, the whereabouts of the Logos was unknown to the heavenly hosts, and when he was “found,” or discovered by them, he was “in fashion as a man.”

This was only the beginning of Jesus’ voluntary humiliation. As a man, and servant, he continued to humble himself, becoming “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” We obtain the full import of this brief statement only when we note, through Jesus’ experiences, what obedience unto the death of the cross really meant. Think of all the ignoble attacks that were made upon him by the scribes and Pharisees and others. Consider him before the high priest, and before Pilate. Ponder his crown of thorns and the “contradiction of sinners” which he endured while hanging on the cross. All this Paul wanted us to remember when he wrote, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”

In addition to being made flesh, Jesus was “made under the Law,” as our Golden Text states. This arrangement was on behalf of the Israelites who were in bondage to the Law. It made it possible for Jesus to redeem them from the curse of the Law as well as to redeem all mankind from adamic death. Through Jesus’ death redemption was provided for all mankind.

And, as Paul explains, it was because Jesus was faithful even unto death that God highly exalted him and gave him “a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and thing in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”—vss. 9-11

QUESTIONS

By what name was Jesus known in his prehuman existence?

Why was it necessary for him to be made flesh?

Explain why the King James translation of verse 6 is wrong.

How completely did Jesus humble himself?

What was his reward?

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