Healing Rays of Righteousness

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8, NIV).

This “Who” that Paul is speaking of, is Jesus. And I believe this to be one of the greatest and most moving passage the apostle Paul ever wrote about Jesus. The amazing truth in these words is so majestic that I hesitate to comment on them, lest I say too little and diminish their power and majesty or say too much and detract from their glorious truth.

This “Who” is the same entity as “the Word” in John’s introduction of Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:1, 14).

This “Who” … did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; … made himself nothing.”  Or, as the New Living Translation reads, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges.” 

This “Who, … made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Yes, “Jesus” laid aside majestic glory and power to become human, just like you and me, and to become a servant to all.

Yes “Jesus,” who had everything, gave it up to become human, to walk where we walk, to fully experiencing what we experience. He who was God, gave up royal rank, privilege, and rights to become a human being with all the limitations, temptations, agonies, disappointments, and griefs that are part of the human situation.

And being human, this “Who, … humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!”  What humiliation. You cannot get any lower in status than death on a cross. Here is God coming into our suffering world and suffering with us. Here is God coming into our world of death and experiencing death with us, and, most importantly, for us.

The story and its truth are so gloriously incredible, so astounding, that we may never fully comprehend it. But that is okay. To be in awe, even puzzled awe, when contemplating God’s coming to us in Christ Jesus, is an appropriate Christian response.

I hope and pray that as you ponder the crucified and resurrected Jesus you will begin to understand in greater measure what was happening and why, and then become so overwhelmed by His love, that you will bow at his feet in confession and adoration, singing, “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an of-f’ring far too small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all.”        (“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” – Isaac Watts, 1707) 

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – www.geigler13.wordpress.com – Ray M. Geigley – 4/24/24