(5) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  (9) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

The Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians while he was imprisoned in Rome.  Paul was very attached to the Philippians and founded the Church there – he wanted to inform them of his situation in Rome and of his state of mind.  Paul also wanted to encourage the Christian in Philippians to be true to the gospel he had taught them.  Paul had no doubts whatsoever about the certainty of what awaited him should he die – “to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  In other words, to continue to live would be to continue to suffer as did Christ Jesus with Him always as our example of the suffering servant, and to die would be certain to enter into the presence of God, free from suffering, pain and sorrow.  The end was always certain for Paul.

Those who cannot believe in a God who allows suffering apparently have no use for events like the fall of man and sin and death entering the world.  Our verses today tell us that the God who allows suffering in man also suffered in the person of Christ Jesus Who was obedient to the Father unto death.   Paul is teaching foundational doctrine here – Christ, undiminished deity, true God, took on perfect and sinless humanity at His incarnation.  We as finite beings cannot truly comprehend this but it is true – because the Bible says so.

The Apostle Paul is establishing Jesus postion and status.  Jesus is God.  He was actively involved in the creation of the world.  He is fully equal to the Father in His essence.  Jesus emptied Himself but never dimished His deity.  As true man He gave Himself over in the obedience to the Father to glorify Him.  Jesus divested himself of self interest which was true humility. He came to bear the wrath of God in the place of sinners.  Christ Jesus was elevated to the highest possible place of honor by the Father.

And then we are told how the world will end and we should never forget this in these days of suffering.  Every knee shall bend at the name of Jesus and every creature ever created will call Him Lord.

In todays verses we hear that Jesus is equal with God, not man.  Jesus became man but man was not equal with Him.  Jesus subordinated His interests to the interests of the Father, not man.  The intended goal was not the salvation of man but rather obedience to the glory of the Father.

In preparation for todays lesson I came across a quote from John Newton – If I every reach heaven I expect to find three wonders there:  first, to meet some I had not thought to see there; second, to miss some I had expected to see there; and third – the greatest wonder of all – to find myself there.