by Shawn Chancellor
Synopsis: By understanding Jesus’s role as the Divine Servant, disciples today gain a deeper appreciation for the sacrifice of God and His Son and a better understanding of how they should relate to one another.
When studying the Bible, it is easy to become distracted. Besides external diversions, we may be distracted by the text. For instance, in Exodus 33:18-23, we may become preoccupied by wondering about the physical image that Moses observed from the cleft of the rock. However, the text would have us focus on something else entirely. God revealed His "goodness" (v. 19). Moses saw the compassion, grace, long suffering, loyal love, truth, forgiveness, and holiness of God (Exod. 34:6-7).
Likewise, in John 1:14, we may get distracted by how God became flesh. In doing so, we may fail to notice that the text speaks about why God became flesh. By focusing on the text, we see that John tells us that God endured this humiliation so that we may see what Moses saw.
In verses 1-4, John informs us that the Word is a divine person distinct from (but equal to) the Father. In verse 14, we learn that the Word "became flesh," while remaining God. The text makes this clear in verse 15, with John the Baptist's acknowledgment that, "He who comes after me has a higher rank than I," and in verse 18, where Jesus is identified as "the only begotten God" ("the one and only Son, who is himself God" [John 1:18, NIV 2011]).
By becoming flesh, He showed us God's character and how God desires to relate to His creation. The phrase "dwelt among us, and we saw His glory," refers to God dwelling among the tribes of Israel in the tabernacle (Exod. 40:34-38). They saw His glory in the form of a cloud covering and filling the tabernacle. As impressive as this would be to witness, what John describes is far greater. The phrase, "full of grace and truth," is parallel to "lovingkindness and truth" in Exodus 34:6 (cf. Pss. 25:10; 86:15; 89:14; Prov. 16:6). These terms express the loyal love and fidelity that God has toward His covenant people. God's lovingkindness and truth were visible through the old covenant, but are fully realized in Jesus (John 1:17). Thus in verse 18, John says that the one and only Son "explained" the Father. Understanding this is imperative if we are to comprehend what was accomplished in the incarnation. The humility and service that Jesus manifested in becoming flesh was not an aberration of the divine nature. Instead, the incarnation was the perfect manifestation of that nature. In a way that only He could, Jesus reveals in great detail who the Father is and how deep and true is His love.
Philippians 2:6-8 begins with a similar statement regarding the divinity of Jesus. Paul tells us He "existed in the form of God." Like John, Paul moves from His divine nature to the incarnation. Unlike John, Paul chooses "humbled," rather than "glory," to describe Jesus in the flesh, thus emphasizing Christ's self-sacrificial service.
Paul uses the Greek word, morphe (i.e., form), to emphasize the nature of the sacrifice. Vincent states that morphe refers to "that mode in which the essential being of God expresses itself. . . This mode of expression. . . is not identical with the essence itself, but is identified with it. . ." (Vincent, 431). In other words, the term does not refer to Jesus's divine nature but to the unique expression of that nature. From the context, we can infer that the phrase refers to whatever would prevent the Son of God from becoming flesh, suffering as a man, and ultimately dying on the cross.
Jesus did not view His pre-incarnate form with its attendant rights and privileges as something to which He must clutch; instead, He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:7, KJV).
How Jesus accomplished this self-condescension is an intriguing question that may distract Bible students, leading to pointless speculation and debate. However, if we focus on the text, we learn why Jesus chose to become a bondservant. Seeking the answer to this question will increase our appreciation for God and His Son. Furthermore, our lives and relationships will be fundamentally transformed.
Philippians 2 begins with a series of admonitions that speak to Paul's purpose in writing this letter. Philippi was a Roman colony. As a result, its citizens were afforded special rights and privileges. Possessors of such rights and privileges typically were proud of them and insisted on exercising them to the fullest. Imagine trying to resolve a conflict in a local church where the members manifested such an attitude (Phil. 4:2-4). Harmonious relationships are built upon the willingness of each party to give in and forgo certain rights and privileges. The question is, "How far should one be willing to go to maintain peace with another?" We find the answer in the example of Jesus, the Divine Servant.
Jesus "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:8). Enmity existed between man and God. Our sin caused this enmity. God had every right to turn His back on us, leaving us to our condemnation. However, Christ Jesus chose a sacrifice beyond our comprehension so that we might be reconciled to God (Rom. 5:6-10). In going to the cross, He obeyed the Father, fulfilling His will. Moreover, He served us through that terrible death. At the cross, "grace and truth were realized" (John 1:17). Through His willing service, we see the mercy and faithfulness of God that leads to life.
While many theological questions arise from this passage, Paul intended this as practical explanation of how brethren should treat one another. In Philippians 2:3-5, he admonishes us to put aside selfishness, conceit, and personal interests. He encourages a humility that sees others as more valuable than self. He then calls on us to "have the mind of Christ." Only with this attitude may we reflect the mercy and faithfulness demonstrated in the incarnation and inherent in the divine nature.
I find it impossible to write on this subject without considering current events. We are living through a pandemic that has impacted every aspect of our lives. It amazes me how quickly many have become virologists, statisticians, and Ph.D.'s in "maskology." We are bombarded with information, some of which comes from reliable and qualified sources—much of which does not. Every action is politicized and scrutinized to an extreme degree. Local churches and elderships have been left to sort out how to conduct public worship, protect the infirm, soothe the fearful, and calm the angry.
While there is no "how to deal with a pandemic" passage in Scripture, there are principles laid out to guide us in every situation. Knowledge without love leads to arrogance and destroys (1 Cor. 8). "It is good not. . . to do anything by which your brother stumbles" (Rom. 14:21). "Pure and undefiled religion" consists of caring for the weak (Jas. 1:27). Submit to authority "for such is the will of God" (1 Pet. 2:13-15). "Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5).
How far should we go in demonstrating love and concern? Undoubtedly, we must stay within the bounds of righteousness and conform to the divine pattern for the church. However, we must be equally careful not to view a particular local church's traditions as the pattern. Likewise, we should be careful not to ascribe health concerns to a weakness of faith. We may be called on to forgo some "rights." We must humbly put the interests of others above our own. As Jesus has shown us, love is not cheap. Above all things, we must be sure that we imitate Jesus, the Divine Servant, in our treatment of others.
Vincent, Marvin Richardson. Word Studies in the New Testament. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1887.
