In the form of God; Philippians 2:5-9

Originally posted on March 26, 2026 – by Andre Piet

5 For let this mindset be in you, which [was] in Christ Jesus also,
6 Who, being inherently in the form of God, deems it not pillaging to be equal with God,
7 nevertheless empties Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming to be in the likeness of humanity,
8 and, being found in fashion as a human, He humbles Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name,
Philippians 2:5-9 (CLNT)

pre-existence or present position?

Philippians 2 is often seen as the crown witness of Christ’s pre-existence (=prior existence), because of the words “being in the form of God” and “being equal to God.” Yet these words do not refer to a state before His birth, but to His present, exalted position. That also fits the wording: Paul speaks here in the present tense (praesens). He is not describing where Christ came from, but how He came to this position. In the title Christ Jesus too, the position stands in the foreground into which God has placed Him since His resurrection (Acts 2:36).

In verses 2–4 it is about mindset: not seeking yourself, but the other. Verse 5 connects to that and sets Christ Jesus forth as the example. What follows shows what that mindset looks like. The position that He now occupies as Christ Jesus, He did not rob; on the contrary.

not grasped

“Being in the form of God” and “being equal to God” belong together. And it is immediately said of that that He did not regard it as robbery: He did not seize that position. Paul immediately substantiates that: “but emptied Himself…”. Not by grasping, but by emptying Himself. This is filled in as: “taking the form of a slave.” Verse 8 says the same thing: “He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death.” The fact that verse 6 stands before verse 7 does not necessarily mean that Paul is describing an earlier state, but serves to explain that Christ Jesus did not rob His present position, but obtained it through emptying Himself. The text does not speak of letting go of an earlier position, but of the way by which He came to His exaltation. Through humiliation and obedience — unto the death of the cross.

received

Then verse 9 follows: “Therefore God highly exalted Him.” That “therefore” gives the reason. His exaltation is the consequence of His humiliation. In that way verse 6 also falls into place. He did not rob that position, but received it. Not by grasping, but because He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death. The thought that He was first in divine glory and then laid it aside is not stated here. The text does not begin with a high position that Christ would have left, but ends with a high position that was given to Him.

Philippians 2:5-9 paraphrased:

Let that mindset be in you which also is in Christ Jesus:
He, who is in the form of God and is equal to God,
did not consider that as something He had to grasp.
On the contrary, He emptied Himself
by taking the form of a slave
and becoming like men*.
And being found as a man in His appearance,
He humbled Himself
by becoming obedient unto death — yes, the death on the cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted Him
and granted Him the name that is above every name.

* Although He was the Son of God.

not His act, but God’s act

If the emptying were to refer to the becoming man (incarnation), then Christ made Himself man. But the Scripture speaks differently. Jesus was conceived because the spirit of the Most High came upon Mary (Luke 1:35). Had God not begotten Him, there would have been no man Jesus. His becoming man is therefore not an act of Himself, but of His God and Father. Therefore the emptying does not refer to His birth, but to the moment He took the form of a slave, and became obedient unto the death of the cross.

In summary: Paul is not describing a descent from an earlier divine state, but the way by which Christ came to His exaltation. He did not rob or seize that, but emptied Himself; not exalted Himself, but humbled Himself. Therefore God exalted Him. That is the line of the text — and whoever reads a pre-existence into this is reading more into the text than is explicitly said there.

Delen: