OF NO REPUTATION

“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Philippians 2:6-8

This famous passage from Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians sets forth the incarnation of Christ like no other. While the Gospel writers relate the story, Paul in his characteristically theological style, goes beneath the surface as he expounds what he called when writing to Timothy, “Great is the mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the flesh” (1st Timothy 3:16).

Paul, in Philippians 2 outlines what the Westminster Divines called Christ’s two-fold “estate” which He entered into as our mediator. From verse 6-8 we view His humiliation whereas in verses 9-11 we observe His exaltation when He is granted a name that is “above every name”. This study will focus upon His humiliation, especially two words at the heart of His humbling, two words which identify precisely what the incarnation was and is (because he remains the Son of God incarnate in human flesh) – “But made Himself of no reputation”.

This is such a far cry away from the secular Christmas which adopts a spirit of celebration without a thought for the coming of the Son of God and what He means to us. But such is the spirit of human and natural pride that humiliation is a term brushed off, we struggle to comprehend how one Who was so great should embrace such degradation. Paul simply says that that He “made Himself of no reputation”.

The Greek word from which this translation originates is kenosis, literally meaning to “empty oneself”. While some have argued the word empty to be more precise others have have identified the dangers therein implied. For us the term “empty” means to leave nothing behind. Whatever Paul meant by kenosis he did not mean this. This was probably why William Tyndale opted for the phrase “made himself of no reputation”, which has continued on into the Authorised Version. It is also the reason why in “Our Own Hymnbook” Charles Wesley’s words, contained in “ And Can it Be”, have been changed from “emptied Himself of all but love” to “Humbled Himself in matchless love”.

Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words has this to say on the subject:

“Christ did not empty Himself of Godhood. He did not cease to be what He essentially and eternally was. The A.V. while not an exact translation, goes far to express the act of the Lord.”

For this reason Paul used the term Kenosis not literally but metaphorically. The term “empty” certainly articulates the gravity and the drama of the incarnation. The term refers not to essence but to form and appearance. He became flesh while remaining God. A mystery indeed. Let us explore this mystery through the words “made Himself of no reputation”.

1: Through His Humanity

The Son of God, whom John calls the Logos or the Word, after dwelling for eternity in spirit form, was made in the likeness of flesh. He took upon Himself all of the weaknesses of humanity without sin. He suffered and was tempted in all points as we are. The one who is all powerful learned tiredness, the creator of mankind was abused by his wicked creatures, and the eternal one became subject to the limitations of time and ageing. Most remarkably of all – He took the form of His sinful creatures, becoming just like us, another man in a world of sinners.

2: Through His Subjection to the Law

As the Logos He was not subject to the moral law. The law only pertains to mankind, God is the lawgiver, with authority over the law and who ultimately holds humanity accountable. God is perfect dwelling in eternity, the law has no relevance to Him personally because of His holiness and righteousness. In becoming man, however, the Son of God became accountable to the law for us which is why Paul wrote:

But when the fulness 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

While it was not difficult for Christ to maintain the law, He was impeccable in that He could not sin, it was most humbling for Him to be held accountable, just like His rebellious creatures. Yet He must obey the law and suffer that accountability for us, due to our perpetual lawbreaking.

It was even more humbling in that He took the guilt of our sin, suffering the penalty of that law on Calvary in order that we might be redeemed and adopted into the family of God.

3: Through His Servitude

Through the incarnation Christ as man entered a life of service. From resting in the bosom of the Father through the long ages of eternity He took on a life and an eternity of active obedience in order that we might be saved.

Paul refers to the enormity of this obedience:

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered

Hebrews 5:8

Christ identified Himself as being the servant or the minister through the gift of His life and sacrifice:

But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Mark 10:45

He not only became a servant of His Father but of his sinful creatures, He served us:

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth

Luke 22:26-28

His stopping down with a basin of water and a towel to wash the feet of His disciples, illustrates this most graphically, which was why it shocked Peter! We marvel at the condescension of His life of service. Even now at God’s right He serves through his intercessions on our behalf. Restless he persists, no longer is the spirit resting in the Father’s bosom, He actively pursues our salvation.

Let this mind be in us, this attitude of selfless, self deprecating service, this life of humble obedience, giving ourselves to the service of saving souls as He gives Himself for our salvation.

4: Through His Poverty

Another aspect of Christ’s setting aside the outward power and glory of His deity was in His poverty. Once again this is linked with our salvation. Every aspect of His humiliation was for us, that we might have a place among the sons of God.

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

2 Corinthians 8:9

His poverty went much deeper than mere physical realities. He gave up the riches of His eternal and heavenly glory for this morally bankrupt and destitute world, in the body of his immoral creatures.

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

John 17:5

When coming to earth he was without the glory which once was His.

“Mild He lays His glory by, 
Born that man no more may die”

Charles Wesley

His poverty was experienced in heart, soul and mind every day He lived among men, something we cannot begin to appreciate. A King choosing to embrace penury and squalor is unheard of, impossible. Yet Christ did much more than this when embraced the poverty of this world.

How this very act is a rebuke to our pride, our selfishness, our greed, our materialism, our inflated egos, our longing to be praised by others. What fools we are in the light of His devotion!

As a consequence we have riches in heaven, we are the heirs to an eternal fortune, we possess that which inflation cannot erode and which thieves and fraudsters cannot steal. We are so rich because He became so poor.

5: Through His Mortality

Christ’s final and greatest act of being “made of no reputation” was in the death He died. For immortality to die is in itself a mystery but Paul gravely refers to the nature of that death…”even the death of the cross”.

The cross was the terror which the Romans employed to rule the world. The very thought of crucifixion struck horror into the bravest soul. The cross represented the ultimate savagery of depraved mankind. It was a shameful death, reserved only for slaves who were the worst form of criminals. The victim was stripped naked, fixed to a stake by nails and left to die as a public spectacle, after being whipped by the lictor’s lashings. The suffering was immense, the shame was immeasurable and was felt acutely by the family. After which, the body was thrown onto the public rubbish tip to be burned, unless someone claimed it. This was the death He chose to die for us, as He bore our guilt. Paul simply writes in Hebrews 12 that He despised the shame; in a manner of speaking He felt it deeply but yet He embraced it. His heart was broken as He looked down at darling mother, as she too felt the burden of this shame; then He entrusted her to John.

Where the translation “emptied Himself” makes perfect sense is viewing it with reference to the sacrifice of His humanity. He gave His body and soul, there was nothing left. As He hung His head in death , as the blood and water gushed from His pierced side, He had surrendered all.

Truly He made Himself of no reputation.