“He Emptied Himself” -- By: Robert E. Wilson

Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 19:4 (Fall 1976)
Article: “He Emptied Himself”
Author: Robert E. Wilson


“He Emptied Himself”

Robert E. Wilson*

This brief study examines some of the difficulties in interpreting Philippians 2:5–11 and attempts to clarify Paul’s meaning in this passage. With Ladd1 we can summarize the main statements of the passage as follows: Christ pre-existed in the morphē of God. He did not consider equality with God a harpagmon. He emptied himself, taking the morphē of a slave, and was born in the likeness of man. In the schēma of men he humbled himself in obedience to death on the cross. Therefore God has exalted him by elevating him to the status of Lord over all creation.

For the purpose of this study, the discussion will be limited to the following three questions: (1) What is the morphē theou? (2) How is harpagmon to be interpreted? (3) Of what did Christ empty himself?. Each question will first be examined independently of the other two. This will lead to some tentative conclusions, each of which has definite limitations when considered independently. It will be shown, however, that when the conclusions are combined and interrelated they support and strengthen each other.

The usual translation of morphē is “form.” This immediately causes problems because in our language “form” connotes “shape.” Such translational difficulties result in the question of whether morphē theou is the divine existence—i. e., God’s glory. Is morphē theou to be identified with equality with God?

The best approach is to begin with an examination of the words morphē and schēma. Trench has done an admirable job of this, and much of what follows is based on his work.2 It is important to note that both morphē and schēma are used in the objective sense. By this it is meant that the morphē and schēma of an object would exist even if it alone were the only object in the universe, whether or not there was anyone there to observe it. If a subjective meaning were intended here the word idea (or eidos) would have been used. Eidos includes the idea of what may be perceived and known by others, but

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