He Emptied Himself
Philippians 3:7
Excerpt
The verb “to empty” is used elsewhere in the Pauline Epistles four times (Rom 4.14; I Cor l:17; 9.15; 2 Cor 9.3), and in each instance it is used metaphorically in the sense of “to bring to nothing,” “to make worthless,” or “to empty of significance.” Context should always determine the meaning; and in the present context the verb refers back to what immediately precedes and its action is explained by the words which immediately follow. Instead of holding onto his privileges, Christ gave up his divine rank by taking on the nature of a servant.
Loh, I-Jin, and Eugene Albert Nida. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. New York: United Bible Societies, 1995. Print. UBS Handbook Series.
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