| The Berean Expositor
Volume 15 - Page 9 of 160 Index | Zoom | |
Bishop Pearson draws attention to the inexactness of the A.V. In the A.V. we read:--
"He made Himself of no reputation, AND took upon Himself the form of a servant,
AND was made in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2: 7).
Here we have two copulative conjunctions "and", and three distinct propositions. The
original is not so. The words together give one expression of the condescension of
Christ:--
"But emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men."
The humiliation thus commenced goes down to the death of the cross; then comes the
glorious exaltation:--
"Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above
every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2: 9-11).
We now reach the verse to which you drew attention. Your comment was, I believe,
that every tongue is not going to confess that Jesus Christ is God, but Lord, to the glory
of God, Who is not Christ, but the Father.
A.--Yes, that was my statement.
B.--In the first place we have seen that the Saviour laid aside His glory, but not His
Godhead. That glory we see given back in the great exaltation. This exaltation answers
John 17: 5:--
"And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own Self, with the glory which I
had with Thee before the world was."
The structure of the passage may be helpful to us:--
A1 | EQUALITY. The accompaniments of Deity.
B1 | a1 | He emptied Himself.
b1 | Servant. To obey.
c1 | Likeness of men. Kinsman redeemer.
d1 | Found in fashion as man.
a1 | He humbled Himself.
b1 | Obedient. As servant.
c1 | Death. Kinsman redeemer.
A2 | EXALTATION. The accompaniments of Deity restored.
B2 | a2 | Name.
b2 | Every knee.
c2 | In heaven.
In earth.
Under earth.
b2 | Every tongue.
a2 | Lord.