Philippians itself "run in vain" and "labour in vain", where it is evident that "empty"

would have no meaning (Phil. 2: 16).

The verb keno translated "to make of no reputation", occurs 5 times in the Greek N.T.

and the four occurrences other than that of Phil. 2: 7, render the word "make void",

"make none effect" and "be in vain" (Rom. 4: 14; I Cor. 1: 17; 9: 15; II Cor. 9: 3). In

Phil. 2: 3 we find the word kenodoxia "vain glory". We remember with adoring wonder

that in the Psalm of the Cross, we read "I am poured out like water" (Psa. 22: 14).

He did indeed "empty Himself". The word translated "offer" in Phil. 2: 17 is found in

the LXX of Gen. 35: 14, where Jacob revisited the scene of the "ladder", which he

re-named "Bethel", and following his Master's footsteps, faintly adumbrates that awful

condescension which, for our sakes, left behind the glory of heaven, for the deep, deep

humiliation of "the death of the cross".

Above the ladder is intimated "the glory that He had" before the world was. This

must not be confused with the glory that was "given" Him, as the Man Christ Jesus, the

One Mediator. We may, in resurrection behold the one, but "the glory which thou gavest

Me" the Saviour said "I have given them, that they may be one, EVEN AS we are one"

(John 17: 22). We do not pretend to understand this profound revelation. We would

add not one syllable of our own lest we spoil and corrupt such unearthly beauty; but we

can bow our heads and our hearts in adoring wonder, as we perceive that this is implied

in the word "fullness", for the church of the One Body is revealed to be,

Here the church is one with the Lord. We see the wondrous descent seven steps down

to the death of the cross. Here at the foot, on the earth He is seen as Emmanuel "God

with us". Here, it was fulfilled "He was numbered with the transgressors". And by virtue

of that most wondrous "reckoning", He became our Surety. The word translated "surety"

in the O.T. is the Hebrew word arab, which in the form arrabon is brought over into N.T.

Greek, occurring in Eph. 1: 14 as "earnest". This word corresponds with "pledge" in

Gen. 38: 17, 18 "Wilt thou give me a pledge till thou send it?" The root idea

appears to be that of mixing or mingling:

Arising out of the idea of this mixing and interweaving comes that of a surety, who is

so intimately associated with the obligations laid upon the one for whom he acts, that he

can be treated in his stead. So we get: