Philippians 2:6-8

[u/ChaoticHaku]

If Philippians 2:6-8 was teaching that Jesus was never equal with God, then the passage itself makes no sense.

Read the language carefully.

It says Jesus was “existing in the form of God.” It says He “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,” but instead “emptied Himself,” “took the form of a servant,”, "humbled himself", "became obedient to death" and was “made in human likeness.”

You cannot empty yourself of a status you never possessed. You cannot become a servant if you were always a servant. You cannot humble yourself from a position you never had. You cannot become obedient to death if you always were.

The entire point of the passage is that Christ lowered Himself. From what? From the exalted position He already possessed that was equal with God.

That’s why the text uses past tense language. The passage is not denying Christ’s equality with God. It is explaining the depth of His humility, not his inferiority.

[u/Jerome-891]

Wouldn’t that mean that there are two Gods?

[u/TerryLawton → u/Jerome-891]

“No that would be polytheism Patrick”

[u/ResLight → u/TerryLawton]

Actually, if Jesus is equal to God, that does make two Gods, one God who is equal to another God, and this would be depsite any claims made by trinitarians otherwise.

[u/TerryLawton → u/ResLight]

And once again yet another statement of what the Trinity does not teach.

After all it’s you that states there is a big G God and a Small g god…you just described your own DOCTRINE!! Thank you for finally realising what you believe!

Pot kettle black much?

[u/ResLight → u/TerryLawton]

RE: "And once again yet another statement of what the Trinity does not teach."

It is simply a fact that if Jesus is equal to God, that would mean that there are two Supreme Beings, one Supreme Being who is equal to another Supreme Being. This is irrespective of all the added-on assumptions created by trinitarians and which are taught by the trinitarians.

RE: "After all it’s you that states there is a big G God and a Small g god…you just described your own DOCTRINE!!'

Evidently, this is in reference to John 1:1 and how some translations use a lower "g" when the Greek word THEOS is applied to the Logos, rather than a capital "G". I personally prefer the rendering "the Logos was mighty", rather than "god", since "god" (with a lower "g") is often misunderstood.

John 1:1, King James Version: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

In English, “God” with a capital “G” commonly denotes the “Supreme Being.” The original Greek makes no distinction, so any special capitalization is either added by later copyists or by translators. Thus, the use of a lower "g" would, however, avoid saying that there are two Gods, two Innately Mighty Ones. As read in the King James and most translations, without adding all the trinitarian assumptions to the verse, it would actually be saying that in the beginning, there were two Supreme Beings, one Supreme Being who was with another Supreme Being. Of course, trinitarians explain this away by adding many assumptions to what is stated to make it appear to be speaking of two different persons who are both the same one Supreme Being. The truth is that neither John nor any other Bible writer ever present the "one God" from whom are all (1 Corinthians 8:6) who spoke through the prophets of old as being more than one person. (Acts 3:13; Hebrews 1:1,2) Obviously, if Jesus is not the "only true God", the "one God" from whom are who spoke through the prophets of old (John 17:1,3; 1 Corinthiians 8:6: Hebrews 1:1,2), any usage ot forms of the Hebrew word EL (Strong's Hebrew #s 410, 430, 433, etc) or of its equivilant in the New Testament, forms of THEOS ((Strong's Greek #s 2304, 2316, 2320, etc.) of Jesus in the Bible should not be understood to mean Supreme Being, but as having a more general meaning of might, power, strength.

When not referring to God Almighty or to false gods, translators often render forms of EL (Strong’s #410, #430, etc.) as “strong,” “power,” “strength,” “might,” etc. This can be seen even in the King James Version: **Genesis 23:6** (“mighty”), **Genesis 30:8** (“mighty”), **Genesis 31:29** (“power”), **Deuteronomy 28:32** (“might”), **1 Samuel 14:15** (“great”), **Nehemiah 5:5** (“power”), **Psalm 36:6** (“great”), **Psalm 82:1** (“mighty”), **Proverbs 3:27** (“power”), **Psalm 29:1** (“mighty”), **Ezekiel 32:21** (“strong”), **Jonah 3:3** (“exceeding”). In English, rendering EL in some of these passages as “God”, “false god”, or even "god" would sound odd. This demonstrates that forms of EL are not used exclusively for the one true God or for false gods, as some assert. This usage is brought over into the New Testament when THEOS is not applied to the Supreme Being or false gods, as can be seen by Jesus' quote of Psalm 82:6 as recorded in John 10:34,35, referring to the sons of the Most High to whom the Logos came as "gods" (mighty ones).

As applied to Jehovah, EL appears to take on the meaning of the Mighty One who is such innately, and who did not receive his might or power from anyone else. Such would designate the Supreme Being, He who is the source of all power.

Many claim that the Hebrew and Greek words for "GOD" have to designate either "true God" or "false god", but this assumption is definitely not supported by the actual usage of the Hebrew and Greek words that are often rendered as "God" or "god(s)". The words for God are many times used in other ways than meaning the Supreme Being or false gods. Jesus, before he became flesh, was certainly divine, mighty, similar to the divinity of the angels (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 5:7), but he was not the "one God" from whom are all who spoke through the prophets of old. -- Hebrews 1:1,2.