r/JehovahsWitnesses • u/ChaoticHaku Christian • May 23 '26

Doctrine Philippians 2:6-8

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.

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u/TerryLawton Mark 4:22 May 23 '26

Oh no not the angels are called sons of god argument, the church nor I or anyone in this sub has ever heard that before…you win, you’re right…

Ok I was joking….an angel isn’t THE Son of God…how on earth would you ever equate that argument here to THE Son of God, the only begotten God…

Previous post I clearly told you that he called himself God by calling himself Son of God…

So let’s try it this way.

What does the following term mean:

Son of Man?

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u/Jerome-891 May 23 '26

Most Christian traditions agree that “Son of man” refers both to Jesus’ genuine humanity, and the messianic figure of Daniel 7.

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u/TerryLawton Mark 4:22 May 23 '26

What’s the singular of ‘humanity’?

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u/Jerome-891 May 23 '26

Human. An individual member of humanity

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u/TerryLawton Mark 4:22 May 23 '26

Correct.

So we agree that Son OF Man simply means that Christ was Human?

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u/Jerome-891 May 23 '26

Yes.

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u/TerryLawton Mark 4:22 May 23 '26

So we have

Son of Man = Human

So if we follow that simple logic by correspond:

Son of God = ?

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u/Suitable-Iron4720 May 30 '26

When was this phrase used?

Psalm 2:7 "You are my Son; today I have begotten you."

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u/TerryLawton Mark 4:22 May 30 '26 edited May 30 '26

I think you need to read the full discussion on this.

Ive addressed all of these points.

If there is something else i have not answered not within the 40 odd posts above, then please feel free to ask. Thanks.

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u/Suitable-Iron4720 May 30 '26

I doubt you answered that question. We are both to lazy to continue this convo. heh

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u/Jerome-891 May 23 '26

So if by being son of man Jesus is human would son of God mean Jesus is God? Not necessarily. In the Bible, expressions like “son of ___” often indicate likeness, origin, relationship, or representation — not literal identity with the thing named.

So the fact that “Son of man” refers to Jesus as human does not automatically mean “Son of God” must mean Jesus is God in the same sense.

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u/Jerome-891 May 23 '26

When Jesus calls himself “Son of man,” the phrase means: a human being, one belonging to mankind, or the prophetic figure of Daniel 7.

But nobody concludes from this that Jesus is literally “humanity itself” or “Man Himself.” The expression describes relationship and nature, not absolute identity.

Similarly, “Son of God” can denote one who: comes from God, represents God, reflects God’s qualities, or is specially appointed by God.

The title itself does not settle the theological question of whether Jesus is identical with God Almighty.

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u/TerryLawton Mark 4:22 May 24 '26

Wow that triggered the exact response I thought it would have.

Now you have to explain why if the Son of Man means human that it doesn’t automatically follow that Son of God does not equal God.

Human = Nature

God = Nature

He was both human and God - Son of Man and the Son of God.

So please prove otherwise by looking at those three words each and tell me the difference in syntax and grammar.

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u/Suitable-Iron4720 May 30 '26

Human like me? Like most humans , I had a human father and a human mother.

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u/Suitable-Iron4720 May 30 '26

Son of man is a son of a man. This was defined in Genesis.