Does "emptying himself" in Philippians 2:6–7 mean that Christ temporarily set aside His divine nature and appeared as a normal human?
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In Philippians 2:6–7 (ESV), Paul writes of Christ:
>*“Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”*
Some interpret this "emptying" (Greek: kenóō) to mean that Christ temporarily gave up or set aside His divine attributes, and became fully human in appearance and function. Others argue that He remained fully divine while also taking on full humanity — the doctrine of the hypostatic union.
Does this passage support the idea that Jesus ceased to operate in divine nature during His earthly life, or is it describing something else (e.g., a voluntary humility or servant posture)? How do major theological traditions (e.g., Chalcedonian Christianity, kenotic theology) interpret this “emptying”?
Asked by So Few Against So Many
(4829 rep)
Jul 7, 2025, 02:55 PM
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Last activity: Jul 31, 2025, 11:25 PM