Philippians 2:6
(Does “form of God” mean God?)
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” (Philippians 2:6 KJV)
PHILIPPIANS 2:6, A WIDELY cited verse that is misunderstood, which every Trinitarian has wrestled with after the apparent conflicts within the verse regarding “Christ being identified as God” that does not align with their beliefs. This has not only challenged the Trinitarian belief system to support their belief that Jesus Christ is God, but many Trinitarians resort to using twisted translations to substantiate their claim that Christ is God. These translations are specifically used to align with their beliefs, despite direct contradictions when compared against the original Greek manuscripts and other passages of the Bible. It is essential to examine some of these twisted translations our Trinitarian friends try to use and compare them with the original Greek Manuscript of Philippians 2:6 to determine their accuracy under close scrutiny. Let us first start by citing some of their favorite bible translations:
Contemporary English Version
“Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God.”
New Living Translation
“Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God.”
Living Bible
“Who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God.”
Now let us compare the above translations with the actual Greek Manuscript and see if those translations hold any validity:
Greek Manuscript:
“Ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ”
“Ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ”
(Reference: Emphasis Mine)
Greek Transliteration:
“hos en morphē theou hyparchōn ouch harpagmon hēgēsato to einai isa theō”
(Reference: Emphasis Mine)
English Translation:
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God”
(Reference: Emphasis Mine)
So, as we can clearly witness, the above Bible translations are not supported by the original Greek Manuscripts, and any attempt to use any similar translation is highly deceptive and dishonest.
Trinitarians argue and insist that there are translations that state Christ has the nature of God; therefore, He is God, and to validate their position, they quote from translations such as the WNT, NIV, and GNT to substantiate their claim. eg. “Who, being in very nature God,…” The word “nature” (φύση / fýsi) is not found in the original Greek Manuscript, but the writers of such translations, influenced by their trinitarian belief, rendered it as such. The actual Greek word that was used is “μορφῇ/morphē,” (“form”) and in biblical terms when it comes to this passage, it is an obvious close ‘synonym’ to the word “Image” (εἰκών) which was employed to represent attributes of holiness because God is Holy (Ps. 99:9).
Let’s expound further into “Form” and “Image” being ‘near-synonyms.’
The KJV renders the verse:
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”
The phrases “being in the form of God” (which is written) and “being God” (which is concluded) definitely do not mean the same thing. Just because Christ is “in the form of God” does not necessarily mean that Christ is God. In fact, not only do they mean two different things ― they also are “spiritually incomparable and simply scripturally irreconcilable,” considering the meaning of “form” and the fact that “form” and “image” (man, let it not be forgotten, was created in the image of God) are “near synonyms.” This is further validated by the word “image” in replacement of the word “form” in the opening of Philippians 2:6, by the writers of the Mace New Testament, which states, “who tho’ he was the image of God…”.
In regards to the Greek word μορφῇ (form) being a “near synonyms,” from the book Christology in the Making, An Inquiry Into the Origins of the Doctrine of Incarnation by Professor of Divinity at Durham University and one of the best known and most influential New Testament scholars of his generation ― James Dunn stated:
“‘For it has long been recognized that μορφῇ (form) and εἰκών (image) are near synonyms and that in Hebrew thought the visible ‘form of god’ is his glory.'”
(Reference: Christology in the Making, An Inquiry Into the Origins of the Doctrine of Incarnation, p. 115 by James Dunn, Emphasis Mine)
John Gill’s Exposition further explains that “form of God” points to the glory of God and the express image of His person and not God in the physical sense:
“The Father; being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person. This form is to be understood, not of any shape or figure of him; for as such is not to be seen…”
(Reference: John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible, Philippians 2:6, Who being in the form of God, Emphasis Mine)
We agree with John Gill’s position as an accurate explanation, lest Christ’s being the image of God be misconstrued to mean in the visual and physical sense. Apostle Paul clarified that God is “invisible” (Col. 1:15; I Tim. 1:17,) a term spiritually comparable with Christ’s statement that “God is a Spirit,” (John 4:24), which God has no flesh and bones as Christ declared (Luke 24:36-39). God has no physical form (Deuteronomy 4:15), and much less does not change His nature not even a variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17 NKJV).
Not only was Christ created in the image of God, but man was also created in His image. Gen 1:27, (Eph. 4:23-24). Christ, being the only man who is sinless (I Pet. 2:21-22), and recognized as holy (Acts 4:27 ESV). Thus, the statement “image” or “form” describes God’s nature of holiness that Christ possesses.
But let us analyze their arguments a little deeper. The most common explication of the verse by advocates of the Christ-is-God doctrine is that God divested Himself of His divine nature and became man, or, as some would put it, that God walked incognito on earth in the person of Jesus Christ, which in itself creates many biblical contradictions.
Even without delving into the Greek language in which Philippians 2:6 was originally written, one cannot but immediately notice the obvious discrepancy, incongruence, and absurdity of those twisted renderings and the interpretation responsible for them. The mere spiritual comparison of this verse with the other related verses plainly shows that such an interpretation and its concomitant renderings are wrong.
Let us examine… (Two distinct beings)… Verse 9 states:
“Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name”
(Reference: Philippians 2:9 KJV, Emphasis Mine)
The existence here of two distinct beings is undeniable!
One is God, who “has highly exalted Christ and given Him the name which is above every name,” and the other one is Christ, who has been highly exalted by God — (Once again doer of the action – God and receiver of the action – Christ).
If “Christ was truly God,” as CEV rendered, how could He be “highly exalted … and given … the name which is above every name” by God?
How could Christ and the God who exalted Him be both “truly God?” That would undeniably make two Gods.
In verse 6 itself, using CEV, the mistranslation is quite apparent:
“Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God.” (CEV)
Again, the existence here of two distinct beings is very evident: one who “was truly God” and another one whom He “did not try to remain equal with God.”
So the above is a major conflict in interpretation by the Christ-is-God doctrine. User-friendly translations seek to make the Bible more readable and easier to understand, but if a verse is rendered in such a way that its original meaning is lost or twisted in the process, like the translation quoted above, then that verse cannot be relied upon as God’s Word. In view of this strict accuracy, it is immensely preferred to remain faithful to the original languages in which the text was written rather than focus on readability.
So it is very clear that Philippians 2:6 by no means prove Jesus is God.
Trinitarians also imply that this verse proves that Christ and His Father are equal. If we read the opening statement of Philippians 2:6, from the Easy-to-Read Version, the word used was “like God”:
“He was like God in every way,…”
(Reference: Philippians 2:6 ERV, Emphasis Mine)
Take note: He was like God… It did not say He was God, “like God,” – Meaning holy, because God is holy (Ps. 99.9). Christ was like God in the sense of being holy, as we have already clarified and established in the first portion of this argument. Furthermore, if we read the Berean Literal Bible, it renders it as such:
“Who, existing in the form of God, did NOT CONSIDER to be EQUAL WITH God something to be grasped.”
(Reference: Philippians 2:6 Berean Literal Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Notice the verse is always speaking in the (plural) form, stating Christ did not think himself as equal with God!
“Therefore, this verse actually works against the Trinitarian position by stating that Christ is equal with God (PLURAL
EQUAL WITH), referring to a second entity ― “God.” Therefore, it destroys all reservations of any hint that Christ is God.
Then, in the proceeding verse 8, we can notice it clearly states that:
“…he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God,”
(Reference: Phil. 2:8 ERV, Emphasis Mine)
Take note, (“to” God) (Plural)
So, who is Christ being obedient to? Is it to Himself? NO, that would be absurd!
Therefore, Trinitarians are faced with a very difficult position that can’t be reconciled against their own trinitarian beliefs that all parts of the godhead are equal. If Christ were God, then it would appear that Christ as God is being obedient and submissive to another God. This is tantamount to saying there are now two Gods, one who is greater than the other, which creates a very serious theological problem for Trinitarians when considering the true definition of the “Trinity” that God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are completely equal with one another in power, presence, and knowledge. In addition, biblically, to assert the existence of two Gods, one greater than the other, creates a direct violation and contradiction of God’s word in the book of Isaiah:
“I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God…”
(Reference: Isa. 45:5 NIV, Emphasis Mine)
Let’s take this one step further and continue with verses 9 and 10 of the same chapter of Philippians:
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,…”
(Reference: Philp. 9-10 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Once again (Plural). Who exalted Christ? Did Christ exalt himself, or was it God who exalted Christ? It was God the Father who exalted Christ, further proving that Jesus is different from the Father and, therefore, NOT God. Once again, the doer of the action is ― God, and the receiver of the action Who is being exalted is – Christ! By whom? By GOD ― once again ― PLURAL. Hence, if Jesus were God, the scripture would not need to use the plural form (“of” God); the scripture would have simply made it clear that Jesus is God, no need for all the theatrics.
So we hope this will enlighten our readers to the real understanding and true meaning of Philippians 2:6. We can come up with a host of other related Bible verses with which the Christ-is-God interpretation of Philippians 2:6 simply cannot be spiritually compared. Instead of the verse introducing Christ as God, it all the more affirms the doctrine that Christ is a man and the Son of God and is our Savior ― not God. Thus, when compared with “spiritual things” (I Cor. 2:13, KJV), the Christ-is-God dogma miserably fails!
IN CONCLUSION
1
The Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, and the Living Bible are not only unsupported by the original Greek manuscripts but are in direct conflict with the original text itself.
2
Trinitarians attempt to use translations such as the WNT, NIV, and GNT to substantiate their claim that Christ has the same nature of God, eg. “Who, being in very nature God,…” The word “nature” (φύση / fýsi) is not found in the original Greek Manuscript, but the writers of such translations, influenced by their trinitarian belief, rendered it as such. The actual Greek word that was used is “μορφῇ/morphē,” (“form”).
3
In biblical terms “μορφῇ/morphē,” (form) is a close ‘synonym’ to the word “Image” (εἰκών) which was employed to represent attributes of holiness because God is Holy (Ps. 99:9).
4
According to Scholars the Greek word “μορφῇ/morphē,” (form) “is to be understood, not of any shape or figure of him; for as such is not to be seen…” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible, Philippians 2:6)
5
The phrases “being in the form of God” (which is written) and “being God” (which is concluded) definitely do not mean the same thing. Just because Christ is “in the form of God” does not necessarily mean that Christ is God. In fact, not only do they mean two different things – they also are “spiritually incomparable and simply scripturally irreconcilable.”
6
Apostle Paul stated further clarifying that Christ is our “…righteousness, and holiness, and redemption” (I Cor. 1:30 WNT) – Therefore Holy.
7
User-friendly translations seek to make the Bible more readable and easier to understand, but if a verse is rendered in such a way that its original meaning is lost or twisted in the process, like the translation quoted in this article then that verse cannot be relied upon as God’s Word. In view of this strict accuracy, it is immensely preferred to remain faithful to the original languages in which the text was written rather than focus on readability.
8
Therefore, Trinitarians are faced with a very difficult admission and contradiction because if Christ were God, then it would appear that Christ is being obedient or submissive to another God. This is tantamount to saying there are now two Gods, one who is greater than the other, which creates a very serious problem for Trinitarians when considering the true definition of the “Trinity” that God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are completely equal with one another in power, presence, and knowledge. In addition, biblically, to say there are two Gods, one who is greater than the other, also creates a direct violation and contradiction of the Oneness of God as written in Isaiah 45:5:
“I [am] YHWH, and there is none else, | There is no God except Me…” (Literal Standard Version)
WE KINDLY EXTEND our visitors an invitation to explore the pristine, unadulterated teachings of Christ and His apostles as they were taught in the first-century Church Of Christ:
The Truth about God and Jesus Christ
SUPPORTERS OF THE BELIEF in the divinity of Christ, also known as the Christ-is-God or the God-man doctrine, assert that God exists as a trinity consisting of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although they are three in nature and considered distinct beings, proponents maintain that they form a single God. The concept of the Trinity lacks explicit biblical endorsement; thus, proponents often argue that it represents a profound mystery beyond human comprehension and should be accepted by faith alone.
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