This passage is known as the kenosis passage. Kenosis refers to the Greek word in Philippians 2:7 that explains that Christ “emptied” Himself of His divine prerogatives when He came to earth. He did not temporarily give up His divine nature or “empty” Himself of any of His divine attributes. But He did, in humility, empty Himself of His divine right to glorify Himself as King and Judge. He “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and [came] in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:7, 8).

Paul explains theologically what Jesus stated practically: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

The second part of the answer, in Colossians 1, says that Jesus’ servanthood culminated in reconciling “all things to Himself, …through the blood of His cross” (1:20). In other words,

Jesus bridged the ultimate gap between eternal death and eternal life with His sacrifice and subsequent resurrection.

It was the only way He could present His people as “holy, and blameless, and above reproach” in the Father’s sight (1:22).

The disciple Thomas exemplified our struggle to reconcile God and Man as one. He agreed with the rhetorical question asked by the disciples when Jesus stilled the storm on the Sea of Galilee: “What kind of man is this?” (Matthew 8:27, NIV, italics added). Yet he eventually called that same man, “’My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28, italics added). God and Man. Servant and Savior. Two complete natures exist without confusion, without change, without division, without separation, in one Person. This is the Jesus of the Bible. Jesus alone cannot be called either–or; He must be called both: Son of God and Son of Man.

For Further Reading: Colossians 2:9; Matthew 4:1; Mark 15:39; Luke 2:52; 24:39; John 1:1–18; 17

This article is an excerpt from The Jeremiah Study Bible.

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