Bible in a Year Series - Day #351 - This post is part of a year-long series where we are reading chronologically through the Bible. Click here to learn more. You are most welcome to join along at any time.
Today's text from the ESV Study Bible: Philippians
The pace in our chronological journey through the Bible seems almost disrespectful as we are seemingly scurrying through the New Testament.
I know. I know. This is at best a journey and not a prolonged visit.
As I contemplated what to speak of in these theologically rich four chapters, it seemed that what has been called "the hymn of Christ" possessed the greatest significance and is infinity worthy of our pondering.
The Hymn of Christ:
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)
To help in our understanding, and to provide a path for meditation, here is C.H. Spurgeon's Sermon on these verses called Download Our Lord in the Valley of Humiliation.
Equally meaningful are these words from Milton's Paradise Lost, after which William Blake created the watercolor above:
"So judg’d he Man, both Judge and Saviour sent,
And th’ instant stroke of Death denounc’t that day
Remov’d farr off; then pittying how they stood
Before him naked to the aire, that now
Must suffer change, disdain’d not to begin
Thenceforth the Form of servant to assume,
As when he wash’d his servants feet, so now
As Father of his Familie he clad
Thir nakedness with Skins of Beasts, or slain,
Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid;
And thought not much to cloath his Enemies;
Nor hee thir outward onely with Skins
Of Beasts, but inward nakedness, much more
Opprobrious, with his Robe of righteousness,
Arraying cover’d from his Fathers sight."
We are but six days from Christmas and a great deal of wonderful family gatherings will occur.
But when we consider the infinite humiliation of Christ to take on flesh, and then to become the sin-bearer and die a shameful criminal's death, all to cover his own with his robe of righteouness, thus covering us from the Father's sight, how can we not be completely melted with the horror and equally mysterious beauty of this scene?
Who can understand this? Who can take this in?
