Hi guys, I am always surprised at people deductions on this scripture. it is a complete denial of equality God. but rather than put it in my words lets look at this. (my words are not so clear when dealing with oxymoron rhetoric scripture.)
Jesus considering it not robbery to be divinely equal with God is completely inconsistent with the following words, "but he emptied himself." Indeed, how can it make sense to say "Jesus didn't think it was wrong to be God so he emptied himself taking the form of a servant." It is ridiculously nonsensical.
And the divergence continues in their interpretations. At this point, some say he gave up his "glory." Others say he gave up some of his "divine perogatives." Yet others say he simply subjected himself to God the Father for a time. None of these claims comes with any evidence which is why there is such a wide variety of claims.
And even further. Paul is telling the Philippians they need to have the same attitude as Jesus. What kind of ridiculous thing were the Philippians supposed to imitate here? Since Jesus decided it was not robbery to keep his divine nature were the Philippians to have a similar attitude and keep something for themselves? And does this not make Jesus into a hypocrite who asks others to give up everything when he himself will not? Even further, with what kind of ridiculous thinking do we suppose the Trinitarian God the Son would not consider it robbery to be God when he is God? What kind of nonsense are we supposed to believe here?
The noun form harpagmos is sometimes translated as "a plunder" in the sense that a plunder is "a capture" or a "catch," something "caught." the central idea is something "seized upon" or "grasped" or "snatched." When it is translated as "robbery" that particular English word over translates "harpazo" by putting a spin upon it the Greek word does not convey. It has a much wider field of meaning and is not restricted to doing something negative like stealing. The verb form simply means "to catch up" or "to be caught up," "snatch up," "seize upon," "be seized," depending whether it is active or passive. When one actively snatches or seizes something he is actively "catching it up" or passively "being caught up" with respect to himself. Now notice what Paul is talking about here. He is saying we should have the same "attitude" or "mind" of Christ. What he is saying is that Christ in his mind or attitude did not selfishly "seize upon" being equal with God but humbled himself for our sakes in love. He did not "seize upon" esteeming this equality with God, the form of his God. The idea here is that a son of God is a noble thing in contrast to being a humble commoner of a man. As the Hebrews writer says, "although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. In other words, Jesus did not focus on his nobility as a son but humbled himself and served others. He did not come to be served but to serve. Paul's is telling the Philippian sons of God to do the same thing and not regard their high estate in Christ but to humble themselves and have the same attitude.
It is to this expression of glory that the words, being in the form of God, refer. The word God is anarthrous here, referring not to any single person of the Godhead but to deity as such... essence in the translation comes from the demands of the Greek text here since theos is anarthrous. The presence of the Greek article identifies, its absence qualifies. Its absence emphasizes nature, essence. In this state of preincarnate being, Paul says that our Lord thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Equality with God here does not mean equality with the other person of the Godhead, but equality with deity as such. The word God is again anarthrous. And this equality here is not equality in the possession of the divine essence but in its expression, as the context indicates. However, the expression presupposes the possession of that essence. (When Jesus Emptied Himself, Kenneth Wuest, 1958, emphasis mine)
http://www.angelfire.com/space/thegospeltruth/trinity/verses/Php2_6.html
Another thought is morphe - form of which mean likeness
Another shapes wood, he extends a measuring line; he outlines it with red chalk. He works it with planes and outlines it with a compass, and makes it like the form of a man, like the beauty of man, so that it may sit in a house. (Isaiah 44:13).
I will put more later.
Reniaa