Humility through Christ
With the last couple of weeks, we have looked at what it means to suffer for Christ as well as what it means to be united with Christ. We have seen that even during suffering we can have joy, and how being united with Christ is not the same as being united with the world. But what are these characteristics to be sought after? As we conclude our look into the second chapter of Philippians, we see that Paul gives us an example to follow for being humble, and that example is none other than Christ. As we read Philippians 2:5-11, we will see that our attitude should be that of the suffering-servant Himself, and how on earth Christ did suffer but this suffering was rewarded.
Even though Jesus was all God and all Man, He still humbled Himself by putting Himself under the authority of God the Father. It would have been easy for Christ to use His God given authority on earth when He was persecuted by the Jewish council, as well as the Roman Courts and would have to bear the sin of the World. He even helps us see this when He says, “And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will” Mark 14:36.
Jesus also gives us an example of His capacity to be humble and patient in waiting for the appropriate time. In the third temptation that Satan has for Christ, Satan offers up the world if only Jesus would worship him. “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” 11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him” Matthew 4:8-11. Jesus was humble to the plan that was predestined for Him. He knows that one day He will have the nations and will rule, but it had to be done a specific way. Christ set aside His authority to come as those who belong to Him, He experienced life as a man so that He would have a humble nature since He understood our trials. “17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:17. By taking the place of a servant on earth, Christ as King is faithful and merciful. Throughout every stage of our lives, we will always be under someone else’s authority. Christ’s example through His life and ministry show us how we are to handle ourselves.
We can see again how Christ humbled Himself as a servant through the example that He gave his disciples. Look at John 13:12-17, “12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” Here Christ shows that we need to take on a spirit of service with those around us, but also reminds us that we are not to do it to boast ourselves. Instead we should be serving so that we can show the glory of God.
Christ’s continuing show of His spirit of humility can be found in verse eight which states that Christ came in the appearance of man. Isaiah 53:2 also describes the appearance of the coming Messiah. “For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.” We can see from this verse that Christ would not outwardly have any special traits that would draw people to Him.
Now that we have seen the example that Christ has set for us regarding humility, I want to look at the reward that His humility and service gave Him. After the death on the cross, God exalted His Son to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. (Verse 9). But what was the place that Christ was exalted too? That answer can be found in Hebrews 1:3 “3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” We have an eye witness account of Jesus in Heaven right now, it is the account of Stephen in Acts 7 testifying that he could see Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
When Christ died on the cross, He made purification of sins as the perfect sacrifice. This act gave Him the place at the right hand of God where Christ continues to intercede for us today. We see also in Hebrews 12:2 that Christ is at the right hand of God “2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We can see here that through Christ submitting Himself to the will of God the Father, He became not just the author of faith but also the perfecter. It is hard to believe that as gruesome as death on a cross is, that Christ would find joy in it, but because He had submitted Himself to the Father’s will Christ found joy in being able to give the situation up to the Father. It is through this example that we can find joy in difficult situations. Christ knew what would be asked of Him and yet He still submitted to the Father and this allowed Him to take His place at the right hand of God. I want to mention Mark 10:45 as well “10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” By His actions, we have been sanctified. It is not a process that we can do on our own, this sanctification can only begin once we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Christ was also rewarded in that there is nothing that is not subjected to Him. Through His actions as the servant, everything has been placed under His feet. “You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:8-9. When Christ came as a servant He was under the authority of the Law, but through the death on the cross everything has been made subject to Him.
Christ’s experiences on earth provide for us an example of what it means to submit to the Father and to the Word. We can see that by humbling ourselves we can find joy in our most difficult situations just as Christ did. And just as Christ received His reward, we will receive ours as well.
Seek the Truth and encourage one another,
Alex