“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
But emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men — kenōsis (emptying) is the heart of the hymn: not loss of divinity but voluntary limitation of its expression. 'Taking the form of a servant' (morphē doulou) parallels 'form of God': Christ exchanges divine prerogatives for servile humiliation. 'Born in the likeness of men' (homoiōmati anthrōpōn) emphasizes the genuineness of incarnation—not appearance but actual human birth and existence. The paradox is stupendous: divinity empties itself into humanity.
Church Fathers on Philippians 2:6
Our Lord Jesus Christ, when exhorting His disciples to great actions, places before them Himself, and the Father, and the Prophets, as examples; as when He says, “For thus they did unto the Prophets which were before you” Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:23; and again, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” John 15:20; and, “Learn of me, for I am meek” Matthew 11:29; and again, “Be merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful.” Luke 6:36 This too the blessed…
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