Chapter 44 - Perfect Example

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The practice of religion does not necessitate dependence on God. In fact, it does not even require interaction with Him.

The purpose of religion is to perform religious activity for God. The corresponding mission of religion is to increase the number of its adherents. Relative to the purpose and mission of religion, it is temporal in nature and therefore, without eternal relevance.

In contrast, the purpose of the New Testament church is to practice intimate, shared life fellowship with God. The corresponding mission of the New Testament church is to value, cultivate and protect its practice of fellowship with God above all else.

God designed the New Testament church to cooperate with Him in the fulfillment of its purpose and mission. Concordant with New Testament doctrine, it requires both the living (zoe) presence of God and the faith of mankind. Therefore, the New Testament church is obligated to embrace a lifestyle of dependent faith.

The incarnate Christ provided a perfect example of dependence for His future body, the New Testament church. While He possessed divine authority, He faithfully chose to empty Himself of His authority. By the Spirit, Jesus practiced unwavering dependence on authority derived from His indwelling, heavenly Father.

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Incarnate Authority

The incarnate Christ did not live and serve on earth in accord with His own intrinsic authority. Instead, Jesus faithfully emptied Himself of His intrinsic authority and chose to depend on authority derived from His indwelling Father:

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Scripture	Reference
“Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”	John 5:19
"I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”	John 5:30
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.	John 6:38
“So Jesus answered them and said, ‘My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.’”	John 7:16
So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."	John 8:28-29
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.	John 8:42
“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”	John 12:49
“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”	John 14:10-11
"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me.	John 14:24

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As indicated, Jesus lived on earth in submission to derived authority. He did so by walking dependently on the indwelling Spirit of God:

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Scripture	Reference
“After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him”	Matthew 3:16 (cf. Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32)
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”	Matthew 4:1 (Luke 4:1)
“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”	Matthew 12:28
“And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district.”	Luke 4:14
“…until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.”	Acts 1:2
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power”	Acts 10:38

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The incarnate Christ did not live in subjection to the will of the heavenly Father by effort of human flesh. Instead, by the Spirit He consistently yielded to the authority of His indwelling Father through means of dependent faith. Therefore, His words and deeds always honored and pointed to His heavenly Father. It provided a perfect example for the future church.

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Derived Authority

By the Spirit, the incarnate Christ emptied Himself of His own initiative and authority. The Apostle Paul clarified to the ecclesia in ancient Philippi, “…although He existed in the form of God, [Christ Jesus] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

According to the Apostle Paul, the incarnate Christ “existed in the form of God.” (Philippians 2:6) The Greek word translated “form” is morphe. Stressing “the inner essence or reality of that with which it is associated,” it means that Jesus possessed the very nature of God. (cf. Mark 16:12) Thus, Paul plainly communicated that Jesus was God in human flesh.

Nevertheless, Paul revealed that the incarnate Christ did not regard “equality with God a thing to be grasped.” (2:6) The Greek word translated “grasped” is harpagmos (har-pag-mos'). It generally means “held on to forcibly.” Thus, Jesus chose not to hold on to His “equality with God.” (2:6)

Instead, the incarnate Christ “emptied Himself” of His equality with God. (2:7) The Greek word translated into English as “emptied” is kenosis. Consistent with the concept of servanthood, it means “to make empty” or “to make of no reputation.”

The writings of both the Apostle Paul and the New Testament in general clarify that the incarnate Christ “emptied Himself” of His divine authority and took the “form of a bond servant.” (vs. 7) Although His servanthood was by personal choice, Jesus Christ was nonetheless a servant.

Servanthood is characterized by a complete lack of personal reputation, position, or authority. Recognized predominantly by the reputation, position, and authority of his master, a good servant is known for submission to his master.

Though within His right and ability, Jesus did not embrace His divine authority. He chose to live on earth as a servant in perfect submission to authority derived from His heavenly Father.

Paul further indicated that Jesus was “made in the likeness of men.” (vs. 7) The Greek word translated “likeness” is homoioma (hom-oy'-o-mah). It is indicative of the fullness of human nature. The specific manner in which Paul used homoima clarified that the incarnate Christ was not exactly like every other human being. He differentiated Himself by His constant obedience to the Father. (cf. vs. 8)

The incarnate Christ Jesus not only possessed the fullness of human nature but was fully human in appearance. The Apostle states that Jesus was “found in the appearance of a man.” (vs. 8) The Greek word translated “appearance” is schema. As quoted in Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Meyer says the use of schema indicated that "men saw in Christ a human form, bearing, language, action, mode of life... in general the state and relations of a human being, so that in the entire mode of His appearance He made Himself known and was recognized as a man". Thus, Jesus Christ was fully human in both nature and appearance.

The Apostle Paul reveals that the incarnate Christ, fully human in both nature and appearance, performed the ultimate act of servanthood. He “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.” (vs. 8)

Although existing in the form of God, the incarnate Christ:

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Scripture	Reference
“... did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped;”	vs. 6
“... emptied Himself;”	vs. 7
took “the form of a bond-servant;”	vs. 7
was “made in the likeness of men;”	vs. 7
was “found in appearance as a man;”	vs. 8
and “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.”	vs. 8

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While on earth, the incarnate Christ emptied Himself of intrinsic authority and lived by the Spirit in faithful submission to authority derived from the heavenly Father. “… Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God (possessing intrinsic authority), did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself (of His intrinsic authority), taking the form of a bond servant (one without authority), and being made in the likeness of men (without intrinsic authority). Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself (taking a position devoid of authority) by becoming obedient to the point of death (the ultimate emptying of oneself) …” (Philippians 2:5-8)

Beyond Philippians

Beyond the kenosis passage from Philippians, the context of the New Testament in general indicates that the incarnate Christ did not choose to live according to His own authority. The Gospels reveal that when He healed the sick; cast out demons, performed miracles, and suffered death by crucifixion, He did so as a “man under authority”:

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Scripture	Reference
“… the centurion said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, ‘Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.’”	Matthew 8:9; (cf. Luke 7:8)
“But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.”	Matthew 9:8
"For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.	John 5:26-27
“Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.’”	John 17:1-3
“For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.”	1 Corinthians 3:21-23
“But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.”	1 Corinthians 11:3-4
“I also have received authority from My Father”	Revelation 2:27

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cf. Matthew 7:29; 8:9; Mark 1:22; 1:27; 2:9-11; Luke 4:32; 4:36; 5:24; 7:8; John 10:16-18

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Restored Authority

The post-resurrection authority of Jesus Christ was vastly different from the derived authority He exercised while on earth. He again exercised the intrinsic authority He possessed before His incarnation:

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Scripture	Reference
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore (on the basis of His intrinsic authority delegated) and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’"	Matthew 28:18-20
“These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”	Ephesians 1:19-23
“He is the head over all rule and authority;”	Colossians 2:10

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