The Descent of Christ: Humility in the Heart of God (Part 1)

Series Introduction

This post begins a short two-part series on Philippians 2 and John 13, where we see both the descent and the ascent of Christ. Together these passages unveil the humility and glory of our Lord.

In this first part, we will trace the steps of His descent, from the heights of divine glory to the depths of the cross. In the next post, we will follow His ascent, from the resurrection to His enthronement at the right hand of God. The two belong together. The One who stooped low is the One who now reigns high.

Greatness in this world is measured by how high you can climb. Titles, recognition, authority, and power are the things people grasp for. But in the kingdom of God, greatness is measured by how far you are willing to descend.

The hymn of Philippians 2:6–8 is the most profound expression of Christ’s descent, showing us the humility of the eternal Son of God. These verses pull us into the mystery of the incarnation, not only revealing the way of salvation but also defining the very essence of humility in the Godhead. Paul’s appeal to the Philippians is that they “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). He then sings the story of Christ’s self-emptying, His obedience, and His cross.

Step by step, Christ moves downward until He reaches the lowest place. And there, in His descent, the humility of God is revealed.

Existing in the Form of God

Paul begins: “Though He existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped” (Philippians 2:6). The word “form” (morphē theou) does not mean outer shape or appearance. It refers to the essential nature, the true reality. Christ was fully divine from eternity. There never was a time when He was not God. He possessed all the glory, majesty, and authority of deity.

And yet, unlike Adam who grasped for what was not his, Christ did not exploit what was truly His. He did not cling to His status or use it for selfish advantage. The humility of Christ is seen first in this: though He was God, He chose not to hold onto privilege. Here is greatness in its purest form, not in grasping but in giving.

Refusing to Exploit Privilege

Paul continues: “He did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped” (v. 6). The key word is harpagmos. Scholars debate its exact nuance, but the sense is clear. Christ did not treat His equality with God as something to seize for Himself.

This is a direct reversal of Adam’s story. Adam, though made in God’s image, reached for more, grasping at divinity. The result was sin, death, and exile. Christ, though truly equal with God, did not grasp. Instead, He released. Where Adam held tightly, Christ emptied. Where Adam exalted himself, Christ humbled Himself.

The humility of Christ is not that He denied His deity, but that He refused to use it for selfish gain. He would not exploit His power, even though all authority was His.

Emptying Himself

“Instead He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant” (v. 7). This is the language of kenosis. The word does not mean Christ stopped being God. Deity cannot be diminished. Rather, He relinquished the privileges of glory. He laid aside His rights, choosing the path of self-giving love.

The phrase “taking the form of a servant” (morphē doulou) mirrors the opening phrase “existing in the form of God.” The contrast is staggering. The One who was in the form of God took the form of a servant. The eternal Son clothed Himself in servanthood.

Paul echoes Isaiah’s Servant Songs, reminding us that the Messiah came not as a conquering king but as the suffering servant who would bear the sins of many. Here humility reaches new depths. The God of the universe takes on the role of a slave.

Becoming Human

Paul presses further: “Being born in the likeness of men” (v. 7). Christ did not merely put on humanity like a cloak. He became truly human. He entered the womb of Mary, grew as a child, worked with His hands, ate, drank, wept, grew tired, and felt pain.

He was not a king in disguise, pretending at humanity. He was fully man. Yet He was so ordinary that most people missed Him. Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled: “He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2).

The humility of God is seen not only in becoming man but in becoming a man without earthly privilege or outward splendor. He lived among the lowly, the overlooked, and the outcast.

Obedience to Death

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death” (v. 8). Here is the climactic step of Christ’s descent. His humanity was not an experiment or a temporary disguise. It was the stage for His obedience.

From Bethlehem to Calvary, He lived in submission to His Father’s will. Every word He spoke, every act He performed, was in perfect obedience. And that obedience carried Him to the cross. Death itself was the lowest point, for the Author of life should not die.

But it was not just death. It was death on a cross, the most shameful, cursed, and humiliating death the Roman world knew. Crucifixion was designed to strip a man of all dignity. And this is where Christ went. The eternal Son stooped to the dust, to the grave, to the curse. The One who had all power became powerless. The One who gave breath to every living thing breathed His last.

The Humility of God

The hymn of Philippians 2 takes our breath away because it reveals something about God we could never imagine on our own. At the very center of His nature is humility. Humility is not something God put on for a brief moment in history. It is not a temporary strategy. It is His eternal character revealed in time.

In creation, He stooped to form us from dust. In covenant, He stooped to dwell with His people. In incarnation, He stooped to take on flesh. And in crucifixion, He stooped to bear our sin. Humility is the mark of His redeeming love.

The Call to Us

Paul did not write Philippians 2:6–8 as an abstract theology lesson. He wrote it to a divided church, urging them to lay down pride, to serve one another, and to put others before themselves. His call is urgent: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.”

The descent of Christ is both the foundation of our salvation and the pattern of our discipleship. We are saved because He stooped. We are called to follow because He stooped. If the eternal Son released His rights, how can we cling so tightly to ours? If He humbled Himself, how can we exalt ourselves? If He became a servant, how can we refuse to serve?

True greatness is not in climbing higher. It is in bending lower.

A Final Word

Philippians 2 leaves us standing in awe. Christ’s descent shows us that the God we worship is not grasping, not self-serving, not proud. He is humble. His humility is not weakness but strength. It is not loss but gain. It is not defeat but victory.

This is the God who saves. And this is the God we are called to imitate. The descent of Christ calls us to lay aside our pride, our rights, and our claims, and to walk in the same downward path of love. For in losing our lives, we find them. And in stooping low, we find the joy of Christ.