The Spectator

INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON

(By E. O. SELLERS, Acting Director of Sunday School Course, Moody Bible Institute.)

(Copyright, 1916, Western Newspaper Union.)

LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 13
HUMBLED AND EXALTED.

LESSON TEXT-Phil. 2:1-11.

GOLDEN TEXT-For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.-II Cor. 8:9.

The key word of the first chapter of Philippians is "confidence" (see vv. 6, 14, 25). Paul has confidence in the church at Philippi on account of their spiritual condition (vv. 1, 2), which resulted in fellowship (vv. 3-8) and fruitfulness (vv. 9-13). This confidence inspires boldness and is a source of joy and blessing. Paul's creed is also set forth in chapter 1:5-11. This confidence is in the face of the conflict and suffering which was before them (see 1:27-30).

I. Be of the Same Mind, vv. 1-4. The key word of this chapter is the word "comfort" (vv. 1, 19). The first section might be entitled "The Comfort of Love" (vv. 1-18) and the second section "The Comfort of Knowledge" (vv. 19-30). If there was to be opposition from without certainly the Christians ought to stand together. Paul is urging them to unity in order that it might comfort and console him. He had always rejoiced in this church (1:4), but he desires them to "fill full his joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." Paul's comfort of love in the disciples he anticipated would be due to their state of mind which depended upon (a) unity (vv. 1,2); (b) humility (v. 3); (c) that they might "mind the things of others" (v. 4). Nothing would so comfort and console, or so gladden the heart of Paul as such unity. It was even so with the heart of our Lord (see John 17:21). The words "be of the same mind" do not refer merely to a unity of opinion, but rather to a unity of purpose and affection, literally "being souled together."

II. Let This Mind Which Was Also in Christ Jesus, vv. 5-8. The second comfort of love was due, not to a unity of mind, but to the standing which Paul and this church had in Christ, due to his (Christ's) standing in God. The words of this passage are among the most wonderful to be found anywhere in the Bible. They contain a statement of the most profound truth and mystery that we have regarding the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. No plummet has sounded their depth, nor rod scaled their height, nor tape measured their breadth. His eternal deity--and on the other hand his amazing self-humiliation-yet these facts and truths are brought before us to enforce the homeliest duties of every day life. Equal to God (John 10:30) yet he gave up his divine glory and incarnated himself in the historical Jesus, was anointed of God, died on a Roman cross, buried in Joseph's tomb, yet rose again and is alive today as much as when he walked o'er Galilee's hills. The mind that was in Jesus was a purpose to choose the lowest depth of humiliation rather than a full equality with God, either choice of which he might have made; but he chose the former--creation's most sublime illustration of self-sacrifice--and this is the mind we should have. The word "robbery" implies a thing to be seized hold of. Instead of seizing hold of equality with God, Jesus let go and seized hold of the death on the cross, and thus made himself of no reputation, literally emptied himself. The context shows of what he emptied himself: (a) his divine form; (b) his divine glory. This latter is shown by his birth in a stable and his death upon a cross, thereby being under the curse of God (Gal. 3:13). But this was an act of obedience to God (v. 8). The father bade him to do it. The sacrifice of Christ had its original source in the will of God-his love towards us (John 3:16, Rom. 5:8). There are three thoughts in this passage: (a) the incarnation; (b) the passion; (c) the exaltation. Keep this in mind and remember Paul's circumstances in prison when he wrote this letter.

III. God Also Hath Exalted Him, vv. 9-11. The result of this comfort of love, due to a state of mind on the part of the disciples and their having the mind of Christ, was first the exaltation of Christ (v. 9), and the giving unto him of "the" name, not "a" name, that is above all other names; and secondly, worship on the part of all of God's creation, every knee bowed in submission; and third, confession (v. 11). Jesus, who humbled himself to the lowest place, God has exalted to the highest place. Humiliation of self is the path to exaltation by God. The name "Jesus" is above every name, because Jesus has been exalted above every man. The worship mentioned here is not merely that we worship through him, though that is true (John 14:6). The phrase "every knee shall bow" is a clear expression of the oneness of Jehovah and Jesus. Notice that those that bow are in heaven, in earth and in Hades (Rev. 5:3). Even lost men and angels who will not bow now will have to do so some day though it will then have no saving power in it for them.