Philippians 2:6 teaches that Jesus, though fully God, did not treat his equality with the Father as something to hold onto for his own advantage. Paul uses this truth to show believers what humble, others-focused living looks like. The verse was written by the apostle Paul to the church at Philippi, a congregation he had founded and loved.
Who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped…
Philippians 2:6 (WEB)
What Philippians 2:6 Means
The verse begins by describing Jesus as “existing in the form of God.” The word “form” points to the true nature or essential character of something, not merely its outward appearance. Paul is saying that Christ was always fully divine before he came into the world, sharing the very nature of God.
Next, the verse says he “didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped.” The picture is of someone holding tightly to a prize they could use for personal gain. Christ had every right to his place in glory, yet he did not cling to it. He chose not to use his equality as a privilege to protect or display for himself.
What the verse does not say is that Jesus stopped being God or that he lacked anything essential. It does not teach that he gave up his divinity. Rather, it describes a voluntary choice of humility that becomes clearer in the verses that follow, where he empties himself and takes the form of a servant.
The Context of Philippians 2:6
Paul wrote this letter from prison, most likely during his Roman imprisonment, to a church that was experiencing some tension and rivalry among its members. In Philippians 2:3-4 he urges believers to avoid selfish ambition and to count others as more important than themselves. The example he gives in verses 5-11 is Christ himself, and verse 6 is the foundation of that example.
Read in this setting, the verse is not a theological puzzle standing alone. It is the first step in a pattern Paul is laying out: the one who had every claim to honor chose the path of self-giving, and therefore God exalted him. Paul wants the Philippians to see that humility is not weakness but a reflection of who Jesus is.
Key Phrases in Philippians 2:6
Philippians 2:3-4
3 Doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; 4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
(WEB)
These verses set the stage for Paul’s teaching in verse 6 by calling believers to humility and to look beyond their own interests. Reading them alongside verse 6 shows that the attitude Paul commends is rooted in Christ’s own example.
2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
(WEB)
This verse describes the same movement of grace found in Philippians 2:6, where Jesus, though rich, became poor for the sake of others. It highlights the generosity behind his humility and the purpose it served.
A Short Prayer From Philippians 2:6
Lord Jesus, you shared fully in the glory of God, yet you did not hold on to that position for your own benefit. Thank you for choosing the path of humility and love for my sake. Teach me to release my pride, my need for recognition, and my desire to win every argument, so that I can serve others as you served me. Shape my heart to become more like yours, and help me trust that you see what I do in secret and will honor it in your time. Amen.
