Philippians 2:6 teaches that Jesus, although he was fully God, did not treat his equality with God as something to hold onto for his own advantage. Paul uses this to show believers what humility looks like, pointing to Christ himself as the pattern. Paul wrote this line to the church at Philippi, a Christian community in a Roman colony in northern Greece, urging them to put others first.
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 phrase “existing in the form of God” means that before he came to earth, Jesus already had the true nature and glory of God. Paul is not describing a costume or a title but the real divine character of the Son. The verse then says Jesus did not regard being equal with God as something to be grabbed or clung to. The word translated “grasped” suggests holding tightly to a prize you are afraid to lose, and Paul is saying Christ did not do that.
What the verse does not say is that Jesus gave up being God. The point is attitude, not loss of identity. Christ had every right to his position and chose not to use it for personal status. That choice is what makes the following verses about his self-emptying and obedience meaningful.
The Context of Philippians 2:6
Philippians is a letter traditionally attributed to the apostle Paul, written while he was in prison, probably in the 50s or early 60s of the first century. Paul writes warmly to a church he founded, one that had supported him generously and was facing its own pressures from outside and possibly from disagreements within. He had already urged them to stand together and to avoid selfish rivalry.
Just before verse 6, Paul warns against “rivalry or conceit” and calls each believer to count others as more important than themselves. Verse 6 is the foundation for that command. Right after it, Paul describes Christ emptying himself, taking the form of a servant, and dying on a cross. Read in that setting, verse 6 is not an isolated statement about theology but the first step in an argument about how Christians should behave toward one another.
Key Phrases in Philippians 2:6
Philippians 2:7
But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
(WEB)
The verse that comes directly after shows what Christ did with his equality with God. It describes his emptying of himself and his taking the form of a servant, which explains concretely what the refusal to grasp looks like in action.
Romans 5:8
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
(WEB)
Paul shows elsewhere that God’s love was proven in Christ’s willingness to give himself for others. This verse fills out the same story of self-giving love that Philippians 2:6 begins to describe.
A Short Prayer From Philippians 2:6
Lord Jesus, you were fully God, yet you did not hold on to your rights for your own sake. Teach me to loosen my grip on status, credit, and the need to be right. When I feel the pull to protect my pride, remind me of your humility and give me the courage to put others first. Let my choices this week reflect the same servant heart I see in you. Amen.
