23保罗在腓立比二章五至六节说，『你们里面要思念基督耶稣里面所思念的：祂本有神的形状，不以自己与神同等为强夺之珍，紧持不放。』我们在这里看见，主不仅与神并存，而且祂本有神的形状。繙成『本有』的希腊字，意指从太初就存在；含示主在已过的永远就存在了。说基督以神的形状存在，意思就是，祂本有神所是的彰显；（来一3；）也就是说，祂与神身位的素质和性质相合。这是说到基督的神格。按照腓立比二章六节，基督虽然本有神的形状，但祂不以自己与神同等为强夺之珍，紧持不放。祂与神同等，但祂不以与神同等为强夺之珍，紧持不放，予以保留。祂反倒愿意来地上作人。倒空自己，取了奴仆的形状二章七节接著说，『反而倒空自己，取了奴仆的形状，成为人的样式。』主倒空祂的地位、荣耀、和其他与神格有关的事。当然祂没有倒空祂的神性。主倒空自己，成为人，取了奴仆的形状，成为人的样式。
23In Philippians 2:5 and 6 Paul says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who subsisting in the form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Here we see that the Lord not only existed with God, but subsisted in the form of God. The Greek word rendered “subsisting” denotes existing from the beginning. This implies the Lord’s eternal preexistence. To say that Christ existed in the form of God means that He subsisted in the expression of God’s being (Heb. 1:3), that He was identified with the essence and nature of God’s Person. This refers to Christ’s deity. According to Philippians 2:6, although Christ subsisted in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. He was equal with God, but He did not consider this equality a treasure to be grasped and retained. Rather, He was willing to come to earth as a man. Emptying Himself, Taking the Form of a Slave In Philippians 2:7 Paul goes on to say, “But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the likeness of men.” The Lord emptied Himself of His position and glory and of other matters related to His Godhead. Of course, He did not empty Himself of His deity. Having emptied Himself, the Lord came as a man, taking the form of a slave and becoming in the likeness of men.