"Did Jesus Conceal Something?" 7-18-21

Overview

Did Jesus Conceal Something?

Scripture insists that God is "holy other"—profoundly different from us. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God." There is a revealed will of God—what He has plainly told us in His Word, such as the command not to steal—and a hidden will, those things He conceals for a time. Often we only recognize His hidden will in the rearview mirror of our lives, as we look back and see how He was at work in our circumstances.

That raises a striking question: when Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity, walked the earth, did He conceal something? Philippians 2:5-11—an early Christian hymn—answers yes. Paul says Jesus existed in the "form" (not mere appearance, but essential reality) of God. He is fully divine, "the image of the invisible God" Colossians 1:15, the Word who "was God" John 1:1, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father and the Spirit. Yet He did not regard equality with God as something to exploit or cling to. Instead, He "emptied Himself."

This emptying does not mean Jesus surrendered His divinity—a 19th-century error rightly rejected as heresy. Rather, He set aside the prerogative to use His divine attributes. For most of His earthly ministry, He concealed His glory. The Transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-2 gave Peter, James, and John a glimpse of His post-Easter glory, but it was just that—a glimpse. In Mark 13:32, Jesus said no one knows the day or hour of His return, "not even the Son"—an example of God in the flesh choosing not to draw upon His omniscience. He took the form of a slave, was born in human likeness (true God and true man), and humbled Himself to death—even death on a cross, the most humiliating execution Rome could devise.

Here is the heart of the pastoral application: we elevate ourselves; Jesus empties Himself. Nebuchadnezzar strutted over his "magnificent Babylon" Daniel 4:30. The mother of James and John angled for the prominent seats Matthew 20:20-21. The rulers of the Gentiles "lord it over" their people Mark 10:42. In the days of the judges, "all the people did what was right in their own eyes" Judges 17:6. Paul warns us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought Romans 12:3. Into our sinful self-elevation, Jesus stepped down—girding the servant's towel, washing dirty feet, going to the cross. Therefore God highly exalted Him, and at His name every knee will bow. Paul's exhortation still stands: "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus." If God's people truly took on the mind of Christ—self-emptying, humble, obedient—how different the world might be.

Transcript

Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, to the letter to the Church at Philippi? 1s

Philippians, the second chapter of using a Pew edition of Holy Scripture this morning, 7s

you're going to find that on page 174, page 174. 12s

God is the Holy other. 22s

God is profoundly different than us. 30s

One of the classic texts of all of Scripture that highlights the difference between the 40s

Creator and the Creator is found in Isaiah. 46s

Isaiah the 50-50 chapter, where God says this, for my thoughts are not your thoughts. 52s

Nor are your ways, my ways, says the Lord. 60s

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my 64s

thoughts than your thoughts. 71s

God is holy other. 75s

Scripture layers in the understanding of that, and one of the layers that Scripture reveals 82s

to us is found in Deuteronomy the 29th chapter, where the Scripture says this, the secret 88s

things belong to the Lord are God. 94s

But the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever to observe all the 97s

works of this law. 105s

Notice the phrase there, the secret things belong to the Lord. 108s

What does that tell us? 115s

It tells us that there are things that God conceals from us, that God is not fully transparent. 117s

But rather there are things that conceals are concealed by Him. 132s

For example, there's a difference between what's called the revealed will of God and the 138s

hidden will of God. 143s

The revealed will of God is that which we know from holy Scripture. 145s

For example, God says, don't steal. 149s

We don't have to wonder what God's will is with regard to that subject, do we? 156s

We don't have to wonder if we are in a store and looking at an item if it is okay for us to 161s

simply slip it underneath the coat and walk out. 167s

No, God has revealed his will on the subject. 172s

Don't steal. 176s

It's revealed in his word. 178s

That's difference in the hidden will of God. 181s

There are those things that God does not reveal to us. 186s

Hence the name, the designation, the hidden will. 191s

For example, will God heal the person this side of heaven? 195s

That is part of his hidden will, isn't it? 205s

And we understand his hidden will, we understand that which oftentimes for a time he conceals, 210s

we understand that by looking into the rear view mirror of our lives. 218s

Where we see God moving in terms of circumstances in terms of situations and quite often, 226s

it is only in the rear view mirror that we understand the manifestation of his hidden will. 232s

So there are those things which God conceals from us. 243s

Here's the question. 250s

When Jesus Christ, the second member of the Trinity, walked this earth, remember one God, 253s

three persons, father son, Holy Spirit, when the second member of the Trinity, walked this earth, 259s

did Jesus Christ conceal something? 265s

Did He conceal something? 272s

What do you think? 277s

To answer that question, we turn to Philippians. 281s

Specifically, we look at the second chapter of it. 286s

The portion of our study today and it goes on into verses I'm going to reference, 291s

but it wasn't part of our reading. 296s

It is understood by most scholars as an early Christian hymn. 299s

That's why in your translation, it's listed in prose form there. 304s

That's communicating here. 311s

This isn't early hymn that was sung by the Christians. 313s

And notice what it says, verse 5, 318s

Paul writes, let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. 321s

Okay, let's ponder that from them. 329s

The same mind in us that was in the Lord Jesus Christ. 333s

God is Holy other, that means the thinking of Jesus is so different than the way that we think. 341s

We are to emulate the thinking of Christ. 356s

We are to understand how it is that Christ thinks through His Word, 362s

and then we are to have that same mind. 367s

We are to have those same thoughts. 370s

So the exhortation is giving have the same mind and then Paul goes into a succinct, 373s

but profoundly deep description of the second member of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ. 379s

Notice the description of Jesus. 387s

Right after He says, have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. 390s

He said, who though He was in the form of God, let's pause there. 394s

Paul had an option in terms of what Word to use for form. 404s

There was a common word for form that says, really communicates appearance. 409s

Paul didn't use that word. 416s

Paul used a different word. 419s

That means the essential reality. 421s

In other words, what these few words communicate to us is that Jesus Christ just didn't appear to be divine. 427s

As if He was wearing a costume that He took on the form of it, 435s

you know, His essential reality, who He is, is divine. 441s

So have the same mind then as Jesus Christ, who is divine? 448s

Colossians 1 says, He's the image of the invisible God. 455s

John 1 says, in the beginning was the Word, it's always capitalized because it represents Jesus. 460s

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 466s

So think then, have the same mind, have the same thoughts as Jesus, who is God? 476s

The essential reality of who He is, then it says, who did not regard equality with God. 488s

In one of the three great creeds of the church, the Word course is the apostles' creed, 501s

then the nice scene creed pops up every now and then in worship services. 506s

There's a third one called the Athen Asian creed. 510s

Have you noticed, we've never done that here. 513s

You know why? 515s

It's as long as a sermon. 517s

You'd have to replace the sermon to do the Athen Asian creed, but the Athen Asian creed 519s

has a glorious line in it. 524s

They're all glorious, but that want to highlight this one. 527s

All three persons are in themselves, co-eternal and co-equal. 530s

Father, son, and Holy Spirit. 540s

One God, three persons, they're all equal. 542s

Jesus is divine. 546s

Jesus is equal with the Father. 548s

Jesus is equal with the Spirit. 551s

And then it goes on to say, He didn't regard equality with God as something to be exploited 554s

or grasped or this holding on to. 561s

What does Jesus do right before He goes to the cross, but He grids the servants' towel 567s

and washes the stinking feet of the disciples. 573s

Remember who we're talking about here? 579s

We're talking about the second member of the Trinity. 582s

Scripture says, through whom all things were created, putting on the servants' towel 584s

and washing the feet of the sinful disciples, Jesus, God, washing people's feet. 590s

And then it says, but He emptied Himself. 610s

Okay. 621s

What does that mean? 623s

What does it mean that Jesus Christ emptied Himself? 625s

You remember what's the point that's being made here? 633s

That Jesus Christ is, who? 636s

Jesus Christ is God. 639s

And then it says, Jesus emptied Himself in the 19th century. 641s

There was quite prevalent view. 647s

And the prevalent view was that when the second member of the Trinity came to earth, Jesus 649s

Christ emptied Himself of His divinity so that He was no longer God. 657s

It was a quite prevalent view. 667s

It's heresy, of course. 670s

It was quite prevalent. 671s

I like one Orthodox theologian in addressing that. 672s

One Orthodox theologian said, the only emptying going around here is those that have 677s

emptied their minds and teach such nonsense. 682s

You see what it says? 688s

Jesus emptied Himself. 689s

Jesus did not empty Himself of His divinity. 692s

He didn't empty Himself of being God. 698s

He emptied Himself of His paracetus, paracetus, and that Himself about being divine. 705s

He emptied Himself with regard to the use of His paracetus. 719s

Now what do I mean by that? 726s

Keep your finger here. 727s

Let's go over to Matthew 17. 729s

Matthew 17, very first book in the New Testament. 734s

Matthew 17, we're going to pick up in verse 1. 740s

Matthew 17, verse 1, we read this. 747s

Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James in His brother John and led them up 749s

high mountain by themselves. 755s

Peter and James and John were part of Jesus' inner circle. 758s

So he had the disciples and he had an inner circle of these three. 762s

Verse 2, and as He was transfigured before them and His face shown like the sun and His 767s

clothes became dazzling white. 773s

Suddenly, they're appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Him. 776s

Now remember where this fits in the narrative? 780s

This is before the cross, it's before the resurrection. 782s

What is Jesus showing here? 785s

But Jesus is showing to them a glimpse into His post-easter glory, a glimpse into glory 787s

post-easter. 798s

Here's the point. 801s

For the most part, when Jesus walked the earth prior to the cross, for the most part, 803s

Jesus concealed His glory. 815s

He concealed His glory, not always, but for the most part, he concealed. 823s

He's glory. 832s

The Scripture makes a distinction between Jesus before the cross and after the cross. 835s

Before the cross, He's concealing His glory afterwards. 842s

Different things. 847s

For example, Mark 13, the statement is made. 849s

But about that day or hour, speaking of the second coming of the Messiah, but about that day 853s

or hour, no one knows neither the angels in heaven nor the sun, but only the Father. 859s

You know who made that statement? 866s

Jesus. 868s

What's that example of? 870s

It's an example of Jesus, God in the flesh, not using His perocative at that moment of omniscience. 872s

Did Jesus empty Himself so He was no longer omniscient when He came to earth and took on flesh? 884s

No. 891s

He didn't empty Himself of His divinity, but He didn't always use the perocative of His divinity. 891s

Mark 13 is a perfect example of that. 904s

Most of the time, prior to the cross, He concealed His glory. 909s

So where are we now in the text? 921s

Is the form of God essential? 923s

Reality. 926s

Jesus is God equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 927s

Didn't account that equality is something to be grasped on to exploited. 933s

He took the form of the servant and He emptied Himself. 937s

He didn't always use the perocative of His divinity. 944s

We in our sinfulness elevate ourselves. 956s

And Jesus empties Himself. 967s

God is holy other, how different God is from us. 976s

Jesus empties Himself, taking the form of a servant and we in our sinfulness, what are we good at? 987s

We're good at elevating ourselves. 994s

Aren't we? 1000s

Think of King Nebuchadnezzar strutton around and He says, 1002s

Daniel 4 is this not magnificent Babylon, which I have built as a royal capital by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty. 1007s

There's elevation, right? 1017s

Matthew 20. 1021s

The mom who turns to Jesus and says, 1023s

The clear that these two sons of mine will sit, 1026s

one at your right hand, and one at your left in your kingdom. 1031s

Best construction to put on it. 1035s

It's just the love of her mother, of a mother wanting the best for her boys. 1038s

What does she want? 1044s

I want my boys to be sitting in the prominent spots. 1047s

I want them to be elevated. 1055s

Jesus says recorded in Mark 10, 1061s

you know that among the Gentiles, those whom they recognize as their rulers, 1064s

Lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 1069s

Judges 17, and all the people did what was right in their own eyes. 1075s

Not what's right in God's eyes. 1084s

But what's right in their own eyes? 1087s

They're all eyes. 1091s

Romans 12, Paul says, 1094s

I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. 1096s

We elevate and Jesus empties. 1109s

He conceals His glory, 1121s

and empties Himself taking on flesh to deal with the elevating of humankind, 1125s

born out of their sin. 1141s

How different is God from us? 1146s

How gracious are His actions? 1155s

Look with me, please. 1159s

Back to Philippians, chapter 7. 1160s

Right after it says, or chapter 2, 1164s

right after it says verse 7, 1167s

but He emptied Himself. 1169s

It says taking the form of a slave. 1171s

There's that word again, right? 1175s

This isn't the word here for appearance. 1178s

This isn't the word that some people in ancient day fell into the heresy of, 1180s

well, Jesus, he really wasn't human. 1186s

He just kind of looked like he was human. 1190s

No, it's the same word here. 1192s

Just as Jesus is the essential reality of divine, 1194s

He is also the essential reality, same word of being human, 1198s

true God and true man. 1204s

Taking the form of a slave, 1207s

submissive to the will of the Father, 1211s

being born in human likeness. 1215s

That's the exact representation. 1219s

Jesus Christ, true God and true man, 1222s

the two natures of Christ. 1225s

And being found in human form, 1227s

verse 8, he humbled Himself, 1230s

and became obedient to the point of death, 1233s

even death on a cross. 1236s

Let's plumb the richness of this. 1241s

And being found in human form, 1244s

he humbled Himself. 1247s

You see, when Jesus Christ, 1249s

the second member of the Trinity, 1251s

took on flesh, the incarnation, 1253s

the very fact that he takes on flesh, 1257s

is an act of humbling. 1259s

And watch how the humbling continues, 1261s

and became obedient to the point of death. 1265s

He humbled Himself by taking on flesh, 1268s

he humbled Himself by being put on a cross 1272s

by sinners. 1276s

He humbled Himself by dying on a cross, 1279s

and notice the phrase of the early hymn, 1283s

even death on a cross. 1286s

The Romans would crucify people outside of the city, 1289s

and the point of crucifixion 1293s

was to humiliate the one that was being crucified, 1295s

and to say, look at this. 1302s

Now you don't want that, right? 1305s

You'll just the depth of the humbling here, 1308s

even to the point of death on a cross, 1313s

where God empties and humbles Himself 1317s

to the point to deal with our sinful elevation 1323s

in all of its forms. 1329s

And through the cross of Jesus, 1332s

forgiveness is one, 1335s

and reconciliation with God is restored, 1337s

with the grace of His actions. 1343s

We elevate He empties, 1346s

therefore He is to be exalted. 1349s

Look at the very next verse, verse 9. 1352s

Therefore, God also highly exalted Him 1355s

and gave Him the name that is above every name, 1358s

so that at the name of Jesus, 1361s

every knee should bend in heaven and on earth 1363s

and under the earth, 1366s

and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ 1368s

is Lord to the glory of God, the Father. 1373s

The form, 1383s

essential, reality, He's divine. 1387s

Equal, 1392s

doesn't exploit it. 1395s

Empty's Himself, 1398s

not of His divinity, 1402s

His perroctiv to use His divinity. 1405s

Takes the form of a slave 1411s

and dying 1414s

even a death on a cross. 1417s

Okay, back now the verse 5. 1425s

Let the same mind be in you 1431s

that was in Christ Jesus. 1437s

Let the same mind be in you 1442s

that was in Christ Jesus. 1445s

People having the same mind as Christ. 1453s

Might the world be different? 1469s

Might the world be different? 1478s