Philippians 2:8 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And being found in fashion, &c.— "And when he was found in the common form and condition of man, as though he had been nothing more, he submitted himself to the lowest degree of service and sufferings; and went into a course of the most humble obedience, as to his parents and magistrates, in all lawful things, so to his heavenly Father, as his servant, to answer all the demands of his holy law; and this obedience he paid even unto death, and all along, till he came to die, yea, and in his dying (John 10:18.), not an ordinary death, but the ignominious, painful,and accursed death of the cross, to shew that he stood in the place of transgressors, who were under the curse of the law, and that he came to redeem them from it, by bearing it for them (Galatians 3:13.)." It requires some attention to the Apostle's argument to distinguish rightly between the form, the likeness, and the fashion, which are all in this place applied to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Philippians 2:6-7 the Apostle says, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God," or, as some render it, "was not fond," or "tenacious of appearing as God," but emptied himself. Now, his nature he could not lay aside; he continued to be the eternal Son of God, though he appeared not like the Son of God; and therefore, the Apostle adds, being man, he was found in fashion as a man; appearing, in respect to his personal manifestation, in no greater majesty or glory than what belonged to him as a man. There are no different orders of beings to whom the form of God belongs; and therefore the Apostle having told us that Christ was in the form of God, there wanted no addition to inform us what kind or manner of being he was: for the form of God belongs to God only. The fashion of a man denotes those distinguishing characters which belong to a man as such, the true and real appearances of a man. Let us proceed then to consider what led St. Paul to this expression, and why he might not as well say, "Being man, he humbled himself," as "being found in fashion as a man, he humbled," &c. For this we must look back to the first rise of the Apostle's argument. The Person here spoken of, the Lord Jesus Christ, was in the form of God, but emptied himself—Emptied himself of what? Not of his being or nature; but of the glories and majesties belonging to him. Whatever he was as to nature and essence when he was in the form of God, that he continued to be still when he became man. But the fashion, or glories of the form of God, he laid down; and though he continued to be the same, yet as to the fashion, or outward dignity and appearance, he was, in his personal manifestation to the world, a mere man; being found, as the Apostle says, in fashion as a man. Had the Apostle conceived Christ, while here on earth, to have been a mere man only, in what tolerable sense could he say of him, being found in fashion as a man? For in what fashion should a man be found? What need was there of this limitation, unless in reality he was something more than a man? But if you consider the man Jesus Christ to be the same person who was in the form of God, and who had, accordingly, a right to appear in the majesty and glory of God; it is proper to ask, How did he appear on earth? And the Apostle's words are a proper answer to the question; He was found in fashion as a man. The Apostle perhaps had another view in the choice of this expression, with respect to what follows; And became obedient unto death: for it might well seem strange, that any should attempt the life of him, who was himself the Lord of life. He became obedient unto death; but how came he to be called to this obedience? Who was the bold man that laid hands upon this God upon earth, and was vain enough to think of compassing his death? To which the Apostle gives this previous answer: he was found in fashion as a man, as such his life was attempted, and he became obedient unto death. If you allow the Apostle to have had this in view, you must needs suppose that he thoughtChrist more than mortalman, when he is at some pains to assign a reason that could tempt any one to think him liable to death. Let us farther consider, that the Apostle says, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, the death of the cross. Death is common to all mankind; and, if to die be humility, in this respect all are equally humble. How comes Jesus Christ then to be distinguished by this instance of humility? How comes that to be humility in him, which in every body else is necessity? If you speak of mere man, you may as properly say, that he is humble in having two legs or arms, as in submitting unto death, since both are equally the cause and work of nature: and yet you plainly see that the Apostle reckons it great humility in Christ, that he submitted unto death. What manner of person then was Christ Jesus, over whom death had no power, but through his own consent and submission? Mortal he was, or else he could not have died; more than mortal he was, or else he could not have avoided death; in which case, to die had been no humility. You must allow that the Apostle supposes him to be more than mere man. Had he, when he became man, ceased to be what he was before, death had been but the natural and necessary consequence of the change: but though he was a man, yet, being Lord of all things, it was always in his power to take up his life, and lay it down; for, as St. Paul says of those who put Christ to death, they killed the Lord of life, or Prince of life: being then, even whilst on earth, and clothed with human flesh and blood, the very Lord of life, and upholding all things by his power, he was superior to the necessity of human nature, and subject to death only, because he chose to die. To die therefore was humility; to die upon the cross still greater, submitting to those wretches, who, while they were destroying, lived only by his power, who was the Prince of life. It was humility therefore to become man: after he was man, it was humility to die; since the powers of life were in his own hand, and he could both lay down his life, and take it up.