"But emptied Himself"  

"For let this mind be in you [individually] [or, "among you," collectively] that was also in Christ Jesus. who subsisting in the form of God thought it not a thing to be grasped at to be on equality with God, but emptied Himself. taking a bondman's form, taking His place in the likeness of men, and having been found in figurer as a man, humbled Himself even unto death, and that the death of the cross."

What depths of divine profoundness, it is infinitely surpasses all the mind of man; and is, with difficulty, barely comprehended by the believer. And that is why there is so much controversy surrounding our efforts to apprehend it. Any thoughts as to it will certainly be challenged at best, derided at worst. But that must not deter us from casting ourselves upon the Lord that we may know all the help of the Holy Spirit as our Divine Instructor.

I would like to focus attention upon the phrase at the head of this paper, "emptied Himself." If I cannot explain, find words, to express my understanding of  this phrase, I nevertheless trust that the following statement may convey my poor thought in some suitable measure: He emptied Himself to incarnation. It is in absolute harmony with the context. He speaks clearly of the magnitude of His down-stooping to manhood.

The main thrust of this brief paper is to refute the teaching that Christ "laid aside, set aside, His glory" when He entered this scene. His glory was an intrinsic element of His Person; He could not divest Himself of that which an integral part of His personality. I speak in trembling reverence as human language and my grasp of it is feeble in setting forth divine things. Notice please: "And the Word became flesh, [entered into manhood] and tabernacled among us (and we beheld His glory a glory as of an only-begotten from a father, full of grace and truth."           John 1:14.

I believe that what Charles Wesley wrote "veiled in flesh the Godhead see," is a beautiful expression of this truth. The Lord "out of heaven," veiled His glory, He did not relinquish it. That His "flesh" acted as a veil is incontrovertible, "The new and living way which He has dedicated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh." Hebrews 10:20.    

I remember a well-instructed brother saying on one occasion, referring to this wonderful scripture, "I could no more lay aside my personality than Christ could have laid aside His glory."

The Lord Jesus even as the Son of Man "subsisted in the very form of God," thus not as single attribute or feature of Godhead was relinquished by Him here below. he conjoined His intrinsic deity with His impeccable humanity in one indivisible Person.     Personally He remained in perfect equality with the Father and the Spirit, only in position had He take voluntarily the subject place, "the form of a bondman's form."

This paper is solely my responsibility, I do not claim it is in any way unique, but I alone can be made accountable, none of my fellow brethren.