Philippians 2:6 says that Jesus, who truly was God, did not treat his equality with God as something he had to hold onto at all costs. Instead, he was willing to set aside the visible glory that was rightfully his. Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi, a Greek-speaking congregation that he had founded and loved, and he wrote them to encourage them toward unity and humility.
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” points to who Jesus already was before he came into the world. The word “form” here does not mean a disguise or a shape that can be peeled away. It refers to the true nature and essential character of God that Jesus shared. Paul is saying that Christ was not a lesser being who later became divine. He was fully God from the start.
The next phrase, “didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,” is the heart of the verse. The image is of a person clutching something tightly, refusing to let it go. Paul is saying that Jesus did not regard his equality with God as something to hang on to for his own advantage. The verse does not say Jesus gave up his divinity. It says he chose not to exploit it, which sets up the story of his self-emptying in the next verse.
What the verse does not promise is that every believer will automatically reflect this attitude. It describes Christ’s example and character, and it invites imitation rather than guaranteeing it. It also does not explain the full mystery of how Christ is both God and human. Paul is making a practical point about humility, using the deepest truth about Jesus as the foundation for it.
The Context of Philippians 2:6
Paul wrote Philippians from prison, most likely during one of his imprisonments, and the letter is warm, personal, and focused on joy and partnership in the gospel. The Philippian believers were facing some internal tension and possibly pressure from outside. Paul’s main appeal in chapter 2 is for them to stop living for status or competition and to start living for one another.
The verses just before this one, in Philippians 2:3-5, urge believers to count others as more important than themselves and to look to the interests of others. Verse 6 is the foundation for that call. Verses 7 through 9 then describe how Christ emptied himself, took the form of a servant, humbled himself to the point of death on a cross, and was exalted by God. Because the verse sits inside this sweeping movement from glory to humility to exaltation, it reads as the first step in a pattern Paul wants his readers to follow.
Key Phrases in Philippians 2:6
Mark 10:45
For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
(WEB)
This verse shows Jesus himself describing his mission as one of service rather than being served. It echoes the same pattern of humility found in Philippians 2:6, where the Son of God chose to give rather than to take, and it gives a clear picture of the purpose behind that self-giving.
2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
(WEB)
Paul uses the language of Christ’s generosity to motivate giving among believers. Like Philippians 2:6, this passage shows that Christ set aside his riches to bless others, offering a second angle on the same self-emptying love that shaped his life and death.
A Short Prayer From Philippians 2:6
Lord Jesus, you were fully God, and yet you did not hold on to your rightful glory as something to protect. Teach me to loosen my grip on what I think I deserve, my pride, and my need to be recognized. Shape my heart to look to the needs of others the way you looked to ours. Help me to trust that my worth rests in you and not in the status I can claim. Make me willing to serve in quiet and ordinary ways, as you did. Amen.
