DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9552#0537
TO THE CHRISTIAN PUBLIC.
humility displayed by Jesus, who, notwithstanding his
Godly appearance, never thought of those perfections by
which he approached man's ideas of God, but even made
himself of no reputation. It would be absurd to point
out orte's own opinion of his equality with God as an
instance of humility. How can we be following the
example of Christ, in thinking others better than
ourselves, if he, as the orthodox say, did not think even
his Father higher than himself ? We, however, must not
suffer ourselves as to be misled by any such orthodox
interpretation, to entertain so erroneous an idea of
Christ's opinion of himself, bearing in mind that Jesus
himself proclaims, "My Father is greater than I." John
xiv. 28.
No one can be at a loss to understand the difference
of essence between Christ and his Creator God, implied
in the phrase, "being in the form of God;" as the
distinction between "being God," and "being in the
form of God," is too obvious to need illustration. Even
Prakhurst, one of the most zealous advocates for the
Trinity, thought it absurd to lay stress on the term
"being in the form of God/' in support of the deity of
Jesus Christ. (See p. 443.) "/^oP^^i, perhaps from the
Hebrew JlV^D appearance, and aspect. Outward
appearance, form, which last word is from the Latin
forma, and this, by transposition, from the Doric voPQu
for 'HoP^7). See Mark xvi. 12, (comp. Luke xxiv. 13)
Philipp. ii. 6, 7, where the 6th verse refers not, I
apprehend, to Christ's being real and essential God, or
Jehovah, (though that he is so is the foundation of
Christianity) but to his glorious appearance, as God
before and under the Mosaic dispensation."
humility displayed by Jesus, who, notwithstanding his
Godly appearance, never thought of those perfections by
which he approached man's ideas of God, but even made
himself of no reputation. It would be absurd to point
out orte's own opinion of his equality with God as an
instance of humility. How can we be following the
example of Christ, in thinking others better than
ourselves, if he, as the orthodox say, did not think even
his Father higher than himself ? We, however, must not
suffer ourselves as to be misled by any such orthodox
interpretation, to entertain so erroneous an idea of
Christ's opinion of himself, bearing in mind that Jesus
himself proclaims, "My Father is greater than I." John
xiv. 28.
No one can be at a loss to understand the difference
of essence between Christ and his Creator God, implied
in the phrase, "being in the form of God;" as the
distinction between "being God," and "being in the
form of God," is too obvious to need illustration. Even
Prakhurst, one of the most zealous advocates for the
Trinity, thought it absurd to lay stress on the term
"being in the form of God/' in support of the deity of
Jesus Christ. (See p. 443.) "/^oP^^i, perhaps from the
Hebrew JlV^D appearance, and aspect. Outward
appearance, form, which last word is from the Latin
forma, and this, by transposition, from the Doric voPQu
for 'HoP^7). See Mark xvi. 12, (comp. Luke xxiv. 13)
Philipp. ii. 6, 7, where the 6th verse refers not, I
apprehend, to Christ's being real and essential God, or
Jehovah, (though that he is so is the foundation of
Christianity) but to his glorious appearance, as God
before and under the Mosaic dispensation."