buzuxi02
Veteran
Verses 4-8:
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (ESV)I have a unitarian discussion of it posted on here. It may help you understand the passage:
Arian vs Socinian interpretation of Philippians 2:5-9
It's really irrelevant what the Arians thought. The strict Arianism of Arius himself and Asterius the Sophist only existed for about 40 years. In fact Arius himself along with his party (before his sudden death) agreed to a compromise on his theology. Later on the (semi) Arians who only concerned themselves with the word Homoousios at the council of Seleucia even anathemized the anomeanist term favored by the (strict arians).
What we know is that the Philipian verses in ch. 2 is a pre-Pauline hymn or poem. It was already known in the early church and Paul is quoting from it.
We also know the references to Jesus divinity in the epistles are framed in worship language, meaning the divinity of Christ was something experienced in worship rather than a doctrinal statement. Hence in 2 Corinthians 13 Paul concludes his letter with a Trinitarian benediction, probably a familiar benediction which closed a many Christian prayer service. We also see this divinity of the Son in primitive creeds in use by the church: 1 Tim 3:16 , etc.
Jesus was lower than His Father through His bodily economy. Paul said, "Though He was rich for our sake he became poor, so we who are poor may through his poverty become rich. 2 Cor 8:9
He is also lower than the Father hypostatically because the Father is unbegotten while Christ is begotten of him. The Father is the unoriginate source of the entire Godhead. (yes this is what the Nicene creed endorsed by this forum teaches)
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