Read Philippians 2:1-11

“[Jesus] made Himself of no reputation…” (Philippians 2:7)

The phrase "made Himself of no reputation" is astonishingly found to be a single word in the original Greek: kenoō, which means to empty, to make void, or to be made hollow. Some translations may even render it simply as "but He emptied Himself."

This prompts us to ask: what did Christ empty Himself of? Certainly, it was not His divine nature. Paul, with profound insight, has already clarified this in the previous verse by affirming that Jesus Christ embodies the very essence of God.

“Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.” (Philippians 2:6)

But it is evident, both through the incarnation itself and the surrounding context, that while Christ’s divine nature remained intact, He willingly set aside the expression and glory of that divine nature. Jesus chose not to wield the privileges inherent to such a nature! He entered the world not as a magnificent superhuman, but in a state of humility and meekness.

Was this not foretold by the prophet Isaiah, who proclaimed that the Messiah would come without beauty or majesty?

“For He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” (Isaiah 53:2–3)

Moreover, in a poignant prophetic Psalm of David, he also foretells of Christ’s suffering.

“But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying to Me, ‘He trusted in the Lord; let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him...’” (Psalm 22:6–8)

Thus, while Christ possessed the very nature of God, He refrained from claiming His divine privileges! He emptied Himself as one who had nothing to boast about, though He was God! For our sake, He embraced a lowly existence. In the words of Paul:

“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.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Beloved, I ask you: Why would Christ undertake such a profound act of emptying? The humbling answer is, for you! What a mystery it is that our Lord would willingly pour Himself out for sinners! Is this not grace in its most potent form? Is this not the very reason we celebrate His birth?

Therefore, as you revel in the joys of Christmas this season, always remember that this joy springs from the choice that Jesus made to become of no reputation, so that He might give you to the reputation as a child of God!