Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Philippians 2:6
6. Translate, "Who subsisting (or existing, namely, originally: the Greek is not the simple substantive verb, 'to be') in the form of God (the divine essence is not meant: but the external self-manifesting characteristics of God, the form shining forth from His glorious essence). The divine nature had infinite BEAUTY in itself, even without any creature contemplating that beauty: that beauty was 'the form of God'; as 'the form of a servant' ( :-), which is in contrasted opposition to it, takes... read more
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Philippians 2:5
5. The oldest manuscripts read, "Have this mind in you," &c. He does not put forward himself (see on Philippians 2:4, and Philippians 2:4- :) as an example, but Christ, THE ONE pre-eminently who sought not His own, but "humbled Himself" (Philippians 2:8), first in taking on Him our nature, secondly, in humbling Himself further in that nature (Romans 15:3). read more