Imitating Jesus

The submission of Jesus to an unjust death is the pattern of the love and service to others that his disciples are called to imitate.

The obedience of Jesus to his Father becomes the model for how we, as his followers, emulate Christ. His willing submission to death on the Roman Cross is the pattern for our conduct and attitude toward others. The elevation of the Nazarene to the Messianic Throne resulted from his submission to “death upon a cross.” Conforming our lives to this example is how we learn to “follow him wherever he goes.”

[Cross Photo by Jürgen Scheeff on Unsplash]

Paul called us to behave properly while living in a hostile culture, and that begins by “standing fast in one spirit, with one soul, joining for the combat along with the faith of the gospel.” We must “Let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus.” We are to seek concord and live humbly with one another, especially in the face of opposition; therefore, we must conform to Christ’s example – (Philippians 2:1-11).

To become Christ-like we must “think the same thing” that he did, especially by deferring our needs to the needs of others. This mindset was epitomized in the self-sacrificial act of Jesus. He came “not be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” - (Mark 10:45, Philippians 2:1-11).

• “Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, counted not the being like God as a thing to be seized, but he poured himself out, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; that in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” – (Philippians 2:5-11).

Paul employs Old Testament language from the stories of Adam and the “Suffering Servant” of Isaiah to illustrate this “mind of Christ.” Unlike Adam, Jesus did not attempt to seize “likeness” with God. Adam was created in God’s image but grasped at divine “likeness” when he ate the forbidden fruit.

In contrast, Jesus obeyed his Father and suffered the consequences. Like the ‘Suffering Servant of Yahweh,’ he humbled himself and submitted to an unjust death. For that reason, God “highly exalted” him.

Like Adam, Jesus began “in the form of God.” Unlike the first man, he “did not consider the being like God something for plunder.” The clause alludes to the passage in Genesis when the “Serpent” tempted Adam: “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.” Adam chose disobedience and attempted to “seize” the likeness of God, but Jesus refused to do so.

BECOMING LIKE GOD

Jesus was “in the form of God.” This statement corresponds to the creation account when “God created man in His image.” Likewise, Jesus was in the “image” of God. The Greek term translated as “being” represents the present tense participle huparchō, meaning, “to commence, begin; to start.” Thus, he began in the image of God just as Adam did.

The Greek term translated as “seize” means “plunder, booty,” something that is seized by force. Unlike Adam, Jesus did not attempt to seize likeness with God. Instead, “he poured himself out, taking the form of a slave, having come to be in the likeness of men <…> he humbled himself becoming obedient unto death.” This last sentence echoes the description of the ‘Suffering Servant’ recorded in the Book of Isaiah:

• (Isaiah 53:12) - “Therefore will I give him a portion in the great and the strong shall he apportion as plunder, because he poured out to death his soul, and with transgressors let himself be numbered, Yea, he the sin of many bare, and for transgressors interposed.”

• (Isaiah 53:7) - “Hard-pressed, yet he humbled himself, nor opened his mouth, as a lamb to the slaughter is led.”

Jesus humbled himself in obedience to the point of suffering a shameful death. That is how he poured himself out. Paul completed the picture by utilizing allusions to two more passages from Isaiah:

• (Isaiah 45:23) - “By myself have I sworn, gone forth out of my mouth is righteousness as a decree and shall not turn back, that unto myself shall bow every knee shall swear every tongue.”

• (Isaiah 52:13-15) - “Behold, my Servant prospers, he rises and is lifted up [Greek, hupoô] and becomes very high. Like as many were astonished at you. His appearance was so marred, more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. Thus, will he sprinkle many nations; kings will shut their mouths at him, for that which had not been told them will they see, and that which they had not heard will they understand.”

The verse from the fifty-second chapter of Isaiah is alluded to by Jesus in John’s Gospel. As he declared, “When you have lifted up [‘hupoô’] the Son of man, then you will know that I am he.” His “lifting up” referred to his crucifixion. “If I am lifted up [‘hupoô’] from the Earth, I will draw all men unto myself.” The Greek verb hupoô used by Jesus is the same verb found in the Greek Septuagint translation of Isaiah 52:13 - (John 8:28, 12:32).

Jesus died the death of a “slave.” In the Greco-Roman culture, crucifixion was considered the most shameful form of death. Its most horrific aspect was the public humiliation attached to it, and it was often used to execute rebellious slaves and political revolutionaries, enemies of the State.

We are called to embrace this same attitude, to seek nothing from self-interest or for “empty glory.” Instead, we must emulate the Messiah who did not seek to exalt himself, the same one who “poured himself out” in humble obedience to God and for the benefit of others.

We must conduct ourselves in “humility” toward one another just as he did, laying down our lives for others when necessary. This is what it means to have this “same mind.”

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SEE ALSO:

• His Path - (Jesus proclaimed a new political reality, the Kingdom of God, one that bears little resemblance to the political systems of this age)

• Embracing the Cross - (To be the Messiah of Israel meant suffering and death for others, and Jesus summoned his disciples to follow that same path – Mark 8:31)

• Ransom for Many - (His disciple is called to engage in self-sacrificial service for others just as Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many – Mark 10:35-45)

• The Road to Calvary - (On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus explained what it meant to be the Messiah and the destiny of the suffering Son of Man - Mark 8:27-38)