40 Words in 40 Days: Kenosis

Kenosis

A Greek term which means “emptying.” It appears in the Christological hymn of Phil 2:6-11, where it means the giving up of divine glory by the eternal Son of God when he became incarnate.
(via An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church)

Philippians 2:5-8

⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,⁶ who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, assuming human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human, ⁸he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.

Downwardly Mobile?
This embodied “Christ-mindedness” took Christ and would take the Philippians on a path contrary to the wisdom of the world in which they operated. Competition and the effort to acquire ever greater status and power rule the world of commerce, and from there the rest of our social interactions as well. One does not deliberately choose a downward spiral for one’s life. Indeed, success is often taken by people of faith to indicate that God is rewarding their diligence, and failure is often read by the same logic as the consequence of laziness, ineptitude, or the just punishment for some wrong done. We identify more readily with the theology of Job’s friends than with a theology of God’s abundant grace! This hymn, though, identifies such humble obedience and kenosis as the reason for God’s exuberance and response described in the last half of the hymn (verses 9-11). The same Jesus who has abandoned the safety and status of equality with God to follow the path just described is given a new name–“Lord” (verse 11)–that is also the name of God. Every aspect of the creation will recognize that name with appropriate honor and accolades, and in that praise God will be glorified. This lection turns the dial on our lens, to give us a new focus through which to perceive and understand the horrendous events of Jesus’ passion. It is not the story of Jesus as victim, nor is it a one-time event that can remain safely in the remembered past. Rather, it is a narrative of freely chosen obedience that models for us how to live faithfully in the communities where our lives are cast. Paul invites us to make it our story as well.

– Sharon H. Ringe, Professor Emerita of New Testament, Working Preacher (2010)