Kenosis

Christ "emptied Himself" (Philippians 2:7)

NPN1-14B - Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Homily 69, John 12:42-43, vs. 50

Ver. 50. "And I know that His commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak."

Seest thou the humility of the words? For he that hath received a commandment is not his own master. Yet He saith, "As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He will." (c. 5:21.) Hath He then power to quicken whom He will, and to say what He will hath He not power? What He intendeth then by the words is this;(5) "The action hath not natural possibility,(6) that He should speak one set of words, and I should utter another." "And I know that His commandment is life everlasting." He said this to those that called Him a deceiver, and asserted that He had come to do hurt. But when He saith, "I judge not," He showeth that He is not the cause of the perdition of these men.(7) By this He all but plainly testifies, when about to remove from, and to be no more with, them, that "I converse with you, speaking nothing as of Myself, but all as from the Father." And for this cause He confined His discourse to them to humble expressions, that He might say, "Even until the end did I utter this, My last word, to them." What word was that? "As the Father said unto Me, so I speak." "Had I been opposed to God I should have said the contrary, that I speak nothing of what is pleasing to God, so as to attract the honor to Myself, but now I have so referred all things to Him, as to call nothing My own.(8) Why then do ye not believe Me when I say that 'I have received a commandment,' and when I so vehemently remove your evil suspicion respecting rivalry? For as it is impossible for those who have received a commandment to do or say anything but what their senders wish, as long as they fulfill the commandment, and do not forge(9) anything; so neither is it possible for Me to say or do anything except as My Father willeth. For what I do He doeth, because He is with Me, and 'the Father hath not left Me alone.' " (c. 8:29.) Seest thou how everywhere He showeth Himself connected with Him who begat Him, and that there is no separation?(10) For when He saith, "I am not come of Myself," He saith it not, as depriving Himself of power, but as taking away all alienation or opposition.(11) For if men are masters of themselves, much more the Only-begotten Son. And to show that this is true, hear what Paul saith,(12) "He emptied Himself, and gave Himself for us." (Phil. 2:7.) But, as I said, a terrible thing is vainglory, very terrible (Eph. 5:2); for this made these men not to believe, and others to believe ill, so that the things which were said for the sake of those men, through lovingkindness, they turned to(13) impiety.