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Philippians 2:6-7 – Jesus and Eve – An Atonement Story
Jesus was what Eve desired; and did not hold on to what Eve took. What Jesus had a right to, Eve did not, and yet she grasped after what Jesus was willing to let go. So He became what she and Adam were, to show us what to be.
If this is convoluted, let’s juxtapose these two:
Jesus, “who existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited (or grasped, “to seize, especially by an open display of force” (Helps Word-Studies). Instead he emptied himself…taking on the likeness of humanity” (Phil.2:6-7).
Eve, created in the likeness of God (Gen.1:26-27), desired to grasp of God’s likeness even more, “so she took some of its fruit and ate it”. She seized by an open display of her free-will force.
Jesus did not hold on to what He had; and Eve tried to take by force what she did not have. What both have in common might be surprising – death. Eve lost the right to the tree of life because of disobedience; and Jesus gave up the right to not die and because of obedience, “He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross” (Phil.2:8).
Jesus became what Eve and Adam failed to be…and what we fail to be; so that we can become more like the image of God.
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