1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
1. The first couple verses establish the context - the attitude that Christians are to have. Paul wants the brethren to have the same attitude, an attitude that rejects "vainglory" and self-seeking. Instead, they are to have an attitude of humility and service, esteeming each other better than themselves, concerned for the well-being of others, etc.
2. They are to have the same attitude that Christ had. Christ did not seek His own personal benefit, but was a Servant not only of God but to all of us, acting on our behalf rather than on His own.
3. Adam was made a little lower than the angels. But Adam grasped at the supposed chance to be a god, to be equal with God. He grasped at god-like knowledge, attempting to steal his way to divinity. But instead he was expelled from the Garden and became subject to death, cut off from immortality. Adam, though made in the image and likeness of God, was not content with his assigned lot, but grasped at deification by illegitimate means. And the result was death and dishonour.
4. Christ, likewise in the form of God, did not think of being like God as something that had to be stolen, or as something to be obtained by illegitimate means. Rather, He voluntarily submitted to humility, ministered as a servant, and submitted even to death. In return, He was exalted, made immortal, and given a name equivalent to God. He was placed on an equal footing with God as a result of His exaltation, which in turn was due to Him willingly being a servant subject to death.
In other words, Adam and Christ were both "in the form or likeness of God". Both were assigned a human, subangelic existence. But Adam tried to grab hold of divinity, seeking what was thought to be to his advantage, and by this rebellion fell into dishonour and death.
Christ, however, did what Adam should have done - submitted Himself to the will of God. In fact, Christ voluntarily submitted Himself to servanthood, and even death (Adam's punishment). And the result was His exaltation and glorification and immortality. Christ re-enacted, in a sense, the story of Adam, but reversed the outcome by reversing the "choice" Adam made.
This demonstrated Christ's attitude, as one of selfless devotion to God and neighbor, as opposed to Adam's attempt to satisfy his own personal desires. Just as Christ's attitude led to glorification, so it is with us: God will honour those who humble themselves, those who follow Christ's example will be glorified with Him. Whereas the other way, the way of the self directed and self pleasing Adam, only leads to humiliation and failure. Those who follow Adam's example will suffer Adam's fate - death and indignity.
This passage is thus showing how Christ functions as the Second Adam, reversing Adam's Fall and its consequences of death and condemnation. This "Adam Christology" is further elaborated on in
Romans 5:12-21, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 and 45-49.
There are several Christologies in the NT, and Christ as Second Adam is one of them. The others are
Christ as Wisdom, Christ as Son of Man, Christ as Son of God, Christ as Spirit, Christ as Melchizedek Priest, Christ as Word/Logos, Christ as Son of David, Christ as Passover, Christ as Atonement, Christ as Immanuel, and several others.
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