I enjoy the book of Philippians. I read a passage today that speaks so loudly to me and thought I would share:
Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[
a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[
b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
It is always interesting to see how Jesus, being the son of God, had so much power within him yet born in a barn, not born into a rich family, learned the carpentry trade, and still never treated others as if he were better than them. It always baffles me as so many times in this world there are some people that seem to have everything to their advantage and speak against God (which will nonetheless be their disadvantage if they don't change). There are those who have a lot of power and money yet don't glorify God with it. Jesus was so willing to do everything for us. Often times I feel so undeserving of His sacrifice. I did nothing to deserve it, but he freely gave it to me, you, everyone. Those are some thoughts of the day. I hope everyone is having a good one
I disagree with how the NIV Translation of the scriptures have translated Philippians 2:5-8. Many translations of the Bible translates this passage of scripture differently:
1869: “who, being in the form of God, did not regard it as a thing to be grasped at to be on an equality with God.”
The New Testament, by G. R. Noyes.
1965: “He—truly of divine nature!—never self-confidently made himself equal to God.”
Das Neue Testament, revised edition, by Friedrich Pfäfflin.
1968: “who, although being in the form of God, did not consider being equal to God a thing to greedily make his own.”
La Bibbia Concordata.
1976: “He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to become equal with God.”
Today’s English Version.
1984: “who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God.”
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
1985: “Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped.”
The New Jerusalem Bible.
It looks to me the NIV translation of the Bible is going by the idea that Jesus in his pre-human form retain equality with God but just didn't use it to his advantage.
Rolf Furili states that. "When a noun with the ending -mos was made from a verb , it became a verbal noun entailing the activity of the verb" (Furili page 263) . Harpagmos is such a noun based upon the verb harpazo.
The Liddell & Scott Greek dictionary provides the following meanings for the verb harpazo": 1/ snatch away, carry off; 2/ seize hastily, snatch up; 3/ seize, overpower, overmaster; 4/seize, adopt; 5/grasp with the senses; 6/captivate, ravish; 7/ draw up.
SO, HOW IS THE WORD USED IN THE WRITINGS OFVTHE NEW TESTAMENT?
Harpagmos, appears only in Philippians 2:6 , however several related words are noted in the New Testament, the verb "harpazo" appears 13 times: Mat. 11:12, 13:9, John 6:15, 10:12, 10:28-29: Acts 8:39, 23:10; 2 Corinthians 12:2 , 12:4; Thessalonians 4:17: Jude 23; and Revelation 12:5.
HARPAZO.
How do some of our translations use the verb "harpazo".
KJV : Mt.11:12 take by force. Mt.13:19 catcheth away. John 6:15 take by force. John 10:12 catcheth. John 10:28-19 pluck. Acts 8:39 caught away. Acts 23:10 take by force. Jude 23 pulling. Rev. 12:5 caught up.
NASB : Mt.11:12 take by force. Mt.13:19 snatches away. John 6:15 take by force. John 10:12 snatches. John 10:28-19 snatch. Acts 8:39 snatched away. Acts 23:10 take away by force. Jude 23 snatching. Rev. 12:5 caught up.
YTL: Mt 11:12 take it by force. Mt.13:19 snatches away. John 6:15 take by force. John 10:12
NRSV: Mt 11:12 take it by force. Mt.13:19 snatches away.John 6:15 take him by force.
NIV: Mt. 11:12. raiding it. Mt.13:19 snatches away.John 6:15 make by force.
ASV: Mt.11:12 take it by force.Mt.13:19 snatcheth away.John 6:15 take by force.
It's apparent from our translations above that the verb "harpazo" from which the noun "harpagmos" is derived and used in Philippians 2:6 always means to snatch something away, take it by force, pluck, and caught away. All these translations recognize the meaning, they never translate it to mean holding on to something one already has, or having something someone already has but not taking advantage of it.
The adjective “harpax” a word derived from harpazo appears in four passages Matthew 7:15, Luke 8:11, 1 Corinthians 5:10-11 and 6:10 . In the order above, KJV uses the words; ravening, extortioners, extortioners, extortioners. NRSV; ravenous, thieves , robbers , robbers . TEV; wild, greedy, thieves, thieves.
The noun “harpage” which is another word derived from harpazo appears three times, Matthew 23:15, Luke 11:39, Hebrews 10:34. Again translators use words, such as extortion, ravening, robbery, greed, plunder, and confiscation.
We observe that in all cases the words used imply the basic idea of something being seizing something violently from someone else.
So "Harpagmos means grasping at something one does not have, that is a "seizure." Christ did not even think of grabbing at equality with God but instead humbled himself to self sacrifice.
