KENOSIS: THE EMPTYING OUT OF CHRIST’S ATTRIBUTES

Phil 2:6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Emptied: Strong’s #2756 Kenos = a primary word; Empty

Strong’s #2758 Kenoo = from 2756; to make empty, i.e. (fig) to abase, neutralize, falsify: - make (of none effect, of no reputation, void), to be in vain.

Strong’s #2756 is where we get the expanded Greek word, Kenosis to explain the emptying more fully.

Moody Handbook of Theology:KENOSIS. The emptying of Christ was not setting aside His deity but the humiliation of taking on human form and nature to fulfill the service of God.

Phil. 2:8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Obedient: Strong’s # 5255 Hupekoos (hoop-ay-ko-os):= (from 5219), attentively listening, i.e. (by implication) submissive–

obedient

Strong’s # 5219 = Hupakouo (hoop-ak-oo-o) = (from 5259 and 191), to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen attentively: by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority: hearken, be obedient to, obey.

Obedient is the key word here because it is this obedience to God’s leading that allowed Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for our

sins.

Matt. 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus was tempted to prove His worthiness as the Savior – God not only allowed it but the Holy Spirit led Him to it. What would have disqualified Him?..Expositor’s Commentary D. A. Carson on Matthew: “The first temptation…it was a temptation to use His Sonship in a way inconsistent with His God-ordained mission”

Expositor’s Commentary Walter A. Lieield on Luke: “The issue, therefore, is not one of allurement to perverted self-gratification but a challenge to act apart from faithful dependence on God.

Self will at any point in His ministry would have disqualified the sacrifice!!

Matt. 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

Luke 8:45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?”… 46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” 

Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs, J. I. PackerBut incarnation means, rather, that the Son of God lived his divine-human life in and through his human mind and body at every point, maximizing his identification and empathy with those he had come to save, and drawing on divine resources to transcend human limits of knowledge and energy only when particular requirements of the Father’s will so dictated.

Packer continues:The idea that Jesus’ two natures were like alternating electrical circuits, so that sometimes he acted in his humanity and sometimes in his divinity, is also mistaken. He did and endured everything, including his sufferings on the cross,in the unity of his divine-human person.

MARK CHAPTER 6THE PROPHET IN HIS OWN TOWN

(1-6)

THE DISCIPLES COMMISSIONED(7-13)

THE MURDER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST!(14-29)

THE FEEDING OF THE 5000(30-44)

JESUS WALKS ON WATER(45-52)

THE MURDER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST!(14-29)

(Related text, Matthew 14:1-12)How was Jesus related to John?

Probably a cousin?Luke 1:36“And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month

What was John’s job?Isaiah 40:3    A voice is calling," Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

Malach1 3:1“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.

John was chosen by God as the one to announce the arrival of the Messiah

6:14 And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, "John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him."15 But others were saying, "He is Elijah." And others were saying, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."16 But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, "John, whom I beheaded, has risen!"

For clarity, this is Herod Antipas (family tree to follow)What was Herod hearing about?

The preaching of Jesus, either directly as a result of His own teaching or as a direct result of the disciples mission (7-13)

Who do the people think Jesus is?John the Baptist – Elijah – OT Prophet

Do any call Him the Son of God?No

Do you think Herod actually wishes it is John the Baptist?Yes, probably out of guilt!!

You can see why it would have been easy for Herod to hear about Jesus and the disciples mission

Herod’s Kingdom

MasadaHerodium

Jericho

THE FAMILY TREEHerod the Great (Matt. 2:1)

Mariamne Mariamne Malthace Cleopatra 5 other wives

Aristobulus Herod Philip I Herod Philip II (tetarch)

Salome (by Herodias)

Agrippa I Herodias Herod Antipas Archelaus

Agrippa II Bernice Drusilla

The Herod Family EstatesThe Herodian

Herodium Interior

Herodium

The Herodium Pool

A Herodium Potty

The Jerusalem Palace

Masada

Aerial of Masada and the view from the palace

The Palace of Jericho

The Remains of the Jericho Palace

17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her.18 For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

What was John’s complaint?Herod took his brothers wife – while his brother was still alive!!!Lev. 18:16‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. 

OK, for clarification. Herodias is the granddaughter of Herod the Great. She married her uncle Herod Philip I.

Herod Antipas, also the uncle of Herodias, took her away from his half brother Philip and married her.

Salome was the daughter of Herodias by her first husband Herod Philip I.

Herod the Great (Matt. 2:1)

Mariamne (the Asmonean) Mariamne (daughter of Simon) Malthace (a Samaritan) Cleopatra (of Jerusalem)

Aristobulus Herod Philip I Herod Philip II (tetarch)

Salome (by Herodias)

Agrippa I Herodias Herod Antipas Archelaus

Agrippa II Bernice Drusilla

6:19 Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so;20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him.

Why do you think Herodius had a grudge against John?Because he publicly called her an adulterer

She was of great position, why couldn’t she have John killed?Because her husband the self-proclaimed king protected John

Why did Herod protect John?He was afraid of him!!!

Why do you think Herod enjoyed listening to John?

6:21 A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee;A party to end all partiesAnyone who is anyone is invited

6:22 and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.“23 And he swore to her, "Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom."

What kind of dance do you think this was?Based on Herod’s reputation it was probably very

sexual and possibly even lewd

Apparently the wine and sexual titillation was more than Herod could handle as he makes a very

Bold and stupid offer

6:24 And she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist."

25 Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

Do you think mom was surprised at the opportunity?...Probably not, she hated John

Why “immediately”?...So Herod wouldn’t have an opportunity to rethink and

maybe change his mind

26 And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her.27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison,28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

Why was the king sorry?..Because he liked and respected John.

Then why did he kill him?..He made a foolish vow

Made any of those in your life????

6:29 When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his

body and laid it in a tomb.

They remained loyal even to the end

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 

Herod opened the door and Satan came in:Lust of the flesh for Herodius: lead to adultery

Lust of the eyes for Salome: lead to murderThe pride of life: wouldn’t allow him to do the right thing and reverse his decision

Herod was stimulated by their beauty and their flesh, lost his ability to properly reason because of the booze

and stumbled over his pride

It is easy to be hard on Herod but consider this:

Matt. 5:28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at

a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart

Proverbs 23:31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,

When it sparkles in the cup,When it goes down smoothly;

Stimulus:

What do we take home this week?1. Jesus while never giving up His Deity lived on

the earth as a man2. Be careful of how far you open the door, you

may have an unwanted visitor3. And if you do, confess and repent