Verse 6 In the form of God; in respect to his divine nature and character. There has been much discussion in respect to the import of the phrase translated "thought it not robbery to be equal with God;" the meaning, however, of the whole passage is clear. The example of Christ is appealed to as an example of condescension, and of a willingness to humble one's self for the good of others. The meaning, therefore, is, that he voluntarily gave up the glory which he had with the Father, (John 17:5; John 1:1,) to become a man, and pass a life of ignominy and suffering upon the earth for the good of mankind. The passage seems to involve, in the most unequivocal manner, the idea that, in the case of Christ, birth was not the commencement of existence to the subject of it,--but that it was the mysterious assuming of human nature by a being who voluntarily descended to it from a previous condition of the highest glory.