possessing the [Greek: morphe] of
God, He now _de novo_ 'took' the [Greek: morphe] of a bondservant. What
created beings in general are of course, God's bondservants, He had not
been but now became; a fact as astonishing in its region as the fact of
His possession of the Supreme Nature is in its region. He assumed this
[Greek: douleia], we find, because His essential work was to obey, to
'become obeying,' yes, to the extent of death [ii. 8.]; which death was
thus in Him altogether voluntary, part of a free undertaking to be not
His own. The immediate result for Himself, it next appears, was an
exaltation by God to supreme majesty under all these conditions. As
being all this, possessor of Deity and accepter of bondservice, He was
now _de novo_ proclaimed as [Greek: Kyrios], as Lord, in a sense
interpreted by the adoration of the universe; to the glory of God His
Father. For it repeatedly appears in the Epistle that God is His Father;
He is the Son of God [ii. 11.]. Further, all 'the riches of God in
glory' [i. 2; ii. 11.] are 'in Him.' [iv. 19.] It appears that in His
exaltation He is embodied still, for it is to likeness to the body of
His glory that the body of our humiliation is to be changed at His
expected return. He is Almighty 'to subdue all things,' and the
subjugation is 'to Himself.' [iii. 21.]

"(3) As regards His relation to His followers, such is it that their
whole life and every exercise of it is mysteriously but emphatically
said to be IN HIM. He, the supreme Bondservant, is to them (we
continually read) absolute Lord. His grace animates their spirit. The
divine Spirit ministered to them is His [i. 2; iv. 23.]. Their 'fruit of
righteousness' is generated and produced 'through' Him [i. 19.]. He is
evermore and profoundly near to them. Their heart-emotions are 'in His
heart.' [i. 11; iv. 5.] To believe in Him is their essential
characteristic [i. 8.]. To suffer for Him is a special boon to them [i.
29.]. They live in expectation of His return, His day. [i. 6, 10; ii.
16; iii. 20.]

"II.--The Epistle's account of Christian Life, inward and outward.

"We gather that the disciples are saints, [Greek: hagioi], separated
from self and sin to God; brethren to one another; the true Israel,
citizens of the City above [i. 1, 14; iii. 3, 20; iv. 21.]. Their being
and life are so united to Christ, that they as Christians (and it is
evidently assumed that this covers _everything_ for them) exist, and are
to act, 'i