What does “you, the infinite, being God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped” mean?

By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10

This statement reflects on Philippians 2:6 and the heart of Coptic Orthodox Christology. It describes the Kenosis (the "self-emptying") of God the Word.

To understand how the "Infinite" did not consider equality with God a "thing to be grasped," we look at the teachings of the Great Alexandrian Fathers, such as St. Athanasius and St. Cyril of Alexandria.

1. The Nature of Equality

Jesus Christ is God by nature. As Source 4 states: "He who does not confess that God emptied Himself... does not know that Christ is the equal of God."

When Scripture says He did not consider equality a "thing to be grasped" (or "robbery"), it means that being equal to the Father was not something He had to snatch or steal. It was His by right, by nature, and from eternity. Unlike the devil (who tried to grasp at being like God) or Adam (who tried to grasp at divinity by eating the fruit), the Son of God already possessed full Divinity.

2. The Great Condescension (The Kenosis)

The "Infinite" became "finite" for our sake. Source 1 explains this as a result of His boundless love: "He conceived this love for us not through any necessity, but solely through His natural loving-kindness."

• The Infinite: He who cannot be contained by the heavens took the form of a servant.
• The Act: He did not "cling" to His divine privileges. He laid aside the manifestation of His glory to take on our human nature, including our suffering and our death.

3. Against the Heretics

This verse is often misused by those who try to diminish the Divinity of Christ. However, the Coptic perspective—as defended by St. Cyril—is clear:

• Source 2 argues against those who say Christ was just a man "connected" to God. St. Cyril explains that if He were just "joined" to God as a saint is, then He would not be an object of worship.
• But because He is God by nature, and not just "god by grace" (as we are called to be; see Source 3), we worship Him.
• Source 4 warns: "He who says that the person of a man who was not God was made God, sets up an idol... Whosoever is ashamed to declare that Christ is God, him shall Christ put also to shame."

4. Liturgical Context

In the Divine Liturgy of St. Gregory, we pray a similar sentiment:

"You, being God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Yourself and took the form of a servant."

This prayer reminds us that:

1. He remains God: He did not stop being the Infinite God when He became Man.
2. He became Man: He truly took our flesh (without change, without confusion, and without alteration).
3. The Purpose: He did this to satisfy the love of the Father and to redeem the world (Source 1).

Summary

The phrase means that although Jesus Christ is the Infinite God, equal to the Father in every way, He was so humble and full of love that He did not insist on remaining in His heavenly glory. Instead, He "emptied Himself" to become one of us, so that we—through His grace—might be lifted up to become like Him. As Source 3 puts it, we become "gods by grace" through our union with Him who is "God by nature."