Paul was deeply anxious that the humiliation of Christ should be seen and realized. He was convinced that if the minds of men could be brought to comprehend the amazing sacrifice made by the Majesty of heaven, all selfishness would be banished from their hearts. He directs the mind first to the position which Christ occupied in heaven, in the bosom of His Father; he reveals Him afterward as laying off His glory, voluntarily subjecting Himself to all the humbling conditions of man’s nature, assuming the responsibilities of a servant, and becoming obedient unto death, and that death the most ignominious and revolting, the most shameful, the most agonizing—the death of the cross. Can Christians contemplate this wonderful exhibition of the love of God to man without emotions of love and a realizing sense of the fact that we are not our own? Such a Master should not be served from grudging, covetous, selfish motives. {4T 458.1}

Paulus blev dybt bevæget over at Kristi ydmygelse kunne ses og erkendes. Han var overbevist om at hvis mennesker kunne komme til at forstå det forbløffende offer, himmelens Majestæt gjorde, ville al selviskhed forjages af deres hjerter. Han retter først tankerne mod den position Kristus havde i himmelen, i hans Faders skød; derefter åbenbarer han hans herlighedsaflæggelse og lagde sig frivilligt under alle menneskenaturens ydmygende vilkår, påtog sig en tjeners ansvar og blev lydig til døden og den død var den mest skændige, afskyelige, mest skammelige og mest pinefulde - korsets død. Kan kristne vente et så forunderligt bevis på Guds kærlighed for mennesker, uden kærlighedstrang og en erkendelse af at vi ikke er vore egne? En sådan Mester burde ikke betjenes ud fra modstræbende, begærlige og selviske motiver.