Philippians 2:8

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.

Here in this verse also, the essential truth of the whole passage bearing upon the eternal power and Godhead of Christ shines in the use of the word "obedient." "Only a divine being can accept death as obedience; for ordinary men it is a necessity!"[28] The death of Christ was not something inflicted upon the Son of God, but the voluntary laying down of his life for the salvation of people (John 10:17ff; therefore, it was, on the part of Christ, obedience to the Father's will.

However, Paul will not stop with this emphasis upon the humiliation and death of Christ; the great parabola reaches to the right hand of the Majesty of the Heavens, and the apostle will not pause until he brings that into focus again.