kenoō

Semantic range

1. 1to empty out
2. 2to divest, to strip of privilege
3. 3to render void or meaningless

Philippians 2:7 — heauton ekenōsen, "made himself of no reputation," more literally "emptied himself" — is the source of the theological term kenosis. Christ, "being in the form of God," did not clutch at equality but emptied Himself, took the form of a servant, and became obedient unto death.

The Book of Mormon reaches the same doctrine by a different road, calling it the condescension of God (1 Nephi 11:16–33) and showing Nephi the descent step by step: the virgin, the child, the ministry, the cross. Both texts insist the descent was voluntary. Nothing compelled it, which is why it is love and not merely mechanism.

See also

• עֶבֶדʿebed
• δόξαdoxa
• ΧριστόςChristos