Nicene Creed – Is the Father Greater or Equal to Christ?

Answer: “Timeline”.

Please consider:

“Who (Lord Jesus Christ), although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,” (Philippians 2:6, NASB)

The ‘God’ in Philippians 2:6 is ‘the Father’ (Context: with Philippians 2:11 as well) and Christ is mentioned to be “Equal” to Him (no limits on the definition set, hence equal in all sense agreeing with John 1:1 as well).

To understand, as to why ‘the Father is Greater’ (John 14:28) or that ‘Christ calls the Father as My God” (John 20:17, Revelation 3:12) we must understand ‘Humility’:

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5 – 8, NASB)

That is Christ “emptied Himself” (‘made Himself nothing’), hence becoming ‘lower than the Father’, i.e. letting go of ‘His Equality with God (the Father)’ as the verses above clearly describe explaining this Great Mystery:

“and, confessedly, great is the secret of piety — God was manifested in flesh, declared righteous in spirit, seen by messengers, preached among nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory!” (1 TImothy 3:16, YLT)

This ‘made lower’ (than the Father, even lower than the angels) for a ‘little while’ (not forever) is described in verse below too:

“But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9, NASB)

The verses do not end there. In Philippians 2 itself we see that God ‘exalts Him again’ to the Point when ‘every knee will bow to Him’ (making Him ‘Equal to the Father’ again which will be achieved in Its Fullest when this full Reconciliation of All things is Achieved, e.g. Colossians 1:20, 1 Corinthians 15:24 – 28, Ephesians 1:9 – 10 which is implied when verses are seen together in this “timeline” as described in Philippians 2 as well):

“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9 – 11, NASB)

The Fact that ‘bowing down & confessing allegiance to Christ’ (1 Corinthians 12:3) is the “same” as to the “Father” as described in verse below too which proves further that Christ Will be Equal to the Father again (as it was in the past, Philippians 2:6, John 1:1):

“I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.” – God the Father, implied (Isaiah 45:23, NASB)

Christ and God the Father are “One” (in all sense) & hence He does NOT share His Glory with ‘another’ when these aspects are understood (Christ is only ‘temporarily lower’ & will return Equal as it was in the Past after He fulfills ‘all righteousness too’, in principle of Matthew 3:15 as well which is part of the Will of God to Reconcile all things back to Himself, 2 Corinthians 5:19 which describes a Purpose as of why He made Himself lower for a ‘little while’ helping us understand a little regarding this Deep Mystery):

“I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8, NASB)

“I and the Father are one.” – Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:30, NASB)

A Timeless Truth Indeed —> whether before (‘who was’), at present (‘Who is’) or in the Future (‘Who is to come’) despite the fact that He made Himself Lower ‘temporarily’ for “a little while only” —> He remains ‘the Almighty’:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:8, NASB)

P/S:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” (John 1:1, 14, NASB)

Also, an analogy drawn to Christ with Melchizedek’s earthly role compared to Christ’s Spiritual Role as Priest in Hebrews 7:15.

“And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,” (Hebrews 7:15, NASB)

Yes, Christ is spoken of in Hebrews 7:3 with Characteristics which “only God” has namely, “immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16)

“without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, and being made like to the Son of God, doth remain a priest continually.” (Hebrews 7:3, YLT)

Peace to you