Bible Encyclopedias
Equality

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ē̇ -kwol´i -ti ( ἰσότης , isótēs ): In 2 Corinthians 8:14 , literally,. "out of equality," i.e. "in equal proportion" or "that there may be equality." In Philippians 2:6 , it occurs in a paraphrase of Greek tó eı́nai ı́sa theō̇ , "the being on an equality with God." In this much-discussed passage, isa , according to a not unusual Attic idiom, is construed adverbially (see Meyer on passage), meaning, therefore, not 'the being equal' (the King James Version), which would require ı́son , but "the having equal prerogatives and privileges." The personal equality is one thing; the equality of attributes is another, and it is the latter which is here expressed (Lightfoot). The "being on an equality" and the "having equal prerogatives" are both deductions from the possession of "the form of God." The thought is that if He who had "the form of God" had under all circumstances exercised His Divine attributes, He would have been employing only what belonged to Him, and would in no way have derogated from what belongs only to God. We regard this as referring to the incarnate Son in His historical manifestation.