2:6

although he was existing in God’s form: The Greek expression rendered “form” (mor·pheʹ) basically refers to “nature; appearance; shape; likeness.” Jesus was a spirit person just as “God is a Spirit.” (Joh 4:24 and study note) The same Greek term is used of Jesus’ taking “a slave’s form” when he “became flesh,” or became a human.​—Php 2:7; Joh 1:14.

did not even consider the idea of trying to be equal to God: Or “did not regard equality with God as something to be seized (grasped).” Paul here encourages the Philippians to cultivate an outstanding attitude like that of Jesus. At Php 2:3, Paul tells them: “With humility consider others superior to you.” In verse 5, he continues: “Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” Jesus, who considered God to be superior, never ‘grasped for equality with God.’ Instead, he “humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death.” (Php 2:8; Joh 5:30; 14:28; 1Co 15:24-28) Jesus’ view was not like that of the Devil, who urged Eve to make herself like God, to be equal to Him. (Ge 3:5) Jesus perfectly exemplified Paul’s point here​—namely, the importance of humility and obedience to the Creator, Jehovah God.​—See study note on trying to be in this verse.

trying to be: The Greek noun used here (har·pag·mosʹ; lit., “a thing to be seized”) is derived from the verb har·paʹzo, which has the basic meaning “to seize; to snatch.” Some have suggested that this term refers to retaining something already possessed. However, the Scriptures never use the Greek term to mean the holding on to something already in one’s possession. Rather, it is often rendered “seize” or “snatch (away)” or by other such expressions. (Mt 11:12; 12:29; 13:19; Joh 6:15; 10:12, 28, 29; Ac 8:39; 23:10; 2Co 12:2, 4; 1Th 4:17; Jude 23; Re 12:5) If Jesus “did not even consider the idea of trying to be equal to God,” it must be that he was never equal to God.