Jesus in Glory Among Worshipping AngelsBible World
2:11Philippians 2:11
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
After humbling Himself from equality with God to take a servant's form and die obediently on the cross, Christ was highly exalted by God with a name above every name so that every knee should bow and every tongue confess Him as Lord to the Father's glory. The confession it foretells is universal, embracing every being in heaven and on earth and under the earth, every nation and power submitting to Jesus as rightful Sovereign equal with the Father. At His second coming even His enemies and Satan himself will acknowledge His divinity and the justice of God's government, though for the impenitent that outward bowing comes too late for pardon. That exaltation vindicates His lawful heirship over the kingdoms of earth won by suffering rather than by accepting Satan's shortcut to rule, securing salvation and sonship for all who receive Him. Believers are therefore to confess Him now before the world, take His humble, self-denying mind as their own, and lift Him up in preaching and holy living while mercy still calls.
Humiliation and Exaltation Context
The universal confession that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father follows His humility and obedience unto death, even death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name above every name. That exaltation above all follows His obedience unto death on the cross, and calls believers to confess Him before the world because He gave His life for them to receive strength to resist temptation.
Though being in the form of God and equal with God, He made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death. Therefore God highly exalted Him with a name above every name, so that every knee in heaven and earth and under the earth bows at the name of Jesus and every tongue confesses Him Lord to the glory of God the Father. The One so confessed is the One by whom all things in heaven and earth were created and for whom they were created, who is before all things and by whom all things hold together, in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell. His righteousness and love for the world is a grand heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life when He is lifted up, and His powerful, essential name should be on every tongue.
He laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and clothed His divinity with humanity to stand at the head of the human race. He volunteered to pass over the ground where Adam fell and by a life of perfect obedience to place the race on vantage ground. He was vested with power for the redemption of mankind, yet did not exalt Himself but acted in meekness and lowliness in obedience even to death on the cross. That exalted name is the only means of salvation for the sinner, for He is head of the new creation and source of power to become sons of God. Although all things were His by right, He claimed none of them for Himself.
His exaltation was honored at His ascension by the angelic host and glorified before the Father. His accepted offering fully paid the redemption price for the lost human race. Through faith and obedience humanity can once more become members of God's family.
Universal Confession Described
God's exaltation of Jesus after His humble obedience unto death, even death on the cross, leads to universal acknowledgment of His lordship, for God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name above every name. Every tongue, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and every knee will bow at the name of Jesus, to the glory of God the Father. The One so confessed made Himself of no reputation though being in the form of God and equal with God, taking the form of a servant and being made in the likeness of men, and His confession is an exclamation of admiration at Christ beheld in His power declaring the great mystery of godliness. The Lord so confessed is the One by whom all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, were created and for whom they were created, who is before all things and by whom all things hold together, in whom all fullness dwells and in whom believers are complete, who died and rose to be Lord of the dead and the living, with all things given into His hands by the Father's love. Honoring Christ in this confession is the work of all who believe, and when believers do so the church sends forth a powerful influence, its members bearing the fruit of good works as lights in the world with a difference from the world so plainly marked that it is seen by all, as they follow Christ's example through the Holy Spirit's work in them by being likeminded and of one accord, doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness esteeming others better than themselves and looking to the things of others with the mind that was in Christ.
The confession embraces every being, with every human power acknowledging Christ's authority and all in heaven and earth submitting to Jesus as Lord. All powers will bow before Him as Shiloh, the Son of David and true Lion of the tribe of Judah, and all nations will honor Him. God's principles are immortal, and those who honor Him by faithfully keeping His word stand by principles that endure forever, with a glorious result. Everyone will ultimately know and acknowledge Christ as Lord whether desiring to or not, so the time to accept His offer of salvation is now while mercy is still extended. Jesus refused Satan's offer of worldly rule through worship of Satan and instead chose suffering and death in the way appointed by His Father to redeem the world and become its rightful ruler, and the kingdoms of the earth will be given into His hands as an everlasting possession.
All creation is to crown Him as Lord of all. Angels are to fall prostrate before Him, those ransomed from the fall and saved by grace are to hail Him, and every kindred and tribe on earth is to ascribe all majesty to Him. Believers are to look forward to falling at His feet with the sacred throng in heaven and joining the everlasting song honoring the power of His name.
Future Fulfillment Foretold
At the second coming all will acknowledge Him as Lord and confess His divinity, in contrast to His first coming when He was rejected and crucified, and the angels will bow before Him to the glory of God the Father. Even His enemies will recognize that they were wrong in opposing Him and will confess His divinity, so that no one can stand against Him. Bowing to His rightful rule can be outward only, for Satan bowed with the angels while his heart remained filled with envy and hatred. His rebellion made heaven's purity, peace and harmony unbearable to him, and his accusations against God were silenced.
In the final public vindication when rebellion is fully exposed before all created beings, even Satan will confess that God's government is just and His law is righteous, vindicating God's dealings and bringing glory to Him. Through suffering and death Jesus redeemed what Satan claimed, refusing Satan's offer to give Him the whole earth and the glory of reigning over it without dying if He would worship him. He would bow only to His Father, refusing to depart from His Father's will and refusing to take the kingdoms of the world without suffering or peril. He steadfastly chose a life of suffering and dreadful, ignominious death in the way appointed by His Father in order to become the lawful heir and rightful ruler, and the kingdoms of the earth will be given into His hands as an everlasting possession. Satan himself will be placed under His power and given into His hands to be destroyed by death, never again to trouble Jesus nor the saints in glory.
There is a coming day when all who have sinned will confess, even if they have waited too long to receive pardon. God patiently gives sinners time to repent, but He will ultimately call every transgressor of His law to account, regardless of social rank. That universal acknowledgment of Christ's lordship does not teach that religious uniformity should be imposed by human power.
Doctrinal Significance Affirmed
The confession that Jesus Christ is Lord affirms His divine identity. His sovereignty and authority are rightful and equal with the Father's, for the Father ordained that Christ's word be obeyed as readily as His own. Even outward bowing acknowledges that rightful rule.
The Lord so confessed is the One by whom all things in heaven and earth were created and for whom they were created. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. It pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in Him, and believers are complete in Him in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. He died and rose to be Lord of the dead and the living, and universal acknowledgment of His lordship honors the Father, joined with the Father's love for the Son in giving all things into His hands. Confessing Him as Lord displays His divine majesty and the value God placed on humanity through His sacrifice. It reveals His righteousness and His love for the world.
That righteousness and love are a grand and heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life when Christ is lifted up. The verse belongs to a passage about His life, character, and mediatorial work, which are essential subjects for study. It is an exclamation of admiration at Christ beheld in His power, declaring the great mystery of godliness. His supremacy gives Him power to rescue those who accept His salvation. He claims mercy and reconciliation for guilty people, and His victory brings glory to the Father. He is the Redeemer to be crowned, honored, and worshiped, and believers' faith must center on Him as the only One who can help them.
His exalted name is the only means of salvation for the sinner, for He is the head of the new creation and the source of power to become sons of God. The cross of Calvary is therefore to be uplifted where it has not yet been uplifted. Where the Scriptures are freely circulated and searched, light shines into darkness and life-giving truth is found, so that among unbelievers in the cities and nations a remnant will appreciate the Word and receive the Saviour. To them Christ will give power to become sons and daughters of God. The infinite God consented to the humiliation of His own Son so that men might be elevated to a place with Him upon His throne. Contemplating this wonderful, almost incredible fact purifies, elevates and ennobles, and opens truth to the mind and applies it to the heart, giving clearer and broader views unbiased by preconceived opinions, more penetrating discernment, better balanced and far-seeing judgment, expanded understanding, deeper knowledge of personal weakness, and growth in faith and humility.
Believers Response and Mission
The confession that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father grows out of His making Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant in the likeness of men, and humbling Himself in obedience unto death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him with a name above every name. That pattern sets the standard for believers to have the same mind that was in Christ, to be likeminded in love and of one accord, to do nothing through strife or vainglory, to esteem others better than themselves and to look to the things of others. It calls for living in universal humility and benevolence with self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works, speaking sanctified words in harmony with the gospel, working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do, and living blameless without murmurings as lights in a crooked nation holding forth the word of life. This acknowledgment by every being in heaven and on earth and under the earth honors the Father, and belongs with the Father's love for the Son in giving all things into His hands, with all fullness dwelling in Him, with His creating all things visible and invisible and being before all things and holding all things together, with His dying and rising to be Lord of dead and living, and with believers being complete in Him in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.
Followers are to confess Him before the world because He gave His life for them, and He died so they might receive strength to resist temptation. That instruction to live strong in the Lord rests on Christ humbling Himself and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and on God highly exalting Him and giving Him a name above every name. Honoring Christ in this confession is the work of all who believe in Him, and when believers do so the church sends forth a powerful influence, its members bearing the fruit of good works as lights in the world with a difference from worldlings so plainly marked that it is seen by all. His exaltation and self-giving love put human pride and social rank to shame, bringing rich and poor, learned and ignorant together as equals at His feet as objects of God's love purchased by His sacrifice. All earthly distinctions are forgotten in looking upon Him pierced by human sins, and this bringing into oneness of all who are sanctified through the truth uplifts to a higher plane of thought and action and manifests pure and undefiled religion with heaven-born principles.
Confessing Christ as Lord to God's glory requires a thorough change of character before believers can be acknowledged as His children, meaning having the mind which dwelt in Jesus in order to conduct aright in the church of God. That change is shown in order in the church and correct observing of the Sabbath, and in testimony and confession of wrong, going forward in hearty repentance and shame and confusion of face before God for unrighteous conduct toward brethren and sisters. His name is powerful and essential and should be on every tongue, with His person, righteousness, love, and work lifted up as a central subject of preaching and contemplation. The confession reveals His righteousness and His love for the world, a grand and heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life when He is lifted up, and directs attention to His self-sacrifice, death, resurrection, and triumphant ascension as themes that awaken love and fervent faith as the divine object of faith and praise.
Christ first reached the depths of humiliation, working out in behalf of the human race a perfect character and drawing men and women to God by His unselfish ministry, though God exalted Him above every name that is named. Accepting Him as a personal Saviour and following His example of self-denial is the secret of holiness, and the more Christlike efforts for God are, the wider their influence for good will be and the greater the work they will accomplish. Believers are to keep the law and reflect His character in this life through obedience, so that unbelievers may see what members of God's heavenly family are like before whom every knee is to bow. Philippians 2:1-16 is a lesson for all to study to learn the way of the Lord as no human voice or counsel can teach, by looking to God and seeking wisdom from Him in most earnest prayer. That study sees that transgression of the law caused the price of the blood of the Son of the infinite God to redeem, hates the sins that wounded Jesus, preserves a contrite heart in viewing Him as a compassionate tender High Priest, and fixes the eye upon the cross of Calvary to return to allegiance to the holy commandments of God through Christ as the propitiation not for our sins alone but for the sins of the whole world. Everyone will ultimately know and acknowledge Him as Lord whether desiring to do so or not, so the time to accept His offer of salvation is now while mercy is still extended.
After humbling Himself from equality with God to take a servant's form and die obediently on the cross, Christ was highly exalted by God with a name above every name so that every knee should bow and every tongue confess Him as Lord to the Father's glory. The confession it foretells is universal, embracing every being in heaven and on earth and under the earth, every nation and power submitting to Jesus as rightful Sovereign equal with the Father. At His second coming even His enemies and Satan himself will acknowledge His divinity and the justice of God's government, though for the impenitent that outward bowing comes too late for pardon. That exaltation vindicates His lawful heirship over the kingdoms of earth won by suffering rather than by accepting Satan's shortcut to rule, securing salvation and sonship for all who receive Him. Believers are therefore to confess Him now before the world, take His humble, self-denying mind as their own, and lift Him up in preaching and holy living while mercy still calls.
Humiliation and Exaltation Context
The universal confession that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father follows His humility and obedience unto death, even death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name above every name. That exaltation above all follows His obedience unto death on the cross, and calls believers to confess Him before the world because He gave His life for them to receive strength to resist temptation.
Though being in the form of God and equal with God, He made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death. Therefore God highly exalted Him with a name above every name, so that every knee in heaven and earth and under the earth bows at the name of Jesus and every tongue confesses Him Lord to the glory of God the Father. The One so confessed is the One by whom all things in heaven and earth were created and for whom they were created, who is before all things and by whom all things hold together, in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell. His righteousness and love for the world is a grand heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life when He is lifted up, and His powerful, essential name should be on every tongue.
He laid aside His royal robe and kingly crown and clothed His divinity with humanity to stand at the head of the human race. He volunteered to pass over the ground where Adam fell and by a life of perfect obedience to place the race on vantage ground. He was vested with power for the redemption of mankind, yet did not exalt Himself but acted in meekness and lowliness in obedience even to death on the cross. That exalted name is the only means of salvation for the sinner, for He is head of the new creation and source of power to become sons of God. Although all things were His by right, He claimed none of them for Himself.
His exaltation was honored at His ascension by the angelic host and glorified before the Father. His accepted offering fully paid the redemption price for the lost human race. Through faith and obedience humanity can once more become members of God's family.
Universal Confession Described
God's exaltation of Jesus after His humble obedience unto death, even death on the cross, leads to universal acknowledgment of His lordship, for God highly exalted Him and gave Him a name above every name. Every tongue, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and every knee will bow at the name of Jesus, to the glory of God the Father. The One so confessed made Himself of no reputation though being in the form of God and equal with God, taking the form of a servant and being made in the likeness of men, and His confession is an exclamation of admiration at Christ beheld in His power declaring the great mystery of godliness. The Lord so confessed is the One by whom all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, were created and for whom they were created, who is before all things and by whom all things hold together, in whom all fullness dwells and in whom believers are complete, who died and rose to be Lord of the dead and the living, with all things given into His hands by the Father's love. Honoring Christ in this confession is the work of all who believe, and when believers do so the church sends forth a powerful influence, its members bearing the fruit of good works as lights in the world with a difference from the world so plainly marked that it is seen by all, as they follow Christ's example through the Holy Spirit's work in them by being likeminded and of one accord, doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness esteeming others better than themselves and looking to the things of others with the mind that was in Christ.
The confession embraces every being, with every human power acknowledging Christ's authority and all in heaven and earth submitting to Jesus as Lord. All powers will bow before Him as Shiloh, the Son of David and true Lion of the tribe of Judah, and all nations will honor Him. God's principles are immortal, and those who honor Him by faithfully keeping His word stand by principles that endure forever, with a glorious result. Everyone will ultimately know and acknowledge Christ as Lord whether desiring to or not, so the time to accept His offer of salvation is now while mercy is still extended. Jesus refused Satan's offer of worldly rule through worship of Satan and instead chose suffering and death in the way appointed by His Father to redeem the world and become its rightful ruler, and the kingdoms of the earth will be given into His hands as an everlasting possession.
All creation is to crown Him as Lord of all. Angels are to fall prostrate before Him, those ransomed from the fall and saved by grace are to hail Him, and every kindred and tribe on earth is to ascribe all majesty to Him. Believers are to look forward to falling at His feet with the sacred throng in heaven and joining the everlasting song honoring the power of His name.
Future Fulfillment Foretold
At the second coming all will acknowledge Him as Lord and confess His divinity, in contrast to His first coming when He was rejected and crucified, and the angels will bow before Him to the glory of God the Father. Even His enemies will recognize that they were wrong in opposing Him and will confess His divinity, so that no one can stand against Him. Bowing to His rightful rule can be outward only, for Satan bowed with the angels while his heart remained filled with envy and hatred. His rebellion made heaven's purity, peace and harmony unbearable to him, and his accusations against God were silenced.
In the final public vindication when rebellion is fully exposed before all created beings, even Satan will confess that God's government is just and His law is righteous, vindicating God's dealings and bringing glory to Him. Through suffering and death Jesus redeemed what Satan claimed, refusing Satan's offer to give Him the whole earth and the glory of reigning over it without dying if He would worship him. He would bow only to His Father, refusing to depart from His Father's will and refusing to take the kingdoms of the world without suffering or peril. He steadfastly chose a life of suffering and dreadful, ignominious death in the way appointed by His Father in order to become the lawful heir and rightful ruler, and the kingdoms of the earth will be given into His hands as an everlasting possession. Satan himself will be placed under His power and given into His hands to be destroyed by death, never again to trouble Jesus nor the saints in glory.
There is a coming day when all who have sinned will confess, even if they have waited too long to receive pardon. God patiently gives sinners time to repent, but He will ultimately call every transgressor of His law to account, regardless of social rank. That universal acknowledgment of Christ's lordship does not teach that religious uniformity should be imposed by human power.
Doctrinal Significance Affirmed
The confession that Jesus Christ is Lord affirms His divine identity. His sovereignty and authority are rightful and equal with the Father's, for the Father ordained that Christ's word be obeyed as readily as His own. Even outward bowing acknowledges that rightful rule.
The Lord so confessed is the One by whom all things in heaven and earth were created and for whom they were created. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. It pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in Him, and believers are complete in Him in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. He died and rose to be Lord of the dead and the living, and universal acknowledgment of His lordship honors the Father, joined with the Father's love for the Son in giving all things into His hands. Confessing Him as Lord displays His divine majesty and the value God placed on humanity through His sacrifice. It reveals His righteousness and His love for the world.
That righteousness and love are a grand and heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life when Christ is lifted up. The verse belongs to a passage about His life, character, and mediatorial work, which are essential subjects for study. It is an exclamation of admiration at Christ beheld in His power, declaring the great mystery of godliness. His supremacy gives Him power to rescue those who accept His salvation. He claims mercy and reconciliation for guilty people, and His victory brings glory to the Father. He is the Redeemer to be crowned, honored, and worshiped, and believers' faith must center on Him as the only One who can help them.
His exalted name is the only means of salvation for the sinner, for He is the head of the new creation and the source of power to become sons of God. The cross of Calvary is therefore to be uplifted where it has not yet been uplifted. Where the Scriptures are freely circulated and searched, light shines into darkness and life-giving truth is found, so that among unbelievers in the cities and nations a remnant will appreciate the Word and receive the Saviour. To them Christ will give power to become sons and daughters of God. The infinite God consented to the humiliation of His own Son so that men might be elevated to a place with Him upon His throne. Contemplating this wonderful, almost incredible fact purifies, elevates and ennobles, and opens truth to the mind and applies it to the heart, giving clearer and broader views unbiased by preconceived opinions, more penetrating discernment, better balanced and far-seeing judgment, expanded understanding, deeper knowledge of personal weakness, and growth in faith and humility.
Believers Response and Mission
The confession that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father grows out of His making Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant in the likeness of men, and humbling Himself in obedience unto death on the cross, after which God highly exalted Him with a name above every name. That pattern sets the standard for believers to have the same mind that was in Christ, to be likeminded in love and of one accord, to do nothing through strife or vainglory, to esteem others better than themselves and to look to the things of others. It calls for living in universal humility and benevolence with self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works, speaking sanctified words in harmony with the gospel, working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do, and living blameless without murmurings as lights in a crooked nation holding forth the word of life. This acknowledgment by every being in heaven and on earth and under the earth honors the Father, and belongs with the Father's love for the Son in giving all things into His hands, with all fullness dwelling in Him, with His creating all things visible and invisible and being before all things and holding all things together, with His dying and rising to be Lord of dead and living, and with believers being complete in Him in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily.
Followers are to confess Him before the world because He gave His life for them, and He died so they might receive strength to resist temptation. That instruction to live strong in the Lord rests on Christ humbling Himself and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, and on God highly exalting Him and giving Him a name above every name. Honoring Christ in this confession is the work of all who believe in Him, and when believers do so the church sends forth a powerful influence, its members bearing the fruit of good works as lights in the world with a difference from worldlings so plainly marked that it is seen by all. His exaltation and self-giving love put human pride and social rank to shame, bringing rich and poor, learned and ignorant together as equals at His feet as objects of God's love purchased by His sacrifice. All earthly distinctions are forgotten in looking upon Him pierced by human sins, and this bringing into oneness of all who are sanctified through the truth uplifts to a higher plane of thought and action and manifests pure and undefiled religion with heaven-born principles.
Confessing Christ as Lord to God's glory requires a thorough change of character before believers can be acknowledged as His children, meaning having the mind which dwelt in Jesus in order to conduct aright in the church of God. That change is shown in order in the church and correct observing of the Sabbath, and in testimony and confession of wrong, going forward in hearty repentance and shame and confusion of face before God for unrighteous conduct toward brethren and sisters. His name is powerful and essential and should be on every tongue, with His person, righteousness, love, and work lifted up as a central subject of preaching and contemplation. The confession reveals His righteousness and His love for the world, a grand and heavenly theme that revives and quickens to new life when He is lifted up, and directs attention to His self-sacrifice, death, resurrection, and triumphant ascension as themes that awaken love and fervent faith as the divine object of faith and praise.
Christ first reached the depths of humiliation, working out in behalf of the human race a perfect character and drawing men and women to God by His unselfish ministry, though God exalted Him above every name that is named. Accepting Him as a personal Saviour and following His example of self-denial is the secret of holiness, and the more Christlike efforts for God are, the wider their influence for good will be and the greater the work they will accomplish. Believers are to keep the law and reflect His character in this life through obedience, so that unbelievers may see what members of God's heavenly family are like before whom every knee is to bow. Philippians 2:1-16 is a lesson for all to study to learn the way of the Lord as no human voice or counsel can teach, by looking to God and seeking wisdom from Him in most earnest prayer. That study sees that transgression of the law caused the price of the blood of the Son of the infinite God to redeem, hates the sins that wounded Jesus, preserves a contrite heart in viewing Him as a compassionate tender High Priest, and fixes the eye upon the cross of Calvary to return to allegiance to the holy commandments of God through Christ as the propitiation not for our sins alone but for the sins of the whole world. Everyone will ultimately know and acknowledge Him as Lord whether desiring to do so or not, so the time to accept His offer of salvation is now while mercy is still extended.