“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”
My Notes
What Does Philippians 2:9 Mean?
Paul describes the exaltation of Jesus following his humiliation: because he humbled himself and became obedient to death, God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name.
The exaltation is responsive — "wherefore" means because of this. Jesus' humility produced his exaltation. The one who went lowest was lifted highest. The descent to the cross was the path to the throne.
"A name which is above every name" — supreme, unmatched, unrivaled. No name in heaven or earth outranks it. The name that was whispered over a manger is the name that now sits above every title, every authority, every power.
The next verse (v.10) completes the picture: at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Universal submission to the name that was given in response to ultimate humility. The exaltation is proportional to the humiliation.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does 'the path up goes down' challenge the world's approach to success?
- 2.What does it mean that Jesus' exaltation was a response to his humiliation?
- 3.Where are you grasping for recognition rather than descending into service?
- 4.How does 'a name above every name' change your confidence in who Jesus is?
Devotional
God also hath highly exalted him. After the humiliation — the servanthood, the obedience, the death on a cross — God lifted Jesus to the highest possible position. The lowest descent produced the highest exaltation.
Given him a name which is above every name. Every name that has ever been spoken, every title that has ever been held, every authority that has ever been claimed — the name of Jesus sits above all of them.
The path to this exaltation was not ambition. It was humility. Jesus did not grasp at equality with God (v.6). He emptied himself, took the form of a servant, and became obedient to death. And because of that descent — not despite it — God exalted him.
The pattern of the kingdom is the inverse of the world's pattern. The world says: climb, grasp, promote yourself. Jesus says: descend, serve, empty yourself. And the Father's response to that descent is the highest exaltation possible.
Where are you climbing when God is inviting you to descend? The name above every name was given to the one who went below every name. The path up goes down.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,.... The apostle proceeds to observe the exaltation of Christ, for the…
Wherefore - As a reward of this humiliation and these sufferings. The idea is, that there was an appropriate reward for…
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him - If by his humiliation he has merited pardon and final salvation for the…
The apostle proceeds in this chapter where he left off in the last, with further exhortations to Christian duties. He…
Wherefore From the point of view of this passage, the glorification of the Crucified Lord was the Father's recognition…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture