Philippians 2:9-11

9. Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10. that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth, 11. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Translation and Paraphrase

9. Therefore (because of the obedient self-sacrifice of Christ) God has given to him (as a gift) the name (which is) above every name, (the name of LORD),
10. So that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, (the knees) of the things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth (the dead).
11. (Not only will every knee bow, but also) every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father.

Notes

1.

Most probably the name given to Christ because of his obedience is LORD. After Acts 2:36 Jesus is constantly called LORD. See Acts 7:59-60; Acts 9:1; Acts 10:36.

2.

Christ's new name represented new glory and new offices for Him. Abraham and Jacob received new names when their life situations changed. We receive a new nameChristianwhen we come into Christ.

3.

Out of appreciation for the things Christ has done we worship Him. We bow the knee, both literally and figuratively.

4.

Everyone and everything will confess Christ Jesus as Lord, ultimately if not now, involuntarily if not willingly. The dead shall rise, and every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced him on the cross, and all tribes of the earth shall wail because of Him. Revelation 1:7. May it be even so, Lord Jesus. Yea, come quickly, Lord. Revelation 22:20.

5.

The things under the earth probably refer simply to those who are dead. This does not suggest that there is some large subterranean cavity in the earth where a great group of souls dwell. But rather that those buried under the earth shall rise again and confess with the living that Jesus Christ is LORD.

6.

The confession that Jesus Christ is Lord was really the only confession of the church in the time of the apostles. 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 John 4:2; Acts 8:37; Matthew 16:16. In those glorious times before the church was corrupted by human doctrines, the disciples of Christ did not recite any apostles-' creed, Nicene creed, or Athanasian creed. Such human writings should be forgotten and thrown into the dump heap. The apostles never wrote the apostles-' (sic!) creed, and in its final form it was not completed until three or four centuries after the last apostle was dead, The Biblical confession that Jesus Christ is Lord is unifying. The creeds of men are destructive and divisive.

7.

God is glorified when Jesus Christ is confessed. See John 5:23.