Philippians 2:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

NIV: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

NASB: so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

CSB: so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow -- in heaven and on earth and under the earth --

NLT: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

KJV: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

NKJV: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

Part of the result of Jesus being highly exalted (Philippians 2:9) is that all people, ultimately, will be in submission to Him. The idea may actually be better expressed by "will bow," referring to something certain to happen. This is phrased in terms including every possible being. Those "in heaven" could include angels and saints who have passed away already. Those "on earth" clearly refer to people living now, or more specifically at the time Paul was writing this letter. Those "under the earth" could include those who have already died and perhaps the Devil and evil spirits who must submit to the power of the Lord (Revelation 20).

This understanding is also enhanced after looking at verse 11, which refers to every "tongue" confessing Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. In the future, every being will bow before the Lord, the ultimate reward for the Lord Jesus Christ who became the ultimate servant during His time on earth.

Philippians 2:6–11 is a poetic description of Jesus' willingness to humble Himself for our sake. Rather than coming first as God and King, Jesus freely took on the form of a human being. He was humiliated and oppressed, following the will of the Father, in order to be the sacrifice for our sins. As a result, ''Jesus'' will be given the ultimate glory and honor. Eventually, all people, whether they want to or not, will admit that Jesus Christ is, in fact, Lord. For some, this will happen too late.

Paul describes Jesus Christ as one willing to be humble, in obedience to God the Father. For this, God will exalt Jesus' name above all others. Someday, one way or another, all people will admit that Jesus Christ is Lord, and submit to Him. Paul wants the Philippian believers to live with contentment and unity, without complaining. Instructions are given regarding two visitors. The first is actually the one delivering this letter, Epaphroditus. The other is Timothy, Paul's trusted friend, who hopefully will be visiting soon.

Philippians 1 focused on the importance of perspective. A Christian's life, lived for Christ, may be hard or easy, but all things can give God glory. Chapter 2 frames this concept through the humility shown by Jesus Christ. His willingness to obey God the Father, even being crucified, is the ultimate example of humble service. In return, His name will be honored more than any other. Paul's instructions regarding Timothy and Epaphroditus also form a bridge to chapter 3, where Paul will contrast these good men with the dangers of false teachers.

Philippians is Paul's discussion of living the Christian life. In this letter to the church of Philippi, Paul highlights themes such as joy and glory. He also puts great emphasis on how a Christian's thinking—their attitude—affects the way they live out their faith. Paul is very thankful for the support of the Philippian church, but is also concerned about the influence of various false teachers. This letter is less theological than most of his other writings, and more practical.

Accessed 5/4/2024 4:22:11 AM