Philippians 2:9
Read Philippians 2:9 Using Other Translations
What does Philippians 2:9 mean?
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him
The apostle proceeds to observe the exaltation of Christ, for the
encouragement of meek and humble souls; that whereas Christ, who
so exceedingly demeaned himself, was afterwards highly exalted by
God, so all such who, in imitation of him, behave to one another
in lowliness of mind, shall be exalted in God's due time; for
whoso humbleth himself, shall be exalted. The first step of
Christ's exaltation was his resurrection from the dead, when he
had a glory given him as man; his body was raised in
incorruption, in glory, in power, and a spiritual one; it became
a glorious body, and the pledge and exemplar of the saints at the
general resurrection, of which his transfiguration on the mount
was an emblem and prelude; and he was also glorified then as
Mediator, he was then justified in the Spirit, and acquitted and
discharged from all the sins of his people, he took upon him and
bore, having satisfied for them; and all God's elect were
justified in him, for he rose as a public person, as their head,
for their justification; yea, in some sense he was then
glorified, as a divine person; not that any new additional glory
was, or could be made to him as such; but there was an
illustrious manifestation of his natural, essential, and original
glory; he was declared to be the Son of God with power, by his
resurrection from the dead: the next step of his high exaltation
was his ascending on high up to the third heaven, where he is
made higher than the heavens; when he was accompanied by an
innumerable company of angels, and by those saints whose bodies
rose out of their graves after his resurrection; and was received
and carried up in a bright glorious cloud; and passing through
the air, the seat of the devils, he led captivity captive, and
triumphed over principalities and powers, having before spoiled
them on his cross; and then entering into heaven, he sat down at
the right hand of God, which is another branch of his exaltation;
and shows that he had done his work, and that it was approved and
accepted of; and had that glory and honour bestowed on him, which
never was on any mere creature, angels or men, to sit down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high; which as it is the highest
pitch of the exaltation of the human nature of Christ, so by it
there is a most illustrious display of the glory of his divine
person as the Son of God; who was with God, as one brought up
with him from all eternity; and was so likewise when here on
earth, but not so manifestly; but now he is openly and manifestly
glorified with himself, with that glory he had with him before
the world began: moreover, Christ's exaltation lies in his having
the gifts of the Spirit without measure, to bestow on his
ministers and churches, in all succeeding generations, for the
carrying on of his interest, and the enlargement of his kingdom;
in having all power in heaven and in earth, to complete his work
and great designs; in having dominion and authority over all
creatures and things, which are made to be subservient to the
execution of his mediatorial office; and in having the right and
power of judging the world at the last day, when there will still
be a more glorious display of his eternal deity and divine
sonship; for he will come in his Father's glory, and in his own,
and with his holy angels: now the causes of Christ's exaltation
are these: the efficient cause is God; though he made himself of
no reputation, and humbled himself, these were voluntary acts of
his own; yet he did not exalt himself, but God exalted him, even
God the Father; with him the covenant of grace and redemption was
made, in which glory was promised Christ, in consideration of his
obedience, sufferings, and death; and which he prayed to him for,
and pleaded for with him, having done his work; and which
exaltation of Christ is always ascribed to God, even the Father;
see ( Acts 2:33
) ( 3:13 ) (
5:31 ) ; the
impulsive or moving cause, and indeed the meritorious cause, were
the humiliation of Christ; because he, though he was originally
so great and glorious, yet made himself as it were nothing,
humbled himself to become man, and was contented to be accounted
a mere man, and went up and down in the form of a servant; and
because he became so cheerfully obedient to the whole law, and to
death itself, for the sake of his people, and out of love to
them, "therefore" God exalted him: the exaltation of Christ was
not only a consequence of his obedience and death, and his
humiliation merely the way to his glory; but his high and exalted
estate were the reward of all this; it was what was promised him
in covenant, what was then agreed upon, what he expected and
pleaded, and had as a recompense of reward, in consideration of
his having glorified God on earth, and finished the work he
undertook to do: it follows as an instance of the exaltation of
Christ,
and [hath] given him a name which is above every
name.
The Syriac version renders it, "which is more excellent than
every name"; and the Arabic version translates it, "which is more
eminent than every name"; and the Ethiopic version thus, "which
is greater than every name": by which is meant, not any
particular and peculiar name by which he is called; not the name
of God, for though this is his name, the mighty God, and so is
even the incommunicable name Jehovah, and which may be truly said
to be every name; but neither of these are given him, but what he
has by nature; and besides were what he had before his exaltation
in human nature: it is true indeed, upon that this name of his
became more illustrious and manifest unto men; it is a more clear
point, that he is God over all blessed for evermore; and it will
still be more manifest at his glorious appearing, that he is the
great God, as well as our Saviour: to which may be added, that
the name Jehovah in the plate of gold on the high priest's
forehead, was set above the other word; so says Maimonides
F13,
``the plate of gold was two fingers broad, and it reached from ear to ear; and there was written upon it two lines, "holiness to the Lord"; (vdq) , "holiness", was written below, and (hlemlm hwhyl) , "to the Lord", or "to Jehovah", above:''whether here may not be an allusion to this, I leave to be considered: nor do I think that the name of the Son of God is meant; this is indeed a name of Christ, and a more excellent one than either angels or men have; for he is in such sense the Son of God, as neither of them are; but this is a name also which he has by nature, and is what he had before his exaltation; and was before this attested by his Father, and confessed by angels, men, and devils; though indeed upon his exaltation, he was declared more manifestly to be the Son of God, as he will be yet more clearly in his kingdom and glory: much less is the name Jesus intended, which was given him by the angel before his conception and birth, and was a name common to men among the Jews; but it seems to design such fame and renown, honour, glory, and dignity, as were never given unto, and bestowed upon creatures; as his rising from the dead as a public person, his ascending on high in the manner he did, his session at the right hand of God, his investiture with all gifts, power, dominion, authority, and with the judgment of the world; and whatever name of greatness there is among men or angels, Christ has that which is superior to it. Was a priest a name of honour and dignity among the Jews? Christ is not only a priest, and an high priest, but a great high priest; a priest not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedek, ( Hebrews 7:11 ) , and a greater than he himself. Is a king a great name among men? Christ has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Is a deliverer of a nation a title of great honour? Christ is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour of men of all nations; nor is there any other name but his, that is given among men, whereby we must be saved. Is a mediator between warring princes and kingdoms accounted a name of greatness and glory? Christ is the one only Mediator between God and man, and of a new and better covenant. Are angels, seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, great names in the other world? Christ is the Angel of God's presence, an eternal one, the Angel of the covenant, the head of all principality and power. These are all subject to him, and he is set at God's right hand far above them.
F13 Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 9. sect. 1.
