What is the Name Above Every Name?
Ascending to New Heights: Devotional # 35 of 40
A New Testament Scripture About the Ascension
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11)
An Old Testament Scripture Reference
Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.” (Isaiah 45:22-23)
How Are These Two Passages Related?
The book of Isaiah and the Old Testament were originally in Hebrew, but a couple of hundred years before the birth of Jesus, the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek. This Greek translation aimed to make God's word accessible to those who couldn't read Hebrew.
When Isaiah 45:23 was translated into Greek, a word was chosen that means both "to confess" and "to swear."
For this reason, it seems best to understand that Paul is quoting from the Greek translation of Isaiah 45:23 when he writes the following phrases:
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow … and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11).
What Does This Teach Us About the Ascension?
God the Father has done two things as a result of the humility of God’s Son who obediently died a humiliating death on the cross.
“Highly Exalted”: Because God the Son willingly descended into the grave, God the Father "super-exalted" Him. This means that when Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven, He was elevated to the highest possible degree.
“Bestowed on Him the Name”: The word “bestowed” means to graciously give. The Son's humble self-giving resulted in God's wholehearted and generous name-giving. This bestowal of a name doesn't merely serve as a means of distinguishing one person from another, as with "Bob" and "Joe," rather it's a title that elevates Him above all other beings. It's a title intrinsic to His essence, identifying Him as superior to all because it is the name above every name.
Throughout the Bible, God gives new names to people to mark significant stages in their lives and to signify something noteworthy in salvation history.
That's why He gives His Son a new name. But what exactly is the name above every name?
Is it the name "Jesus," or is it the name "Lord"?
At first glance, it seems like the answer is Jesus, as the next phrase is "at the name of Jesus."
God did give that name to His Son. Mary and Joseph didn't name their baby Jesus.
So, if the name above all names is “Jesus,” then we would need to understand Paul as saying that the name of “Jesus” is now being given new meaning and significance greater than all other names.
However, some people think that the name the Father gives is "Lord," because the end of the passage states that "every tongue" will "confess Jesus Christ is Lord."
Based on the quotation from Isaiah 45:23, it is best to answer the question this way:
The name that the Father bestows upon His Son is the title LORD (Yahweh) and that title is now being given to Jesus.
Jesus is a human name, given to Him at His birth when He became a man.
But Jesus is also the God-man.
Simply put, we could say it this way: God’s Son is The Lord, Jesus Christ.
That is THE name, the name above every name, the name that every knee will bow to and every tongue will confess.
It is the only name that can save you from your sins, the name deserving of swearing, confessing, and bowing with full allegiance.
Prayer Prompt
Pray that God’s name will be hallowed here on earth as it is in heaven.