02 Chapter The Name Above Every Name

title: Chapter 2 - The Name Above Every Name chapter: 2 tags: #theology #christology #philippians #divine-names created: 2025-11-04

Chapter 2: The Name Above Every Name - Divine Identity and Cosmic Authority

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name”

The Central Mystery

What exactly did Jesus receive when he was “highly exalted”? Philippians 2:9 speaks of “the name above every name”—but which name? This question unlocks one of Scripture’s most profound mysteries.

The Exaltation Timeline

Philippians 2:6-11: The Journey from Cross to Crown

Phase 1: Pre-Incarnate Glory

“Though he was in the form of God” (v.6)

Possessed divine nature
Had not yet received “the name”
The eternal Son before his redemptive mission

Phase 2: Incarnation and Humiliation

“Emptied himself… became obedient to death, even death on a cross” (vv.7-8)

The stunning descent: divine glory veiled in human flesh
Perfect obedience demonstrated through ultimate suffering
The cross as the ultimate test

Phase 3: Exaltation and Naming

“Therefore God has highly exalted him” (v.9)

The “therefore” is crucial—exaltation follows obedience
“Bestowed on him the name that is above every name”
This is given as reward for cross-obedience

Phase 4: Universal Recognition

“Every knee should bow… every tongue confess” (vv.10-11)

Echoes Isaiah 45:23: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear”
Worship due to YHWH alone now directed to Jesus
Universal cosmic submission

The Great Question: Which Name?

Option 1: The Divine Name Itself (YHWH)

Evidence:

“The name above every name” - The definite article suggests a specific, known name
Jewish Context - “The Name” (Hashem) always meant the Tetragrammaton
Absolute Supremacy - Only YHWH would truly be “above every name”
Isaiah 45:23 Connection - Every knee bows to YHWH exclusively
Romans 10:13 - Applies “call on the name of YHWH” directly to Jesus
Acts 4:12 - “No other name under heaven… by which we must be saved”

The Profound Implication:

Jesus receives the sacred Tetragrammaton itself—the very name of God—as reward for cross-obedience. The incarnate Son is given the divine identity that was always his by nature.

Option 2: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”

Evidence:

Revelation 19:16 - This title appears explicitly applied to Jesus
Ultimate Authority - Represents cosmic governmental supremacy
1 Timothy 6:15 - The Father bears this title
Governmental Function - Supreme sovereignty over all earthly powers

The Question:

But is this title the name itself, or the effect of receiving the divine name?

The Isaiah 45:23 Connection

The Original YHWH Declaration

“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 45:23)

Paul’s Application to Jesus

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11)

This isn’t coincidence—Paul deliberately applies YHWH’s exclusive claim to Jesus. The worship that belongs to God alone now belongs to the exalted Christ.

The Father’s Role in Exaltation

1 Timothy 6:15-16: The Father as Source

“The blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see.”

The Father:

Remains the ultimate source of all authority
Gives the name as reward for the Son’s faithfulness
Never abdicates his supremacy
Works through the exalted Son

The “Until” Factor

Psalm 110:1 - The Divine Invitation

“The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.‘“

1 Corinthians 15:25

“He must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”

The Son’s cosmic lordship has:

A purpose: Complete victory over all enemies
A terminus: The “until” suggests transition, not termination
A mission: Designed to accomplish redemption, not just endless rule

Two Interpretations: Shared Title or Sequential Authority?

Interpretation 1: Shared Divine Title

Both Father and Son legitimately bear “King of kings and Lord of lords”
Evidence of shared divine essence and authority
The title belongs to the divine nature, not exclusively to one person
Jesus receives the right to this title through his exaltation

Interpretation 2: Sequential Authority

The Father is eternally “King of kings and Lord of lords”
Jesus receives this title as the “name above every name” after the cross
The title represents delegated cosmic authority from the ultimate Sovereign
What was always the Father’s becomes functionally the Son’s during the “until” period

The Relationship Between “The Name” and the Title

If “The Name” is YHWH:

“King of Kings and Lord of Lords” becomes the effect of bearing the divine name
Jesus receives YHWH (the essential divine identity)
“King of Kings” manifests this divine authority in cosmic governance
The title describes what happens when the Tetragrammaton is given to the incarnate Son

If “The Name” is “King of Kings”:

This specific title IS the name above every name
It represents the highest possible authority designation
Jesus receives cosmic sovereignty as his new identity
The divine name (YHWH) remains with the Father, but cosmic rule is delegated

The Wonder of Divine Government

What emerges is a stunning picture: The eternal Son, who always possessed divine nature, earns through perfect obedience what was always his by right. The Father joyfully grants cosmic authority to the One who proved his worthiness through the cross.

This isn’t just individual salvation—it’s cosmic governmental transformation. The divine plan unfolds through delegated authority that serves redemptive purposes.

Authority as Reward

The “name above every name” and cosmic authority are given after the cross, not before. This suggests Jesus “earned” the right to universal worship through obedience, even while possessing divine nature eternally.

Dynamic Divine Government

Rather than static hierarchy, we see a progression:

Delegation → Victory → Completion → Transformation

The Father’s authority flows through the Son for redemptive purposes, then returns in a new configuration.

The Father’s Exception

Throughout this entire process, the Father remains outside the subjugation (1 Corinthians 15:27). He is the constant source and ultimate destination of all authority.

Key Theological Insights

For Trinitarian Doctrine

The economic Trinity (roles in salvation) has a temporal arc
The ontological Trinity (essential divine nature) remains constant
Divine authority structures serve redemptive purposes

For Christology

Jesus’ cosmic lordship is both eternal (by nature) and earned (by mission)
The incarnation introduces dynamic elements into divine government
Christ’s mediatorial role has an eschatological purpose and completion

For Eschatology

History moves toward complete divine victory
The present age is the “until” period of Christ’s delegated reign
The eternal state involves a new form of divine government

John 16:28 - The Impossible Claim

“I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

The Linguistic Evidence

Greek: ἐξῆλθον (exēlthon) - “came forth”

First person aorist active—Jesus performed the action
Root: ἐξέρχομαι—to go out from, come forth from
Implies movement from source to destination

παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς (para tou patros) - “from the Father”

Preposition παρὰ + genitive—indicates source/origin
Not merely “sent by” but “originating from”
Personal origin, not just commission

The Disciples’ Response (vv. 29-30)

“Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things… this is why we believe that you came from God.”

What convinced Jewish monotheists:

Divine omniscience: “you know all things”
Supernatural insight: “do not need anyone to question you”
Impossible claim: “you came from God”

For Jews to accept this required overwhelming evidence—their theology had no category for a divine Son who “came forth from” God.

The Foundation for Exaltation

John 16:28 establishes the foundation for Philippians 2:6-11:

“I came forth from the Father” = Pre-incarnate divine glory
“Have come into the world” = Incarnation and humiliation
“I leave the world and go to the Father” = Return to glory
“Therefore God highly exalted him” = Earned cosmic authority

The Earned vs. Inherited Dynamic

Because Jesus:

Actually came from the Father’s presence (divine by nature)
Actually entered the world in humiliation (incarnate obedience)
Will actually return having accomplished his mission

Therefore:

He earns what was always his by nature
Demonstrates worthiness for cosmic authority
Receives the name above every name as reward for faithful sonship

“But what happens when all enemies are defeated? When does the ‘until’ end?”

Next: [[Resources/The Name Above Every Name/Chapter 3 - The Sacred Names|Chapter 3: The Sacred Names - Participation in Divine Nature]]