X - The Universal Homage (verses 10–11a)

Summary

ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ

πᾶν γόνυ ϰάμψη

ἐπουρανίων ϰαὶ ἐπιγείω ϰαὶ ϰαταχθονίων

ϰαὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολολήσηται.

(verses 10–11a)

The two final strophes (according to Lohmeyer's analysis) are devoted to the praise of the name which ranks above all other names. The English versions translate the introductory ἵνα by ‘that’, which disguises the two possible ways in which it may be taken, whether as consequence (‘so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow’) or as purpose (‘in order that in the name of Jesus every knee might bow’). But the two ideas are often confused in the thought and language of both Old and New Testaments; and tend to run together. That which God has purposed in the exaltation of Christ follows, as His name becomes the object of worship and praise. Three things may be discussed in relation to this universal homage which is rendered to His name.

THE OBJECT AND OCCASION OF THE HOMAGE

Lord of the Church

Some older writers thought that this verse meant that the worship was directed to the Father in the name of Jesus (as in John xvi. 23–4), but the parallel words of verse 11 b which describes explicitly the act of reverence as paid directly to the Son and ‘to the glory of God the Father’, and the construction of this clause in 10 a and b where the use of ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι implies that direct adoration is meant (as in I Kings viii. 44 and several places in the Psalter as well as the common phrase, ‘to invoke the name of the Lord’) describe the exalted Christ as the recipient.