JESUS IS LORD (PHILIPPIANS 2:4-11)
An army corporal needed to use a pay phone, but didn’t have change for a dollar. He saw a lower-ranking private mopping the base’s corridor floors, and asked him, “Soldier, do you have change for a dollar?”
The private replied, “Yeah, sure.”
The corporal turned red and quickly reprimanded the private: “That’s no way to address a superior officer in the army! It is “Sir” and nothing else. Are we clear? Now let’s try it again. Private, do you have change for a dollar?”
The private glanced at the corporal and replied, “No, SIR!”
The Greek word “Lord” or kurie” is one of the most important words in the Bible. It occurs 75 times in the New Testament alone. It is the favorite title for Jesus. Jesus embraced the title more comfortably than the title “King” or even “Savior,” the latter occurring 24 times in the New Testament.
Petitioners in the Bible calling on Jesus loved to call him “Lord” to get his attention and plead their case, especially in the book of Matthew (Matt 8:2 – the leper, 8:6 – the centurion, 15:22 – the Canaanite woman, 17:15 – a mother of demon-possessed boy, 20:29-30 – two blind men) and the gospel of John (John 4:46 – the royal official, John 5:7 - the invalid, John 8:11 – the woman caught in adultery, John 9:36 – the man born blind).
It is the disciples’ favorite term for Jesus (Matt 8:25, 14:30, 26:22, Luke 9:54 -
James and John, 11:1, 17:5, 17:37, John 11:12, 13:25 – John, 14:5 – Thomas, 14:8 – Philip, 14:22 – the other Judas), especially Peter, who addressed Jesus as “Lord” 16 times, from their first encounter in Luke 5:8 (Luke 5:8, Matt. 14:28, 16:22 17:4, 18:21, John 6:68, 13:6, 13:24, 36, 37) to His arrest (Luke 22:33) and resurrection (John 21:7, 15, 16, 17, 21).
NIV used the phrase “Lord Jesus” 102 times, 59 of 102 times for the phrase “Lord Jesus Christ.”
Why does the Bible call Jesus Lord? What has He done to qualify for this prominent and powerful tile? Why is His lordship a personal declaration and commitment rather than a designated or formal title?
Jesus Became a Servant
4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:4-11)
A rosebush grew near an apple tree. Everybody admired the beauty and the sweet scent of its roses. Seeing how everyone was praising it the rosebush became vainglorious. “Who can compare to me? And who is as important as I?” it asked. “My roses are a delight to the eye and the most fragrant among all flowers. True enough, the apple tree is much larger than I, but does it afford as much pleasure to people?”
The apple tree answered: “Even were you taller than I, with all your vaunted loveliness and all your sweet fragrance- you still could not compare to me in kindheartedness.” “Let me hear!” the rosebush asked challengingly. “What are the virtues you boast of?” The apple tree answered: You do not give your flowers to people unless you first prick them with your thorns. I, on the other hand, give my fruit even to those who throw stones at me!”
The word “attitude” is key in Philippians. It occurs eleven times in Philippians’ four chapters – one short of the 12 times in 16 chapters of Romans. Translating this word is clumsy. The same word has eight different translations in NIV: “feel” (Phil 1:7), “mind” (Phil 2:2, 3:19), “purpose” (Phil 2:2), “attitude” (Phil 2:5), “view” (Phil 3:15), “think” (Phil 3:15), “agree” (Phil 4:2), and “concern” (Phil 4:10, 4:10). The meaning is essentially “regard” or “consider.”
Two Greek words are necessary to sort out in order to understand what kind of servant Jesus was. The Greek word “nature” or “form” (“morphe” in Greek) occurs only three times in the Bible (Phil 2:6, 7, Mark 16:12), all in reference to Jesus. It speaks of his identity and uniqueness as God. Its only other use outside of Philippians is in Mark 16:12, where it is recorded Jesus “morphed” into a different form to two travelers on the way to Emmaus after His resurrection.
Jesus did not consider setting aside equality to God the Father a grievance. The word “grasp” (“harpagmos”) occurs only once in the Bible but it comes from the word “harpazo” means “snatch” (Matt 13:19, John 10:28, 29), “caught up” (2 Cor 12:2, 4, 1 Thess 4:17 , Jude 23, Rev 12:5) , “force” (John 6:15, Acts 23:10), “attack” (John 10:12), “took” (Acts 8:39). In simple terms, Jesus did not fuss, fret or fight over assuming or embracing the nature and form of man. He volunteered and initiated His own coming to earth.
The word “equal” occurs eight times, meaning “equality” in the case of the equal pay of workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:12) and in another case when Jesus made himself “equal” with God (John 5:18), “agreement” (Mark 14:56, 59), “fullness” (Luke 6:34) or “same” (Acts 11:17). Webster’s dictionary defines the Trinity as “The union of three divine persons (or hypostases), the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in one divinity, so that all the three are one God as to substance, but three Persons (or hypostases as to individuality).”
To theologians, the juiciest word in the passage is the word “made himself nothing” in NIV or “empty” in NASB or RSV. They call this the “kenosis” theory, from the verb “kenoo” or “empty.” Jesus effectively relinquished or neutralized his full powers. In three other occurrences, this word has been translated as “no value” (Rom 4:14), “emptied” (1 Cor 1:17) and “deprive” (1 Cor 9:15).
Jesus became a “servant” or “doulos,” not just a minister (diakonos) or a steward (oiketes). There is nothing more lowly than to be a servant. The doulos is a full-time slave, not a 9 to 5 attendant or butler. He is the lowest of low – he is not even a busboy, a dishwasher a floor-sweeper, a potato-peeler or a menial worker. The servant or slave had no rights, union or freedom. He does all things at all times under all conditions.
Paul distinguished Jesus’ nature (morphe) from his likeness or “homoioma” of man. One is His true identity; the other is His accepted role. Romans 8:3 says that God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.
Jesus is the Savior
8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! (Phil 2:8)
Someone said of the “The differences between you and your boss”:
When you take a long time, you’re slow.
When your boss takes a long time, he’s thorough.
When you don’t do it, you’re lazy.
When your boss doesn’t do it, he’s too busy.
When you make a mistake, you’re an idiot.
When your boss makes a mistake, he’s only human.
When you do something without being told, you’re overstepping your authority.
When your boss does the same thing, that’s initiative.
When you take a stand, you’re being bull-headed.
When your boss does it, he’s being firm.
When you overlooked a rule of etiquette, you’re being rude.
When your boss skips a few rules, he’s being original.
When you please your boss, you’re brown-nosing.
When your boss pleases his boss, he’s being co-operative.
When you’re out of the office, you’re wandering around.
When your boss is out of the office, he’s on business.
When you take a day off sick, you’re always sick.
When your boss takes a day off sick, he must be very ill.
When you apply for leave, you must be going for an interview.
When your boss applies for leave, it’s because he’s overworked.
The popular use of the word “lord” in Christianity is really a strange thing, because a lord is never nice, kind or lenient in ancient times.
The word “humble” is to lower or lessen oneself. Others short themselves but no one wants or wishes to die for it. Lord Jesus humbled himself without reducing or shaming himself. Jesus’ humility is very complex. His humility is not humiliation, which is the feeling of utter shame and dishonor. Humility imposed by others and realized by force is humiliation. The humility of Jesus is the same word for the humility of a child (Matt 18:4), the flattening of mountain and hill (Luke 3:5), and in Paul’s use in 2 Corinthians 11:7 with the word “myself” - “lower myself.” Jesus’ humility was glorious and worthwhile because it was for the sins and salvation of man. It was honor, not dishonor. Jesus underwent suffering but not shame. He was distressed but not disgraced, distraught but not debased.
The cross stands for or corresponds to three things in the Bible. It represents or signifies foolishness (1 Cor 1:18), offense (Gal 5:11) and shame (Heb 12:20). Jesus took upon himself a senseless, shameful and sacrificial death. The cross is persecution (Gal 5:11, 6:12 ) and a stumbling block to the world (1 Cor. 1:23), but from it is reconciliation with God (Eph 2:16 ) and peace with God (Col 1:20). Jesus’ crucifixion was His and the Father to decide - not man. It represents the greatest love of all – the love of the Father for the Son, and the love of the Son for the world.
Jesus Will Reign Supreme
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11)
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Republican governor of California whose wife is the niece of the powerful Kennedy clan of Massachusetts, did a most reckless thing during his term in service. He did not have a motorcycle license but it did not stop him from driving a motorcycle that crashed into a Volvo SUV as he was turning out of a driveway on the winding hillside road, leaving him with 15 stitches on his top lip from the crash.
The governor joked about his predicament to the press that hounded him and the critics that mocked him: “A car pulled out in front of me; it was right there in front. And I just couldn’t make a decision which way to go. I knew, I knew if I would turn left, that the Republicans would get mad. And if I turned right, my wife would get mad, so I just crashed right into the car. I said, ‘This is a safer thing to do.’” (“Gov. to Ditch Bike for Now,” Los Angeles Times, 1/11/06)
One thing about the Lord Jesus is that He is never sweet. New-agers and Interfaith advocates and world religions like their Lord sweet, as George Harrison crooned in “My sweet Lord.” But out Lord is not candy, chocolate, cake, cinnamon or cream, especially when He returns.
The word “exalt” or “huperupsoo” is the only occurrence in the Bible, even though the shorter “hupsoo” occurs 20 times in the Bible. “Hupsoo” is mostly translated in NIV as “lift up” (Luke 1:52, 10:15, John 3:14, 8:28, 12:32, 12:34, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6). Jesus denounced Capernaum’s pride as “lifted up to the skies” (Matt 11:23) or “hupsoo,” but Jesus’ exaltation is “huper-upsoo,” “Huper-upsoo” means “exceedingly exalted,” with the additional huper or “hyper.” Jesus was greatly exalted, super-exalted, the utmost, the highest and the maximum exaltation ever, over and beyond the skies. It is exaltation fit only for the Jesus the Lord, the king, No one can bear the cross, so no one but Christ can wear the crown.
The word “huper” or “above” is used frequently in this passage to express in utmost terms what Jesus did, twice appended to another word and once by itself. The word “obey” (v 8) is “hupekoos” from two words “huper” and “akouo,” listening. So Jesus’ obedience means he was attentively or “hyper” listening. The second time the word appears is appended to the word “exalt,” or “huperupsoo.” The third time it stands by itself in verse 9 – the name “above” every name. Why is his name so special? Because He is super-humble and super-obedient. At the mention of his name, every knee should bow in heaven and one earth and under the earth. The heavens and firmaments will bow to him. The living and the dead will bow to him. Angels and demons will bow to him. The world is not enough. The universe is not enough. Those alive, those lifeless and the afterlife will bow to him. All that is in the earthly, the heavenly and the supernatural realms will bow to him.
The word “bow” (v 10) occurs four times in the Bible. It is usually used in the context of worship (Rom 11:4, 14:11, Eph 3:14). Bowing means more than the act; it means total allegiance, unreserved commitment and sworn loyalty.
“Under the earth” is the third rare word in this passage besides “grasped” in verse 6 and “exalted” in verse 9. It means “under the ground,” alluding to the world of departed spirits.
The regular word for confess, “homologeo,” occurs 24 times in the Bible; “homo” means “together” and “logos” means “word.” This unusual and infrequent “confession” word or “exomologeo” has the added word “ek” (or “ex”), meaning “out.” So “exomologeo” meaning outpouring of words, whether grudgingly or heartily. For unbelievers it is not intentional but it is definitely not coerced. There will be positive outburst and pessimistic outcry at the outbreak of his name. Godly people and gloomy people will speak His name. It will be an optimistic day for some and ominous day for others. It will be a delightful day for believers but a depressing day for unbelievers. Many will rejoice and multitudes will regret. It will be a marvelous day for some and miserable day for others.
It is no coincidence that the first time the title “Lord Jesus” made its debut was at Christ’s resurrection (Mark 16:19, Luke 24:3) and about 100 times since in the Bible.
The word “all” occurs three times in the passage too – every name and every knee (v 9) and every tongue (v 10). There will be no exception or exemption, no excuse or explanation, and no escape or exclusion.
Jesus was born “Christ the Lord,” according to Luke 2:11, but now the Greek text ascribed to the resurrected Jesus the more personal and rightful title “Jesus our Lord” – three times (Rom 4:24, 1 Cor 9:1, 2 Peter 1:2), “Jesus Christ OUR Lord” four times (Rom 1:3, 5:21, 7:25, 1 Cor 1:9), seven times for both “OUR Lord” (1 Tim 1:14, 2 Tim 1:8, Heb 7:14, 2 Peter 1:11, 2:20, 3:18, Rev 11:15) and the longer title “Christ Jesus OUR Lord” (Rom 6:23, Rom 8:39, 1 Cor 15:31, Eph 3:11, 1 Tim 1:2, 2 Tim 1:2) seven times, “OUR Lord Jesus” eleven times (Acts 15:11, 20:21, Rom 16:20, 1 Cor 5:4, 5:4, 1 Thess 2:19, 3:11, 3:13, 2 Thess 1:8, Heb 13:20), the longest and supreme title “OUR Lord Jesus Christ” 33 times (Acts 15:26, Rom 5:1, 5:11, 15:6, 15:30, Rom 16:18, 1 Cor 1:2, 1:7, 1:8, 1:10, 15:57, 2 Cor 1:3, 8:9, Gal 6:14, 6:18, Eph 1:3, 1:17, 5:20, 6:24, Col 1:3, 1 Thess 5:9, 5:23, 5:28, 2 Thess 1:12, 2:1, 2:14, 2:16, 2 Thess 3:18, 2 Peter 1:3, 1:8, 1:14, Jude 4, 17, 21), meaning He has the rightful, exclusive and undisputed claim over our lives.
Conclusion: Jesus is the Lord of the harvest (Matt 9:38) and Lord of the Sabbath (Matt 12:8, Luke 6:5), the Lord of all (Acts 10:36, Rom 10:12) – the Jew and Gentile, the Lord of both the dead and the living (Rom 14:9), the Lord of peace (2 Thess 3:16), the Lord of the earth (Rev 11:4). He is our Lord Jesus Christ-their Lord and ours (1 Cor 1:2), but most of all he is “our Lord” and “our Lord Jesus,” “Jesus our Lord” and “Jesus Christ our Lord,” “Christ Jesus our Lord” and “Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Finally, in Revelation Jesus is no longer Lord or the Lord Almighty (James 5:4) but with three new names: “the King of Kings and the lord of lords” (Rev 17:14, 19:16), “the Lord God Almighty” (Rev 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 19:6 - our Lord God Almighty, 21:22) and “the Lord God omnipotent” (Rev 19:6). He would not be meek and lowly, gentle and humble, the king of nice at His second coming.
Is Jesus your Savior? Is He the Lord of your life? Are you living your life for His glory? Are you ready for His coming? Is He coming for you?
Victor Yap
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