Albert Barnes Commentary Philippians 2:10

"that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven and [things] on earth and [things] under the earth," — Philippians 2:10 (ASV)

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. The knee should bow, or bend, in token of honor, or worship; that is, all people should adore him. This cannot mean merely that at the mention of the name of Jesus we should bow, nor is there any evidence that God requires this.

Why should we bow at the mention of that name, rather than at any of the other titles of the Redeemer? Is there any special sacredness or honor in it above the other names that he bears? And why should we bow at his name rather than at the name of the Father?

Besides, if any special homage is to be paid to the name of the Savior under the authority of this passage — and this is the only one on which the authority of this custom is based — it should be by bowing the knee, not the "head." But the truth is, this authorizes and requires neither, and the custom of bowing at the name of Jesus in some churches has arisen entirely from a misinterpretation of this passage.

There is no other place in the Bible to which an appeal is made to authorize the custom. (Compare to Neal's History of the Puritans, chapter 5, Ninth. 5.)

The meaning here is not that a special act of respect or adoration should be shown wherever the name "Jesus" occurs in reading the Scriptures, or whenever it is mentioned. Instead, it means that he was so exalted that it would be proper for all in heaven and on earth to worship him, and that the time would come when he would be thus everywhere acknowledged as Lord.

The bowing of the knee properly expresses homage, respect, and adoration (see Barnes on Romans 11:4); and it cannot be done to the Savior by those who are in heaven unless he is Divine.

Of things in heaven. epouraniwn — rather, of beings in heaven, as the word "things" was improperly supplied by our translators.

The word may be in the neuter plural, but it may also be in the masculine plural and denote beings rather than things.

Things do not bow the knee; and the reference here is undoubtedly to angels and to the "spirits of the just made perfect" in heaven.

If Jesus is worshiped there, he is Divine, for there is no idolatry of a creature in heaven.

In this whole passage, there is probably an allusion to Isaiah 45:23 (see it illustrated in Barnes on Romans 14:11).

In the great divisions here specified — of those in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth — the apostle intends, doubtless, to denote the universe. The same mode of designating the universe occurs in Revelation 5:13, Exodus 20:4, and Psalm 96:11-12.

This mode of expression is equivalent to saying, "all that is above, around, and beneath us," and arises from what appears to us. The division is natural and obvious — that which is above us in the heavens, that which is on the earth where we dwell, and all that is beneath us.

And things in earth. Rather, "beings on earth," namely, humans; for only they are capable of rendering homage.

And things under the earth. Beings under the earth. The whole universe shall confess that he is Lord.

This embraces, doubtless, those who have departed from this life, and perhaps includes fallen angels as well.

The meaning is that they shall all acknowledge him as universal Lord, all bow to his sovereign will, all be subject to his control, and all recognize him as divine.

The fallen and the lost will do this, for they will be constrained to yield an unwilling homage to him by submitting to the sentence from his lips that shall consign them to woe.

Thus, the whole universe shall acknowledge the exalted dignity of the Son of God.

But this does not mean that they will all be saved, for the guilty and the lost may be compelled to acknowledge his power and submit to his decree as the sovereign of the universe.

There is the free and cheerful homage of the heart that those who worship him in heaven will render, and there is the constrained homage that those who are compelled to acknowledge his authority must yield.