Jesus Christ is given the name “above all names” in Philippians 2:9-11, which says “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.” This indicates that Jesus has been given a position of authority and power higher than any other name or being. Here is an explanation of the significance of Jesus having the name above all names:
The name represents the person
In biblical times, a person’s name was closely associated with their identity, authority, and reputation. Naming someone or something was an act of domination and control. By God the Father bestowing on Jesus the name above all names, He was giving Jesus a name and authority superior to all others. The name “Jesus” itself means “God saves” or “the Lord is salvation,” denoting His role as Savior (Matthew 1:21).
The name represents Jesus’ deity and oneness with God
By having the name above all names, Jesus’ divinity is confirmed. In Scripture, the concepts of name and glory are sometimes equated, seen in passages like Psalm 8:1 – “How majestic is your name in all the earth.” For Jesus to have the name above all names means He shares in the glory of God the Father. His name represents His divine power and nature, on par with the Yahweh of the Old Testament. As Philippians 2 indicates, bestowing this supreme name on Jesus glorifies God the Father.
The name demands universal worship
Philippians 2:10-11 explains that Jesus’ supremacy requires 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.” The response to Jesus’ highest name is worship and confession of His Lordship from all creation, including angels and humans across all spheres and realms. This harkens to the prophetic vision in Isaiah 45:23 of everyone bending the knee to God. Jesus shares in the glory that compels this universal worship.
The name represents Jesus’ authority over all things
By having the highest name in all creation, Jesus is presented as having authority over the entire cosmos. The comprehensive language about every knee bowing in heaven, on earth, and under the earth points to Jesus’ unlimited dominion over the spiritual realm, humanity, and even death/Hades. As Hebrews 1:4 declares about Jesus, “Having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.” The matchless name Jesus receives gives Him incomparable authority.
The name indicates Jesus’ office as Messiah
The name “Jesus” itself identifies Him as the foretold Messiah who would save His people (Matthew 1:21-23). Messiah means “anointed one,” and Jesus was anointed by God for His role as the Savior and rightful King. Peter expresses this in Acts 2:36, “…God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” The titles Christ and Lord equally represent Jesus’ supreme name and standing.
The name brings salvation to believers
A key aspect of Jesus having the highest name is that there is power in His name to bring salvation. Calling on and believing in the name of Jesus is how one can be saved according to the book of Acts (2:21, 4:12). The name alone has power and authority to save sinners who put their faith in Jesus. This exhibits that name which is above all names.
The name overcomes demonic forces
Another demonstration of the authority carried by Jesus’ name is how His followers are able to overcome demonic forces and Satan because of the power of His name. Mark 16:17 records Jesus saying believers will “cast out demons in my name.” Acts 16 gives an example of this when Paul commands a spirit to come out of a girl “in the name of Jesus Christ.” The supreme name has power and authority over all things, including spirit beings.
The name represents Jesus’ elevation and reward for obedience
Philippians 2:8-9 says that God highly exalted Jesus and gave Him the name above all names “because of the obedience he demonstrated by humbling himself and becoming obedient to death.” Jesus was obedient even to die on a cross, and God rewarded His obedience by elevating Him above all creation. This glorification included granting Him the highest name possible.
The name magnifies what God accomplished through Christ
Jesus being given the supreme name also magnifies what God accomplished through Him. I Peter 3:22 describes Jesus as being “gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” God displayed His great power by exalting Jesus after His crucifixion, and the lofty position He gave Jesus, represented by the name above all, brings glory and honor to God.
The name belongs to the Son of God
The name and worship granted to Jesus indicates He is not merely a man or prophet, but rather the divine Son of God. This is reinforced in Philippians 2:11 which says every tongue will confess “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Jesus shares the same name (Lord) and glory as God, being one with the Father. The name given to Jesus is a name which only the Son of God is worthy to hold.
The name represents Christ’s work of redemption
By crucifying Jesus, His opponents likely thought they had defeated Him and put an end to His works. However, God glorified Jesus with the highest name and position because of His ultimate obedience in completing the work of redemption at the cross. Without that sacrificial death that paid for sin, God would not have supremely honored Jesus. But the name reflects Christ’s finished work of salvation.
The name signifies Christ’s mediator role
Jesus stands between God and mankind as mediator, representing man before God and God before man. 1 Timothy 2:5 calls Him the “one mediator between God and men.” The name Jesus receives indicates He is qualified to serve in this capacity between the Father and humanity. That name represents that Jesus alone restores man’s broken relationship with his Creator.
The name recalls Jesus’ incarnation
In taking on flesh, Jesus humbled Himself to leave His heavenly glory behind. As Philippians 2:6-8 states, He set aside the privileges of deity to become a man. After this ultimate humility, God restored Jesus and gave Him the supreme name–something He already possessed but set aside. In this way, the granting of the highest name is connected with Christ’s incarnation on earth.
The name foretells Jesus’ coming return in glory
Jesus predicting that He will return on the clouds of heaven in great power and glory is connected back to His identity as the name above all names. Passages like Mark 14:62 allude to Jesus having this highest authority that He will one day exercise over the earth. As the exalted King, the name Jesus carries represents His future return to judge, rule and redeem.
The name means Jesus holds the keys of Death and Hades
Revelation 1:18 records Jesus speaking about having the keys of Death and Hades. The imagery points to Jesus having power and authority over life, death, and the realm of the dead. The name above all names that has been given to Christ represents that He possesses the keys and power to open and close the gates of death.
The name establishes Jesus’ reign over the Kingdom of God
Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God had arrived in His earthly ministry. As the sovereign of God’s Kingdom, Jesus is the highest authority. The bestowal of the name higher than all others positions Jesus as the unrivaled ruler over God’s Kingdom. He upholds God’s Kingdom and reign through His supreme name.
The name sums up Christ’s sovereignty over all Creation
Colossians 1:15-20 emphasizes Jesus’ supremacy over all things as Creator and sustainer of all things. It says “all things were created through him and for him” (v.16) and “in him all things hold together” (v.17). As these verses attest, Jesus is supreme over every facet of creation, including thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities. The peerless name given to Jesus encapsulates this total sovereignty.
The name represents Jesus as firstborn from the dead
Not only is Christ called the “firstborn of all creation” in Colossians 1:15, but verse 18 also says He is “the firstborn from the dead.” This means Jesus was the first one to be resurrected to eternal life, and the name He is given signifies that premier status. Death could not hold Him, and He conquered the grave as the firstfruits of resurrection.
The name denotes Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Revelation 19:16 gives Jesus the titles “King of kings and Lord of lords.” As King, He reigns supreme over all. As Lord, He has authority over all earthly and spiritual realms. This is the highest lordship possible. The peerless name given to Jesus that is above all others signifies His standing as the greatest King and Lord possible as the divine Son of God.
The name represents Jesus as Prophet, Priest and King
Jesus’ three primary offices are prophet, priest, and king. As prophet, He spoke God’s message. As priest, He became the sacrifice for sin. And as king, He rules over the Kingdom of God. The matchless name of Jesus encompasses all three of these primary roles He fulfills, since His name represents His authority, identity and power.
The name means Jesus holds precedence over all creation
The supremacy granted to Jesus is total and absolute. As Paul summarizes in Colossians 1:18, “so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Jesus’ peerless name means that in all things, He has the highest rank, authority, and preeminence over all creation. He is supreme over every conceivable sphere.
The name confirms Jesus as co-creator and sustainer of all
Hebrews 1:2 teaches that through Jesus, God “created the universe.” And Colossians 1:17 says, “in him all things hold together.” The name given to Jesus confirms that He was directly involved in creating all things and enabling all things to cohere and remain unified. Without Him, all things would dissolve into chaos.
The name authenticates Jesus’ claims and teachings
If Jesus was merely a wise teacher and nothing more, He would not have been exalted to the highest position and name possible after His crucifixion. But God verified Jesus’ assertions about His own identity and teachings by raising Him up to supreme glory. The name validates that what Jesus taught accurately reflected who He is as Lord.
The name fulfills Old Testament prophecy and patterns
Psalm 138:2 speaks prophetically of the exaltation of God’s name. Isaiah 9:6 gives the Messiah the name “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Fulfilling these prophecies, Jesus was given the name above all names as the foretold Messiah. Earlier Scripture pointed to the supremacy Jesus received.
The name means Jesus holds headship over the church
Colossians 1:18 calls Jesus the “head of the body, the church.” Ephesians 1:22 also describes Christ as being “head over all things for the church.” The authority of the peerless name Jesus received is exercised in His direction and control over the church as its leader. He is head and firstborn over this assembly.
The name represents Jesus as theradiance of God’s glory
Hebrews 1:3 depicts Jesus as the “radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.” The name He is given manifests this glory, showing Jesus has the same divine nature and attributes as God. The name reflects Jesus as the perfect image and radiance of Yahweh’s glory.
The name means Jesus is worthy of all worship and adoration
The call for all creation to bow and worship Jesus in Philippians 2 shows He deserveshighest worship because of His peerless name. Revelation 5:12 also shows all adoration going to Him. The name grants Jesus the status of being worthy of worship from all peoples, nations, angels and creatures.
The name reveals Jesus as God’s final word and full revelation
The supremacy of the name given to Christ also means He is the ultimate revelation of God. Hebrews 1:1-2 affirms that while God spoke through the OT prophets, He has spoken fully and finally through Jesus. The name shows that Jesus is God’s final Word on all matters, surpassing all other words.
The name encompasses Jesus’ perfection of God’s plan of redemption
Without Jesus completing the work of salvation, He would not have received the name above all names. His perfect sacrifice and resurrection were key to achieving God’s redemptive plan. The name reflects how Jesus fully accomplished this plan of redemption on humanity’s behalf.
The name represents the fullness of Jesus’ glorified eternal state
In one sense, Jesus set aside His divine privileges to become human. But God restored those privileges and then some when He highly exalted Jesus. The supreme name given to Jesus indicates He has been restored to full glory and honor for eternity. The name encapsulates His perfected exalted state.
The name sums up who Jesus is and what He accomplished
The matchless name granted to Jesus summarizes everything about His identity and work. It represents His divinity, incarnation, obedience, sacrifice, resurrection, redemption, exaltation, authority, kingship, dominion and more. The peerless name essentially encapsulates the totality of who Jesus Christ is and what He did.
The name demands a response from everyone
Because this name represents Jesus’ universal authority, supremacy and saving power, it demands a reaction from everyone who hears it. As Acts 4:12 states, “there is no other name…by which we must be saved.” All must respond by either accepting or rejecting Jesus and His highest name. Neutrality is not possible.
The name means salvation is found in Christ alone
This highest name in which salvation is found indicates that Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved. The exclusiveness of the name points to the truth that only through faith in Jesus can sinners receive forgiveness and redemption. No other path leads to salvation.
The name should be proclaimed among all peoples
In summarizing the supremacy of Christ’s name in Philippians 2, Paul quotes from Isaiah 45:23 – “every knee shall bow…every tongue shall confess.” Thisechoes an earlier command in Isaiah 45:22 to “turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!” Because of the universal authority of Jesus, His name should be proclaimed globally so all may know Him.
The name causes controversy and polarization
Because of its exclusivity and claim to supreme authority, the name of Jesus is controversial and polarizing. Just as Paul said the name of Jesus would cause division and persecution, the matchless name still stirs controversy today. There is no middle ground with the name above all names. Reactions are polarized.
The name has become the most influential name in history
Considering its saving power, authority, scope of worship, and global reach, the name of Jesus is the most significant name ever given. No other name has transformed as many lives and cultures worldwide. The name carries a blessing and power unmatched across history.
Conclusion
The Scripture makes it clear that Jesus holds the name above all names. This represents His supreme authority, divine nature, saving power, and rightful position as the exalted Lord of all. At His name, every knee across the cosmos should bow. All creation should worship Him. There is no greater name than the name of Jesus, given to Him after completing redemption. This peerless name encapsulates all of who Christ is and what He has accomplished. It demands a response from everyone and brings salvation through Him alone. The matchless name of Jesus is the highest name possible, with universal influence, power and reach.