Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Philippians 2:11

Textus Receptus:
και πασα γλωσσα εξομολογησηται οτι κυριος ιησους χριστος εις δοξαν θεου πατρος

King James:
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Comments:
every tongue should confess: This verse completes Paul's reference to Isaiah 45:23. The use of the word "confess" replaces "swear" in Isaiah. To "seven" or "swear" in Hebrew was to commit to it adamantly. Here, confession is more than acknowledging what is already true (although it certainly includes that idea). It is committing to what can no longer be denied. Of course, that commitment may not be voluntary, as the identity of the confessors (universal in number) attests.

Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father: Just as John 14:6 declares Jesus us the means to reconciliation with the Father so this verse declares that the exaltation of Jesus is the means to glorifying the Father.

Expanded Paraphrase:
Further, those who kneel before Jesus will bring their words and minds into alignment with what has always been true, that Jesus Christ is the Ruler of everything and the proper object of every allegiance; and that confession will ultimately give glory to the One who sent Christ, God the Father.

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