Names of Christ: Who do you say that I am?

⁵ Let the same mind be in you that was^[a] in Christ Jesus,

⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,⁷ but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,⁸ he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.

⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him

and gave him the name
that is above every name,¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Songs have sometimes inspired scripture (and then scripture inspires another song). Many Bible scholars have noted that Philippians 2:6-11 is transmitted by Paul in his letter to the Christians in Philippi in the form of a hymn. The general line of thought that has emerged is that this “Christ Hymn” pre-dates Philippians, and Paul quoted and adapted it from an earlier tradition.

Philippians 2:5 is one of the 469 times “Christ” is mentioned in the New Testament. As the word has found its way into the vocabulary of the early church, this Christ Hymn shows us some of the power in this title for Jesus.

Jesus was in the form of God, but He became a slave (being born in human likeness and surrendering to death on a cross.)

Jesus has been elevated to a place where at His name every knee should bend at the mention of His name.

Looking at the other 468 references reinforce the power of the name of Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Help me, dear Lord, to use songs and scripture and spiritual songs as I bow my knee before You in worship. Amen.