‘AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW’ (PHIL. 2:10): A CALL TO LITURGICAL GESTURE OR ETHICAL REFORMATION?

Abstract

It could be argued that Phil 2:10–11 is the high point of the ancient Christological hymn, which is contained in Phil 2:5–11. As the apex of this hymn, it embodies the essence of the entire hymn. These two verses conclude the argument of the pericope by recording that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth. The name of Jesus is also the entity at which every tongue shall confess the Lordship of Jesus. What is observable is that Christians have taken this passage as a call to a physical bending of the knee or bowing of the head at every instance where the name of Jesus is mentioned. This is observable during the personal prayers of many Christians and the liturgical celebrations of some Christian denominations. On the other hand, this paper argues that the emphasis of these verses is not on a physical bowing of the head at the mention of the name of Jesus. Rather, what is at stake is a call to imitate the humility of Jesus, who did not cling to his equality with God. The self-emptying of Jesus is the reason for his ultimate exaltation by God. This meaning stands out clearly from a contextual reading of the pericope. Therefore, the passage has more implications for ethical reformation and communal living than for the liturgical gesture of bending the knee or bowing the head.