Philippians 2:9
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him
The apostle proceeds to observe the exaltation of Christ, for the
encouragement of meek and humble souls; that whereas Christ, who so
exceedingly demeaned himself, was afterwards highly exalted by God, so
all such who, in imitation of him, behave to one another in lowliness of
mind, shall be exalted in God's due time; for whoso humbleth himself,
shall be exalted. The first step of Christ's exaltation was his
resurrection from the dead, when he had a glory given him as man; his
body was raised in incorruption, in glory, in power, and a spiritual
one; it became a glorious body, and the pledge and exemplar of the
saints at the general resurrection, of which his transfiguration on the
mount was an emblem and prelude; and he was also glorified then as
Mediator, he was then justified in the Spirit, and acquitted and
discharged from all the sins of his people, he took upon him and bore,
having satisfied for them; and all God's elect were justified in him,
for he rose as a public person, as their head, for their justification;
yea, in some sense he was then glorified, as a divine person; not that
any new additional glory was, or could be made to him as such; but there
was an illustrious manifestation of his natural, essential, and
original glory; he was declared to be the Son of God with power, by his
resurrection from the dead: the next step of his high exaltation was his
ascending on high up to the third heaven, where he is made higher than
the heavens; when he was accompanied by an innumerable company of
angels, and by those saints whose bodies rose out of their graves after
his resurrection; and was received and carried up in a bright glorious
cloud; and passing through the air, the seat of the devils, he led
captivity captive, and triumphed over principalities and powers, having
before spoiled them on his cross; and then entering into heaven, he sat
down at the right hand of God, which is another branch of his
exaltation; and shows that he had done his work, and that it was
approved and accepted of; and had that glory and honour bestowed on him,
which never was on any mere creature, angels or men, to sit down on the
right hand of the Majesty on high; which as it is the highest pitch of
the exaltation of the human nature of Christ, so by it there is a most
illustrious display of the glory of his divine person as the Son of God;
who was with God, as one brought up with him from all eternity; and was
so likewise when here on earth, but not so manifestly; but now he is
openly and manifestly glorified with himself, with that glory he had
with him before the world began: moreover, Christ's exaltation lies in
his having the gifts of the Spirit without measure, to bestow on his
ministers and churches, in all succeeding generations, for the carrying
on of his interest, and the enlargement of his kingdom; in having all
power in heaven and in earth, to complete his work and great designs; in
having dominion and authority over all creatures and things, which are
made to be subservient to the execution of his mediatorial office; and
in having the right and power of judging the world at the last day, when
there will still be a more glorious display of his eternal deity and
divine sonship; for he will come in his Father's glory, and in his own,
and with his holy angels: now the causes of Christ's exaltation are
these: the efficient cause is God; though he made himself of no
reputation, and humbled himself, these were voluntary acts of his own;
yet he did not exalt himself, but God exalted him, even God the Father;
with him the covenant of grace and redemption was made, in which glory
was promised Christ, in consideration of his obedience, sufferings, and
death; and which he prayed to him for, and pleaded for with him, having
done his work; and which exaltation of Christ is always ascribed to God,
even the Father; see ( Acts 2:33 ) ( 3:13 ) ( 5:31 ) ; the impulsive or
moving cause, and indeed the meritorious cause, were the humiliation of
Christ; because he, though he was originally so great and glorious, yet
made himself as it were nothing, humbled himself to become man, and was
contented to be accounted a mere man, and went up and down in the form
of a servant; and because he became so cheerfully obedient to the whole
law, and to death itself, for the sake of his people, and out of love to
them, "therefore" God exalted him: the exaltation of Christ was not
only a consequence of his obedience and death, and his humiliation
merely the way to his glory; but his high and exalted estate were the
reward of all this; it was what was promised him in covenant, what was
then agreed upon, what he expected and pleaded, and had as a recompense
of reward, in consideration of his having glorified God on earth, and
finished the work he undertook to do: it follows as an instance of the
exaltation of Christ,
and [hath] given him a name which is above every name.
The Syriac version renders it, "which is more excellent than every
name"; and the Arabic version translates it, "which is more eminent than
every name"; and the Ethiopic version thus, "which is greater than
every name": by which is meant, not any particular and peculiar name by
which he is called; not the name of God, for though this is his name,
the mighty God, and so is even the incommunicable name Jehovah, and
which may be truly said to be every name; but neither of these are given
him, but what he has by nature; and besides were what he had before his
exaltation in human nature: it is true indeed, upon that this name of
his became more illustrious and manifest unto men; it is a more clear
point, that he is God over all blessed for evermore; and it will still
be more manifest at his glorious appearing, that he is the great God, as
well as our Saviour: to which may be added, that the name Jehovah in
the plate of gold on the high priest's forehead, was set above the other
word; so says Maimonides F13,
``the plate of gold was two
fingers broad, and it reached from ear to ear; and there was written
upon it two lines, "holiness to the Lord"; (vdq) , "holiness", was
written below, and (hlemlm hwhyl) , "to the Lord", or "to Jehovah",
above:''
whether here may not be an allusion to this, I leave to
be considered: nor do I think that the name of the Son of God is meant;
this is indeed a name of Christ, and a more excellent one than either
angels or men have; for he is in such sense the Son of God, as neither
of them are; but this is a name also which he has by nature, and is what
he had before his exaltation; and was before this attested by his
Father, and confessed by angels, men, and devils; though indeed upon his
exaltation, he was declared more manifestly to be the Son of God, as he
will be yet more clearly in his kingdom and glory: much less is the
name Jesus intended, which was given him by the angel before his
conception and birth, and was a name common to men among the Jews; but
it seems to design such fame and renown, honour, glory, and dignity, as
were never given unto, and bestowed upon creatures; as his rising from
the dead as a public person, his ascending on high in the manner he did,
his session at the right hand of God, his investiture with all gifts,
power, dominion, authority, and with the judgment of the world; and
whatever name of greatness there is among men or angels, Christ has that
which is superior to it. Was a priest a name of honour and dignity
among the Jews? Christ is not only a priest, and an high priest, but a
great high priest; a priest not after the order of Aaron, but after the
order of Melchizedek, ( Hebrews 7:11 ) , and a greater than he himself.
Is a king a great name among men? Christ has on his vesture and on his
thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Is a deliverer
of a nation a title of great honour? Christ is exalted to be a Prince
and a Saviour of men of all nations; nor is there any other name but
his, that is given among men, whereby we must be saved. Is a mediator
between warring princes and kingdoms accounted a name of greatness and
glory? Christ is the one only Mediator between God and man, and of a new
and better covenant. Are angels, seraphim, cherubim, thrones,
dominions, principalities, and powers, great names in the other world?
Christ is the Angel of God's presence, an eternal one, the Angel of the
covenant, the head of all principality and power. These are all subject
to him, and he is set at God's right hand far above them.
SOURCE JOHN GILLS EXPOSITION
