The name which is above every name: Philippians 2:8-11 as a meditation on Psalm 137 LXX

The Christ encomium in Philippians 2:6-11 is usually divided into two parts: humbling in 2:6-8 and exaltation in 2:9-11. But here I want to suggest that once it has become apparent to onlooking Greeks that Christ Jesus, for all his god-like wisdom and powers, was human, no more remarkable than a slave (2:6-7), the thought from verse 8 to 11 can be seen as a meditation on or reworking of Psalm 137 LXX (138 in English translations).

What got me here was the proposition, which I came across in Crispin Fletcher-Louis’ The Divine Heartset: Paul’s Philippians Christ Hymn, Metaphysical Affections, and Civic Virtues, that the “name which is above every name” must be YHWH, otherwise we end up with a name which is above the name of God, which is out of the question (416):

Therefore indeed God highly exalted him and favoured him with the name which is above every name… (Phil. 2:9*)

Fletcher-Louis’ own view is that the name above every name is Kyrios Iēsous Christos, “a compound personal name that identifies an individual as both the human Jesus and the divine sovereign Yhwh-Kyrios“ (457). Perhaps we should have a look at that sometime.

So I wondered if the idea of a name being “above every name” has any biblical precedent, and I happened upon the one place in the Greek Old Testament where the phrase pan onoma occurs, which is Psalm 137:2 LXX. It seems to me that there are good reasons to think that the author of the encomium had this psalm in mind. I have translated it with commentary to show how it provides an interpretive frame for reading Philippians 2:8-11—and, incidentally, how it solves the name-above-every-name-except-the-name-of-God problem.

¹ I will express praise to you, Lord, with my whole heart, because you heard the words of my mouth, and before angels I sing a psalm (psalō) to you.

• Psalm 137 LXX is expressly a composition, and the performance of a composition, in praise of God. It makes the literary and liturgical object a matter of interest. Scholars have certainly been interested in Philippians 2:6-11 as a literary and liturgical object.
• In the psalms psallō commonly translates zamar, as here. In both Greek and Hebrew the meaning can be either “sing” or “make music (on a harp).” I guess the point is that the psalmist sings to the accompaniment of the harp.
• Philippians 2:6-11 has usually been classified as either a “hymn” or—better, I think—an encomium, but an encomium partly modelled on a psalm would seem plausible.
• “I will express praise” is exomologēsomai, which is the word used in Philippians 2:11: “and every tongue confess (exomologēsētai).” We will come back to that.

² I will do obeisance towards your holy shrine and I will express praise to your name on account of your mercy and your truth, because you magnified your word (logion) over every name (epi pan onoma).

• A logion is a word or oracle or short divine saying. YHWH heard the words of the psalmist and spoke a command which had authority “over every name.” This means that the kings of the earth heard and were obedient to the words of YHWH’s mouth.
• In the context of the psalm in the Septuagint (the Hebrew is different), it seems likely that “every name” means “every significant name” or “every powerful name,” referring in the first place to the “kings of the earth” (Ps. 137:4 LXX). Arguably, this is true also for the Christ encomium: Jesus has been favoured, as heavenly messiah and Lord, with that name which is above every other politically powerful name. This would certainly agree with Ephesians 1:21*. God has seated him as king at his right hand, “far above every rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come.”
• My view is that Jesus is not given a “name” (such as kyrios) at his exaltation; rather the name which he has—the “name of Jesus”—has gained a new currency and prominence in the ancient world as a mark of the favour which he has with God.
• In any case, it is apparent that something can be put in a position “over every name” without it being the name of God or above the name of God. The logion of YHWH has been magnified above every name, meaning contextually above “every name” apart from the name of YHWH (obviouisly). In the same way, the name “Jesus” has been exalted above the name of every political-spiritual power because it is the name of YHWH’s king, seated at his right hand, analogous to YHWH’s logion, but it has not been elevated above the name “YHWH” (obviously).

³ In whichever day I might call upon you, hear me quickly; you will care for me in my soul in power.

• It was natural for Jesus to express his own hope of “salvation” from his enemies in the language—and narratives—of the psalms: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk. 15:34; cf. Ps. 22:1). More on this when we get to verse 7.
• Peter quotes Psalm 16:8-11 to similar effect:

For David says concerning him, “I foresaw the Lord before me always, for he is at my right hand that I might not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced, and still my flesh will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor grant your holy one to see decay. You made known to me paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your face.” (Acts 2:25-28*)

⁴ Let all the kings of the earth express praise (exomologēsasthōsan) to you, Lord, because they heard all the words of your mouth, ⁵ and let them sing in the ways of the Lord, because great is the glory of the Lord,

• The kings of the earth, over whom Christ Jesus has been enthroned as “Lord”—as King of kings and Lord of lords—“confess” (ἐξομολογήσηται) and this brings glory to the God of Israel.
• The author of Paul’s encomium or psalm has at this point in the story woven in Isaiah 45:22-25 LXX*:

Turn to me and be saved, those from the end of the earth; I am God, and there is not another. By myself I swear: righteousness will go out from my mouth, my words will not be turned back that to me every knee will bow and every tongue will express praise to God, saying: righteousness and glory will be to him, and all those separating themselves will be ashamed; by the Lord they will be justified, and in God all the seed of the sons of Israel will be glorified.

• The connection between the two Old Testament texts is established by the reference to the “words” from the mouth of God and by the verb exomologeō. The kings of the earth “heard all the words (rhēmata) of your mouth” about YHWH’s care for his people and they will express praise to him (Ps. 137:4). Likewise, the words (logoi) from the mouth of YHWH will not be turned back, they will result in people from the end of the earth expressing praise (exomologēsetai) to him (Is. 45:23).
• Notice that, in fact, not every knee will bow. Some will separate themselves from this widespread, transformative confession that there is one God and will be ashamed (Is. 45:25).
• The justification and glorification of the seed of sons of Israel through this process will be a core theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans:

For the eager expectation of the creature awaits the revealing of the sons of God (for the created thing was subjected to futility—not willingly but because of the one who subjected it) in hope that the created thing itself will be liberated from the slavery of corruption to the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Rom. 8:19-21*)

⁶ because the Lord is high and he observes the humble things and the high things he knows from far away.

• The contrast between the “humble things” (ta tapeina), which YHWH observes, and the “high or proud things” (ta hypsēla), from which he distances himself, corresponds to that between Jesus’ refusal to seize the offer of a blasphemous mode of kingship over the nations and his self-humbling (etapeinōsen heauton), “becoming obedient to death, and death of a cross” (Phil. 2:6-8*).
• According to Matthew, the devil took Jesus “to an exceedingly high (hypsēlon) mountain and showed to him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” (Matt. 4:8*). The metaphorical significance of a “high mountain” is apparent from, say, the condemnation of the blasphemous king of Babylon:

You said in your mind, “I will ascend to heaven; I will set my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on a lofty mountain (orei hypsēlōi), upon the lofty mountains (ta orē ta hypsēla) toward the north….” (Is. 14:13; cf. 2:14)

⁷ If I go in the midst of affliction, you will make me live; against the wrath of my enemies you stretched out your hand, and your right hand saved me.

⁸ The Lord will pay back for me. Lord, your mercy is for the age. Do not neglect the works of your hands.

• Jesus was executed by his enemies, but God made him live, he saved him from the “wrath” of Rome:

Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed” (Acts 4:25-26).