The Three Names

Philippians 2:9-11

(Hymn on Christ’s Exaltation)

9Because of [Jesus’ humble obedience to the point of death],

God raised him up to the heights of heaven

and gave him a name that is above every other name,

10so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Psalm Link

Psalm 24:9-10

9Open up, ancient gates!

Open up, ancient doors,

and let the King of glory enter.

10Who is the King of glory?

The LORD Almighty—

he is the King of glory.

We say the three names—Lord Jesus Christ—very casually, almost as if we were talking about someone named John Henry Doe or Mary Ann Smith. But if you were living in the first century, you would realize that there was nothing at all casual about the name.

Jesus was his given name. Although it means “Savior,” it was not an unusual name in first-century Israel.

But to call Jesus “Christ” meant that you were naming him as God’s anointed Messiah. This is what Peter affirmed when he said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). This was hard for Jews to accept.

And to call Jesus “Lord” would get you into trouble with the Gentiles as well as the Jews. “Lord” was an imperial title by which Roman citizens acknowledged the divinity of Caesar.

Besides that, “Lord” was a sacred title among Jews as well. Since Jews refrained from pronouncing the sacred name of Yahweh, they commonly used “Lord” instead. So when Christians spoke of Jesus as Lord, meaning he was Deity himself, this was risky business.

What is Jesus to you? Is he the Messiah, God’s promised Redeemer? And is he also Lord, the divine Son of God? One day all of creation will bow before him and acknowledge, with full meaning, that threefold name.

One day all creation shall bow to our Lord,

Even now, among angels his name is adored.

May we at his coming, with the glorified throng,

Stand singing his praises in heaven’s great song:

Jesus, Jesus, Savior adored

Of all men and angels, forever our Lord.

DUTCH HYMN, TRANSLATED BY W. KUIPERS

Bible Networking

To Paul and the other apostles, it was of tremendous significance that Jesus had the title “Lord.” See Acts 2:36; Romans 10:9; and Revelation 17:14.

Notable Quotable

“It still remains true that if anyone can say, ‘For me Jesus Christ is Lord,’ he is a Christian. He is prepared to give to Jesus a love, a loyalty, an allegiance, that he will give to none other in all the universe.”

WILLIAM BARCLAY