The Meaning of Philippians 2:11 Explained

Philippians 2:11

KJV: And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

YLT: and every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Darby: and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to God the Father's glory.

ASV: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  [that] every  tongue  should confess  that  Jesus  Christ  [is] Lord,  to  the glory  of God  the Father. 

What does Philippians 2:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Verbal confession of Jesus" lordship will accompany symbolic physical submission. Every being that has a tongue and can speak will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. The affirmation, "Jesus Christ is Lord," was the earliest confessional formula of the church (cf. Acts 2:36; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 1 Corinthians 16:22). [1] God will by this universal confession receive glory. Jesus Christ"s purpose Isaiah , always has been, and always will be to glorify the Father ( 1 Corinthians 15:27). [2]
"Verse11means, then, that the hope of God is that every intelligent being in his universe might proclaim openly and gladly (Lightfoot) that Jesus Christ alone has the right to reign." [1]
The exaltation of Jesus Christ is as much a motivation for the Christian to live a life of submissive humility as is His incarnation. God will reward a life of self-denial now and in the future. That is the obvious implication of Paul"s illustration.
Is it not selfish to serve the Lord for a reward? Was it selfish for Jesus to endure what He did because He knew He would receive a reward? Motivation is the key. If we submit to God and to one another for the glory of God rather than for selfish glory, as Jesus did, our motivation is correct.
The power of a positive example is very strong. Paul had previously used himself as an example of steadfastness ( Philippians 1:30), and he would do so again. Here he pointed to Jesus Christ, the greatest example of submissiveness ( Philippians 2:2-11). He would use Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples for his readers later ( Philippians 2:19-23; Philippians 2:25-30). [1]7

Context Summary

Philippians 2:1-11 - Following His Example Of Self-Surrender
In all Scripture-indeed, in all literature-there is no passage which combines such extraordinary extremes as this. The Apostle opens the golden compasses of his faith, placing one jeweled point on the throne of divine glory and the other at the edge of the pit, where the Cross stood; and then he asks us to measure the vast descent of the Son of God as He came down to help us. Mark the seven steps: He was in the form of God, that is, as much God as He was afterward a servant; being in the form of God"¦ took the form of a servant. He was certainly the latter and equally so the former. He did not grasp at equality with God, for it was already His. He emptied Himself, that is, refused to avail Himself of the use of His divine attributes, that He might teach the meaning of absolute dependence on the Father. He obeyed as a servant the laws which had their source in Himself. He became man-a humble man, a dying man, a crucified man. He lay in the grave. But the meaning of His descent was that of His ascent, and to all His illustrious names is now added that of Jesus-Savior. This must be our model. This mind must be in us. In proportion as we become humbled and crucified, we, in our small measure, shall attain the power of blessing and saving men. [source]

Chapter Summary: Philippians 2

1  Paul exhorts them to unity, and to all humbleness of mind, by the example of Christ's humility;
12  to a careful proceeding in the way of salvation, that they be as lights to a wicked world,
16  and comforts to him their apostle, who is now ready to be offered up to God
19  He hopes to send Timothy to them, and Epaphroditus also

Greek Commentary for Philippians 2:11

Should confess [εχομολογησηται]
First aorist middle subjunctive of εχομολογεομαι — exomologeomai with ινα — hina for purpose. [source]
Lord [Κυριος]
Peter (Acts 2:36) claimed that God made Christ “Lord.” See also 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Romans 10:9. Kennedy laments that the term Lord has become one of the most lifeless in the Christian vocabulary, whereas it really declares the true character and dignity of Jesus Christ and “is the basis and the object of worship.” [source]
Confess [ἐξομολογήσεται]
See on Matthew 3:6; see on thank, Matthew 11:25; see on Romans 14:11. The verb may also be rendered thank, as Matthew 11:25; Luke 10:21, that meaning growing out of the sense of open, joyful acknowledgment. The sense here is that of frank, open confession. [source]
To the glory, etc. []
Connect with confess. [source]

What do the individual words in Philippians 2:11 mean?

and every tongue should confess that [is] Lord Jesus Christ to [the] glory of God [the] Father
καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ Πατρός

πᾶσα  every 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
γλῶσσα  tongue 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γλῶσσα  
Sense: the tongue, a member of the body, an organ of speech. 2 a tongue.
ἐξομολογήσηται  should  confess 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐξομολογέω  
Sense: to confess.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ΚΥΡΙΟΣ  [is]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
ΙΗΣΟΥΣ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
δόξαν  [the]  glory 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: δόξα  
Sense: opinion, judgment, view.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
Πατρός  [the]  Father 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.