that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth, [ASV]Phil 2:10
that at the name of Jesus “every knee should bow,” of heavenly ones, and earthly ones, and ones under the earth, [LITV}
Phil 2:10
I find it fascinating that two literal versions of the Bible contrast in this case. Being literal versions they should give us the actual word used in the text in Greek. The ASV does but the LITV doesn’t. The word Paul used was [ἐν] as you my dear reader well know by now. Yet the Literal Version of the Bible (LITV) refuses to put in” and translates the word as “at”. That is remarkable as the LITV by virtue of its name ought to have chosen “in” but the translators seemingly refused to do so.
ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι ᾿Ιησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων,
{so that} in the name {of Jesus} every knee {should bend} {of heavenly beings} and {of earthly beings} and {of under the earth beings}
I gave you the full list of 21 versions in Bible Gem 1937 for you to read again if you wish. I will summarise the versions here. Of the twenty one versions or translations:
- Two chose to translate [ἐν] as “in”; the ASV and the RV as Paul wrote.
- Thirteen chose “at”; BBE, CEV, ESV, GW, JUB, KJV, LITV, MKJV, Murdock, NLT, TLB, TLV and the TS2009.
- Six others (CJB, ERV, GNB, ISV, MSG and the Passion Translation attempted to get around the issue by coming up with a circumlocution, an alternative way of putting it. Choosing such alternatives as:
- “in honour of the name”,
- “when Jesus’ name is called”,
- “in worship before”. . .
- “submit to this name”.
The reasom for all this confusion is because the way Paul has constructed this part of the sentence is strange. Why didn’t Paul use [εἰς] “to, into” or [πρὸς] “to, before”? Rather he used [ἐν] – “in” But why? I figure it was a deliberate choice.
Two people have asked me why I didn’t include the NIV. Simply because I chose the versions I have loaded in E-Sword for ease of comparison. I don’t have the NIV in ESword because the publishers of the NIV won’t give the use of it free to Rick Meyers, the creator of E-Sword, preferring instead to make more money from the Word of God. Paul talks about such people in 2 Corinthian 2:17, peddlers or hucksters who look to profit from the Word of God. But because you two asked, the NIV has “at” so you can add another one to the list of the “At Brigade”.
Others of you have written and asked so what is the difference between using “at” or “in”. Does it matter? As the title for this Gem suggests, there is a world of difference. Paul used the phrase “in Christ” 70 times in the Greek New Testament. There are 70 occurrences in the GNT of that phrase. It occurs 75 times in the KJV. Now that tells you Paul is the one who has coined this phrase among the New Testament writers. This made me look up the other occasions where [ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι ᾿Ιησοῦ] “in the name of Jesus” was used in Moulton’s Greek Concordance. It made me search the various resources I have in my library to investigate this unusual usage of [ἐν]. John Eadie also draws attention to this in his Greek Text Commentary on Philippians having found the same references I did.
Paul uses “in the name” in the following places:
And some of you were these things, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:11
giving thanks at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, even to God the Father,
Ephesians 5:20
And everything, whatever you do in word or in work, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17
Two other writers in the NT use the construction once each:
Is any among you sick? Let him call the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
James 5:14
If you are reviled in the name of Christ, you are blessed, because “the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you.” Truly, according to them, He is blasphemed; but according to you, He is glorified.
1 Peter 4:14
The Prepositions used in Ephesians 5:18-21 are also interesting:
Ephesians 5:18
πληροῦσθε ἐν Πνεύματι
{Be filled} in~with {the Spirit}
Ephesians 5:19
ψάλλοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ
psalming in the hearts {of you plural} {to the} Lord
Ephesians 5:20
εὐχαριστοῦντες πάντοτε ὑπὲρ πάντων ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ πατρί.
{giving thanks} always for {all things} in name {of the} {of Lord} {of us plural} {of Jesus} {of Christ} {to the} {God} and {Father}
Ephesians 5:21
῾Υποτασσόμενοι ἀλλήλοις ἐν φόβῳ Χριστοῦ.
Submitting {to one another} in fear {of Christ}
I am left wondering if Paul’s use of [en] “in” expresses a degree of intimacy. I believe it does, but this I say not the Lord. I am not suggesting that bowing in the name of Jesus has anything to do with being a Christian, i.e. being in Christ. But I suspect that there is a world of difference between bowing at the name of Jesus or bowing before the name of Jesus as compared with bowing in the name of Jesus. Allow me to explain further and then I will stop. I don’t like to make these Gems long-winded but often I have to take the time to explain fully what I am putting under the microscope.
Let’s continue to imagine as I had you do in the last Gem about the moment all of Creation will bow before Jesus Christ. Imagine how you would feel if you were bowing as a Christian, being [ἐν Χριστῷ] “in Christ” as Paul uses it in the New Testament has the sense of being saved, being a Christian, having put my trust in Christ. Imagine with me then the difference between these two categories of people. Those who are found bowing before Jesus Christ at the moment Paul is referring to in Phil 2:10 If you have believed in Christ and put your trust in Him before this moment as opposed to those who are forced to confess Him at that moment in time. As I have written in the title of this Gem, there is a world of difference between bowing in the name of Jesus believing His to be the only Name by which you can be saved. Or being compelled by whatever means to bow at the moment Paul is describing to confess for the first time that all you had heard about Jesus was true but you had rejected it. You find yourself bowing before Him whom you rejected without a leg to stand on (sorry for the pun but I couldn’t resist it). Imagine bowing down before Jesus Christ and having to confess that He really was all that He claimed to be. That all the Bible had to say about Him was indeed true but you hadn’t accepted it. Now in that moment you are forced to confess that it was true but that you had missed it completely. The One Whom you had rejected was indeed the King of kings and the LORD of Lords.
I am not suggesting for a moment that God will force you to your knees and compel you to bend your knee. There won’t be any coercion involved. Big strong, giant angels won’t force you to your knees. There will be no strong arm tactics in God’s Presence I am sure. Rather those who have rejected Him will know that they have no option left to them but to bow with the hosts of hell and confess that He was the One and Only Unique Way to Salvation after all and they missed it. Yes I imagine in that moment you would fall to your knees in despair and utter devastation knowing what the implications were. Oh how awful that moment will be. Warn all those you can, not to let themselves be faced with that scenario.
Like I say, there is a world of difference between bowing in the Name of Jesus and bowing at the Name of Jesus.
- The difference between Truth and untruth.
- The difference between Fact and Fiction.
- The difference between Light and Dark.
- The difference between Kingdoms – the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness.
How would you like to stand before God on Judgement Day and say… “It can’t be true, You don’t exist!”
Ian Vail
When we are disappointed with God or reject Him we just do not know Him enough.
Shelley Salthouse
We were made to find our deepest pleasure in admiring what is infinitely admirable in God – that is, the glory of God. When we behold it, it gives us ultimate satisfaction.
John Piper
Lukewarm affection for God gives the impression that He is moderately pleasing. The key measure of worship is whether it is intense, undivided, hot, authentic, coming from the heart and not just the lips. I loathe the thought of speaking of the glory of God in a way that is so familiar or stale or clichéd that it wakens no sense of wonder.
John Piper