Useful Bible Studies > Philippians Commentary > chapter 2
In the present age, ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’ is the most important statement of what Christians believe. In the future age, it is a declaration that all must make. Everyone and everything that God has created will declare it: ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’.
To understand this declaration properly, we need first to understand the meaning of the word for ‘Lord’. In the Greek language, the original language of this passage, that word is KURIOS. That word was in common use to mean someone with authority: the owner of slaves, an employer, or a political ruler (Colossians 4:1; Acts 25:26). In Revelation 19:16, Christ is called ‘the Lord of lords’ to mean the greatest ruler. In other words, he is the Lord who has authority over all other lords.
The word for ‘Lord’ also has another meaning, which the first Christians combined with the above meaning. In the first Bible in the Greek language, called the Septuagint, KURIOS (Lord) was the translation of God’s most holy name. That name is YHWH in the Hebrew language. Therefore, Christians use the word ‘Lord’ to mean that Christ is God (John 1:1). God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14), but there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). Therefore, the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord brings honour to God the Father.
So, Christians today declare Christ to be Lord because they accept his authority, both as their master and their God. When, in the future, all declare that, they will declare it to accept Christ’s authority over them. They will accept both that he is the only God, and the ruler over all things.
Next part: Work out your salvation (Philippians 2:12)
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© 2020, Keith Simons.