For example, Ortlund said, it would not make sense to make that same statement about an angel, which is a lesser being than God. It only makes sense if the person being talked about is equal with God and showing great humility by what he is giving up.
“Therefore,” said Ortlund, “this hymn seems to be teaching that Christ, prior to his incarnate life, somehow participated in the very identity of God.”
Ortlund next evaluated Jesus’ “divine status” as shown in all of creation acknowledging that he is Lord. Does the lordship of Christ referenced in Philippians 2:11 actually refer to his divinity, or is it another type of authority?
“Again, the language isn’t automatically self-interpreting or clear,” said Ortlund. “Someone could argue that this is an act of homage or reverence or devotion that falls short of the worship that is due to God alone.”
However, Ortlund concluded, “It looks to be a divine glory that Jesus participates in in this passage. And you can see that by looking at the Old Testament background because we have language from Isaiah here, specifically from Isaiah 45:23, where God says, ‘To me, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.’”
“It’s very significant that such a passage, originally applied to God, would now be extended to Jesus, as well as the object of bowing and confessing,” said Ortlund. “One of the great themes in this portion of the Book of Isaiah is God’s declaration that ‘I alone am God. There is no one beside me.’ And yet it’s precisely these kinds of claims that are then extended to Jesus.”
“So here we have in Philippians 2 an articulation of worship to Jesus on the basis of his divine identity and on the basis of…his participation in divine glory,” Ortlund said.
Ortlund acknowledged, “There’s still lots of questions on the table to work through for exhaustive treatment of this, but hopefully what we’ve said here is enough to show how much is on the table so quickly.”
“This is big bang Christology,” he said, “not evolutionary Christology.”
