That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:

“The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: [She believes] in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His [future] manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father "to gather all things in one," and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, "every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess" to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all; that He may send "spiritual wickednesses," and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered in His love, some from the beginning [of their Christian course], and others from [the date of] their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting glory.”

“After a little space the stone will come from heaven which smites the image and breaks it in pieces, and subverts all the kingdoms, and gives the kingdom to the saints of the Most High. This is the stone which becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth, of which Daniel says: "I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and was brought near before Him. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; and all peoples, tribes, and languages shall serve Him: and His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom shall not be destroyed." He showed all power given by the Father to the Son, who is ordained Lord of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, and Judge of all: of things in heaven, because He was born, the Word of God, before all (ages); and of things on earth, because He became man in the midst of men, to re-create our Adam through Himself; and of things under the earth, because He was also reckoned among the dead, preaching the Gospel to the souls of the saints, (and) by death overcoming death.”

“For all this was done that the Lamb and Son of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, might, of His own will, and for us, come to His saving Passion, and might be recognised, as it were, in the market and place of selling; and that those who bought Him might for thirty pieces of silver covenant for Him who, with His life-giving blood, was to redeem the world; and that Christ, our passover, might be sacrificed for us, in order that those who were sprinkled with His precious blood, and sealed on their lips, as the posts of the door, might escape from the darts of the destroyer; and that Christ having thus suffered in the flesh, and having risen again the third day, might, with equal honour and glory with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be by all created things equally adored; for to Him every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, sending up glory to Him, for ever and ever. Amen.”

“Now if they had said this of Him that was incarnate, there had been reason, for God the Word allows that this be said of His flesh. It touches not His divine nature, but has to do altogether with the dispensation. What means "of things in heaven, and things in the earth, and things under the earth"? It means the whole world, and angels, and men, and demons; or that both the just and the living and sinners.”

“That in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of beings celestial and terrestrial and subterranean; where by beings celestial are meant the angels, by the terrestrial men, and by the subterranean those that are buried in the earth. For the Apostle says that this is to take place at the resurrection, when all, alike angels that are in heaven, men that are upon the earth, and the dead that are buried in the earth, shall all rise and bow the knee in the name of Jesus the Son of God”

“Above he commended the humility of Christ; here he commends his reward, which is exaltation and glory. Lk. 14:11 and 18:14: *everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.* Job 22:29: *he who has been humbled will be in glory.* Note the threefold exaltation of Christ: namely as to the glory of the one rising, there "wherefore," etc.; as to the making known of his divinity, there "and he gave," etc.; and as to the reverence of the whole creature, there "that in the name," etc. He says therefore *wherefore God also exalted him*, namely that he might rise from death. Likewise, from mortality to immortality. Rom. 6:9: *Christ rising from the dead now dies no more, death will no longer have dominion over him.* Ps. 117:16f: *the right hand of the Lord has exalted me, I shall not die, but live.* Likewise, he exalted him by establishing him at his right hand. Eph. 1:20f: *establishing him at his right hand in the heavens above every principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name*, etc. But it is true that others are exalted in glory and in immortality; but he more so, because *he gave him a name*, etc. Now a name is imposed to signify some thing, and a name is the higher, the higher the thing signified by it is; and therefore the name of divinity is the higher. Ps. 8:2: *O Lord our Lord, how admirable is your name*, etc. Therefore this name, that he might be called and be God, the Father gave to this one, namely to Christ, as to the true God. But Photinus says that this is set down here as the reward of Christ's humility, and says that he is not true God, but that a certain eminence of a creature, and a likeness of divinity, was given to him — which is not true, because it was said above: *when he was in the form of God*, etc. It must therefore be said that in Christ there is a twofold nature, and one supposit. For this one person is God and man; and therefore this can be expounded in two ways. In one way, that the Father gave him this name insofar as he is the Son of God, and this from eternity through eternal generation; which giving is nothing other than his eternal generation. Jn. 5:26: *as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son also to have life in himself*, etc. In another way, concerning Christ as man: and thus the Father gave to that man a name, that he might be God — not through nature, since the nature of God is one thing and that of man another, but that he might be God through grace, not of adoption but of union, by which he was at once God and man. Rom. 1:4: *predestined the Son of God in power*, he namely who was made to him from the seed of David according to the flesh. And this is the exposition of Augustine according to the intention of the apostle. Likewise it is found in Acts 2:36: *let all the house know most certainly*, etc. But the first is that of Ambrose. But you ask, objecting as to both expositions, why, after he said *he humbled himself*, etc., there follows here *wherefore*, etc., since a reward does not precede merit. Therefore neither the eternal generation nor the incarnation is the reward of Christ's passion, since they precede it. But it must be said that in sacred Scripture something is said to happen when it becomes known. *He gave* therefore, that is, he made manifest to the world, that he had this name. For this was made manifest in the resurrection, since before, the divinity of Christ was not so known. And the following text agrees with this — as though he did not give what he did not have, but that all might venerate this. And a twofold veneration is set down: namely in the subjection of work, and in the confession of mouth, there *and every tongue*, etc. He says therefore *and he gave him a name that is above every name*, even according as he is man. Therefore he adds *that in the name of Jesus*, which is the name of the man, *every knee should bow*. Phil. 2:10 and Isa. 45:24: *to me every knee shall bow*, etc. But here Origen erred: for when he heard that every knee should bow, which is to show reverence, he took it as a future event that at some time every rational creature — whether Angels, or men, or Demons — would be subjected to Christ by the subjection of charity. But against this stands Matt. 25:41: *depart, you cursed, into eternal fire*, etc. But it must be said that there is a twofold subjection: one voluntary, the other involuntary. And it is a future event that all the holy Angels will be subjected to Christ voluntarily; and therefore he says: *every knee should bow*. And the sign is put for the thing signified. Ps. 96:7: *adore him, all you his Angels.* Likewise, blessed men, and saints and the just, will be subjected in this manner. Ps. 85:9: *all the nations, whatsoever you have made, shall come, and shall adore before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.* But Demons and the damned not so, but are subjected involuntarily. Jas. 2:19: *the Demons believe, and tremble*, etc. Then when he says *and every tongue should confess*, etc., the showing of reverence in the confession of mouth is set down. *Every tongue* — namely of the heavenly, the earthly, and those of the lower regions. This is not said of the confession of praise with respect to those of the lower regions, but of a forced confession, which comes about through the recognition of God. Isa. 40:5: *all flesh together shall see, that the mouth of the Lord has spoken*, etc. Ps. 98:3: *let it confess to your great name, because it is terrible and holy*, etc. And this, *because the Lord Jesus Christ*, etc. — this one, namely the man — *in glory*, etc. He does not say "in a like glory," because in the same glory. Jn. 5:23: *let all honor the Son, as they honor the Father.* And it must be noted that at the beginning he says *who, when in the form*, etc., here he says *in glory*, because it was to be that what he had from eternity would become known to all, as in Jn. 17:5: *glorify me, you, Father, with yourself, with the glory which I had before the world was made, with you.* Then when he says *therefore, brethren*, etc., the exhortation is concluded. And concerning this he does three things: for first he exhorts to doing well; second he shows how they ought to act, there *but all things*, etc.; third, with what fruit, there *that you may be*, etc. Likewise the first divides into three: for first he recalls their past obedience; second he shows what they ought to do, there *not in presence*, etc.; third he gives confidence of fulfilling it, there *for God*, etc. He says therefore: therefore, since Christ so humbled himself and for this is exalted, you ought to know that if you humble yourselves you will also be exalted; and you ought to do this, because you have always obeyed. And he makes mention of obedience, commending their good deeds, and this for the reason that by obedience is understood every virtue — since it is from this that a man is just, that he keeps the commandments of God. Rom. 6:16: *you are the servants of him whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto justice*, etc. Likewise, every good, however good it is in itself, is rendered better through obedience. Prov. 21:28: *an obedient man shall speak of victories.* Likewise, because obedience among the others is the greatest. For to offer of exterior things is great, but greater if of the body, but greatest if of the soul and your will — which is done through obedience. 1 Kgs. 15:22: *obedience is better than sacrifices, and to hearken rather than to offer the fat of rams*, etc. But if you have done thus, I exhort that you still do thus henceforth. Then when he says *not in presence*, etc., he shows what they ought to do. And first he admonishes them to act faithfully, because an unfaithful servant does not serve except when the master sees, since he cares for nothing but to please; but a faithful one always works well. And therefore he says *not in my presence only*, because otherwise it would seem that you were not acting from the instinct of good will. Eph. 6:6f: *not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God: from the soul, with good will, serving the Lord, and not men.* Second, that they act humbly, there *with fear and trembling*, etc. For a proud man does not fear, but a humble one does. 1 Cor. 10:12: *he who thinks himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.* Prov. 28:14: *blessed is the man who is always fearful.* Ps. 2:11: *serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice unto him with trembling.* Third, that they act salutarily, there *work out your salvation.* Matt. 24:13: *he who shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.* Then when he says *for God*, etc., he confirms this confidence and excludes four false opinions. One, of men believing that man through free will can be saved without divine help. Against this he says *God*, etc. Jn. 14:10: *the Father abiding in me, he does the works*: and 15:5: *without me you can do nothing.* Others altogether deny free will, saying that man is necessitated by fate, or by divine providence. And this he excludes, when he says *in you*, because inwardly, through instinct, he moves the will to work well. Isa. 26:12: *for you have wrought all our works in us.* The third, of the Pelagians, as also the first, saying that the choosing is in us, but the carrying out of the works in God, since to will is from us but to accomplish is from God. And this he excludes, saying *both to will and to accomplish*. Rom. 9:16: *it is not of him that wills* — namely to will — *without the help of God, nor of him that runs* — namely to run — *but of God that shows mercy.* The fourth, that God does every good in us, and this through our merits. This he excludes, when he says *for good will* — namely his own, not for our merits — since before the grace of God there is no good merit in us. Ps. 50:20: *deal kindly, O Lord, in your good will*, etc.”

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,.... Which is to be understood, not of the outward act of bowing the knee upon hearing the name, and the syllables of the mere name Jesus pronounced; for in the bare name there can be nothing which can command such a peculiar respect; it was a name common with the Jews: Joshua is so called in Heb 4:8; and the name of Elymas the sorcerer was Barjesus: that is, the son of Jesus, Act 13:6; Now, how monstrously ridiculous and stupid would it be, for a man, upon hearing these passages, and upon the pronouncing of this word, to bow the knee? Moreover, the words ought not to be rendered at, but "in the name of Jesus"; that is, in and by reason of the power, authority, and dignity of Jesus, as exalted at God's right hand, every creature is to be subject to him: add to this, that there are several creatures included in the following account, who, in a corporeal sense, have not knees to bow with, as angels, the souls of men departed, and devils; and therefore an external corporeal bowing of the knee cannot be meant. The Jews indeed, upon hearing the name Jehovah pronounced by the high priest, in the holy of holies, used to bow: they say (n), "that the priests, and the people, that stand in the court, when they hear Shemhamphorash (i.e. the name "Jehovah") pronounced by the high priest, , "bowed", and worshipped, and fell upon their faces, and said, blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom, for ever and ever: though it can hardly be thought there is any reference to this here. But inasmuch as this action is a token of reverence, worship; and subjection, it is used for those things themselves; and the sense is, that Christ is exalted as before described, that every creature may give him reverence, worship, and adoration, submit and be subject to him, as all do, and shall, either freely or forcedly. Some really and heartily trust in his name, are baptized in his name, and ascribe honour, and glory, and blessing to him from their whole hearts; and others feignedly, and whether they will or not, are subject to him, and sooner or later shall acknowledge his authority over them: and he shall be owned to be Lord of things in heaven: the angels there, and the souls of departed saints, with those who are already clothed with their bodies: and things in earth; both good men, and bad men: and things under the earth; or "in the abyss", as the Ethiopic version renders it; meaning either the devils in the bottomless pit; or rather the dead bodies of men in the grave, which shall come forth and stand before the judgment seat of Christ, (n) T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 66. 1. Maimon. Yom Haccippurim, c. 2. sect. 7.”

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should how - That all human beings should consider themselves redeemed unto God by his blood, and look for an application of this redemption price; and that all who are saved from their sin should acknowledge him the author of their salvation. In a word, that παν επουρανιων, all the spirits of just men made perfect, now in a state of blessedness; και επιγειων, all human beings still in their state of probation on earth; και καταχθονιων, and all that are in the shades below, who have, through their own fault, died without having received his salvation; should acknowledge him.”

“at the name--rather as Greek, "in the name." bow--rather, "bend," in token of worship. Referring to Isa 45:23; quoted also in Rom 14:11. To worship "in the name of Jesus," is to worship Jesus Himself (compare Phi 2:11; Pro 18:10), or God in Christ (Joh 16:23; Eph 3:14). Compare "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (that is, whosoever shall call on the Lord in His revealed character) shall be saved" (Rom 10:13; Co1 1:2); "all that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord" (compare Ti2 2:22); "call on the Lord"; Act 7:59, "calling upon . . . and saying, Lord Jesus" (Act 9:14, Act 9:21; Act 22:16). of things in heaven--angels. They worship Him not only as God, but as the ascended God-man, "Jesus" (Eph 1:21; Heb 1:6; Pe1 3:22). in earth--men; among whom He tabernacled for a time. under the earth--the dead; among whom He was numbered once (Rom 14:9, Rom 14:11; Eph 4:9-10; Rev 5:13). The demons and the lost may be included indirectly, as even they give homage, though one of fear, not love, to Jesus (Mar 3:11; Luk 8:31; Jam 2:19, see on Phi 2:11).”