In Philippians 2:10 what is the function of ἐν?

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Bill Ross
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In Philippians 2:10 what is the function of ἐν?

Post by Bill Ross »

[Phl 2:9-11 MGNT] (9) διὸ καὶ ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα (10) ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ ἐπουρανίων καὶ ἐπιγείων καὶ καταχθονίων (11) καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσηται ὅτι κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ πατρός
This is often rendered into English as "...at the name of Jesus...". Is that the right idea?

What makes this thorny to me is that it seems the picture it wants to paint is that the climax is calling Jesus KURIOS, and that εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ. In other words, ἐν is not, to my mind, establishing focus on the name "Jesus" but rather on "κύριος εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ.

In addition to uncertainty as to the usage of ἐν intended, this paper makes a strong case that the focus might be on τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ:

https://drgregoryblunt.wordpress.com/anaphora/

So how should we understand ἐν in this context?

Thanks.
What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity.
nathaniel j. erickson
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Re: In Philippians 2:10 what is the function of ἐν?

Post by nathaniel j. erickson »

Regarding the second part of your question: I skimmed through the cited paper and am having trouble understanding what relevance it has to this passage. The phrase ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ is primarily serving to specify how the content of the ἵνα clause relates to the preceding context. The repetition of τὸ ὄνομα gives greater precision: it is not just that every knee will bow, etc., but that they will bow ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ.

I would say that ἐν indicates a period of time here. The difficulty is that there is an elided (assumed) idea in the text which pictures some sort of future presentation of Jesus in a grand display before all people. This presentation, the presenting of "his name" is what elicits the bowing. An expanded version of the text would be something like, "When Jesus' name (which God has already exalted) is publicly proclaimed, every knee will bow."

So why is it "at the name of Jesus"? Well, that is an elegant way to express the idea that it is Jesus' name which brings about the response. When it comes to translations "if it ain't broke, don't fix" it is a good general policy.
Nathaniel J. Erickson
NT PhD candidate, ABD
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
ntgreeketal.com
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Bill Ross
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Re: In Philippians 2:10 what is the function of ἐν?

Post by Bill Ross »

Thank you Nathaniel.

So would it be fair to say that "at the name of Jesus" is somewhat of an attending circumstance for the main event which is the confession of all "that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God, the Father"?
What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity.
nathaniel j. erickson
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Re: In Philippians 2:10 what is the function of ἐν?

Post by nathaniel j. erickson »

I don't know what exactly you mean by "attending circumstance." The main event is clearly "every knee will bow and tongue confess that..." You can think of the phrase "at the name of Jesus" as a sort of conceptual glue that holds things together in a clear and explicit way.

1. vv. 6-8: Jesus is humbled from glory
2. v. 9: Jesus is exalted by receiving a name over every name
3. vv. 10-11: in reference to this name he receives honor and glory from all people

The rhetorical logic of the passage would have been completely clear without the phrase ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ. Its presence serves to make a more specific connection. The exaltation happens specifically in terms of the exalted name which God gives Jesus. So the phrase is important in giving greater precision and cohesion to an already clear rhetorically shaped passage.
Nathaniel J. Erickson
NT PhD candidate, ABD
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
ntgreeketal.com
ὅπου πλείων κόπος, πολὺ κέρδος
ΠΡΟΣ ΠΟΛΥΚΑΡΠΟΝ ΙΓΝΑΤΙΟΣ
Bill Ross
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Re: In Philippians 2:10 what is the function of ἐν?

Post by Bill Ross »

Got it, thanks.
What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity.
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