2:7 no reputation. That is, He “emptied Himself.” The Greek word is kenoo, and this self-emptying of Christ has been called the “kenosis” doctrine. Certain liberals have suggested that He became human in the sense that He was fallible, possibly even sinful, but such thinking is wrong and dangerous. He not only “came down from heaven,” He was still “in heaven” (John 3:13). He was not sent down from heaven in sinful flesh, but only in “the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3). He was “made in the likeness of men” with a miraculously created human body that inherited nothing whatever of Adam’s sinful nature. Even though He exchanged the outward form of God for that of a human slave, He never stopped being “very God of very God,” as the old creed expressed it.

2:8 humbled himself. He not only stooped from the glory of heaven’s throne to become a true human being, yet sinless, but He also became like a bondservant and finally like a guilty criminal, condemned to die, even(!) to die in what has been said to be the most excruciatingly painful death conceivable, that of crucifixion. His obedience all through His life culminated in this ultimate act of obedience (note Hebrews 5:8), and it was all for us!

2:9 highly exalted him. Following His death and triumphant visit to Hades (“the things under the earth”—see notes on I Peter 3:19-20), He rose from the dead, ascended to heaven and assumed “all power in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18).

2:9 a name. Literally, “the name.”

2:10 name of Jesus. Not the name “Jesus” in and of itself, but the name given to Him, that of “Lord” (note Philippians 2:11). “God hath made that same Jesus…both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). He is now the Lord Jesus Christ.

2:11 confess. Those who make this confession now will be saved (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31), but all created beings, men and angels, must make it eventually, for He is Lord of all! Note also Ephesians 1:20-21; I Peter 3:22.