«When He was in the form of God, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and humbled Himself even unto death, and that the death of the cross» (Phil. 2:8-9). True God is He who deigns to be bowed down; true man is He who was able to die. «Wherefore,» it says, «God the Father also exalted Him, and gave Him a name which is above every name.» Between Him who gives and Him who receives the honor, every name belongs to three: the lowest is man, the middle the angel, the highest God. He gave this name, which is above every name, not to Him whom He begot, but to Him whom He sent, who became obedient even unto death. Or what strange thing is it, that the form of a servant should be believed in Him who did not disdain to bear even the reproaches of a curse?
As the Apostle testifies, «Him who knew no sin He made to be sin (a curse) for us» (2 Cor. 5:21). «Because it is written,» he says, «Cursed is everyone that hangs upon a tree» (Gal. 3:13). Wherefore He was exalted, that in the name of Jesus every knee, that is, not only of man but also of angel, should bow: to Him, namely, who according to the saying of the same Apostle «for your sakes became poor, though He was rich» (2 Cor. 8:9)—rich from eternity, poor from the womb; rich in the heavens, poor in swaddling clothes.