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The Worthy Son Above All
The song exalts Jesus as the preexistent Creator and supreme Lord, then turns to his sacrificial suffering and personal love. Its central worship is strong, while “alone” should be understood carefully in the crucifixion scene.
Strengths
2The song’s exaltation of Christ as Creator and Lord is clear and substantial.
Its praise of Jesus’ unrivaled worth, authority, and universal honor is compelling.
Concerns
1- qualification
The song’s word “alone” is imprecise: Jesus experienced forsakenness, but witnesses remained present at the crucifixion. The displayed lyrics also do not include his burial, though the biblical account does.
1
doctrinal assertionStrongly supportedJohn 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1 present the Son as preexistent, creator, and supreme over every created power. They establish the lyric’s complete claim.
John 1:1–3WEB
Close paraphraseMatches in contextJohn identifies the Word as God, present in the beginning, and the agent through whom all things were made.
Passage · John 1:1–5[John 1:1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1:2] The same was in the beginning with God. [John 1:3] All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. [John 1:4] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. [John 1:5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.
Colossians 1:15–17WEB
Close paraphraseMatches in contextColossians places Christ before all things and above every created power, with all creation made through him.
Passage · Colossians 1:13–19[Colossians 1:13] who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love, [Colossians 1:14] in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. [Colossians 1:15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [Colossians 1:16] For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. [Colossians 1:17] He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. [Colossians 1:18] He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. [Colossians 1:19] For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him,
Hebrews 1:1–3WEB
Close paraphraseMatches in contextHebrews says the Son made the worlds, upholds all things, and surpasses the angels.
Passage · Hebrews 1:1–5[Hebrews 1:1] God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, [Hebrews 1:2] has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. [Hebrews 1:3] His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, [Hebrews 1:4] having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. [Hebrews 1:5] For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?”
2
doctrinal assertionSupportedEphesians 1 and Philippians 2 place Christ above every authority and name; Revelation 5 declares the Lamb worthy of universal honor and dominion. Together with broader canonical witness, these establish the lyric’s comparisons and immeasurable worth.
Ephesians 1:20–22WEB
Close paraphraseMatches in contextEphesians places the risen Christ far above every rule, authority, power, dominion, and name.
Passage · Ephesians 1:18–23[Ephesians 1:18] having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, [Ephesians 1:19] and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might [Ephesians 1:20] which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, [Ephesians 1:21] far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. [Ephesians 1:22] He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, [Ephesians 1:23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
Philippians 2:9–11WEB
Close paraphraseMatches in contextPhilippians gives Jesus the name above every name and presents universal submission to his lordship.
Passage · Philippians 2:7–13[Philippians 2:7] but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. [Philippians 2:8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross. [Philippians 2:9] Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, [Philippians 2:10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, [Philippians 2:11] and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:12] So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. [Philippians 2:13] For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Revelation 5:11–13WEB
Related themePartly matches in contextRevelation declares the Lamb worthy of power, wealth, wisdom, honor, glory, blessing, and everlasting dominion.
Passage · Revelation 5:9–14[Revelation 5:9] They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, [Revelation 5:10] and made us kings and priests to our God; and we will reign on the earth.” [Revelation 5:11] I looked, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands, [Revelation 5:12] saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!” [Revelation 5:13] I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!” [Revelation 5:14] The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.
3
biblical narrativeNeeds qualificationThe lyric’s crucifixion, rejection, substitution, and personal application accord with Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2. “Alone” is imprecise: Mark portrays forsakenness while witnesses remain present. The displayed sample omits burial details, though Mark 15:42–47 supplies them.
Isaiah 53:3–6WEB
Close paraphrasePartly matches in contextIsaiah describes the servant as rejected, suffering, pierced for sin, and bearing the iniquity of others.
Passage · Isaiah 53:1–8[Isaiah 53:1] Who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD’s arm been revealed? [Isaiah 53:2] For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. [Isaiah 53:3] He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. [Isaiah 53:4] Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. [Isaiah 53:5] But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. [Isaiah 53:6] All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. [Isaiah 53:7] He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth. [Isaiah 53:8] He was taken away by oppression and judgment. As for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people?
Mark 15:33–39WEB
Close paraphrasePartly matches in contextMark records Jesus’ crucifixion, apparent forsakenness, death, and recognition as God’s Son.
Passage · Mark 15:31–41[Mark 15:31] Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, “He saved others. He can’t save himself. [Mark 15:32] Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.” Those who were crucified with him also insulted him. [Mark 15:33] When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. [Mark 15:34] At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Mark 15:35] Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” [Mark 15:36] One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.” [Mark 15:37] Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit. [Mark 15:38] The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. [Mark 15:39] When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” [Mark 15:40] There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; [Mark 15:41] who, when he was in Galilee, followed him and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.
1 Peter 2:21–25WEB
Close paraphraseMatches in contextPeter says Christ suffered for others, bore their sins, and remained faithful under unjust suffering.
Passage · 1 Peter 2:19–25[1 Peter 2:19] For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God. [1 Peter 2:20] For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God. [1 Peter 2:21] For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, [1 Peter 2:22] who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.” [1 Peter 2:23] When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. [1 Peter 2:24] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds. [1 Peter 2:25] For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.