In recent months, we have all become familiar with the language of kingship and with the idea of someone being heralded as a majestic king over a nation. With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, her son, Charles, takes the crown.
No longer do loyal subjects of her majesty sing “God save the Queen;” the lyrics now read “God save the King.” King Charles III now reigns.
Despite this historical occurrence, many find the language of “kingship” out of place within the church. Heralding Jesus as our king seems passe and outdated.
Kingship language seems aggressively triumphalist; it screams of dominance, control, and oppressive power. Kingship is about colonialism — moving through the world to control and enslave. Let’s be honest. Historically, that’s pretty much what happened.
And yet, fundamental to Christian belief is the audacious claim that Jesus is our King. Before any earthly rulers or monarchs, we bow before the Lord of heaven.
Not only is Jesus our king, but the Book of Revelation also heralds him as “the ruler of the kings of the earth” (1:5); Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). There is not an authority, power, or dominion greater than his.
But does this mean that Jesus is equal to the tyrannical and cruel kings of the past? Is the rule of Jesus one of domination and coercive power?
No! Jesus is not the power-hungry king of a political empire; he is not bent on domination or control. The reign of Jesus is different. Jesus is a different king.
Claiming the kingship of Jesus, therefore, is a radical and subversive act of faith. The alternative kingship of Jesus speaks to the alternative kingdom he inaugurates.
The King of Love
This depiction of Jesus as “the King of Kings” would have been jarring for those in the ancient world; the title was well-known. The “king of kings” referred to an Emperor, one who exercised control and power over other national leaders.
For example, Daniel refers to Nebuchadnezzar as a “king of kings” (Daniel 2:37). Similarly, the Roman Emperor, whether it be Caesar or Nero, would have claimed this title for himself. In the ancient world, a king of kings was a person of domination, violence, and oppression.
Do Kings or Monarchs love their subjects? Do Emperors feel passion for the ones they rule over? Historically, this has not been the case. Kings rule with an iron hand and are often more concerned with establishing the legacy of their kingdom rather than serving their subjects.
At the time of Jesus, Israel was under Roman occupation. The violent power of Rome was an all-too-present reality. It’s safe to assume that no one would ever have named Rome an empire of love.
The kingship of Jesus, however, is a counterpoint to the kingdom of Caesar. Jesus is the King of Kings, not because he is the biggest bully on the block, but because he is a different type of king.
Whereas the Roman Emperor reigned through hatred and violence, the reign of Jesus is a reign of love. It is tempting to think we know exactly what Christ’s reign of love means, but in truth, it is much more radical than we realize.
As the King of kings, Jesus doesn’t stand far away from us, removed from our lives. Instead, Jesus comes to us and takes upon himself all that disrupts our experience of His love and grace.
The love of Christ’s kingship is available to us even today; it reaches down to the very place where we are tempted to deny it. Is there a struggle that makes you believe God is against you? Is there a hurt or a wound that seems too big or too raw?
Is there a sin that you feel you can’t recover from? As the heavenly King, there is no place in our lives where his love will not reach us, and because of that, we can be assured that Jesus is with us even in the darkest of places.
The King of Redemption
Christ’s Kingship is powerful because it is a rule of self-emptying. Jesus says that he came not to be served but to serve and give his life for us (Matthew 20:28).
Jesus took the brutality of the earthly empire on himself and, by doing so, transformed the place of death into the place of salvation. The kingship of Jesus is one of liberation and freedom.
Earthly empires often use the language of freedom to describe their rule, yet the freedom offered often comes through coercion or dominance.
The “peace of Rome,” for example, referred to the violence of Roman rule. Rome was brutal and aggressive toward its subjects. Christ’s redemption, however, comes not through might or power.
The rule of Jesus is a rule of sacrifice. Jesus is a king who “did not consider equality with God as something to be used for his own benefit but made himself nothing” (Philippians 2:6). Jesus is moved by passion, empathy, and concern; he takes the lowest of places in order to redeem and to heal.
Christ’s kingship, and the kingdom, which he inaugurates, is the opposite of the oppressive and violent empires of earthly kings. Jesus redeems us by pouring out his life for us. With Jesus as King, we are truly free, truly saved, and truly redeemed.
The Maker of Kings
Perhaps the most radical part of Christ’s Kingship is how it affects our status before God. Yes, Jesus is the King who loves us, and yes, he is the King who frees us, but Jesus is also the King who establishes our own kingship.
Scripture tells us that Jesus “has made us to be a kingdom and priests serving his God and Father” (Revelation 1:6). When we affirm that Jesus is our King, we affirm our own Kingly identity.
What exactly does this mean? Does this mean we are royalty, exercising control over others? No. When Scripture refers to the followers of Christ as “kings and priests,” it hearkens back to an Old Testament image from Israel’s Exodus journey.
When Moses received the Law on the top of Mount Sinai, God says to Moses, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6).
This description clarified Israel’s mission as a light unto the nations. As “kings and priests,” Israel was to serve the Lord and bear witness to his majesty and grace.
What Does This Mean?
As followers of Jesus, we participate in God’s everlasting kingdom. We are people who have been empowered by the King of kings to bear witness to his ultimate and loving rule. Christ’s love comes to us and removes from our lives all that destroys or dehumanizes.
Such liberation, however, is not simply a personal possession to be enjoyed but a reality to be proclaimed to others. Having been empowered by the King of kings, we are called to bear witness that his kingdom ultimately remakes the world.
For further reading:
What Does ‘Defender of the Faith’ Mean for King Charles III?
How Is Jesus a King Like No Other?
How Is Jesus Our King of Kings and Lord of Lords?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Andrew Milas
