Basic HTML Version
6:15, see
Note
(2) below; “King of the ages,” Rev. 15:3,
RV
(
KJV
, “saints”). Christ’s
“kingship” was predicted in the OT, e.g., Ps. 2:6, and in the NT, e.g., Luke 1:32, 33; He
came as such e.g., Matt. 2:2; John 18:37; was rejected and died as such, Luke 19:14;
Matt. 27:37; is now a “King” Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, Heb. 5:6; 7:1, 17;
and will reign for ever and ever, Rev. 11:15.
Notes:
(1) In Rev. 1:6 and 5:10, the most authentic mss. have the word
,
“kingdom,” instead of the plural of
$
,
KJV
, “kings;”
RV
, “a kingdom (to be
priests),” and “a kingdom (and priests).” The kingdom was conditionally offered by God
to Israel, that they should be to Him “a kingdom of priests,” Exod. 19:6, the entire nation
fulfilling priestly worship and service. Their failure to fulfill His covenant resulted in the
selection of the Aaronic priesthood. The bringing in of the new and better covenant of
grace has constituted all believers a spiritual kingdom, a holy and royal priesthood, 1 Pet.
2:5, 9. (2) In 1 Tim. 6:15, the word “kings” translates the present participle of the verb
$
, “to be king, to have kingship,” lit., “of (those) who are kings.” See
REIGN
, (3).
Deissmann has shown that the title “king of kings” was “in very early eastern history a
decoration of great monarchs and also a divine title” (
6
7
*
,
, pp.
367ff.). Moulton and Milligan illustrate the use of the title among the Persians, from
documents discovered in Media.
B. Adjectives.
1.
(
&
, 934), denoting “royal,” as in 1 Pet. 2:9, is used in the plural,
of the courts or palaces of kings, Luke 7:25, “kings’ courts”; a possible meaning is
“among royal courtiers or persons.”¶
2.
(
, 937), “royal, belonging to a king,” is used in Acts 12:20 with
“country” understood, “their country was fed from the king’s,” lit., “the royal (country).”
See
NOBLEMAN
,
ROYAL
.
KINGDOM
(
&
, 932) is primarily an abstract noun, denoting “sovereignty, royal
power, dominion,” e.g., Rev. 17:18, translated “(which) reigneth,” lit., “hath a kingdom”
(
RV
marg.); then, by metonymy, a concrete noun, denoting the territory or people over
whom a king rules, e.g., Matt. 4:8; Mark 3:24. It is used especially of the “kingdom” of
God and of Christ.
“The Kingdom of God is (a) the sphere of God’s rule, Ps. 22:28; 145:13; Dan. 4:25;
Luke 1:52; Rom. 13:1, 2. Since, however, this earth is the scene of universal rebellion
against God, e.g., Luke 4:5, 6; 1 John 5:19; Rev. 11:15-18, the “kingdom” of God is (b)
the sphere in which, at any given time, His rule is acknowledged. God has not
relinquished His sovereignty in the face of rebellion, demoniac and human, but has
declared His purpose to establish it, Dan. 2:44; 7:14; 1 Cor. 15:24, 25. Meantime, seeking
willing obedience, He gave His law to a nation and appointed kings to administer His
“kingdom” over it, 1 Chron. 28:5. Israel, however, though declaring still a nominal
allegiance shared in the common rebellion, Isa. 1:2-4, and, after they had rejected the Son
of God, John 1:11 (cf. Matt. 21:33-43), were “cast away,” Rom. 11:15, 20, 25.
Henceforth God calls upon men everywhere, without distinction of race or nationality, to
submit voluntarily to His rule. Thus the “kingdom” is said to be “in mystery” now, Mark