Christology Through Imagery
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
Among the images used of Christ, none is more noteworthy than that of King. Kings were prominent in Israel’s history. As human rulers go, some were good and others were bad. For centuries David was held as the premier king in Israel. He ruled in what is often described as the golden era in the nation’s history. One can easily understand why King David was held in high esteem as the prototype of the expected Messiah who would be descended from the lineage of David. Some in Christ’s time caught the glimpse of Him as the expected Messiah and referred to Him as the “Son (or descendant) of David.” Even so, many if not most thought this Davidic descendant would be a mighty military ruler who would make right all that was wrong, particularly emancipation from Roman domination.
Prophetic vision
John 12 describes what Bible readers commonly refer to as Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem only days before His crucifixion. The crowds that went out from Jerusalem to meet Christ cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord — the King of Israel!” (v. 13). When the Apostle John later recorded this momentous event, he described it as the fulfillment of the prophetic vision of Zechariah 9:9: “Fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King is coming, sitting on a colt of a donkey” (John 12:15). The generation that lived during Christ’s earthly ministry was familiar with their own national history of kings who ruled both the united kingdom of Israel and later the divided kingdom. Although the terminology had switched from king to emperor by the time Christ came, the domination of the Roman ruler over them kept alive the idea of a ruling king.
At the beginning of His earthly life, the wise men from the east came asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (Matt. 2:2). At the end of His earthly ministry, those in authority under the Roman ruler made sport of Israel’s promised King when Pilate presented Christ to the crowds with the sarcastic shout, “Behold your King” (John 19:14). Later the mockery continued with the title inscribed over His cross: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Matt. 27:37). What was voiced and written as mockery conveyed more truth than the mockers realized, only Christ’s kingship was spiritual, not political.
In this spiritual sense, the imagery of Christ as a king conveys the idea of sovereignty or lordship over those who join themselves to Him through commitments of faith. First Timothy captures the kingship of Christ in a doxology: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, God the only wise, be honor and glory forever and ever” (1:17).
With a change of terminology but with the same idea of sovereignty, this same epistle in its concluding chapter affirms Christ is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting” (1 Tim. 6:15–16).
The imagery of Christ as King comes to have personal meaning when each of us allows Him to be Lord of our lives. To that end He was born, lived, taught, died and rose again. To enable His kingship to become reality for us, He sent the Holy Spirit to make real His indwelling presence and lordship. Each time Christ ascends to the throne of human hearts, His ministry gains further fulfillment.
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