Theology 101: Name Above Every Name — Lord

Theology 101: Name Above Every Name — Lord

The term “Lord” was once simply a polite way of addressing one’s superior. The term also was used to speak of pagan gods or political rulers, as when 1 Corinthians 8:5–6 acknowledges, “There may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth — as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ — yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist and one Lord Jesus Christ.” And devout Hebrews who refrained from speaking God’s covenant name, Jehovah, substituted the title “Lord,” as in the expression, “the Lord of heaven and earth.”

Consequentially when Jesus was referred to as Lord, Jewish ears likely heard in that term overtones of an identity with God the Father even if they rejected the inference.

Only gradually did the disciples come to understand Jesus to be the Christ and Son of the Living God and to refer to Him as Lord. When the disciples who witnessed the resurrected Christ on Easter evening reported later to the absent Thomas, they phrased their witness, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). Later, Peter reached the climax of his sermon at Pentecost with the declaration, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36). The way of salvation as explained in the witness given unbelievers was, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).

In the New Testament we read such combinations as “Lord Jesus,” “Lord Christ,” “Lord Jesus Christ” and “Christ Jesus the Lord.” Although the terms seem at times almost to merge into a three-part name, at a very literal level these names carried subtle differences. Jesus, the earthly, everyday, human name given Him at birth declared the truth, “The Lord saves.” The title “Christ” was added as His followers began to understand that He came in fulfillment of Israel’s messianic hope, the One anointed to be the perfect King, Priest and Prophet. As their understanding of His divine personhood grew, the term “Lord” was added, suggesting absolute ownership and unlimited authority. It could be heard as the designation demanding full submission and glad obedience to Him. This meaning lies behind one of Jesus’ most embarrassing questions, which He addressed to some who referred to Him as Lord, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you” (Luke 6:46)?

Jesus’ exaltation

In particular the title “Lord” served to express the exaltation of Jesus in His resurrection and ascension, “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9–11). The exalted name bestowed on Jesus that is to be universally confessed is that of “Lord.”

The final book of the Bible twice bears witness to this exalted name. In Revelation 17:14 the designation is that He is “Lord of Lords and King of Kings.” In Revelation 19:16, He is seen with this name written on His robe and on His thigh, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”