“By me kings reign.” ~Wisdom
Proverbs 8.15
In his resurrection, Jesus is declared to be the “Son of God with power” (Rom 1.4). Whenever we hear of Jesus being the Son of God, our minds might immediately race to claims of divinity. Though Jesus is the incarnation of the eternal Son, that is not exactly what Paul is talking about. The “son of God” title has a long and storied history among men. Adam is the son of God (Lk 3.38). Israel is God’s son, his firstborn (Ex 4.22, 23). David’s son is God’s son (2Sm 7.14; 1Chr 17.11-14). All of these mortals rightfully claimed the title “son of God.”
There are many layers of meaning to the title. One of those layers speaks of being a king. Adam was the original king of creation, having been given dominion over everything on earth (Gen 1.28). This kingship passed through Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob became Israel, the man, and then Israel, the nation. Israel came to be embodied in the king of Israel, David’s son. The Father promised David’s son that he would inherit the nations, ruling them with a rod of iron (Pss 2; 110).
When Jesus was raised from the dead as the son of David (Rom 1.4). He was declared to be this son of God, the faithful last Adam, the true Israel, and heir to the throne and promises of David.
Like the original Adam, Jesus was granted the right of dominion at his birth, for, from the womb, he is declared to be the Son of God (Lk 1.32-33). But also, like Adam, Jesus had to grow in wisdom to expand his rule throughout his life. As we have seen through this series of Holy Week articles, he did this. John’s record of the seven signs culminating in the resurrection of Lazarus shows that Jesus is a faithful son of God who has taken dominion over the old creation as much as could be done. To expand his authority over sin, death, and Satan, Jesus would need to grow even more. He must eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the fruit that is able to make one wise (Gen 3.6). The Father takes him to that tree. He eats the fruit and dies. Now having tasted death for all (Heb 2.9), he has the experience to rule over death. When the Father raises him from the dead, it was the declaration that Jesus is the king, the king that rules over the entire created order.
Jesus enjoyed this victory, not for himself alone but also his people. When Mary sees him in the garden on the morning of his resurrection, Jesus gives her instructions to go to his brothers, the disciples, and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (Jn 20.17). Brothers? My Father and your Father? What is Jesus saying? He is saying that because of what he has accomplished in his death and resurrection, the disciples share the title “son of God” with him. They are kings.
The disciples’ kingly positions are not honorary, having no authority. Jesus tells them later that day that they are given the power of life and death. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20.23). Death and life are in the power of their tongues (Pr 18.21). Jesus gives the church this authority because we share his mission to subdue the earth and take dominion over everything. He commissions the disciples with the words, “As the Father has sent me, even so, I am sending you” (Jn 20.21).
Being on mission with Jesus means that we have the same purpose. With Jesus and by the power of his Spirit, we are creating right relationships with God, one another, and the non-human creation.
Being sent by Jesus as the Father sent Jesus also means we have the same path in kingly wisdom. Our mission is not accomplished without suffering and death in some form or fashion. The way of the cross is the only way to attain the wisdom to rule as the Father intends us to rule.
Because Jesus sends us as the Father sent Jesus, we share the same promise. Our mission will be successful. As Jesus inherited kingship and is ruling over the nations, so our mission to disciple the nations will not fail.
To accomplish our mission with Jesus, we are promised the same power. Jesus breathed on the disciples, giving them his Spirit. The same power that hovered over the original creation and raised Jesus from the dead is the power that empowers our mission in the world.
Christians, we are sons of God, kings of creation because we have died and risen with Christ. Act like kings.
Christ is risen!
