Is Calling Christ Our “King” Still Relevant Today?

Mosaic of Christ at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

At the time of the Incarnation, kings often seemed to have absolute power over their subjects – until they died or were overthrown by dissidents or rivals. Think of Herod's terrible decree to murder the Holy Innocents. This example shows us we might reasonably shun a monarchy of men simply because men are fallen creatures and that, unlike our own democratic-republic government, there are not so many checks and balances on the powers that be. From thousands of years of human history, we see the damage of imperialism and injustice that monarchies can inflict.

With such an infamous record, why would we want to apply the term “King” to our Savior? It's so old-fashioned. In a culture that deems democracy as the perfect method for ruling a nation, does it even make sense to call Him a King? Is it relevant today?

While a worldly king might abuse his power, Christ does not. Jesus bestows free will on His children and respects their individual decisions for good or for ill. In Jesus, we face the Truth, but He does not demand that we accept His way of life. We are free to choose Him or to walk away. He gives us a choice. That is why following Christ demands faith.

Nevertheless, Jesus does have authority over us. He does have absolute power. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the first Word and the last (see Revelation 1:8). He is different from other kings in the sense that He is divine; His kingdom is not of this world (see John 18:36); and He is always good, a disposition not all worldly kings can claim indefinitely. The fact that He exercises authority over us is the first reason Jesus Christ is deserving of such a royal title.

In antiquity, as glimpsed throughout the Old Testament, kings were sometimes referred to as shepherds of their people, a distinct role of authority. As both fully God and fully Man, Jesus is both the Good Shepherd (a truly good King) and, as John the Evangelist calls Him, the Lamb of God, and we are the other lambs, the sheep of His fold – the subjects of His kingdom. This time of year, we often hear from apocalyptic gospels in which Jesus makes clear He will return to judge the living and the dead, regardless of whether or not they loved and served Him in life.

A specific part of Christ's authority takes the form of the natural and divine laws inscribed in every atom of the universe and the immortal soul of every person. The natural law is built into the fabric of creation. It constitutes the law of gravity that brings all things hurtling down to earth and gives the spheres of the heavens their shape. It is also responsible for the presence of conscience and knowing certain inherent goods and evils For example: Murder – bad. Friendship – good.

In the 10 Commandments, we see God reiterating the natural law in the last seven commands and revealing what human beings could not by their own knowledge conceive of: the first three commands, which deal with man's direct relationship with God instead of the relationships with other people. When YHWH bestows the 10 Commandments on the Israelites, this is a significant moment in the history of humanity receiving the decrees of divine law through public revelation. All of those laws revealed anew by God – the first three commandments dealing with the divine (aka the divine law) and the last seven dealing with human interactions (natural law) – are recorded in Scripture. Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, rules over all of creation, and the natural and divine laws He has established are in effect on our world just as much as they are in the most distant reaches of the cosmos.

Not only does Jesus have authority over His creation and enact the physical and spiritual laws which keep the planets in their rotations and keep living organisms alive. He is also Someone we owe honor and allegiance to.

“Hail, King of the Jews!” the soldiers sneered at the Savior during His passion. Yet, even in their mockery, they spoke the truth. Jesus is crowned with thorns and arrayed in purple, the color of royalty. Jesus ascends the mount for His installment as King. He is placed on a throne of humble wood, raised up before the eyes of all to see and scoff at. And in so doing, Jesus conquered Satan, sin, and death. He is the victorious Victim and the Leader triumphant in war. Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. If His sacrifice is not good, I don't know of anything that fits the bill.

In The Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius of Loyola envisions an earthly king who sends out a noble summons to his subjects. He says a citizen with his heart in the right place would jump at the invitation to fight against evil and work to expand the kingdom. Then he applies this image to our Savior:

If such a summons of an earthly king to his subjects deserves our attention, how much more worthy of consideration is Christ our Lord, the Eternal King, before whom is assembled the whole world. To all His summons goes forth, and to each one in particular He addresses the words: “It is my will to conquer the whole world and all my enemies, and thus to enter into the glory of my Father. Therefore, whoever wishes to join me in this enterprise must be willing to labor with me, that by following me in suffering, he may follow me in glory.”¹

The ultimate sacrifice of Christ deserves our awe and reverence and, what is more, our love! Out of love, we must be willing to suffer and sacrifice for the Kingdom of Heaven. With joy, we too exclaim, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

While examples of the abuse of power in earthly monarchies abound, we remember that Jesus Christ's kingship is not worldly. The world doesn't give Him His power and authority. As God, they are His from the beginning. As Creator, He set the cosmos in motion, dictates divine and natural law, and enters our souls – if we let Him – with His grace. And if Christ the King dwells in us, then His Kingdom is established on earth. We cannot escape His dominion. We also cannot escape His love. We owe Him everything.

1Louis J. Puhl, S.J., The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius (Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 1952), 44.