May be most of us know little or nothing about kings, kingdom or kingship, except from history or from even less reliable sources like fairy tales or cinematic productions. And of course they give us a very mixed picture. There where benign kings and there were despots, enchanted kingdoms or seemingly like any ordinary society.
In the Old Testament ‘ malkût ‘
(מַלְכוּת֔) usually refers to the dominion and rule in the human sphere. But in the case of the people Israel it was designed to ideally reflect the reality of the heavenly kingdom which in the course of history fell fall short of the ideal. Thus the prophets’ consistently testified to the hope of a renewed kingdom promised by God, (cf Dan 7:13-14). Such a kingdom would not be realized in an earthly political sense.
It is the ‘ basileia ‘ (βασιλεία) ushered in by Jesus Christ, the eternal, spiritual kingdom, which fulfilled the kingdom of God motif that originated with the theocratic kingdom of Israel in OT. Thus the appearance of Jesus before Pilate (John 18:33-37; also reported in the Synoptic gospels), becomes an important theological statement in John, centering around the notion of kingship as applied to Jesus. In response to the accusation by the Jews against him, He clearly states that the kingship which is his is of different order. It looks to an allegiance of the heart and a spiritual sovereignty which is in no way competitive with earthly power. He is totally devoid of militant adherents who could defend him in his hour of need (v36; 8:23). In an oblique way Jesus answered Pilate (v37), giving an insight to the nature of the reign of God. He has come to reveal the Father and his plan of salvation, the supreme truth (14:6). Those open to the truth hear the word of Jesus and accept it. In so doing they submit t
o the truth of God and become part of Jesus’ kingship. This interior adherence to Jesus in faith is everything but political and terrestrial. For his kingdom is of a different and higher order.
Jesus indeed is our Lord and God, our sovereign King. Let us bow before him and adore him and follow his royal banner of justice and truth, peace and love so that Christ may truly reign over our hearts, over our families and over our societies.
