Lord. A word which belongs to another age when a few had authority over many. The few had land, titles and tenants [or serfs] to work for them. They told the many what to do.
Most people’s lives revolved around the Lord’s land and the Lord’s demands. They lived on the Lord’s land: they were dependents; they were obliged.
When the King of the country fought a war, the lords had to muster soldiers from among their tenants. The tenants then faced mortal danger, not of their own choice, but by their obligation to the lord of the manor.
Times were very different back then.
But this is the conception of the word ‘Lord’ we must have in mind when we read Jesus calling himself Lord. In chapter 13 and verse 13 of John the Evangelist’s Gospel we read Jesus saying this:
Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am
We looked at Master in last week’s post, the Teacher. But now we are looking at the other name Jesus uses in relation to himself.
Lord.
Jesus here is speaking with his disciples. And his disciples must recognise his lordship and live accordingly.
Jesus disciples live in dependence on their Lord for their entire welfare. As the tenant or serf in days gone by was dependent on the Lord’s land to gain a living and for a home, so Jesus teaches us that his disciples are similarly dependent and similarly obliged to him spiritually.
Jesus has bought his disciples with his precious blood shed at the cross to save them from their sins. Having saved them from Sin and Satan, Jesus has rights over his disciples; rights they no longer have over themselves.
Jesus has the right to tell them where to work and what to do. He now has the right to call them to battle, or dismiss them to go home.
And along with those rights over their lives, he also assumes the responsibility to provide and protect. The Lords of ancient time granted their tenants or serfs the right to work the lord’s land. The lord also assumed the tenant’s defence against any other lord who took it into their head to presume upon them.
In just such a way, Jesus provides for and protects his own. Jesus is not like so many lords could be: a remote and absent land lord demanding increasing rent or work for occupying his land, yet doing nothing for them.
Quite the opposite.
No, Jesus assumes his responsibilities. Jesus is faithful. Jesus can be relied upon to protect us.
Jesus is in fact King of kings, and Lord of lords. He has power over all other forms of authority or government, in this present world and beyond.
He can be trusted to protect and provide. But he must also be seen as the one with the rights of lordship over his disciples.
That is both comforting and challenging.
Scripture informs and frames every assertion in the posts and pages of this blog. Can you identify the Scripture texts informing each week’s posts ?
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