Kings
While the idea of being on the throne with Jesus seems utterly foreign to modern Christians, it was an important theme for First Century Jews — who knew their scriptures better than we often do.
Paul had already introduced the idea in 1 Corinthians —
(1Co 6:2-3 ESV) 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!
Remember that in the ancient world the king was also a judge. That’s why we read of the greatness of Solomon in terms of his wise rulings as judge.
Paul is likely referring back to —
(Dan 7:21-22 ESV) 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.
But there seems to be an inconsistency between —
(Dan 7:13-14 ESV) 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”
and
(Dan 7:27 ESV) 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Dominion is given both to the “one like a son man” — Jesus — and to the people of the saints of the Most High. Both Christ and Christians. Both have dominion — the rule of kings.
This parallels,
(Gen 1:26-28 ESV) 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
God created man — male and female — to “have dominion … over all the earth.
This passage is echoed in Psalm 8 —
(Psa 8:3-4 ESV) 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
(Psa 8:6-8 ESV) 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
But Paul finds a double meaning in this passage. While at first glance it seems to be speaking of humanity, Paul interprets this passage in terms of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15. Notice the parallel —
(1Co 15:27-28 ESV) 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
While Psalm 8 is plainly a reflection on the creation of mankind in Genesis 1, Paul takes it to speak of Jesus as well. This is not ignorance, but a deep understanding that there is a certain unity between the saints — re-created to be restored into the image of God — and Christ — who is the very image of God.
Again, dominion is given by God to both Christ and Christians, culminating in —
(Rev 22:3-5 ESV) 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
God’s servants “will reign forever and ever” in the new heavens and new earth, where God and the Lamb sit on the throne of God.
This will take place when the children of God are brought into the glorious future prepared for them (Rom 8:19–21). Although sin has marred the history of the human race, God has, through the redemption wrought by his Son, set into motion a new humanity. In the present age he rules the hearts of all who have turned to him in faith: in the age to come that reign will find its full completion. Sin will be forever removed and the design of Eden will be totally realized.
Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 401.
And so in Ephesians, Paul places the church on the throne with Christ as the body of Christ.
(Eph 1:20-23 ESV) 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
This passage is plainly built on the preceding passages. And so, it’s no surprise to read —
(Eph 2:6-7 ESV) 6 [God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
This is a truly astonishing declaration, especially when we see that Paul is referring to —
(Psa 110:1 ESV) The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
God seats Jesus above his enemies, and then he seats us with him! And this is the nature of the headship of Jesus with regard to the church.
Does this mean Jesus isn’t Lord of the church? Of course, not. But the point Paul is making is that the church is to be so conformed to the will of Jesus that a unity is created, allowing the transformed church to rule as a part of Jesus.
The language is proleptic, that is, Paul speaks of the future as though it were present — because the future is assured, having been prophesied by Daniel and the Psalms. God will certainly bring it to reality.
Thus, Paul looks forward to the day when the unity Jesus prayed for in John 17 is realized, the church is transformed by the Spirit to will and to do the will of God, and the church becomes truly the body of Christ — united with its Head on the throne of heaven, judging angels and reigning over the new heavens and new earth. Man — male and female — will finally be restored to their purpose given in Genesis 1:26-28, to have dominion over the creation.
Theosis
A closely related scriptural teaching is the unity of mankind — male and female — with God. It’s rarely taught by Catholics or Protestants, but it’s a major theme of Orthodox Christianity — because it’s part of the scriptures.
(Joh 17:20-23 ESV) 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
Jesus prays “that they also may be in us” as “you, Father, are in me, and I in you.” It’s not just “that they may all be one” but also that they may be one while in Jesus and God.
Jesus prays that his followers that “they may be one even as we are one.” He is praying for what we might call horizontal unity. But then he prays, “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one.”
To be perfectly one, the unity must include having Jesus “in” his followers, and God in Jesus. It’s more than horizontal unity. It’s the church in Jesus and Jesus in the church.
It’s the unity of the church with its Savior, of the body with its Head, of the bride with her Husband.
It’s the same message found in such passages as —
(Mat 5:44-48 ESV) 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
For us to be like God — to be perfect as God is perfect — we must also love both the just and unjust, the evil and the good. And this is not so much about a command as a transformation into unity. To be one with God, we must become like God.
It’s not a new teaching —
(Lev 19:1-2 ESV) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.”
We were created in the image and likeness of God. We sinned and so fell from Eden. And beginning with Abraham, God has been at work to restore us to image and likeness of God.
By the Law of Moses, God’s people were commanded to become like him. But in Christ, the Spirit provides the transformation —
(2Co 3:17-18 ESV) 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
(Rom 8:29 ESV) 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
(2Co 4:4-6 ESV) 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
In short, the goal of the grand narrative of all of scripture is for God’s children to be restored to his image. Jesus is the perfect representation of God’s image. And so the goal is to become like Jesus.
But it’s not about mere obedience or mere example following. It’s about God’s work within us to transform us into the image of God.
And this leads toward unity — with each other and with God himself.
