He Shall Have Dominion

accusation against him (Jn 18:34) — he knows of the Jews’ misconception
in this regard. His answer indicates his kingdom’s spiritual nature:
Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to
Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered him, “Are you
speaking for yourself on this, or did others tell you this about Me?”
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests
have delivered You to me. What have You done?” Jesus answered,
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world,
My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the
Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said
to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that
I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come
into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone
who is of the truth hears My voice.” (Jn 18:33–37)
At his triumphal entry into Jerusalem he presents his kingship in
terms of meekness and lowliness, not as a conquering, political authority.
“All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying, ‘Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh
unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass’”
(Mt 21:4, 5). John adds that “these things understood not his disciples at
the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these
things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto
Him” (Jn 12:15–16). They initially conceived of him in political terms, as
did the Emmaus Road disciples (Lk 24:18–21).
Paul picks up on and promotes the spiritual-redemptive nature of
Christ’s kingdom, when he writes that “the kingdom of God is not meat
and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Ro
14:17). He disavows any geo-political conception of the kingdom.
Likewise, he speaks of attaining an inheritance in the spiritual kingdom
(the heavenly aspect of the kingdom) for those who are righteous (1Co
6:9–10; 15:50; Gal 5:21). He very plainly declares the kingdom’s heavenly
aspect: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption” (1Co
15:50). How could an earthly, political kingdom not offer an inheritance
for flesh-and-blood people? That is the whole idea supporting the notion.
But Christ’s kingdom is salvific, whereby we are “delivered from the
power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of his dear Son: In
whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins” (Col 1:12, 13).