One Lord – Who Is That?

Jesus Made Lord

The naming of Jesus took place at His circumcision on the eighth day (Luke 2:21), as had been spoken beforehand to Mary (Luke 1:31) and Joseph (Matthew 1:21) by the messenger. The name Jesus is characteristic of His existence in humiliation. In the Gospels, He is consistently referred to as “Jesus.” This contrasts with the letters of the apostles, where He is almost without exception addressed as Lord Jesus or Jesus Christ. Or, as is characteristic of Paul, as Christ Jesus. The rare exceptions where one of these honorary titles is absent usually refer to the time of Jesus’ humiliation (as, for example, in Revelation 14:12). The distinction in naming between the Gospels and the letters is clear. This difference is perfectly explained by Christ’s resurrection. Because God raised Jesus from the dead, He has made Him both Lord and Christ.

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly, that God made him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom ye did crucify.”
-Acts 2:36 (YLT)-

Jesus is the name of the crucified one. He became Lord and Christ through His resurrection from the dead. That is the honor God has granted to Jesus.

What Does ‘Lord’ Mean?

The term ‘lord’ (Gr. kurios) literally means owner or master. This could refer to the emperor (Acts 15:26), the governor (Matthew 27:63), but also “the master of the house” (Mark 13:55), the owner of a vineyard (Matthew 20:8), or the master of a slave (Matthew 18:25). In all these relationships, lordship is limited and relative. Only one is ‘Lord’ in the absolute sense, and that is God Himself. He owns everything, and therefore He is “Lord of heaven and earth” (Acts 17:24).

JaHWeH Is Lord

The word ‘Lord’ is, in common Bible translations, the rendering of the Hebrew divine name (LORD). This follows the well-known Greek translation of the Old Testament (LXX). When the Hebrew Bible mentions the divine name (JaHWeH), the Septuagint consistently represents it with KURIOS. The writers of the New Testament adopted this usage (see Romans 10:13). In the New Testament, the divine name is concealed in the name of the Lord Jesus. Jesus (Yeshua) means: JaHWeH is Savior.

One God, the Father

Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 8:6:

“… yet to us [is] one God, the Father, OUT of whom [are] all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, THROUGH whom [are] all things, and we through Him.”

The statement above leaves nothing to be desired in terms of clarity. There is one God, namely the Father. He is the source OUT of whom all things exist. But there is also one Lord, namely Jesus Christ. He is the channel and medium THROUGH whom all things exist. Church tradition speaks of Jesus Christ as ‘God the Son,’ but this is entirely foreign to Scripture. Moreover, it implies polytheism.

One Lord, Jesus Christ

Conversely, God the Father is not the only Lord. But this raises a question. For earlier, we established that God is the Lord of heaven and earth. How then can Paul declare that only Jesus Christ is Lord? The answer is simple and has already been given. Since His resurrection from the dead, the title Lord has been given to Jesus Christ by God. From that moment on, He bears this unique honorary title.

“… preaching peace through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all.”
-Acts 10:36 (YLT)-

“… for the same Lord of all [is] rich to all those calling upon Him.”
-Romans 10:12 (YLT)-

Lord Since the Resurrection

That Jesus is Lord of all is not a glory that intrinsically belonged to Him; it was granted to Him by God. God is the Father and the Source of all things. That has never been different, and it never will be. That Jesus Christ is Lord is a truth that has been in effect since God gave Him all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He has been authorized for this. That is to say, this authority has been granted to Him from above. In the hierarchy, God is the Head of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:2; 3:23). Jesus was not Lord, but God has made Him Lord of all.

When the Circle is Complete Again

When, at the consummation of the ages, Christ will have brought the entire creation back to God, He will then step back and hand over a perfected Kingdom to God the Father, in which no one will be missing (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). Never was it Christ’s aim to seek His own glory. Precisely because of that proven mindset (Philippians 2:5), God has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name above every name (Philippians 2:9-11). Every tongue will confess it, and thus God becomes the Father of all and in all.

“… one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who [is] over all, and through all, and in all.”
-Ephesians 4:5-6 (YLT)-

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