THE KING ON HIS THRONE.
"Crown Him with many crowns,
The King upon His Throne."
When the time came for our Blessed Lord to return into Heaven again,
He ascended in the presence of His Apostles, whilst in the act of
blessing them; "and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts i.
9). And, we are told, they "returned to Jerusalem with great joy" (S.
Luke xxiv. 52), not sorrowing as before at His being taken from them.
And when we consider what His Ascension implied, we can see that they
had good reason for their joy. For the Ascension was the sign of the
exaltation of the Lord Jesus to His Mediatorial[16] Throne at God's
right hand.
When He was before the Jewish Council He had declared to them,
"Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of
power." And the High Priest, hearing these words, cried out, "He hath
spoken blasphemy" (S. Matt. xxvi. 64, 65); because he understood that
He was thus openly claiming to be Messiah--the King--of whom David had
said, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand until I
make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Ps. cx. 1). And inasmuch as He had
previously silenced the Pharisees with these same words, asking them
to explain how David could speak of Messiah as "my Lord" (S. Matt.
xxii. 44; S. Mark xii. 36; S. Luke xx. 42), when He was to be the Son
of David, we can see that the importance of this passage is very
great. And that for two reasons. First, as testifying that Christ
should be no mere human descendant of David, because David calls Him
Lord; and, secondly, as foretelling the Ascension of Christ to the
Throne at God's right hand. And not only do all the three first
Gospels record the use which He made of this verse to silence the
Jews; but we find also that S. Peter on the day of Pentecost, and also
S. Paul in his Epistles to the Corinthians and to the Hebrews (Acts
ii. 34; 1 Cor. xv. 25; Heb. i. 13, x. 13), quoted it in support of
their arguments that our Lord was exalted to His Throne. The Apostles
argued in this way; David had thus clearly foretold the Ascension of
Christ, and that His Ascension would be to the Throne of power, at the
right hand of God. Therefore, inasmuch as He had ascended into Heaven,
His Ascension was clearly the fulfilment of the prophecy, in order
that He might make His solemn entry upon His kingly office, and be
seated on His Throne. The Ascension was the last crowning proof that
Jesus was Messiah--the King of the house of David--the "Priest for
ever after the order of Melchisedek" (Ps. cx. 4), that is, "King of
Righteousness" and "King of Peace" (Heb. vii. 2).
In other words, the Apostles maintained that the Ascension of our Lord
was the act whereby He ascended the Throne of "The Kingdom of Heaven,"
the Mediatorial Kingdom of Messiah. And this is the testimony which
they have given under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. God "raised
Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly
places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but
also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under His feet,
and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the Church" (Ephes. i.
20-22). And we are assured that the Ascension of our Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ, implied that He has won the right of sovereignty over
all the world; and that all mankind are summoned to bow before Him,
and accept Him as their King. For, because "He humbled Himself and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross," therefore
"God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above
every name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, and that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (Phil. ii.
8-11).
But for the successful setting up of "The Kingdom of Heaven" two
things were still needed. First, the overthrow of the enemies of
Messiah's Kingdom; and secondly, the gift of the Holy Ghost, to induce
men to be willing to submit themselves to the spiritual rule of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently when the King had ascended the Throne,
and all mankind had been given Him as His subjects, He was "from
henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool" (Ps. cx.
1; Heb. x. 13). All who are set against "The Kingdom of Heaven" must
in the end be subdued before Him. And no doubt the wicked amongst men
who oppose His rule will, if they turn not, be included amongst these
enemies. And yet we must never forget that these belong really to the
number of those who were given to Him as His subjects. This is one of
the mysteries of the Gospel, that "whilst we were yet sinners Christ
died for us" (Rom. v. 8), and "when we were enemies we were reconciled
to God by the death of His Son" (Rom. v. 10); so that we are assured
that the King in His loving mercy would have the wicked not "under His
footstool," but amongst the sharers of His glory. But there are other
enemies which will certainly be subdued in God's own time; and they
are the spiritual powers of evil which are hindering men from being
His subjects. He will "put down all rule and all authority and power"
(1 Cor. xv. 24) arrayed against Him; even "the principalities and
powers and rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephes. vi. 12), by
which His subjects are assailed. "For He must reign till He hath put
all enemies under His feet" (1 Cor. xv. 25).
But the destruction of His foes is not the only, nor the chief result
of His Ascension. When the King ascended the Throne of "The Kingdom of
Heaven," "He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men" (Eph. iv.
8), even the gifts by which men might be brought to submit themselves
to His spiritual rule, and be saved by Him. And inasmuch as only the
Holy Ghost can change the heart, and make men such as He had described
His subjects to be, He had previously explained to His Apostles that
there was one gift on which all future success depended, the gift of
"the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost" (S. John xiv. 26). And He had
assured them, "It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will
send Him unto you" (S. John xvi. 7).
They did not understand the words at the time when they were spoken;
but at the time of the Ascension they knew that they were to "wait for
the promise of the Father" (Acts i. 4), of which He had told them; and
to "tarry in the city of Jerusalem until" they were "endued with power
from on high" (S. Luke xxiv. 49). Ten days of watching, suspense, and
prayer followed. At last, "when the day of Pentecost was fully come,
suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts ii. 1-4).
Hitherto the little band of believers had numbered "about an hundred
and twenty" (Acts i. 15) in Jerusalem. But now that the Holy Ghost was
given, who could move the hearts of men and change them, the Apostles
found themselves endued with the promised "power from on high," which
should give weight to their testimony; and the vast multitude, who
assembled to listen to S. Peter's sermon, were "pricked in their
heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts ii. 37).
The previous instructions which had been given them about "the things
pertaining to the Kingdom" (Acts i. 3) were now to be put into
practice. The Apostles had the answer ready: "Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the
promise"--of the Holy Ghost, who alone can change the heart and make
men to be born again as the children of God--is not to us only, said
the Apostle, but "is unto you, and to your children, and to all that
are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with
many other words," besides those which are recorded, "did he testify"
to the truth about the Lord Jesus being Messiah, the King; and with
such force did he "exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward
generation," that three thousand "gladly received his word and were
baptized" (Acts ii. 38-41), as subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven."
Thus the Kingdom was established amongst men by the power of the Holy
Ghost[17]. A spiritual Kingdom, but none the less a Kingdom upon
earth. A spiritual Kingdom, not established by any power of man, and
not belonging to this world; and yet a Kingdom of which men and women
and little children were the subjects; "The Kingdom of Heaven" as
described by our Lord in His parables and discourses.
And the Kingdom having been thus established amongst men, from this
time we find a special name was given to it. Henceforth "The Kingdom
of Heaven" becomes "the Church." It was a word which our Lord Himself
had occasionally used with reference to His Kingdom, as when He said,
"Upon this rock I will build my Church" (S. Matt. xvi. 18); but it now
became the common expression. Thus when a persecution broke out
against the Christians, it was thus described, "As for Saul, he made
havoc of the Church" (Acts viii. 3). So Herod "stretched forth his
hands to vex certain of the Church" (Acts xii. 1); and when S. Peter
was imprisoned, "prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto
God for him" (Acts xii. 5). And throughout the Book of the Acts of
the Apostles and the Epistles it is almost always used as the name of
the body of believers or subjects of "The Kingdom of Heaven."
At the same time, in order that there might be no doubt that the
Apostles were simply carrying on their Lord's preaching of "the Gospel
of the Kingdom" (S. Matt. iv. 23), and that "The Church" which they
founded was in very deed "The Kingdom of Heaven," in certain passages
describing the character of their preaching we still find a reference
to the Kingdom. Thus, when Philip preached the Gospel to the
Samaritans, his work is described in these words, "When they believed
Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the
Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts
viii. 12). And a similar instance occurs respecting the preaching of
the great Apostle to the Gentiles, S. Paul. The whole of the latter
half of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles is filled with the record
of the extension of the Church by the labour of S. Paul in the various
lands he visited. And he himself continually uses the word "Church,"
both in his addresses recorded in the Acts of the Apostles and in his
Epistles to the Churches. Thus, for instance, to the Elders whom he
had ordained to take charge of the Church at Ephesus, he says, "Feed
the Church of God which He hath purchased with His own Blood" (Acts
xx. 28). And yet when the general character of his preaching is
described, it is still spoken of as the good news of the Kingdom. For
to these same Elders S. Paul says, "And now, behold, I know that ye
all, among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God, shall see my
face no more" (Acts xx. 25). And the last record of him leaves him at
Rome "preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which
concern the Lord Jesus Christ, no man forbidding him" (Acts xxviii.
31).
We may now briefly sum up the results of the Ascension of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. In ascending into heaven He was fulfilling the
prophecy, to which special prominence had been given in His discourses
with His opponents, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right
hand till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool" (Ps. cx. 1). He was thus
ascending the Throne of the Mediatorial Kingdom of Messiah--"The
Kingdom of Heaven"--and having ascended in triumph, "He gave gifts
unto men." And upon receiving the great gift which He had
promised--even the Holy Ghost--the Apostles became endued with the
power, by which alone "The Kingdom of Heaven" could be founded upon
earth, and be extended amongst men. And, from that day forward, "The
Kingdom of Heaven" may be said to have been established. And as the
Apostles went forth preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God, and
believers were multiplied, we find that, under the inspiration of the
Holy Ghost, the word "Church" was used to express this body of the
faithful. And the name thus used in those early days of "The Kingdom
of Heaven," has been generally applied to it ever since.
Thus we are brought face to face with the practical importance of the
teaching of our Blessed Lord about "The Kingdom of Heaven." "The
Kingdom of Heaven" is "The Church of Christ." The subjects are
ourselves.
FOOTNOTES:
[16] See Pearson on the Creed, pp. 283, 285.
[17] It is sometimes said that the Kingdom was founded by our Lord in
the call of His Apostles. But inasmuch as He spoke of it as being
still in the future, when He said to Peter, "Upon this rock _I will_
build My Church" (S. Matt. xvi. 18), and expressly declared that the
Baptism of the Spirit was the appointed means of entering into it (S.
John iii. 5), it seems more accurate to say that our Lord founded His
Kingdom on this day, through the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the
Apostles. For thus His words which specially applied to their own
cases were fulfilled, "Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost" (Acts
i. 5; S. Matt. iii. 11); and the gift was then handed on to others in
the appointed way, by which they also might be brought into the one
Body (1 Cor. xii. 13).