The Kingship of Christ through the Incarnation

It was destined that a virgin should give birth and that the human flesh should be taken up, so that through it, having overcome the devil who previously dominated man, He would not only make him incorruptible and immortal, but also a co-regent in the heavens with God. Indeed, having come down and having taken flesh through the virgin, He was established as king over the church, clearly so that through the Word, the man who had previously fallen from the kingship of the heavens might be able to attain kingship.

Therefore, God, desiring that this man—who previously fell from lordship due to disobedience—become Lord and God, worked out this economy. The most holy prophet David says prophetically, 'The Lord has reigned, let the earth rejoice' (Ps 96:1). For this reason, as if receiving the beginning of kingship from our Lord Christ I have been made king by him' (Ps 2:6).

For this reason also, having become and reigning in human flesh, having established through the Word the man who was previously deceived as king, He 'will abolish all principality' (Col 2:15) of the devil 'and power and authority.' For it is said, 'it is necessary for him to reign' 'until he has placed the enemies under his feet' (1 Cor 15:25). This is the end of the kingship of our Lord Christ, says the holy apostle, to subject all things to his feet (1 Cor 15:28).

There, the apostle reveals a greatest mystery to us: that there would be an end, claiming it of Christ's kingship; but an end then, when he subjects all things under his feet. We have said in the discourses proceeding before us that our Lord Christ has had the beginning of kingship, citing evidence from sacred texts. One says, 'But I have been made king by him upon Zion, his holy mountain' (Ps 2:6); another, 'The Lord has reigned, let the peoples be moved to wrath' (Ps 97:4); and again, 'The Lord has reigned, let the earth rejoice' (Ps 96:1). And it is possible to show with abundance myriads of words for testimony, that the man has received the beginning of kingship through the Word.

If, then, the kingdom began not more than four hundred years ago, it is nothing paradoxical, if the apostle says that he will deliver the kingdom which occurred so recently, meaning that he is a king whom God established, as the Scripture says. It seems that he is separated from the Father by energy alone because of the outward show of the flesh, until such time as the one approaching the judgment reveals the appointed time, so that the remaining part may follow, consequently, the pattern of those who were cast out after having seen the one who was cast out, as the prophecy says. For all are destined to be made subject to Christ in the time of the end, as the apostle said, just as 'he himself shall subject all things to him who subjected all things to him.'

What then do we learn concerning the human flesh, which the Word took not all years ago, but four hundred? Will the Word have this flesh also in the coming ages, or only until the time of the judgment? For what the prophet said must be confirmed in deed. For he says, 'they shall see him whom they cast out'; and they cast out, clearly, the flesh. For the Word did not take flesh so as to benefit our own self, but so that the flesh might attain immortality through communion with the Word, which is evident even from the Savior's own decision. Regarding the flesh, while possessing it and conversing with the disciples, he says thus: 'Does this scandalize you? If, then, you see the Son of Man departing from where he was previously; the Spirit gives life, the flesh profits nothing.'

If he confesses that the flesh profits him nothing, how can he allow the one existing from the earth, which profits nothing, to remain in the coming ages as being useful to the Word? For this is why it seems to me that even the Almighty God, the Lord, says to him, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.' He seems to be separated by energy alone because of the human flesh, and as if defining a specific time for him of the seated position at the right hand, he says to him, 'until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'

This prophecy of David is made clearer to us by the holy apostle, who thus said: 'for he must reign until he makes his enemies a footstool of his feet.' Thus, both his human administration and his kingdom seem to have a limit. For he wills nothing other than what was said by the apostle: 'until he makes his enemies a footstool of his feet.'