OUTLINE
I. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………..
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II. BACKGROUND OF THE WORD KYRIOS ……….……………………..
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Times the word kyrios is used in the Scriptures ………………………………..……..
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Meaning and usage in the New Testament ……………………………………………
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III. SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES AND REFERENCES ………………………
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Matt 22:41-46 …………………………………………………………………………
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Acts 2:36 ………………………………………………………………………………
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1 Peter 3:14-15 ………………………………………………………………………...
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James 2:1 ………………………………………………………………………………
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Jude 4 …………………………………………………………………………………..
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1 Tim 6:15-16 .………………………………………………………………………….
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IV. CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………….
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BACKGROUND OF THE WORD KYRIOS.
The word kyrios or kurios was “used of the Greek gods, from the classical era right into
the imperial period, first as an adjective, then increasingly as a noun, and specifically when it is
desired to state that the gods can control definite spheres.”1 In its early period, this word “was
not used as a divine title. Although it was applied to the gods…there was no general belief in a
personal creator god. The gods were not creators, and lords of fate, but were like man subject to
fate. In effect, gods and men belonged to the same sphere of reality. The Greek person of this
period did not understand his position as that of a – slave (doulos), dependent on a god. Nor did
he feel himself in any way personally responsible to the gods. Only in so far as the gods ruled
over particular individual spheres in the world could they be called kurioi (Gr. pl. for gods).”2 It
was later, around the 1st century B.C., that the term gained its more popular use as; god, ruler,
master, owner, and ‘Lord,’ which we will see more specifically in the New Testament times.
Times the word kyrios is used in the Scriptures.
The New International Dictionary of N.T. Theology says that, the word kyrios occurs
over 9,000 times in the LXX (Septuagint), of which some 190 times were to refer to men.3
As far as the New Testament is concerned, the word kyrios is used in some 717 passages
majority of which are to be found in the Lucian writings (210) and in Paul’s letters (275). This
one-sidedness can be explained by the fact that Luke wrote for, and Paul to, people who lived in
areas dominated by Greek culture and language.4
Meaning and usage in the New Testament.
In the New Testament times, the usage of this word, had gained a new and greater
meaning and importance, mainly because of the Septuagint, which used it to translate the main
names for God, from the Hebrew Bible to Greek.
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The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology defines kyrios as lord,
master, owner, and Lord.5 In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary, “(kyrios), is properly
defined as an adjective, signifying “having power” or “authority.” The word was also used as a
noun, variously translated in the New Testament, as ‘Lord’, ‘master,’ ‘Master,’ ‘owner,’ ‘Sir,’ a
title of wide significance, occurring in each book of the New Testament save Titus and the
Epistles of John.”6
Again, according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, the word kyrios (kurios) in the NT is
used: (a) of an owner, as in Luke 19:33, Mat. 20:8; or of one who has the disposal of anything,
(ex. the Sabbath) Mat. 12:8; (b) of a master, that is, one to whom service is due on any ground,
Matt.6:24; Eph.6:5; (c) of an Emperor or King, Acts 25:26; (d) of idols, in an ironical way, 1
Cor. 8:5; Isa. 26:13; (e) as a title of respect addressed to a father, Matt. 13:27; Luke 13:8, a ruler,
Matt. 27:63, an angel, Acts 10:4; (f) as a courtesy addressed to a stranger (or respected person),
John 12:21; 20:15. From the outset of His ministry this last usage of the word (kyrios), was a
common from of address to the Lord Jesus, alike by the people, Matt. 8:2; John 4:11, and by His
disciples, Matt. 8:25; Luke 5:8; John 6:68. This last use of the word kyrios: (g) is the Septuagint
and New Testament representative of the Hebrew Jehovah (‘Lord” in Eng. versions), see Matt.
22:44, and of Adonai, Lord, Matt. 1:22; it also occurs for Elohim, God, 1 Pet. 1:25.7
We can say that the usage of this word in the New Testament follows two main lines: one
that is customary and general, and the last one (g) more peculiar to the Jews, and drawn from the
Greek translation of the Old Testament. We will focus on the last usage of the word, which also
carries the most Christological meaning and importance as a title - implying the true nature of
Jesus - the Lord.
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SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES AND REFERENCES
It is important to note that, Jesus was the first to assume this title for Himself, Matt.7:21,
22; 9:38; 22:41-45; Mark 5:19 (cf. Ps. 66:16; the parallel passage, Luke 8:39, has ‘God’); Luke
19:31; John 13:13, apparently indenting it in the higher sense of its current use, and at the same
time suggesting its Old Testament associations.8 One of the passages, where He uses the Word
kyrios, is found in Mathew 22:41-46. In this passage Jesus makes a decisive interpretation of the
word, directly implying what He meant when using this title.
Matt 22:41-46
41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42
"What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?" They said to Him, "The son of David."
43 He said to them, "Then how does David in the Spirit call Him "Lord,' saying, 44 'THE LORD
SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES
BENEATH YOUR FEET"'? 45 "If David then calls Him "Lord,' how is He his son?" 46 No one
was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another
question. (NASU)
The historical setting of this passage is the temple courts, where crowds and leaders
mingled together and alternately listened to the teacher from Nazareth and fired questions at him
(John 21:23-23:36).9
First of all, this passage is found in all the synoptic gospels; Matthew 22:41-46; Luke
20:41-44; Mark 12:34, which could be because of its importance and teaching on the truth about
the nature of Christ, implied in this case by the title ‘Lord.’
In this passage, the Jews (Pharisees) had been asking Him - from the previous section questions about the Law, trying to outsmart Him, and Jesus very wisely had answered all their
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questions. Nowin this last part of the passage, He is switching roles by asking them a question.
“His purpose is not to win a debate but to elicit from them what the Scriptures themselves teach
about the Messiah, thus also helping people recognize who He really is.”10
It is clear that Jesus is referring to Himself when He says “the Christ”. The question,
however, is asked in such a way that the Pharisees are able to answer it readily without affirming
that Jesus is Himself the Christ. In fact the idea that Jesus would be the Christ was repugnant to
them. They knew that the Christ (Messiah) was the Son of David, according to the Scriptures, 2
Sam. 7:12,13; Ps. 78:68-72; 89:3,4,20,24,28,34-37; Amos 9:11; etc. And there was also
something else that they where aware of; that Jesus had made no objections to the title “Son of
David.” In other stories, He had rebuked neither the disciples nor the children when they, by
implication, had called Him this.11 Then Jesus goes on to identify the issue, by point out the
direct implication of the name, with His attribute as Lord.
The force of His argument depends on His use of Psalm 110. The Davidic authorship of
the psalm is essential to the argument. The phrase “speaking by the Spirit” not only assumes that
all Scripture is inspired, but here reinforces the truth of what David said.12 Thus the Psalm
becomes the indisputable evidence to the truth and reality of Jesus as the Lord. And, the lack of
response on the part of the Jews, even more, goes to emphasize and verify this truth. Psalm 110
(and verse 1), became one of the key Old Testament passages for early Christian understanding
of the role of Jesus as ‘Lord’. 13
In light of this, it is important to understand that the purpose and intended meaning of
Jesus as ‘the Lord’, did not become clear to His disciples during His earthly ministry, until after
His resurrection., and the revelation of His deity thereupon.14 “Thomas, when he realized the
significance of the presence of a mortal wound in the body of a mortal man, immediately joined
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with it the absolute title of Deity, saying, ‘My Lord and my God,’ John 20:28. Thereafter, except
in Acts 10:4 and Revelation 7:14, there is no record that kyrios was ever again used by believers
in addressing any save God and the Lord Jesus; cf. Acts 2:47 with 4:29,30.”15
“The clue to the history of the word is found in John’s Gospel, where the word is used of
Jesus in the narrative portions of the first nineteen chapters only three times, but in the
resurrection stories of the last two chapters it is used nineteen times. The Evangelist feels free to
speak of Jesus as Lord after His resurrection but does not feel the designation is appropriate in
the earlier ministry. This suggests that the title belongs primarily to Jesus as the Risen Lord and
Ascended one.”16
In Peter’s sermon after the resurrection, ‘God has made Him – Lord,’ Acts 2:36, goes to
show, how soon their (disciples) understanding about the true meaning of the title Lord, changed
and became one of the most honorific titles for Jesus.
Acts 2:36
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord
and Christ -- this Jesus whom you crucified." (NASU)
“The initial “therefore” shows that God’s resurrection and exaltation of Jesus accredit
him as humankind’s Lord and Israel’s Messiah…. And Peter calls upon “all Israel” to know with
certainty that “God has made Him both Lord and Christ.” Jesus was acknowledged and
proclaimed Lord and Christ both after his resurrection and because of his resurrection.”17 This
confession became one of the primary confessions of faith in Jesus (Rom. 10:9) in the early
church.18
Later, in Peter’s writings, the implications of this teaching are confirmed and developed.
“Thus Ps. 34:8, ‘O taste and see that Jehovah is good,’ is applied to the Lord Jesus, 1 Pet. 2:3,
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and “Jehovah of Hosts, Him shall ye sanctify,’ Isa. 8:13, becomes ‘sanctify in your hearts Christ
as Lord,’ 1 Pet. 3:15.”19
1 Peter 3:14-15
14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO
NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 15 but sanctify Christ
as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give
an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (NASU)
Peter, in verse 14 uses a passage from Isaiah 8:12-13, where the prophet admonishes the
godly in Israel not to fear the impending invasion as do the unbelievers. Instead godly reverence
is to be their concern.20 In this context, Peter encourages his readers not to be afraid of other
people’s persecution and intimidation, but to acknowledge “Christ as Lord” in their hearts.
It is interesting and important to note that when Peter encourages his readers to stand
against the persecution they were facing, he uses a passage from the OT to give them a biblical
background, but then for their present hope he points to Jesus as Lord. This title is important for
Peter’s Christology, for here again he ascribes to Christ the Old Testament name of ‘Lord’.
James also, uses kyrios alike of God, Jam.1:7; 3:9; 4:15; 5:4,10,11; etc.
James 2:1
“My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of
personal favoritism.” (NASU)
In the last part of the first chapter, James was writing about the importance of putting
spiritual truth into practice. In this chapter he is admonishing to show them how partiality or
discrimination, toward the poorer members of the church, violates the standard of God’s truth.
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He starts his discussion with a prohibition; telling them not to show favoritism or to be
partial in their attitude, “because favoritism and partiality are inconsistent with our ‘faith in our
glorious Lord Jesus Christ.’ “The stress on Jesus as the glorious Lord and Christ was used to
show, the great inconsistency of allowing favoritism and discrimination to be associated with
faith in such an exalted person as our Lord.”21 It is in light of His exaltation as Lord that James
admonishes the believers to view their practice and conduct.
Jude also, in verse 4 of his letter, speaks of ‘our only – Lord, Jesus Christ,’ and
immediately in verse 5, he uses ‘Lord’ of God.
Jude 4
“For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked
out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness
and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (NASU)
In this verse, Jude explains to us his reason for writing the letter. Ungodly men had
slipped in among the believes, and James says that, God had condemned them long beforehand
because of the sin that they were committing.
“He does not go into details about the kind of sin, however, he states that whatever the
type of sin that they were committing, it was such that it allowed for the grace of God to be
turned into licentiousness and the other obvious concern was that this implied a denial of Jesus as
the exalted Lord.22 James, could not allow that!
The last Scriptural example is from Paul. He ordinarily uses kyrios of the Lord Jesus as in
1 Cor. 1:3, but also on occasion, of God, in quotations from the OT, 1 Cor. 3:20.
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1 Tim 6:15-16
15b “…He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen
or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” (NASU)
These verses form a doxology, such as we often find in Paul’s letters (cf. 1:17; 2 Tim
4:18). Much of the language is derived from the Old Testament. God is descried as “the blessed
and only Sovereign.” The two titles, “King of kings and Lord of lords,” are applied to Christ in
Revelation 17:14; 19:16. They are used for God in the OT (Dan.4:34 in LXX; cf. Deut. 10:17;
Ps. 136:3).23
According to Ladd, the heart of the Pauline proclamation is the Lordship of Christ (Rom.
10:9; 2 Cor. 4:5).24
In John, though he does not use “Lord’ in his Epistles, and though, like the other
Evangelists, he ordinarily uses the personal name in his narrative (gospel), yet he occasionally
speaks of Him as ‘the Lord,’ John 4:1; 6:23; 11:2; 20:20; 21:12.25
The full significance of the association of Jesus with God under the one term ‘Lord’, in
many of the Scripture references, is seen when it is remembered that these men belonged to the
only monotheistic race in the world. To associate with the Creator one known to be a creature,
however exalted, thou possible to Pagan philosophers, was quite impossible to a Jew.
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1
Gerhard Kittle, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 1965. p.1047
Colin Brown, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 2, 1971. p.510
3
Colin Brown, p.511
4
Colin Brown, p.513
5
Colin Brown, p.510
6
W. E. Vine, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary (1996), p.379
7
W. E. Vine, p.379
8
W. E. Vine, p.379
9
D. A. Carson, The Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: Vol. 2 New Testament (1994), p.101
10
D.A. Carson, p.101
11
William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary (1973), p.811
12
D. A. Carson, The Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: Vol.2: New Testament (1994), p.102
13
R.T. France, The Gospel According to Matthew (1985), p.322
14
W. E. Vine, p.379
15
Ibid., p.379
16
George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, p.375
17
Richard N. Longenecker, The Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: Vol. 2 New Testament (1994), p.392
18
George Eldon Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, p.167
19
W. E. Vine, p.379
20
D.A. Carson, p.1053
21
Ibid., p.1025
22
Edwin A. Blum, The Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: Vol. 2 New Testament (1994), p.1121
23
Ralph Earle, The Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary: Vol. 2 New Testament (1994), p.907
24
George Eldon Ladd, p.455
25
W. E. Vine, p.380
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