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It is often the case that a word of doctrinal, dispensational or practical importance, is
emphasized by the number or disposition of its occurrences. We are not, therefore,
surprised to find that the word kurieuo, "to have dominion", occurs seven times in the
N.T. and not only so, but the occurrences fall into the following most obvious
arrangement:
Kurieuo, "To have dominion".
A | Luke 22: 25. The kings of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them.
B | a | Rom. 6: 9. Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more.
Death hath no more dominion over Him.
b | Rom. 6: 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you. Grace.
b | Rom. 7: 1. Law has dominion over a man as long as he lives. Law.
a | Rom. 14: 9. Christ died and rose that He might have
dominion over both the dead and the living.
A | II Cor. 1: 24. The apostles of the church do not exercise dominion over the faith.
B | I Tim. 6: 15. Christ, Lord of those have dominion, Who only hath
immortality (ref. to death and resurrection).
Here is a further example of the perfection of the Word, an exhibition of the
superintending inspiration of God, governing the use of the individual words. Should the
reader prefer to follow the chronological order of the books, members A and A
would go together, and B & B, so reducing the alternation to one set.
It will be seen from the above that the true exercise of dominion is intimately
associated with death and life. The kings of the earth exercise dominion, but it is not true
dominion for it is not wielded in virtue of a risen life. The Apostle himself would not
exercise dominion over the faith of others, for, as he had already written to the
Corinthians:
"Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized into the name of Paul?" (I Cor. 1: 13).
No, instead of claiming the exercise of "lordship", the Apostle could write:
"We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD, and ourselves your servants for
Jesus' sake" (II Cor. 4: 5).
This he follows by a reference to the "judgment seat" similar to that found in
Rom. 14::
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may
receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or
bad" (II Cor. 5: 10).
The "judgment seat", in principle at least, is not absent even in the Prison Epistles, for
we read:
"Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of
the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But
he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no
respect of persons" (Col. 3: 23-25).