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From Heb. 1: we proceed to Heb. 2:, where we have Psa. 8: quoted, with the
comment:
"For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under
Him" (Heb. 2: 8).
This shows that we have passed from the type, whose dominion was over sheep and
oxen, to the Antitype, Whose dominion is over all. The apostle continues:
"But now we see not yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus, Who was made a
little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour;
that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Heb. 2: 8, 9).
This dominion, of which Adam's "likeness" was but a faint shadow, is further
expanded in Eph. 1:, where we reach the zenith of the revelation of "the mystery of
Christ". In this epistle we are concerned with that section of the "all things" that is
associated with the exalted sphere where Christ sitteth "far above all heavens"
(Eph. 4: 10). And so we read, in chapter one:
"He 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 age, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all
things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His
body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1: 20-23).
With this rapid glance at the relationship between this "dominion" and "mystery", let
us turn now to I Cor. 15:, to see one further application of the passage:
"Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the
Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must
reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed
is death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put
under Him, it is manifested that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him. And
when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject
unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all" (I Cor. 15: 24-28).
This goal of the ages is the fulfillment of the pledge shadowed forth in the creation of
Adam.
We must now turn to Gen. 1: 26, in order to investigate what is actually implied by
the word "dominion". There are various possible alternatives that are not used in this
passage. The word used here is not baal, "to have dominion as lord and proprietor"
(Isa. 26: 13), or mashal, "to reign as a governor, or a superior" (Judges 14: 4), or
shalat "to rule" (Psa. 119: 133), but radah, "to tread down, to subdue". The following
are three passages in which this particular word occurs:
"They that hate you shall reign over you" (Lev. 26: 17).
"With force and cruelty have ye ruled" (Ezek. 34: 4).
"Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies" (Psa. 110: 2).