December 24, 2006 | Author: Mitch Anderson  

Believe in the Messiah

Christ, the King

“Worship the Lord with reverence … do homage to the Son.”
Psalm 2:11-12

Our psalms for today, 2 and 110, are both royal psalms and messianic psalms—royalbecause they were probably used when a new king was enthroned or on the eve of a war, and messianic because the early church interpreted these psalms as allusions to the person of Jesus Christ.  In fact, Psalm 110 is the most often quoted psalm in the New Testament.

In C.S. Lewis’ book Reflections on the Psalms he explains that scripture often has multiple meanings.  Every book of the Bible was written in a specific time and context.  Those who were the original recipients of each book would have understood the texts in a certain way based on their context.  But viewed through the lens of time and new experiences, God’s people find new meanings in old words.

Jesus himself practiced this type of interpretation.  The words of Psalm 110 (and also Psalm 22 and 118) were on his lips (see Mark 12:35-36).  Therefore, according to Lewis, “He accepted—indeed He claimed to be—the second meaning of Scripture.”

As you study these two psalms today, try to view them through different lenses—first through the lens of the original writer/readers, second through the messianic lens of the early church, and third through our contemporary lens to explore what these psalms mean for us today.

Psalm 2

According to some scholars, this psalm is made up of three scenes or parts.  The first scene (1-3) makes us aware of a growing conspiracy against God and his anointed king.  In the second scene (4-6), we suddenly find ourselves in the courtroom of heaven, where we witness God’s reaction.  Third (7-12) we return to the earthly Zion, where the king proclaims the Lord’s decree about the king (7-9) and ultimatum to the conspirators (10-12). 

With this in mind, read the psalm aloud, assigning the three scenes to different readers to help emphasize the different parts (1-3, 4-6, and 7-12).

In the ancient world, the death of a strong king was often followed by revolts of states which had been subject to him. The first duty of the new king was to subdue the revolting states and to re-establish authority over them.  In such a situation, this psalm would affirm the status of the king as the Lord’s vice-regent and assure the king of victory over his foes.  

But something even deeper than political unrest is going on here.  The nations’ rebellion is not merely against the king but against the Lord himself (see verse 2).  They want to break what they view as the Lord’s “chains” and “fetters,” in others words, to deny his divine order and purposes for the world.

In Acts 4:23-31, the early church makes the first few verses of this psalm their own prayer.  Herod and Pilate and the Gentiles and the people of Israel in Jerusalem conspired against Jesus, God’s Anointed One (v27).  But they did so in vain.  God foiled their plans by raising Jesus from the dead, thus establishing the way Jesus lived as the way God intends all people to live.  God’s order and purpose for the world is made clear in Christ the King.

The young church ends their prayer by asking God to make them bold (v29-30).  And their prayers are answered.  Filled with the Holy Spirit, they are enabled to speak and live the word boldly (v31).

Now, discuss how all of this applies to today.  How do “the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain” against God and his anointed King Jesus and his intended order for the world?  How can we as the church witness in words and actions to Christ’s kingship and to the way life in his kingdom?

Psalm 110

When you think of Jesus during the Christmas season, what images come to mind?

The images of Psalm 110 probably don’t.  But C.S. Lewis points out how interesting it is that the Book of Common Prayer (the liturgical prayer book used by the Church of England) appoints Psalm 110 to be read on Christmas day.

Suggested Reading in Class

Read Psalm 110 aloud. This royal psalm is not exactly what we think of when Christmas rolls around, but the fact is Christ is King and Conqueror.  According to C.S. Lewis:

“For those who first read these Psalms as poems about the birth of Christ, the birth primarily meant something very militant; the hero, the ‘judge’ or champion or giant-killer, who was to fight and beat death, hell and the devils, had at last arrived, and the evidence suggests that Our Lord also thought of Himself in these terms.”

Perhaps this is a good corrective for our often one-sided view of Jesus as gentle, meek, and mild.  Psalm 110 is, after all (and as we have already noted), the most often quoted psalm in the New Testament. 

Questions for Discussion

What is your reaction to this picture of Christ the mighty King and Conqueror? Both of today’s psalms speak of wars and of God exercising his dominion.  We are the Lord’s troops with a battle to fight (see 110:3).   What kind of a battle are we in and how are we to fight (see Eph 5:10-20)?

Assignment

We have only had time to get a taste for these royal psalms.  This week spend time meditating on these two psalms and also Psalm 24.

In addition, as you celebrate Christmas and hear carols, listen for allusions to Christ’s kingly greatness.  Worship him in all that you do.

Class Wrap-Up