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Dominion is a curious and powerful word. When we speak of a historical event, if we speak precisely, we will add the two letters AD following the year of the event. If we speak of the same date but without using the AD suffix, we might say, “In the year of our Lord.” This is a common translation of the Medieval Latin phrase, Anno Domini. According to Wikipedia, the AD year numbering system is the most widely used system in the world today. What has that to do with Dominion? Simply look at the word again and the Latin phrase that is abbreviated AD. A cursory glance reveals a connection between the Latin word, Domini and its English equivalent, Lord. Our Lord has dominion; our Lord means dominion!

Now to consider one of Paul’s great texts from his letter to the Romans: “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” (Romans 6.5-10 NKJV; emphasis mine, jb). Why does death not have dominion over Him? How can I be assured that this is the case?

First, why does death not have dominion over Jesus? In the absolute sense, death never had dominion over Jesus. However, to see this statement in the larger context of the Bible, we come to understand that Jesus willingly subjected Himself to the limitations of the flesh and hence, became subject to death. However, this statement must be viewed with full awareness of what Jesus said about the matter. “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10.15-18). Other men may have resurrected from the dead, but not one of them did so of his/her own power. Not true of Jesus! He had the power to lay His life down, and He had the power to take it again! In this He was and is different from all other men!

How may I be assured that death has no dominion of Jesus? First, I can take the word of the hundreds of witnesses who saw Him alive and witnessed the statements that were made by Him or His close followers concerning death. “He died to die no more.” “He died once and for all.” “He was raised never to die again.” While none of these statements may be a precise quotation from the scriptures, they are all true. They are taught in a variety of places (the reader is encouraged to consider the entire book of Hebrews, one theme of which is the eternal and unchanging High Priest which we have in Jesus Christ; a priest that lives and that will never die!)

Death has no more dominion over Him, and it has no more dominion over His children! The battle has been waged and Satan was put to rout! Our Lord is in a place of timeless dominion (Philippians 2.5-11)!

Questions:

1. What does AD mean in Medieval Latin?

2. What does Lord mean? Who or what has dominion over the LORD?

3. Who took Jesus’ life? Who took it up again? What does this have to do with His place of power or authority?

4. Why does the resurrection of Jesus have such great implications regarding the promise of resurrection to me?

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

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