I. Christ is hailed by the Prophets, and calls Himself “King of Mankind” (Ps. 2:6; Isa. 9:6, 7; Ezech. 34:23 sq.; 37:24–28; Jer. 23:3–6; Luke 1:32, 33; John 19:37), because, with the power and majesty of God, He procures justice and peace, salvation and beatitude, for his subjects. His kingdom is of a higher order than the kingdoms of this world. It is hierarchic, spiritual, and celestial—in its origin and final object, in its ways and means, and even in its members: for it embraces only such as, through grace, have acquired the title of adopted children of God. The hierarchic character of the kingdom is pointed out by Zacharias (6:12, 13) foretelling that the king would build a temple to God—a prophecy fulfilled by Christ when He built His Church upon Peter. He set forth the heavenly character of His Church when He called it “the kingdom of Heaven,” and called the power to rule it “the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.” The exaltedness of Christ’s Kingship as hierarchical, heavenly, and spiritual, shines forth in its first and most solemn act, viz. the sending of the Holy Ghost, through Whom He now performs all the acts of His royal power.
II. The Kingly functions of Christ are the foundation, expansion, and final consummation of God’s kingdom among men. They are not always performed visibly, as in earthly kingdoms. Christ acts on the inner man, though ordinarily through visible means, because the kingdom of Heaven on earth is a visible and well-ordered society. He can, however, and often does, exercise His influence on the soul independently of external agencies. The first and the last acts of the kingdom—its constitution and its consummation in the final judgment—are personal and visible acts of the King.
The fundamental function is the distribution of salvation. It is carried out: (1) in the form of Legislation regulating the acquisition and use of grace by man, but especially in the constitution and organization of the Church as the continuator of its Founder’s saving work; (2) in the form of administration, government, and development of the kingdom by Christ’s visible organs on earth under His assistance and protection; (3) in the form of judicial functions, meting out rewards or punishment to man according to his right or wrong behaviour in relation to grace and the Law of Christ.
The practical working of the Kingly office of Christ is given in the treatises on the Sources of Revelation, Grace, the Church, the Sacraments, and the Last Things. See Suarez, De Incarn., I., disp. 47 and Knoll, Theol. Dogmat., II., sect. 390 sqq.
I. Christ is hailed by the Prophets, and calls Himself “King of Mankind” (Ps. 2:6; Isa. 9:6, 7; Ezech. 34:23 sq.; 37:24–28; Jer. 23:3–6; Luke 1:32, 33; John 19:37), because, with the power and majesty of God, He procures justice and peace, salvation and beatitude, for his subjects. His kingdom is of a higher order than the kingdoms of this world. It is hierarchic, spiritual, and celestial—in its origin and final object, in its ways and means, and even in its members: for it embraces only such as, through grace, have acquired the title of adopted children of God. The hierarchic character of the kingdom is pointed out by Zacharias (6:12, 13) foretelling that the king would build a temple to God—a prophecy fulfilled by Christ when He built His Church upon Peter. He set forth the heavenly character of His Church when He called it “the kingdom of Heaven,” and called the power to rule it “the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.” The exaltedness of Christ’s Kingship as hierarchical, heavenly, and spiritual, shines forth in its first and most solemn act, viz. the sending of the Holy Ghost, through Whom He now performs all the acts of His royal power.
II. The Kingly functions of Christ are the foundation, expansion, and final consummation of God’s kingdom among men. They are not always performed visibly, as in earthly kingdoms. Christ acts on the inner man, though ordinarily through visible means, because the kingdom of Heaven on earth is a visible and well-ordered society. He can, however, and often does, exercise His influence on the soul independently of external agencies. The first and the last acts of the kingdom—its constitution and its consummation in the final judgment—are personal and visible acts of the King.
The fundamental function is the distribution of salvation. It is carried out: (1) in the form of Legislation regulating the acquisition and use of grace by man, but especially in the constitution and organization of the Church as the continuator of its Founder’s saving work; (2) in the form of administration, government, and development of the kingdom by Christ’s visible organs on earth under His assistance and protection; (3) in the form of judicial functions, meting out rewards or punishment to man according to his right or wrong behaviour in relation to grace and the Law of Christ.
The practical working of the Kingly office of Christ is given in the treatises on the Sources of Revelation, Grace, the Church, the Sacraments, and the Last Things. See Suarez, De Incarn., I., disp. 47 and Knoll, Theol. Dogmat., II., sect. 390 sqq.
Seção 71% da obra, de A Manual of Catholic Theology (Wilhelm & Scannell, sobre a Dogmatik de Scheeben). Ver o original.