What does Jesus’ title ‘Lord’ (Kyrios) mean?
Question 3043
The most common title given to Jesus in the New Testament is “Lord” — in Greek, Κύριος (Kyrios). It appears hundreds of times, far more frequently than “Christ” or “Saviour.” The early church’s basic confession was “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 12:3). But what does this title actually mean? Is it simply a polite form of address, like “Sir”? Or does it carry weightier significance? The answer takes us to the heart of who Jesus is and what He demands of those who follow Him.
The Range of Meaning
The word κύριος (kyrios) has a range of meanings in Greek literature. At its most basic, it can mean “sir” — a respectful form of address to a stranger or social superior. This is how it is sometimes used in the Gospels. When the Samaritan woman at the well first addresses Jesus, she calls Him κύριε (kyrie), which could simply mean “Sir” (John 4:11). The word could also refer to an owner or master, as in the master of a slave (Matthew 10:24) or the owner of a vineyard (Matthew 20:8).
But in religious contexts, κύριος meant far more. It was the word used by Greek-speaking Jews to translate the divine name YHWH (יהוה, the tetragrammaton). The Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek in the Septuagint (LXX), and wherever the name of God appeared, the translators used κύριος. When a first-century Jew heard “the Lord” in a religious setting, they understood it as a reference to the God of Israel.
Kyrios as Divine Name
The New Testament writers apply κύριος to Jesus in ways that clearly echo Old Testament passages about YHWH. Consider a few examples:
Isaiah 45:23 declares in the name of YHWH: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.” Paul quotes this in Philippians 2:10–11 and applies it to Jesus: “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” What was said of YHWH is now said of Jesus.
Joel 2:32 promises: “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD [YHWH] shall be saved.” Peter quotes this at Pentecost (Acts 2:21) and applies it to calling on Jesus for salvation (Acts 2:36–38). Paul does the same in Romans 10:13. To call on the name of the Lord Jesus is to call on the name of YHWH.
Isaiah 40:3 speaks of preparing the way for YHWH: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” All four Gospels apply this to John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23). Jesus is the YHWH for whom the way was prepared.
This is not coincidence or careless use of language. The New Testament writers are making a deliberate theological claim: Jesus is κύριος in the fullest, divine sense. He shares the identity and authority of YHWH. Thomas’s confession, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28), captures this perfectly.
Lord as Master and Authority
When Christians confess Jesus as Lord, they are not merely making a theological statement about His deity. They are submitting to His authority. To call Jesus “Lord” is to acknowledge Him as Master. He has the right to command, and we have the obligation to obey.
Jesus Himself made this connection: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). The title is hollow if it is not accompanied by obedience. A lord is someone who has authority over you, whose will takes precedence over your own. To confess Jesus as Lord is to surrender control of your life to Him.
The Greek word δοῦλος (doulos), meaning slave or bond-servant, is the natural counterpart to κύριος. If Jesus is Lord, we are His slaves. Paul regularly identifies himself this way: “Paul, a servant [δοῦλος] of Christ Jesus” (Romans 1:1). We belong to Him. We serve at His pleasure. Our lives are not our own.
Lord of All
The Lordship of Jesus is not limited to the church. He is Lord of all. Peter declared to Cornelius: “You yourselves know… the message that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36–37). Jesus is not merely Lord of Christians. He is Lord of every human being, every nation, every power in heaven and on earth.
This universal Lordship will be acknowledged one day. “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11). Some bow now in willing worship. Others will bow later in forced submission. But all will bow.
Lordship and Salvation
The confession of Jesus as Lord is central to salvation. Romans 10:9 states: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is not merely intellectual assent to a fact. It is personal submission to a Person. Saving faith involves trusting Jesus as Saviour and receiving Him as Lord.
Some have tried to separate these, suggesting that one can receive Jesus as Saviour without receiving Him as Lord. But this creates a division that the New Testament does not recognise. The Jesus who saves is the Lord Jesus. You cannot have half a Jesus. To trust Him for salvation is to submit to His authority. Faith and obedience are not the same thing, but they cannot be separated. Genuine faith produces obedience, not as a condition of salvation but as its inevitable fruit.
The Lord Jesus Christ
The full title “the Lord Jesus Christ” combines three designations. “Jesus” (Ἰησοῦς, Iēsous) is His personal name, the Greek form of the Hebrew Joshua (יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, Yehoshua), meaning “YHWH saves.” “Christ” (Χριστός, Christos) is the Greek translation of the Hebrew “Messiah” (מָשִׁיחַ, Mashiach), meaning “Anointed One.” And “Lord” (Κύριος, Kyrios) identifies Him as the divine Master of all.
Together, these titles declare that the man Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah of Israel and the divine Lord of the universe. This is the heart of Christian confession. This is what separates Christianity from every other religion and philosophy. We do not follow a dead teacher or honour a distant deity. We serve a risen Lord who is both fully God and fully man, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, and who demands and deserves our total allegiance.
Conclusion
When we call Jesus “Lord,” we are saying something profound. We are confessing that He is God — the One who bears the divine name, shares the divine throne, and receives the divine worship. We are acknowledging that He is our Master — the One who has authority over our lives and to whom we owe complete obedience. We are declaring that He is Lord of all — sovereign over every person, every nation, every power in existence. This title is not an ornament. It is a claim. It is a confession. And one day, it will be the cry of every creature in the universe. Jesus is Lord. Let us bow before Him now, in worship and in surrender, before that day when every knee shall bow.
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9–11
Bibliography
- Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the God of Israel. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008.
- Walvoord, John F. Jesus Christ Our Lord. Chicago: Moody Press, 1969.
- MacArthur, John. The Gospel According to Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.
- Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.
- Harris, Murray J. Jesus as God: The New Testament Use of Theos in Reference to Jesus. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992.
