{
  "id": "dict_003368",
  "term": "Lord",
  "slug": "lord",
  "letter": "L",
  "entry_type": "theological_term",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "“Lord” is a title of authority, ownership, and honor used in Scripture for human masters, for God, and in the New Testament especially for Jesus Christ.",
  "simple_one_line": "A biblical title for one who has rightful authority; in the New Testament it is especially used of Jesus.",
  "tooltip_text": "A title that can mean master, ruler, or the divine Lord, depending on context.",
  "aliases": [
    "Lord (Kyrios - κύριος)"
  ],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Adonai",
    "God",
    "Jesus Christ",
    "LORD",
    "Kyrios",
    "Sovereignty"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Adonai",
    "LORD (divine name rendering)",
    "Jesus Christ",
    "Lordship of Christ",
    "Messiah",
    "Worship"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "In the Bible, “Lord” is a title of authority and honor. It can be used for human superiors, for the God of Israel, and in the New Testament as a central confession about Jesus Christ.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "“Lord” is a biblical title for one who has rightful authority over others. Context determines whether it refers to a human master, to God, or to Jesus Christ.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "1) It can mean master, ruler, or sir in ordinary speech. 2) It is used for the God of Israel in the Old Testament and for Jesus in the New Testament. 3) In Christian confession, “Jesus is Lord” expresses his authority and exaltation."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "In biblical usage, “Lord” is a title of authority, honor, and rightful rule. It may refer to a human master or ruler, to the God of Israel, or to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Because the term is context-sensitive, readers should distinguish ordinary courtesy from covenantal or divine confession.",
  "description_academic_full": "“Lord” is a major biblical title that speaks of authority, rule, ownership, and honor. In the Old Testament, English translations use “Lord” both for ordinary human superiors and, in a special convention, for the divine name of the covenant God of Israel, usually rendered “LORD” in small capitals. In the New Testament, the Greek term kyrios can mean “master” or “sir,” but it also functions as a weighty title for Jesus Christ. The confession that Jesus is Lord is not merely polite address; within the apostolic witness it proclaims his exalted status, authority, and the allegiance due to him. Because the word carries different force in different contexts, interpretation must be careful and text-sensitive rather than assuming that every use has the same theological weight.",
  "background_biblical_context": "The Bible uses “lord” language in everyday and theological ways. It can describe a human owner, master, or superior, but it also becomes a covenant title for God and a confession of Jesus’ authority in the New Testament. Translation conventions, especially the use of LORD for YHWH, help readers distinguish these senses.",
  "background_historical_context": "In the ancient Near East, titles of lordship expressed rank, authority, and ownership. In Greco-Roman settings, kyrios could be used for a master or respected person, while imperial culture also loaded lordship language with political overtones. The New Testament draws on this world but applies the title to Jesus in a distinctly Christological and worshipful way.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In Jewish Scripture and later Jewish usage, reverence for God’s name shaped how readers spoke and wrote about the divine. The title Adonai became a respectful way of reading the covenant name aloud. This background helps explain why “Lord” in the Septuagint and New Testament can carry strong divine associations, especially when applied to God and, by apostolic confession, to Jesus.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Exodus 34:6-7",
    "Psalm 110:1",
    "Isaiah 6:1-5",
    "Luke 2:11",
    "John 20:28",
    "Romans 10:9",
    "Philippians 2:9-11"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Genesis 18:3",
    "Deuteronomy 6:4",
    "Matthew 7:21",
    "Acts 2:36",
    "1 Corinthians 8:6",
    "Ephesians 4:5",
    "Revelation 19:16"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew uses terms such as adon and Adonai for lord/master; the divine name YHWH is commonly represented as LORD in many English Bibles. The New Testament uses Greek kyrios, which can mean “lord,” “master,” or “sir,” but often carries stronger theological force in Christological and divine contexts.",
  "theological_significance": "“Lord” is central to biblical theology because it expresses rightful sovereignty, covenant authority, worship, and obedience. The title belongs supremely to God, and the New Testament applies it to Jesus in ways that affirm his exalted status and divine honor.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "As a concept, lordship includes rightful claim, authority to command, ownership, and the obligation of loyal response. Biblically, lordship is not merely power exercised from above; it is authority grounded in who God is and in his rightful relation to creation and redemption.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "The term is context-sensitive. Not every occurrence means deity, and not every polite address carries the full theological weight of Christ’s lordship. Translation conventions such as Lord and LORD should be read carefully, and doctrinal conclusions should be drawn from the whole passage and canon, not from the word alone.",
  "major_views_note": "Christian interpreters generally agree that the Bible uses “Lord” in multiple senses. The main interpretive issue is not whether the title can refer to God or Christ, but how each passage uses the term and whether the context indicates ordinary respect, covenant authority, or divine identity.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Confessing Jesus as Lord affirms his authority, exaltation, and rightful claim on believers. It does not erase the distinction between the Father and the Son, and it should not be reduced to a mere title of courtesy. At the same time, individual occurrences of “lord” must not be overread as if every one were an explicit statement of deity.",
  "practical_significance": "The title calls believers to worship, obedience, trust, and submission. To call Jesus “Lord” is to acknowledge his rule over life, conscience, and discipleship, and to live in a way consistent with that confession.",
  "meta_description": "Biblical dictionary entry for “Lord,” a title of authority used for human masters, for God, and especially for Jesus Christ in the New Testament.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/lord/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/lord.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}