Surely monarchy is the oldest form of organization for the exercise of dominion over society, dating back to the time of tribal chiefs. In addition to the unlimited power conferred on the king: Head of State, lifelong government and heredity in the transfer of office, other symbolic mechanisms of manipulation of power have been added throughout history, in order to ensure submission to the king. Symbolisms, the persuasive force of the monarchy, became increasingly important in the construction of the ritual of public affairs, placing monarchs as the vanguard of political marketing. The cult of image and etiquette gained new contours, ensuring submission to the king's power, implying the elevation of his ego. Media event was created around royalty, pompous robes, wigs and high heels were mandatory costumes, guaranteeing the king to look above the others. More and more importance was given to rituals in building the positive image of the figure of the king. The symbolic manipulation of power (cult of image) and symbolic reason was directly related to the persuasive force of the monarchy. The king was seen as a god. 

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     This conception about royalty is well portrayed by the epic films, together with monarchy’s symbolism through the centuries. However, counterpointing this conception of king’s figure, Christianity, Jesus Christ. The biblical text about the prophecy on the birth and kingdom of the Peace’s Prince, 700 years before Christ.  (Isaiah 9:6)

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            “For to us a child has come, to us a son is given; and the government has been placed in his hands; and he has been named Wise Guide, Strong God, Father for ever, Prince of Peace.”

(Isaiah 9:6)

   

   There is a certain difficulty in explaining the reign of Jesus Christ, in its dual nature, even among Christians. The custom would be to associate the kingship of Jesus with the robe, the golden crown  and the scepter of royalty; in short, the usual would be to compare the reign of Jesus to symbols related to power. So, how to explain the rule of a King (Jesus) who was born without a cradle (manger), secular profession (carpenter), imprisoned, mocked, mocked and killed as a slave (crucified), under the following charge: "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF JEWS". Jesus himself explained to the Pharisees, the religious of the time, in the passage about the coming of the Kingdom of God (Lk 17. 20-21). Jesus was telling them that the Kingdom of God is spiritual and making it visible means reflecting God on earth through the teachings of Jesus. In the spirit world, instead of pompous clothes, wigs and high heels, the symbols of nobility are the attitudes, facing everyday situations. The witness of salvation, love of neighbor, obedience to the word of God and forgiveness are examples. These are the attitudes that guarantee the absolute power of the King, as described in the prophecy of the birth and the Kingdom of Jesus (Is 9.6). Furthermore, the Holy Spirit resurrected Jesus because He conquered sin, conquering death. Thus, the persuasive power of Christianity is not in the death but in the resurrection of Jesus. Resurrection is the event that differentiates Christianity from religions, noting that only after being resurrected Jesus testified about omnipotence.

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"And Jesus came to them and said, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” 

(Matthew 28:18)

    

    Having explained the question of the dual nature of Jesus' reign, the discussion turns to the possible reasons for the decadence of the government of the monarchy. The Glorious Revolution, England (1688-1689), was the sign of the weakening of monarchical absolutism; the king lost powers in favor of parliament. At that time, a parliamentary monarchy was installed in England, making it customary to use the expression that portrays the process of decadence of monarch governments: “The king reigns, but does not govern.”

   

      The king came to be considered a traditional figure, but maintained a prominent position in society. Gradually, monarchical governments were losing powers around the world, and subsequently giving way to the Republic - a form of government in which the Head of State is elected by citizens - or even giving way to other forms of government, such as elective monarchies.

 

      Several hypotheses could be formulated to study the decadence of monarchical governments, hypotheses related to economic, political and social issues. However, the question arises as to whether symbolic reason is directly related to the persuasive force of the monarchy, explaining the need for the king to be seen as a god. Of course, this would have implications for all other issues, and the hypothesis could be stated as follows:

 

   “The cult of the image, the keynote of the symbolism of royalty, was the determining factor in the decadence of the government of the monarchy.”

 

     The decay of monarch governments, among other reasons, is due to the elevation of the ego of a person who seeks power, rejecting God. Among the sins of the monarchical governments, it stands out that of wanting to put the king in the position of God: Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life. Therefore, the following path is suggested to prove the hypothesis formulated: The path to look away from our inner king.

 

We are the righteousness of God, in Christ.

 

 

Manoel Lúcio da Silva Neto is a Master in Productions Engineering (Media and Knowledge) and author of the book Christology at your Reach.