Leviathan: Chapter 41 Summary & Analysis

In Holy Scripture, Christ is said to hold three official offices. Christ is a “Saviour,” “Counsellor,” and lastly, the “eternall King.” In Christ’s office as Savior, he paid the ransom for humankind’s sins when he sacrificed his life. As Christ paid the ransom, he cannot be the King of the same people he saved. “My Kingdome is not of this world,” Christ says in John 18:36. And, perhaps even more convincing, is John 12:47, in which Christ says: “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”

The very purpose of Christ’s coming was to act as a counselor unto the people and convince them to follow God and renew the covenant. Up to this point, there was nothing unlawful in Christ’s plea to the people of Israel, whose common-wealth at that time was under Caesar’s rule. At the time, the Jews expected a Savior to come. If such an expectation was unlawful, Hobbes says, the people would not have had it. Furthermore, Christ told the Jews his Kingdome was elsewhere and taught them to obey their earthly king in the meantime, whomever that may be. 

In keeping with the third part of his office, Christ is to be King, but his power will be second to God’s: “The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Thus, Hobbes argues, Christ represents God to the people, just as Moses did, and every Lieutenant thereafter.