Reign (Verb and Noun)
“to reign,” is used (I) literally, (a) of God, Rev 11:17; Rev 19:6, in each of which the aorist tense (in the latter, translated “reigneth”) is “ingressive,” stressing the point of entrance; (b) of Christ, Luk 1:33; 1Co 15:25; Rev 11:15; as rejected by the Jews, Luk 19:14, Luk 19:27; (c) of the saints, hereafter, 1Co 4:8 (2nd part), where the Apostle, casting a reflection upon the untimely exercise of authority on the part of the church at Corinth, anticipates the due time for it in the future (see No. 2); Rev 5:10; Rev 20:4, where the aorist tense is not simply of a “point” character, but “constative,” that is, regarding a whole action as having occurred, without distinguishing any steps in its progress (in this instance the aspect is future); Rev 20:6; Rev 22:5, (d) of earthly potentates, Mat 2:22; 1Ti 6:15, where “kings” is, lit., “them that reign;” (II) metaphorically, (a) of believers, Rom 5:17, where “shall reign in life” indicates the activity of life in fellowship with Christ in His sovereign power, reaching its fullness hereafter; 1Co 4:8 (1st part), of the carnal pride that laid claim to a power not to be exercised until hereafter; (b) of Divine grace, Rom 5:21; (c) of sin, Rom 5:21; Rom 6:12; (d) of death, Rom 5:14, Rom 5:17.
“to reign together with” (sun, “with,” and No. 1), is used of the future “reign” of believers together and with Christ in the kingdom of God in manifestation, 1Co 4:8 (3rd part); of those who endure 2Ti 2:12, cp. Rev 20:6.
Notes: (1) In Rom 15:12, AV, archo, “to rule” (RV, is translated “to reign.” (2) In Rev 17:18, echo, “to have,” with basileia, “a kingdom,” is translated “reigneth,” lit., “hath a kingdom,” suggestive of a distinction between the sovereignty of mystic Babylon and that of ordinary sovereigns. (3) In Luk 3:1, hegemonia, “rule,” is rendered “reign.”