Life of Christ

What Was the Subject of Jesus’ Preaching?

The Kingdom of Heaven

The kingdom is God’s divine, kingly reign as proclaimed and inaugurated by Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection, and the subsequent outpouring of the Spirit into the world. In this sense Christ is reigning now, and the kingdom of God has arrived. At the same time the church awaits the future consummation of the divine reign. This “already” and “not yet” dimension of the kingdom of God implies that it is both a given reality (or the divine power at work in the present) and a process that is moving toward its future fulfillment or completion.

KOH vs. KOG

• Is there a difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God?

• There is no difference in reference between ‘the kingdom of God’ and ‘the kingdom of heaven’ (cf. Mt. 4:17 with Mk. 1:15; Mt. 13:11 with Mk. 4:11 and Lk. 8:10)

• Matthew 4:17 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

• Mark 1:14-15 14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

• Matthew 13:11 11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

• Mark 4:11 11 And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,

• Matthew 19:23-24 23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 "Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Why the Different Titles?

• Mt. almost always uses the latter (in distinction from Mk. and Lk. who never do), probably in view of the Jewish background of his audience for whom ‘heaven’ was a reverent way of not using the divine name. Also the Greek word basileia, conventionally translated ‘kingdom’, can have the dynamic meaning of ‘rule’, ‘reign’, ‘kingship’, as well as the concrete meaning of ‘realm’, ‘territory governed by a king’, ‘kingdom’

When Does the Kingdom Come?

• Is it already here? Then why do we pray “Thy Kingdom come” in the Lord’s prayer?

• Is it in the future? Then why does the Lord seem to speak of it as if it is already here?

• Is the Kingdom coming, already here, or could it possibly be both?

The Kingdom Spoken of as Present

• Mark 10:15 15 "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

• Matthew 6:33-34 33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

KOG as Present

• Matthew 11:12 12 "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

• Matthew 12:28 28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

KOG as Present

• Matthew 18:23 23 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. . . . 34 "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."

KOG as Future

• Mark 9:1 And Jesus was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."

• Mark 9:47 "If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell,

KOG as Future

• Mark 15:43 43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.

KOG as Future

• Matthew 8:11 11 "I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;

• Matthew 5:20 20 "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

KOG as Future

• Matthew 20:20-21 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.

• 21 And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left."

What Difference Does it Make?

• The Kingdom begins through the work of Jesus Christ.

• The Kingdom continues through the work of His Church.

• The Kingdom is consummated through the second coming.

Westminster Shorter Catechism

• WSC 1:102 WSC 102 What do we pray for in the second petition? A. In the second petition (which is, Thy kingdom come(1) ) we pray, That Satan's kingdom may be destroyed;(2) and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced,(3) ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it;(4) and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.(5)

Westminster Larger Catechism• WLC 1:191 WLC 191 What do we pray for in the second

petition? A. In the second petition (which is, Thy kingdom come,(1) ) acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan,(2) we pray, that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed,(3) the gospel propagated throughout the world,(4) the Jews called,(5) the fullness of the Gentiles brought in;(6) the church furnished with all gospel-officers and ordinances,(7) purged from corruption,(8) countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate:(9) that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up of those that are already converted:(10) that Christ would rule in our hearts here,(11) and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him for ever:(12) and that he would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends.(13)

Westminster Confession

• WCF 30:2 WCF 30.2 To these officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed, by virtue whereof, they have power, respectively, to retain, and remit sins; to shut that kingdom against the impenitent, both by the Word, and censures; and to open it unto penitent sinners, by the ministry of the Gospel; and by absolution from censures, as occasion shall require.