Jesus preached the gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus' preaching began immediately after His temptations in the desert, according to the sequence in the gospels. Matthew said that Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23). With these words Matthew showed that the theme of the preaching of Jesus was the kingdom of God. The other two synoptics concur with this.

The Kingdom of God. Kingdom of God is the English translation of basileia tou theou. It is found 162 times in the New Testament, without taking in account those occasions where the kingdom of God is not mentioned but understood. Mark used it very little, and John didn't use it at all, although he has equivalent expressions. On the other hand, Luke has it 46 times and Matthew 55. Matthew substitutes of God by of heavens, saying "kingdom of heavens;" but he uses also "kingdom of God" on four occasions (12:28; 19:24; 21:31, 43). As a matter of fact, we do not know exactly which words Jesus used, in Aramaic, because what we have is the Greek translation of what Jesus said.

Kingdom of heavens. These two expressions, "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven" mean the same. Matthew preferred translating Jesus' words as "kingdom of heavens," because he wrote to Jews, and they traditionally avoided pronouncing the name of God. For these it was better to say "kingdom of heavens" than "kingdom of God;" on the other hand for the Greeks, to whom Luke addressed his gospel, "kingdom of heaven" didn't have any meaning.

Kingdom of God in the Old Testament. None of the two expressions already mentioned are found in the Old Testament, although the concept of the kingdom of God is at every step in the Scriptures, particularly in Psalms and Prophets. Some examples are: Your saints shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk of Your power, to make known to the sons of men... the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations (Psalm 145:11-13). And Daniel: I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever. For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation (Daniel 4:34. Compare 7:14, which was quoted when we talked about the Son of Man, Step 22).

Expectation of Israel. It is not surprising, then, that Jesus began His ministry announcing that the kingdom of God had come, without the need of explaining to His listeners what he was talking about, since everyone knew that. Jews lived always under the expectation that the kingdom of God would manifest itself in a solemn way over Israel. John Baptist, who preceded Jesus' ministry by one or two years, had said: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2). That is why Jesus could start preaching the kingdom of God without giving explanations, because everybody understood.

The use of imagery and comparisons. The center and aim of Jesus' preaching was the kingdom of God; all His activities were also motivated by the kingdom of God. Jesus never gave a definition of the kingdom of God, but He did let its meaning be known, unmistakably, through images and comparisons (parables). It is starting from these images and comparisons that we are able to understand what was in Jesus' mind when He spoke about the kingdom of God.

Meaning of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is, first of all, a fact, an event, not a mere concept or idea; and this fact is a present reality as well as a future one. The kingdom of God essentially consists in the sovereign dominion and government of God over the whole universe. As in every kingdom, in the kingdom of God there should be some over whom God reigns, and a scope and sphere of His kingdom. God reigns over all creatures of the universe, human beings included, and His contour is extended to all time and eternity.

The kingdom of God and salvation. It is important to notice that in the kingdom of God all the chosen are included, all the saved ones; the kingdom of God is, then, the kingdom of God with all His elected, who shall reign forever and ever (Revelation 22:5). To come into the kingdom of God is to be counted among the elected; to come into the kingdom of God is synonymous with obtaining eternal life (Compare Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31). Many texts that we are going to quote wouldn't have any meaning if the kingdom of God wasn't also the kingdom of the elected.

Go to the Steps directory.

Entrance into the kingdom of God. Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God as a sphere into which one enters: Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20). And with the same meaning: It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire (Mark 9:47). And to the rich: How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! (Mark 10:23, 25). And this one also: I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:11). To enter into the kingdom of God is to come and be a member of the community of the chosen, not to enter into a physical place.

The kingdom of heaven as a mystery. Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God as a mystery: It has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11). Mystery is a divine reality revealed and communicated to men; the "mysteries of the kingdom" are divine realities, present and future, that Jesus reveals and communicates to mankind.

The kingdom of God is a forthcoming kingdom. As we just said, the kingdom of God is a reality present and future. Jesus teaches that it is a future reality when He says: I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God (Mark 14:25). Explaining the parable of the seed mixed with tares, He says: The enemy who sowed them (the tares) is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age (Matthew 13:39); and in the other parable of the seed Jesus refers to that time when the grain ripens, which is a future time (Mark 4:29). Jesus refers to the measure by which each one will be measured, not as a present but a future time, and adds: Whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him (Mark 14:25). All these are future events. The parable of the wedding is another image of the future kingdom (Matthew 22:1-14).

The promises of the kingdom of God are future. The future character of the kingdom of God is revealed also in the promises of the Beatitudes, since most of them are promises for the future: they shall be comforted, they shall inherit the earth, they shall be filled, they shall obtain mercy, etc. (Matthew 5:4-7. Compare Luke 6:20-21). Jesus teaches the same in the "Our Father," when He says that we should pray, saying: Your kingdom come (Matthew 6:10). Jesus says that we should ask the Father that His kingdom might come upon us —future kingdom,— although it is not excluded that the kingdom of God is in some way already present.

The testimony of John in the Revelation. The kingdom of God is the object of some of the visions of John in the book of Revelation; the apostle refers to the final step of the kingdom, when the kingdoms of the world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ (Revelation 11:15). This vision of the final stage of the kingdom of God that John has, is very similar to that of Paul in Corinthians 15, to which we had referred previously in several occasions (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

Cosmic events. The final stage of the kingdom of God will be preceded by events in the cosmos, as Jesus said: After that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall (Mark 13:24, 25; Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:11). These events should not distract the attention from the principal focus of the kingdom of God, which is the glory of God and the salvation of the elected. Jesus taught also that that salvation is already present. Let us see.

Go to the Steps directory.

"The kingdom of God has come." Mark introduces the preaching of Jesus, saying: Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:14, 15; Matthew 4:17). And when He was asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus answered that it was already present: The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21).

"Today this Scripture is fulfilled." Luke places the reading from Isaiah at the synagogue of Nazareth at the beginning of the preaching of Jesus. It is possible that this happened later, but Luke placed it here, in order to set the frame for all the preaching of Jesus. After the reading from Isaiah, Jesus said: Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing (Luke 4:21), which means: the promises regarding the Messiah have been accomplished; the kingdom of the Messiah is already present, and the expectations of the prophets are reached. It is within this same frame that Jesus told these words to his disciples: Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and have not seen (Luke 10:23, 24; Matthew 13:16, 17). The meaning is the same: the prophecies are fulfilled.

Message for the disciples to preach. When Jesus sent his disciples to preach, he commanded them to say: The kingdom of God has come near to you; and, if they wouldn't believe, wipe off the dust of their city, and say: Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you (Luke 10:9, 11).

The best proof that the kingdom of God has come. The best proof that the kingdom of God had come is undoubtedly, when Jesus answered the accusations that He cast out demons by Beelzebub. Jesus said: If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you (Matthew 12:28). The exorcisms performed by Jesus were one of the clearest signs that the power of the demon had ended, and that the kingdom of God had come to mankind. Jesus said: I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18).

Other quotations could be added. Since the kingdom of God was the central subject of the preaching of Jesus, many quotations could be added. It would be worthwhile to mention at least how Jesus said that His disciples didn't fast, because they were celebrating the wedding of the bridegroom, and the coming of the kingdom of God (Mark 2:19); here the kingdom of God is a present reality. But, when Jesus was interrogated about who would be, in the kingdom of God, the husband of the woman who had had seven spouses, Jesus referred to those who are counted worthy to attain that age, where the kingdom of God is a future reality (Luke 20:35). In the parable of the Rich Man and the poor Lazarus, the kingdom of God is, also, a future reality (Luke 16:19-31).

The kingdom of God is imminent. When Jesus foretold the cosmic events that would accompany the arrival of the kingdom of God, He said that it would take place during the life of the present generation. Jesus said: Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no mean pass away till all these things take place (Mar 13:30). And in Matthew: For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes (Matthew 10:23). Jesus said also: Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power (Mark 9:1). This last quotation could be interpreted, perhaps, in the sense that it will be fulfilled with the transfiguration, which the three synoptics report immediately (Mark 9:2-8; Matthew 17:1-8; Luke 9:28-36). However, two things stay clear: one, that the disciples took the words of Jesus literally, and they were expecting the second coming of the Lord soon at any time, and living in accordance with this expectation; and second, that it didn't happen so.

Go to the Steps directory.

The kingdom of God is a progressive reality. Why could we say that the kingdom of God is in Jesus Christ and is realized through Jesus Christ? As a matter of fact, Paul believed that to announce Jesus as Messiah was to announce the kingdom of God, as we will see soon. The reason is because the kingdom of God and the plan of salvation go together; they are inseparable. As the plan of salvation is a historical process or progressive reality taking place in the course of history, thus the kingdom of God is also a progressive reality. In this historical process Jesus Christ intervenes as the main actor. Let us explain this which seems somewhat confusing.

In which sense the kingdom of God is present and future. The kingdom of God —which is the sovereign dominion of God over the whole creation,— has always been perfect. The expression "the kingdom of God has come," does not mean that the kingdom of God had not come or wasn't present then; nor to say, "the kingdom of God will come," means that there is no kingdom of God now and that everything is forthcoming. These expressions only place the kingdom of God in an historical perspective, as we just said, parallel to the plan of salvation. In the same way that the plan of salvation has a past, a present and a future, so one can speak of a past, present and future of the kingdom of God.

Presence and manifestation of the kingdom of God in Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God is fulfilled in and through Jesus Christ. When Jesus said that the kingdom of God has come, what He was saying was that the promises of God were being fulfilled then, and that in Him and by Him a new stage of the kingdom of God was being carried out. The gospels show how through Jesus the kingdom of God was manifested, that is, the dominion and government of God over all the world's elements. It was written of Him that, even the wind and sea obey Him (Mark 4:41; Matthew 8:26; Luke 8:25); that, He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him (Mark 1:27); that, power went out of Him and healed them all (Luke 6:19); and that, the blind receive their sight and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear and the dead are raised (Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22). All these were signs that the kingdom of God was somehow but really present in Jesus Christ. (See the next chapter regarding the miracles.)

In Jesus the righteousness of God is present. The most marvelous way that the kingdom of God is present and manifested in the person of Jesus is, that mankind receives the righteousness of God and is introduced to communion with Him, in Him and by Him. Paul says referring to Jesus: Through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life (Romans 5:18); this is the life itself of God, to which man is introduced by Jesus Christ.

What is not fulfilled yet. According to God's plan the whole creation must be submitted to Christ, before the kingdom of God comes to its final stage; this stage of the kingdom of God is not fulfilled yet. Paul writes: Now when all things are made subject to Him (to Christ), then the Son Himself —as a human being— will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28). This will be the final and definitive stage of the kingdom of God

The kingdom of God for Paul. Now we can understand how for Paul, to announce that Jesus was the Messiah was to announce the kingdom of God, and to preach the kingdom of God was the same as to announce the Messiaship of Jesus; each includes the other. When he arrived in Rome —we read in Acts,— he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus (Acts 28:23). To proclaim Jesus as Christ and Lord was the same as announcing the kingdom of God promised in the Scriptures; that is why Acts adds that Paul was preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, as if they were the same reality (Acts 28:31). In the ministry of Paul the person of Jesus and the kingdom of God identify each other, because the kingdom of God has been made present in the person of Jesus, or, as Origine wrote: "the kingdom of God has been realized in Jesus Himself."

Go to the Steps directory.

The use of parables. It is well known that the means most often used by Jesus to communicate His message regarding the kingdom of God, was His parables. The parables are short stories or comparisons; Jesus interpreted some of them at the request of the apostles, and the ones that He didn't interpret, are relatively easy to understand within the context of the gospel. Most of the parables of the kingdom of God are in Mark, chapter 4, and in Matthew, chapter 13. We'll refer to the parables later (Step 60), but let us see now their synthesis under the perspective of the kingdom of God.

The parable of the Mustard Seed and of the Leaven. In the parable of the mustard seed (Mark 4:31-32; Luke 13:18), Jesus emphasized the "magnitude" of the future kingdom compared with the present; we know that "there" is no physical space, but it is a way to compare the kingdom today with the future, when He will come. In the parable of the leaven, the kingdom of God is like a ferment that penetrates the world, and transforms it (Luke 13:20-21; Matthew 13:33).

The parable of the Sower and the Seed. Jesus Himself made the interpretation of the sower who went out to sow (Matthew 13:2-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:4-15), and spoke about the different responses that the word of God receives. The word of God, which is the seed of the kingdom of God, demands an answer to give fruit. The meaning is that, in order to attain the kingdom of God, response and cooperation are required. This response receives the name of faith in the Scripture.

The parable of the Barren Fig Tree. The parable of the barren fig tree completes the parable of the seed. God waits for the fruit from the believer and He is patient; but, if it does not give fruit, it will be cut down (Luke 13:6-9; Matthew 21:18-20. Compare Mark 11:12-14, 20-24).

The parable of the Tares and of the Dragnet. The parable of the tares, carried only by Matthew (13:24-30), shows that in the present stage of the kingdom of God, the good and the wicked ones are together; but at the end, the latter will be thrown into fire to burn. It is also Matthew alone who carries the parable of the dragnet, where any kind of fishes are caught, and then the good ones are gathered, because the bad ones will be cast into the furnace of fire (Matthew 13:47-50). Once again Jesus says that the evil ones will be cast into the furnace of fire.

The parable of the Hidden Treasure and of the Pearl. These two parables are found only in Matthew, and show the kingdom of heaven as a treasure and as a pearl of great price (13:44-16). Everything is left in order to obtain the treasure or get the pearl. One of the basic attitudes of those who want to follow Jesus is to leave everything for Him. The reward is clear: Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you (Luke 12:31; Matthew 6:33).

The message of other parables. The parable of the Ten Virgins, of which five were ready and five were not, teaches that the believer should be ready, vigilant and prepared at any time (Matthew 25:1-13). The parable of the Persistent Widow shows the efficacy of prayer accompanied by faith (Luke 18:2-8). And we already saw that the presence of Jesus, who initiated the messianic kingdom, is motive of gladness and happiness, not of fasting (Mark 2:18).

Go to the Steps directory.

The kingdom of God demands a response. Which relationship exists between the kingdom of God and the believers? Are they merely passive in the kingdom, or do they have any obligation in it and with it? Let us try to answer these questions. Theologians and biblicists agree that the kingdom of God —that is what the gospel proclaims,— demands a personal response. There is no complete agreement about the character of that answer and its extent. It is agreed, generally, that faith is the response to the proclamation of the kingdom of God.

Conversion and faith. The kingdom of God is a call, an invitation, and hence it demands an answer. The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15). According to these words, Jesus expected two things: repentance and faith. Repentance is a change of life, is conversion, and this is the first objective of the gospel —of the kingdom of God. To believe, is the attitude accompanying conversion, which is at the same time intellectual assent, and obedience or submission to the Lord. To believe with the mind, without obedience and submission to the Lord, is the same as not to believe. Conversion and faith are the answer to the call of the kingdom of God, and they could be named with one word only, faith, because conversion is the initial step of faith. Jesus explained conversion in the parable of the lost son, carried by Luke (15:11-32).

Parable of the Talents. Another parable of the kingdom of God is that of the talents, found only in Matthew (25:14-30). According to this parable, the kingdom of God is a kind of gift which is received, in order to work with it and make it produce fruits, which if unprofitable, is cast into the outer darkness (v. 30).

To receive and to enter. Jesus said: Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it (Mark 10:15). To receive the kingdom and to enter in; to receive it as a gift, and to enter into the sphere of the kingdom of God. Regarding the receiving "as a little child" means that it should be received without arguing but with acceptance and full confidence in the giver. That priority over everything should be given to the kingdom of God, is shown in Luke 9:60, 62.

Social ramifications of the kingdom of God. Not all theologians and biblicists agree regarding the social ramifications of the kingdom of God, and to what extent whoever enters into it —who accepts the gospel,— must be involved, politically and socially, in the change of the social structures of the world, and into the establishment of an evangelical justice.

Advocates of the Liberation Theology. The adherents of an involvement in the social struggle affirm that that is the only way for the kingdom of God to make sense in today's world; the kingdom of God —they say,— must be taken from the abstract and universal, and be translated into concrete and specific things with a change of social structures. The kingdom of God must transform the social structures of nations and must establish just and equitable systems. For them, Christian faith wouldn't have meaning if it does not fight to solve the social problems of the world. This position, which had its origins mainly in Latin American, during the 60's of this century, is known as theology of liberation.

Another opinion. Other theologians and biblicists believe that there is nothing in the gospels indicating that the believers must establish a new society founded on the gospel. For them, an involvement in political activities to establish social justice, is beyond the demands of the gospel. They all agree, however, that the believer must oppose any kind of injustice and he or she must practice justice with his/her neighbors. The believer can contribute to the establishment of social justice, among other means, with his/her vote. But they do not agree that Christians must transform into revolutionaries to change the world.

The kingdom of God and the Church. The church is not the kingdom of God; the church is within the sphere of the kingdom of God, but the kingdom of God is not limited by the church but goes beyond that: it extends itself to the whole creation. The church on her part is rather a messenger of the kingdom of God, that is, that her office and mission is to announce the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. The church, through the believers, must be also the sign and signal of the kingdom of God in the world.

The keys of the kingdom. Matthew carries the words of Jesus to Peter, after his confession: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19). Keys are instruments to open and close doors, and to have the keys means to have the power to let enter or exit; this is the meaning of the words. This figure is found in other places of the Scripture.

Meaning of giving the keys of the kingdom. In this case the kingdom of God is the church, and the phrase means that Peter received the commission to open the church to Jews and Gentiles, as in fact he did. We read that Peter opened the church to Jews in Pentecost, Acts chapter 2; and he opened also the church to Gentiles, Acts chapter 10. The Roman Church sees in this text that Jesus bestowed on Peter hierarchical authority over the whole church, established a succession, and made him infallible. None of the writing, nor the facts of the New Testament, support this interpretation; on the contrary, it states an opposite fact (Galatians 2:11-14).

Take into consideration. In the narrative immediately following the confession of Peter, Matthew states that Jesus turned and said to Peter: Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God but the things of men (Matthew 16:23). It seems that with these words Matthew tried to put a balance to the exaltation that could come upon Peter by the preceding narrative. Remember also that Jesus gave the same power to all the apostles, when He said to His disciples: Assuredly, I say to you: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18).

The priority in the kingdom. The advocates of liberation theology say, that the temporal kingdom (of Jesus) through christian justice, should be the first thing to be sought, and then the spiritual kingdom. Nothing is farther from Jesus' mind than to think of a temporary kingdom, when He clearly affirmed that the aim of His mission was to ransom fallen man: the Son of Man came to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). He declared also categorically before Pilate that He didn't come to establish a temporary kingdom, when He said: My kingdom is not from here (John 18:36).

Go to the Steps directory.