“What did Jesus teach?” The basic message Jesus taught was that the Kingdom of God/Heaven had arrived. Perhaps better than anywhere else, the very essence of Jesus’ teaching—the central theme was summed up by Mark: “The time is fulfilled; and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
It is a summary of the message that Jesus brought His nation which is unfolded in the gospel. Mark indicated that the waiting time had ended, and the Kingdom of God has arrived. Mark’s summary is divided into four elements. (1) the time is fulfilled, (2) the Kingdom of God has drawn near, (3) repent, and (4) believe.
In the Old Testament, God’s kingdom was always spoken of in the future tense: “Behold the days are coming…”; or “It shall come to pass in those days…” The Jews were on alert for a King who would come and establish an everlasting kingdom. To understand the kingdom Jesus proclaimed had arrived, one must understand the Jewish sense of expectation and its history.
The message of John the Baptist and Jesus was different from the prophets of the Old Testament, in that they used the present tense. The Kingdom of Heaven was approaching, was at hand, was in their midst, had arrived. That was very good news to the Jews. It was the glad tidings – the gospel—the Good News that God had acted on his promises. What God’s people for ages had desired to see had arrived on earth (Luke 10:23-24). Who Anna and Simeon longed for and waited to see had been born—The King of the Jews (Luke 2). And “…he (Jesus) went throughout every city and village preaching and showing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God” (Luke 8:1).
What is the Kingdom of God? While Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God repeatedly, he never defined clearly what He meant by the phrase. Nor did any hearer ever interrupt him to ask, “What do the words mean, ‘Kingdom of God,’ which you use so often?” Jesus was able to use the phrase “Kingdom of God’ in first century in Palestine assured it would be understood —and it was. The “Kingdom of God/Heaven was in the vocabulary of every Jew. It was something they understood and longed for desperately.
To us, on the other hand, the “Kingdom of Heaven” or “Kingdom of God” are strange terms. They mean the same thing. The term does not mean “the Kingdom IN Heaven.” However, if we are to comprehend Jesus’ message, we must know its meaning. Where did it come from? What did it mean to Jesus and those to whom he spoke?
Maybe you think of a “kingdom” as a place where a king rules instead of a president or a prime minister. But kingdom and place don’t always go together. For instance, where on a map do you find the plant kingdom or the animal kingdom? To understand the way the New Testament writers used the word “kingdom,” it is necessary to realize that kingdom and place do not always go together. Jesus frequently talked about His Kingdom, but he never implied that anyone could find it on a map. Spiritual kingdoms don’t necessarily have geographic boundaries. And when Jesus went about preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God, he wasn’t handing out a map with directions to get there. A kingdom is not just a particular geographical area, but a people governed by the will of a king.
So when Jesus announced that the “kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15), He did not have a physical kingdom in mind. “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21).
Even though the phrase the “Kingdom of God” is absent from the Old Testament, the concept was very important to Israel. The role of God as king and his ruling activity was at the heart of Old Testament faith. Their hope was focused on the coming of the Lord as King (Is. 33:22) who will triumph over all nations. God is portrayed as Deliverer and Sovereign King who will reign (See Is 24:23; 30:33; 32:1; 33:17, 20-22). The hope of Israel was the hope of the coming Kingdom of God.
“The Kingdom of Heaven” was Matthew’s favorite descriptive term for the “Kingdom,” and he is the only New Testament writer to use it. He uses this term in his gospel thirty times. Matthew presents Jesus as the King, and his key phrase is “that it might be fulfilled.” Luke preferred to use the term “The Kingdom of God,” however, the terms are interchangeable and mean the same. Matthew probably used the Jewish phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” because the Jews would not pronounce the Divine Name and instead, they substituted the word “heaven.” Luke used the name “God” more freely.
The phrase “Kingdom of God” was a historical one, handed down from Old Testament prophecies (Dan 7:14, 27) and was in use in Jesus’ day. John the Baptist used it (Matt 3:2) and Jesus also used it (Matt 4:17, Luke 4:43). It meant that the new era prophesied by the prophets and longed for by saints had begun (Luke 23:51). Sometimes it was called “the Kingdom of the Son of Man,” or the kingdom that belongs to Christ (Matt 16:28; John 18:36); or the Kingdom of the Father (Matt 13:43) and sometimes, just “the Kingdom” (Matt. 4:23).
After Jesus had ascended into Heaven, and after Pentecost, the phrases the “Kingdom of Heaven” or “Kingdom of God” were still used in preaching. Philip and Paul are both recorded using it. It is used in the sense that all who believe, receive and are baptized in Christ become members of the universal church and Kingdom of God/Heaven. John also used this phrase to describe a future period when all the kingdoms of this world are openly subject to God, who through Jesus rules visibly as King (Rev 12:10).
Long before Jesus arrived, there was an expectation of the coming Kingdom. The questions and longings of Israelites had continued for years. After Jesus had risen again and appeared for the last time to the Apostles, they asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?” (Acts 1:6) and “the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (Matt 24:3)
The promise of the coming Kingdom is found in the three major covenants of the Old Testament; the Abramic covenant (Gen 12:1-3); the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7:12-16); and the New covenant (Jer 31:31). The Abramic covenant was the first announcement of the coming of the kingdom. The promises to Abraham are expanded in God’s covenant to David. God promised that David’s kingdom or throne would be established forever (Dan 2:44). The prophets announced that the time would come when the Lord would reaffirm His kingly reign and restore to honor the people called by His name. God promised that in that day he would raise up David as king, who would be the Messiah (Jer 30:9). The Jewish nation looked forward to the time when God would fulfill his promises. With the coming of Jesus, that time was fulfilled. John the Baptist, Jesus and the Apostles all proclaimed that the kingdom of God is at hand.
The Old Testament promises and expectations regarding the Kingdom included two key aspects. One aspect claims that the Messiah would be a Redeemer who would restore humankind to a right relationship with God; one who would provide a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. The Messianic hope was of the coming Prince of Peace in the line of David, “For unto us is born, to us a son is given; and his name will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,’ ” (Is 9:6). The other aspect focused on the Messiah coming as King. The kingdom has a present aspect to it and also a future aspect to it.
The Jews interpreted all the Old Testament prophesies as pertaining to one person (Messiah/Christ) who would come once and save them and rule over them at the same time. It probably never entered their minds that “the kingdom” would come twice—first in the form of a Redeemer/Savior who would suffer and die for their sins and second, return (still in the future) and rule the promised Messianic kingdom. How profoundly their expectations differed from God’s plan.
So, when they heard Jesus, John the Baptist and the Apostles heralding that the Kingdom was here, they thought it was a tangible kingdom be installed on earth at that time. There was the hope of political restoration of independence from Rome through military action led by Christ. Perhaps the disappointing realization that Jesus was not going to usher in the physical kingdom of God at that time contributed to Judas selling out.
When is the Kingdom arriving?
The disciples hoped for a visible kingdom (Acts 1:6). Jesus did not deny that He was a King and would have a Kingdom. Jesus told them that only the Father knows when the Kingdom will come (Matt 24:3, 36). Jesus told Pilate “My Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
Present Kingdom. Jesus called on his listeners to enter or receive the Kingdom of God (Matt 12:28). There is a present kingdom. Paul speaks of being transferred out of the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s Son (Col 1:13). One cannot be transferred into Christ’s Kingdom or receive a Kingdom that is not a present reality.
Future Kingdom. The word “Kingdom” is also used with a future reference. Jesus said that when the Son of man comes in His glory, “then he will sit on his glorious throne” (Matt 25:31).
Eleven of Jesus’ parables suggest what the Kingdom of God is like, and in these Jesus seems to be building on the Jews basic understanding of the Kingdom that was drawn primarily from the Old Testament.
The Kingdom Parables begin at Matthew 13; Mark 4 and Luke 8. They are introduced by some such expressions as “The Kingdom of God is like”; the sower Mark 4:1-9; candlestick/lamp 4:21-22; growing seed 4:26-29; tares/weeds Matt 13:24-30; mustard seed Mark 4:30-32; leaven/yeast Matt 13:33; treasure in field Matt 13:44; pearl of great price Matt 13:45-46; dragnet Matt 13:47-50; and householder Matt 3:51-52.
In the parables in Matt 24:48 (thief coming in night, 25:5 (ten virgins) and 25:19 (nobleman going to a far country/talents), the key emphasis is upon the long delay. The absent Lord represents Jesus. Jesus is correcting their erroneous assumption that He would immediately establish His Kingdom. He is telling them that He must go away, and His servants will have the responsibility of looking after his interests while He is gone.
Jesus, the King. Nathanael recognized Jesus, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel” (John 1:49). Matthew refers to Jesus as “King” 14 times; Mark 6 times; Luke 5 times; and John 14 times. The Jews attempted by force to make Jesus their king (John 6:15). But Jesus had no intention of setting up an earthly kingdom. He did not satisfy those who expected a Messiah who would bring about their independence against Rome and set himself up as a ruler of an earthly kingdom of the Jews. Clearly, Jesus was not the Messiah that the Jews were expecting. He did not summon legions of angels to destroy their adversaries.
Instead, Jesus came to earth in the form of the prophesied “Suffering Servant.” The Jews had not understood “the Servant” as a messianic figure. The Suffering Servant passage is commonly associated with Isaiah 53. The figure of a Servant appears four times in Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-11; and the most famous, 52:13-53:12. There is little evidence that the Jews before the time of Jesus had any expectation of a suffering Messiah. In rejecting the Servant as a messianic prophecy, they rejected Jesus who filled it.
Some King and Kingdom scriptures:
“Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” (Matt 2:2; John 18:37)
Christ was BORN a king; He was a king before He was born. (Ps 2:6)
The prince of the kings of the earth (Rev 1:5)
King of saints (Rev 15:3)
King of Kings (Rev) of the earth, King of Israel
“This is Jesus, King of the Jews” superscription written above him on the cross (Matt 27:37)
“If he be King of the Jews, let him come down from the cross” (Matt 27:42)
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NOTE: The above is limited in scope. It addresses what the term “Kingdom of God/Heaven” meant to those in the Old Covenant; Jesus usage of it, and how those in Jesus’ day and time would have interpreted it.
It does not describe or define the meaning of the term the “Kingdom of God/Heaven” for believers in the New Covenant, or NOW. Nor does it define what Jesus meant by “the Kingdom of God is within you.”
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21).