Meaning and Significance of
the Phrase "Kingdom of God" - Robert I. Bradshaw
From:
"jagbir singh" <www.adishakti.org@gmail.com>
Date: Sat Dec 4, 2004 5:17 am
Subject: The Meaning and Significance of the
Phrase "Kingdom of God" - Robert I. Bradshaw
|
—- In
shriadishakti@yahoogroups.com,
jagbir singh
<adishakti_org@y...> wrote:
>
> Dear Jimmy,
>
> There will be no end to your questions because they
are based on
> your religious upbringing and conditioning. (You must
always
> remember that all Christian denominations and sects
today trace
> their roots from the Catholic Church.) Just five
centuries ago you
> would have sworn that the Earth is flat at a time when
Eastern
> mystics had advance knowledge about the infinite
universe, many
> centuries earlier. While Christians were seeking the
Kingdom of
> God far, far away the mystics were exploring it within
themselves.
>
>
The Meaning and Significance of the Phrase "Kingdom
of God" in the Teaching of Jesus as Represented by the
Synoptic Gospels
by Robert I. Bradshaw
From that time on Jesus began to preach. "Repent for the
Kingdom of
God is near." Matt. 4:17.
It is clear from the Synoptic Gospels that 'the Kingdom
of God'
formed the central theme of Jesus' preaching from the
very outset of
his ministry. Although Matthew's Gospel only uses the
phrase
'Kingdom of God' four times (12:28; 19:24; 21:21, 31,
43). it is
generally held that the phrase 'Kingdom of Heaven' used
in this
Gospel is typical of the Jewish practice of
circumlocution -
substituting another word for the divine name. The two
terms are
therefore completely interchangeable (cf. Matt. 19:23
with v. 24;
Mark 10:23).(1)
Jesus did not invent the phrase, but built upon existing
Old
Testament teaching (cf. Psalm 145:11, 13; 103:19; Isa.
45:23; Dan.
4:3; Zech. 14:9)(2) and Jewish Apocalyptic writings that
follow the
same pattern of thought. The regular synagogue prayer of
pre-
Christian times (the Kaddish), for example, reads: "May
He let His
Kingdom rule... speedily and soon."(3)
J. Ramsey Michaels comments:
In many different ways Jesus affirmed traditional Jewish
expectation. yet he gives them at the same time what
Henry James
would call a aturn of the screw', a new twist that
shocks his
hearers and in some respect calls their behaviour and
world-view
into question.(4)
It is now generally agreed that the Greek word Basileia
referred
primarily to the abstract concept of God's rule or
reign, but was
also (but less commonly) used to refer to the realm over
which that
rule was exercised.(5) That being said, what did Jesus
mean by the
term Kingdom of God? The simplest answer is that he used
it to
summarise his entire mission, in all its aspects,(6) but
this
statement requires further development lest the
theological richness
of the term be lost.
For Jesus the Gospel was the nearness of the Kingdom of
God (Mark
1:14-15).(7) This passage (and others that emphasise the
nearness of
the Kingdom. e.g. Mark 9:1; Matt 12:28=Luke 11:20) were
taken by
C.H. Dodd as evidence that Jesus taught that the Kingdom
of God was
present in his own ministry and "a matter of present
experience".(8)
Closer examination of the texts illustrates the danger
of
interpreting the evidence according to ones preconceived
ideas.(9)
Study of Mark 1:15 has shown that the Greek texts (and
the Hebrew
underlying them) are ambiguous in their meaning, which
has led many
to conclude (rightly in my view) that Jesus intended his
hearers to
understand that the Kingdom of God [henceforth
abbreviated to "the
Kingdom"] had both a present(10) and a future
aspect.(11) By way of
contrast Cranfield argues that the reference is not
temporal but
spatial - the Kingdom has come near in the person of
Jesus.(12)
C.H. Dodd felt free to alter the translation of Mark 9:1
by
inserting "...the adverb already' and interpret 'see'
to mean
recognise in retrospect."(13) He wrote: "The bystanders
are...
promised... that they shall come to see that the Kingdom
of God has
already come, at some point before they became aware of
it."(14) The
correct translation and an examination of the context
reveals,
however, that for Mark (as for Matthew [16:28] and Luke
[9:27]). the
term "coming of the Kingdom in power" referred first of
all to the
transfiguration (which follows the statement in all
three the
Synoptics (Matt. 17:1-l3; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:18-36).
but also
pointed forward to the glory to come following the
resurrection (cf.
2 Peter 1:16-18).(15) If it were to refer to the
Parousia then it
would have to be conceded that Jesus was mistaken in his
prediction
that some of the disciples would still be alive when it
occurred(16)
(which is exactly what T.W. Manson seeks to prove).(17)
Jesus' exorcisms mean that "the sovereign power of God
has come into
effective operation."(18) Matthew (4:23; 10:7; cf.
11:2-6)(19) and
Luke (4:40-43; 8:1-3;9:1-2, 11; 10:9) both link the
proclamation of
the Kingdom with the defeat of demons and the cure of
diseases.(20)
The contrast is made by Jesus between God's Kingdom and
that of
Satan (Luke 11:18-20, cf. 4:40-43). In many of his
parables Jesus
taught his disciples that the Kingdom of God would
coexist in the
world with the kingdom of Satan for a time. In the
parable of the
Weeds (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-44) he explains "how the
Kingdom can be
present in the world without wiping yet not wiping out
all
opposition.(21) The parable of the Dragnet (Matt.
13:47-50) likewise
speaks of a time of coexistence followed by a separation
when the
Kingdom is fully established at the end of the age.(22)
Matthew 12:28 (=Luke 11:20) also teaches us that the
kingdom is
established by the power of the Holy Spirit, in whom
Jesus worked.
(23) Although it is done in the power of the Spirit, the
work of
establishing the Kingdom is the Father's (Matt. 6:10;
Luke 11:2).
(24) T.W. Manson has shown that Jesus revealed God as
Father to his
disciples.(25) In the same way the teaching concerning
the bestowal
of the Kingdom was also done in the context of private
instruction
of the disciples (Matt. 13:43; 25:43; Luke 12:32;
22:29ff).(26) The
Parable of the Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29) illustrates
that the
kingdom grows on its own, apart from any visible
external
assistance, as the Father causes it to grow,(27) "emphasising
God's
initiative in the establishment of His rule."(28)
The Early Church was clear in their assertion that Jesus
was the
Messiah, the Anointed One (cf. Matt .4:16-17; Mark
1:10-11; Luke
3:21-22), who was Ruler and king (Matt. 2:2; cf. 21:5).
Yet Jesus
did not publicly claim that title. preferring instead
the self-
designation 'Son of Man'. Marshall suggests that just as
Jesus used
this ambiguous term (which could mean "Son of God" [cf.
Dan. 7:27]
or simply 'I') as a veiled manifestation of himself, so
in the same
way he used the term 'Kingdom of God' to refer to "an
authority and
rule that will be revealed openly in the future, but at
present is
hidden and partly secret."(29) This is supported by an
examination
of Jesus' parabolic teaching, such as the Parable of the
Mustard
Seed (Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19) and the Yeast (Matt.
13:33; Luke
13:20-21). Blomberg points out that the Parables,
"confronted people
with radical demands, and not all were willing to
comply. Some
followed him in discipleship, but others were actually
driven
further from his Kingdom."(30) (Mark 4:10-12; cf. Matt.
12:34).
The Kingdom also has a future aspect, which Weiss and
Schweitzer
have over emphasised(31) at the expense of those
passages where
Jesus taught a present Kingdom (see above).(32) Luke
13:22-31 is
particularly relevant to our discussion at this point,
for it not
only gives a rare glimpse into events in the
eschatological Kingdom
i.e. the feast (vv. 29-30). This concept would have been
a familiar
one to his hearers (Isa. 25:6f; 64:3; 65:13f; Ezek.
32:4; 39:17-20),
(33) but Jesus gives ' turn of the screw' that would
have shocked a
Jewish audience: there would be many surprises as to the
final
membership of the Kingdom - even the Gentiles would be
represented!
(cf. Isa. 45:6; 49:12).(34) The same theme recurs in
Luke 14:15-25,
were Jesus does not correct his table companions
declaration:
"Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the
Kingdom of God"
(v.15), as 'feast' is "a common Jewish metaphor meaning
eschatological salvation."(35) The Pharisees were deeply
offended by
the way in which Jesus welcomed such people as Gentiles,
Tax
Collectors and 'sinners' and ate with them (Matt.
9:9-13; Mark 2:15-
17; Luke 5:27-32). To which Jesus replied with the
parables of the
Lost Sheep, the Lost Silver and the Lost Son (Luke 15).
Of these
the "keynote is the joy in heaven over a son who repents
(15:7, 10).
over a son who comes home."(36)
The question as to membership of the Kingdom leads to
the commonly
asked question "Is the Church the Kingdom of God?" R.T.
France
points out that this question is "meaningless... roughly
on a par
with... 'Is Mrs. Thatcher patriotism?'"(37) because as
we have
already seen, the Kingdom refers primarily to God's
rule. Nowhere in
the New Testament is the church identified with the
Kingdom of God.
George Eldon Ladd states:
The Kingdom is the rule of God, and the realm of his
blessings; the
Church is the people of the Kingdom. who have received
it, who
witness it, and who will inherit.(38)
There is a danger, however, of taking Perrin's concept
of the Kingdom
(39) too far, as I.H. Marshall points out. Like other
liberal
scholars Perrin derives his "understanding of the
Kingdom of God
from a limited number of texts which he believed to be
the authentic
sayings of Jesus,(40) and so his definition of the
Kingdom "namely
the powerful action of God that can be expressed in a
whole range of
situations"(41) is proved inadequate when the rest of
the evidence
is examined. Marshall concludes that "the Church as the
people of
God is the object of his rule and is therefore His
Kingdom, or at
least an expression of it, imperfect and sinful though
it is."(42)
Luke 17:20-21 is the only saying of Jesus that might be
used as
evidence to attempt to prove that he saw the Kingdom as
something
internal(43) (cf. Rom. 14:17). The Pharisees were
looking for signs
that could be observed, but Jesus replied that the
Kingdom was among
them - that is - it was present in His person and
ministry.(44)
In contrast to the ideas current in his day, Jesus'
statement
that "From the time of John the Baptist until now, the
Kingdom of
Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men
lay hold of
it (Matt. 11:12; cf. Luke 16:16). These verses have
given rise to a
great range of interpretations. F.F. Bruce sees them as
a rebuke to
those of like mind to the Zealots, who sought to bring
about the
Kingdom of God by force.(45) More likely is the view of
D.A. Carson
who argues that:
From the beginning of Jesus' ministry the Kingdom had
been
forcefully advancing (the point also made in Luke
16:16). But it has
not swept all opposition away as John expected.(46) What
both John
the Baptist and the Pharisees were expecting was the
sudden and
total establishment of the Kingdom. Instead, Jesus
predicts that
those in the Kingdom can expect opposition and
persecution.(47)
The idea of the 'scum of the earth' (prostitutes and
Tax-Collectors)
entering the Kingdom (Matt. 21:28-32) while the
'righteous'
religious leaders remained outside is yet another
example of Jesus
correcting mistaken notions.(48) His point is obvious,
saying 'Yes'
to God verbally yet failing to do the will of God
excludes one from
the Kingdom (cf. Matt. 7:21). "The gracious, redemptive
activity of
God demands a response of radical obedience."(49)
The parables of the Hidden Treasure (Matt. 13:44) and
the Pearl
(13:45- 46) teach that the Kingdom is of great worth. In
the former
a man, having found the treasure, hid it again until he
had bought
the field, because treasure belonged to the owner of the
property,
not to the finder.(50) In the latter:
Jesus is not interested in religious efforts or in
affirming that
one can 'buy' the Kingdom; on the contrary. he is saying
that the
person whose whole life has been bound up with the
'pearls' will, on
comprehending the true value of the Kingdom as Jesus
presents it,
gladly exchange all else to follow him.(51)
The parable of the Sower shows that productivity within
the Kingdom
depends on the kind of response made by each individual
who heard of
it. In ancient Israel a tenfold harvest was a good
yield, and the
average about seven and a half. The hundredfold harvest
predicted
was the result of two things - a correct attitude of
heart and on
part of the disciple and a miracle.(52) This correct
attitude is
further described in Luke 18. It is not
self-righteousness, like
that of the Pharisee (vv.9-12, 14), but humility like
the Tax
Collector (v.13). It is having the attitude of a child
(vv. 15-16;
cf. Matt. 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16),(53) which implies
total
dependence upon the good pleasure of God, having no
power or
righteousness of one's own.(54)
For the Gospel writers the phrase "entering the Kingdom
of God" is
interchangeable with 'being saved' as can be seen from
Luke 18:25-26
(cf. Matt. 19:24-25; Mark 10:23, 26), where Jesus
describes how hard
it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God and the
disciples
reply "who then can be saved?" In the next few verses
the Kingdom is
linked with 'eternal life' (Luke 18:30; cf. Matt. 25:29;
Mark 10:30).
(55) This is further strengthened in Luke 21:28-30. for
in verse
28 'redemption' is drawing near, but is v.30 it is the
Kingdom of
God that is drawing near. Clearly the Gospels are
linking the
salvation and redemption of believers with the coming of
the Kingdom.
(56)
The term 'Kingdom of God' is a multi-ordinate term which
includes
every aspect of Jesus' ministry, even the cross, which
in some way
(that the Gospels do not make clear) is essential to the
coming of
the Kingdom.(57) In His teaching Jesus built on and
corrected the
current ideas about the Kingdom within Judaism and
showed that it
has both a present and a future aspect. Now it suffers
violence, is
resisted and requires total commitment to enter it; yet
its growth
is not the work of man, but of the Father. The Kingdom
is the rule
of God, but it also includes people, and these people
are not a new
Israel ruled by the Twelve Disciples (Matt. 19:28; Luke
22:29),(58)
but are different from the old in composition in that it
is
universal rather than restricted to one nation.
The Meaning and Significance of the Phrase "Kingdom
of God" in the Teaching of Jesus as Represented by the
Synoptic Gospels
www.robibrad.demon.co.uk/kingdom.htm
References
(1) George Eldon Ladd, "Kingdom of God," G.W. Bromiley,
Gen. Ed.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE),
revised, Vol. 3.
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), 24; B. Klappert, "King,
Kingdom,"
Colin Brown, Gen. Ed., New International Dictionary of
New Testament
Theology, Vol. 2. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971),
376-377.
(2) Wendell Willis, "The Discovery of the Eschatological
Kingdom:
Johannes Weiss and Albert Schweitzer," Wendell Willis,
ed., The
Kingdom of God in 20th Century Interpretation. (Peabody,
Massachusetts: Hendricksen, 1967), 5. Schweitzer and
Weiss agree
that Jesus drew on Jewish Apocalyptic; R.H. Hiers,
"Pivotal
Reactions to the Eschatological Interpretations: Rudolf
Bultmann and
C.H. Dodd," in Willis, 31. Dodd rejected this view in
favour of a
Hellenistic background.
(3) R.T. France, "The Church and the Kingdom of God,"
D.A. Carson,
ed. Biblical Interpretation and the Church. (Nashville:
Thomas
Nelson, 1964), 34; Klappert, 377.
(4) J. Ramsey Michaels, "The Kingdom of God And The
Historical
Jesus," in Willis, 216.
(5) Ladd, 24; I. Howard Marshall, I.H. Jesus The Saviour.
(Downers
Grove, Illinois, IVP, 1990), 215; Norman Perrin, The
Kingdom of God
in the Teaching of Jesus. (London: SCM Press Ltd.,
1963), 24.
(6) France, 34; Robert O'Toole, "The Kingdom of God in
Luke-Acts,"
in Willis, 153.
(7) William L. Lane, "Mark," New International
Commentary on the New
Testament. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974), 63-64;
(8) C.H. Dodd, Parables of the Kingdom. (London: SCM
Press Ltd.,
1935), 29-31.
(9) Critics have suggested that Dodd's Jesus resembles
more nearly a
Cambridge Platonist than a first century Jew. See Hiers,
22.
(10) Dodd, 28-35.
(11) W.G. Kummel, Promise And Fulfillment. (London: SCM
Press Ltd,
1961), 19-24; Robert A. Guelich, "Mark 1 - 8:26," Word
Biblical
Commentary. (Waco: Word Books, 1989), 44.
(12) C.E.B. Cranfield, "Mark," Cambridge Greek Testament
Commentary.
(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1959), 67.
(13) Hiers, 21.
(14) Dodd, 37.
(15) Lane, 313-314.
(16) D.A. Carson, "Matthew," F.E. Gaebelein, gen. ed.,
The
Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 8. (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan,
1984), 382.
(17) T.W. Manson, The Teaching of Jesus. (London: SCM
Press Ltd.,
1959), 282.
(18) Dodd, 29-31; Hiers, 19.
(19) Carson, 121.
(20) Ladd, 27.
(21) Carson, 317.
(22) R.T. France, "Matthew," Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries.
(Leicester: IVP, 1985), 230.
(23) Marshall, Saviour, 225.
(24) Marshall, Saviour, 225; O'Toole, 148.
(25) Manson, 85-115; Marshall, Saviour, 224.
(26) Marshall, Saviour, 224.
(27) Guelich, 245.
(28) Lane, 120.
(29) Marshall, Saviour, 228.
(30) Craig Blomberg, "Parable," ISBE, Vol. 3, 657.
(31) E.J. Epp, "Mediating Approaches to the Kingdom:
Werner Georg
Kummel and George Eldon Ladd," in Willis, 36.
(32) Ladd, 24.
(33) I. Howard Marshall, "The Gospel Of Luke," The New
International
Greek Testament Commentary. (Exeter: Paternoster Press,
1989
Reprint), 568.
(34) Marshall, Luke, 568; Leon Morris, "Luke," Tyndale
New Testament
Comentaries. (Leicester: IVP, 1989 Reprint), 248.
(35) O'Toole, 158.
(36) Ladd, 27.
(37) France, 31.
(38) Ladd, 28.
(39) Norman Perrin, Jesus and the Language of the
Kingdom. (London:
SCM Press Ltd., 1976), 29-34.
(40) Marshall, Saviour, 217.
(41) Marshall, Saviour, 216.
(42) Marshall, Saviour, 230.
(43) Marshall, Luke, 655; Morris, 284.
(44) Morris, 284.
(45) F.F. Bruce, The Hard Savings of Jesus. (Downers
Grove,
Illinois: IVP, 1983), 117.
(46) Carson, 267.
(47) Carson, 267-268
(48) Carson, 250.
(49) Ron Farmer, The Kingdom Of God in the Gospel of
Matthew in
Willis, 129-130.
(50) Carson, 328.
(51) Carson, 329.
(52) Larry Hurtado, "Mark," New International Biblical
Commentary on
the New Testament. (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendricksen,
1989), 72.
(53) O'Toole, 160.
54 Hurtado, 162-163.
(55) O'Toole, 155-156.
(56) O'Toole, 156.
(57) Ladd, 28.
(58) Marshall, Saviour, 229. |
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