Jesus’ Proclamation

of the Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of GodJesus emphasized in the first place not men must do but, what God himself was doing through him (Jesus) and what God will bring to fulfilment in the future.

Christ emphasized what God was inaugurating in his ministry and person, and what God will bring to fulfilment in the future, as well as the connection between what he is doing in his ministry and what will happen in the future.

Everything that he said and did is centered on the basileia.

OT Usage of the Kingdom of God

The Greek term basileia tou theou corresponds to the Hebrew malkuth YHWH which means “Yahweh rules” or “Yahweh is king.”

Malkuth is the sovereignty or the lordship of God conceived in the most concrete way possible, i.e., as his activity in ruling as king.

The malkuth of God is the power of God expressed in deed.

Therefore, malkuth is concretely the activity of God as king.

However, despite that great confidence on Yahweh’s ruling in behalf of his people, the Israelites suffered tremendous catastrophes.

That gave rise to the conviction that these catastrophes could not be the last word of God to Israel.

That is why they developed the eschatological usage of malkuth.

This eschatological ruling of God will be the final and decisive action wherein he will manifest himself as king, and visit and redeem his people.

The malkuth of Yahweh is expected to burst into history, bringing salvation to the righteous, punishment to the wicked and putting an end to the suffering of this age.

This age includes peace, justice, joy and all those blessings which shall be granted only in the age to come, when God shall fully have manifested himself as king in a final decisive action of Yahweh for his people.

Jesus’ Usage of the Kingdom of GodTwo meanings of basileia tou theou1. Rule/Reign of God (the present aspect of the Kingdom of God)

2. Kingdom of God (the future aspect of the Kingdom of God)

Rule/Reign of God (the present aspect of the Kingdom of God)

The kingly rule of God in act (the dynamic concept of rule of God, e.g., Mt 12:28 or Lk 11:20)

It is the divine power itself in its saving activity within history.

Rule/Reign of God

It points to the dynamic here and now character of God’s exercise of control.

Kingdom of God (future aspect)

Definitive state of salvation (Kingdom of God, e.g., Mk 9:42; Mt 25:34)

The phrase may mean the final state of blessing secured for the redeemed by his decisive, final ruling activity.

Kingdom of God (future aspect)

It is the eschatological final state of salvation that brings to an end the evil world dominated by the force of evil and woe, and which initiates the new world in which God appears before men.

Kingdom of God (future aspect)

It refers to the more definitive future state of final good to which God’s saving activity occurring now in Jesus is directed.

The Future Dimension of the Kingdom of God

1. Lk 12:31// One must seek it.

2. Mk 9:47// One hopes to enter it.

The Future Dimension of the Kingdom of God3. Lk 11:2; Mt 6:10: One must pray for its coming: Your Kingdom come.

4. Mt 14:25// “Truly I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

5. Mt 5:3-12//Lk 6:20-23

All these texts indicate:

1. That Jesus expected a future definitive coming of God as king.

2. That his hope was so central to his message that he bade his disciples make it a central petition of their prayer.

3. That the coming kingdom would bring about the reversal of present unjust conditions of poverty, sorrow and hunger.

4. That despite the possibility of his impending death Jesus himself would experience a saving reversal: he should share in the final banquet symbolized by the prophetic event of the Last Supper.

The Present Dimension of the Kingdom of God

1. Lk 17:21 //“The Kingdom of God is in your midst.”

2. Lk 10:23// “Happy are the eyes that see what you see.”

Jesus ministry is the sign or the vehicle of the Kingdom’s presence.

3. Lk 11:20// “If by the finger of God I cast out demons, the Kingdom of God has come upon you.”

The actions of Jesus are manifestation or instruments of the Kingdom’s presence.

4. Mt 11:2-6// Jesus’ reply to the Baptist’s disciples points to Jesus’ miracles and proclamation of the Kingdom to the poor are indicators that the prophesied time of salvation is now.

Summary

1. The Kingdom of God is now making its presence felt- as kingly Rule of God dynamically active in the person of Jesus. But its full realization lies in the future.

2. The Kingdom of God is not primarily a state or place but rather the entire dynamic of event of God coming in power to rule his people Israel in the end time.