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Page 1 of 11 The Kingdom of God
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The Kingdom of God
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How Do We Understand “Kingdom of God”?
• What problem(s) was Jesus addressing when he announced, “The Kingdom of God is at hand”?
• What would his listeners have understood him to be saying?
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Sermon Outline
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Political/Family-based Society
Patronage in Ancient
Mediterranean Societies
Patronage for us
2007
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The Big Idea
God will be your Patron
if
you are willing for Him to be your only Patron
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Ways Societies Structure Themselves
• Historically, societies have structured themselves around four major concerns:– Family (Tribe)– Politics– Religion– Economics
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Getting from Here to There
Jesus’ Culture:
•Family and Politics driven
Economics and Religion subsumed under family and politics
Our Culture:
•Economically Driven•Family, Politics, and Religion all subsumed under Economics
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Grasping Jesus’ Society
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Different Locations, Different Hierarchies
• Roman Elites
• Palestinian Elites– Herodians: Herod– Sadducees: Antipas and Caiaphas
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No Claim
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Thoughts, Comments, Questions?
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The Big Idea
God will be your Patron
if
you are willing for Him to be your only Patron
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Dealing with Threats
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Sermon Outline
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Patronage in Ancient
Mediterranean Societies
Political/Family-based Society
Patronage for us
2007
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Kingdom of God: Background
• Our concept of “kingship” is entirely political
• In Ancient Mediterranean culture, politics was an extension of the family–Internal Roman politics based on families–External Roman politics based on patronhood
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Ancient Mediterranean Politics
P a tron a ge F oo d C h a in
S u b jec t P e o p leE lite F a m ilie s
C lie n ts to R o m eP a tro n s to P e a sa n ts
Is ra e lite P e asa n tryC lie n ts
Is ra e lE lite F a m ilie s
C lie n ts to R o m eP a tro n s to P e a sa n ts
S u b jec t P e o p leE lite F a m ilie s
C lie n ts to R o m eP a tro n s to P e a sa n ts
R o m a n E lite F a m ilies(E m p e ro r)
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The Patron/Client Relationship:An Exchange of Non-comparable Goods
The Patron/Client relationship required:
• Unequal status
• Reciprocity
• Proximity
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Patronage Language
• “Abba” the word used to designate the patron in a patronage system
• Patronage administered by “brokers”, typically members of the patron’s household–often, slaves–Paul’s self-description as “Jesus’ slave”–(us as Jesus’ slaves)
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The Big Idea
God will be your Patron
if
you are willing for Him to be your only Patron
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Thoughts, Comments, Questions?
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Sermon Outline
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ ContextKingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Patronage in Ancient
Mediterranean Societies
Political/Family-based Society
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Jesus’ Metaphors: Politics
• Kingdom of God/Heaven
• God as Father
• Jesus as Son
These are Jesus’ most common, and least understood, metaphors
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God as Patron: The Pattern
• Unequal Status–He is holy; we are not–He sustains us; we do not sustain Him
• Close Proximity–As close as the air we breath–In Him we live and move and have our being
• Reciprocity–He ameliorates our environment threats: sin and
oppression–We offer esteem, deference, and loyalty
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God as Patron: Supporting Evidence
• Israel’s dire need of a patron
• “Abba” the word used to designate the patron in a patronage system
• Patronage administered by “brokers”, typically members of the patron’s household–often, slaves–Paul’s self-description as “Jesus’ slave”–(us as Jesus’ slaves)
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Kingdom of God: Mappings
Source Domain: the Patronage System
Target Domain: Our Interactions with God
• Associate with the authority through his personal agent
• The Holy Spirit
• Bureaucracy comprised of the family of the king
• Paul’s use of “brother” and “sister”
• Standing determined by birth/ancestry
• Jesus’ emphasis on the new birth
• Broader standing determined by ethnicity
• Now a “royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God”
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Father and Son: Mappings
• Used to indicate formal adoption and heirship
• Indicates reliance by the heir on the father/king’s word and training
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Jesus as Broker: Mappings
• Able to introduce others to the Patron
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What Jesus’ Listeners Would Have Heard
• God now available as Patron
• Themselves in a new patronage system, and therefore outside of the current system
• Themselves in a new birth, therefore:– In a new honor status with new entitlements– In a new family, with new ties
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The Big Idea
God will be your Patron
if
you are willing for Him to be your only Patron
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Thoughts, Comments, Questions?
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Sermon Outline
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Patronage in Ancient
Mediterranean Societies
Political/Family-based Society
Patronage for us
2007
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The Kingdom of God for Us
• God has offered to be your patron– Jesus the broker of God’s patronage to you
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The Kingdom of God for Us (cont)
• In a new patronage system– Unequal status– Close proximity– Relief from threats in exchange for honor
• Patron’s choice as to which threats to relieve, for whom, and how
• God’s system of patronage differed from that of Ancient Mediterranean; His definition of threats differed from theirs
• His definition of threats differs, as well, from the threats our system defines (economic)
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The Kingdom of God for Us (cont)
• In a new family system with a new status– Your honor position based on birth– New birth, new honor– New standing from which to assess/judge all other
patronage systems
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The Kingdom of God for Us (cont)
God will be your Patron
if
you are willing for Him to be your only Patron
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The Kingdom of God for Us (cont)
• God takes His honor VERY seriously
• Dishonor Him by taking other patrons:– Our performance– Money
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Sermon Outline
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Kingdom of God in Jesus’ Context
Patronage in Ancient
Mediterranean Societies
Political/Family-based Society
Patronage for us
2007
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