Jesus preached “the gospel [glad tidings]
of the kingdom of God” (Matt. 9:35; Luke 8:1; cf. Luke 4:43).* The spiritual
seed that is to be planted in men’s hearts is “the word of the kingdom” (Matt.
13:19, 23). “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world
as a witness to all the nations . . .” (Matt. 24:14). Jesus spent his last 40
days on earth speaking to his disciples “of the things pertaining to the
kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). Early evangelists like Philip, Barnabas, and Paul
preached “the kingdom of God” (Acts 8.12; 14.22; 19.8; 20.25; 28.23, 31), which
is also a recurring theme in the writings of Paul (Rom. 14.17; 1 Cor. 4.20; Gal.
5.21; etc.), Luke (Luke 4.43; 6.20; Acts 1.3; 28.31; etc.), John (John 3.3, 5;
Rev. 1.9; 12.10), and other NT writers (Matt. 6.33; 12.28; Mark 1.15; 4.11;
Heb. 1.8; 12.28; James 2.5; 2 Pet. 1.11).
The Kingdom Defined:
The word “kingdom” (Greek basileia) is “primarily an abstract
noun, denoting sovereignty, royal power, dominion . . . . then, by metonymy, a
concrete noun, denoting the territory or people over whom a king rules” (W. E.
Vine, Expository Dictionary of NT Words
634). The kingdom of God is the sphere of God’s rule, so in a general sense
“the kingdom of God” is a reference to God’s universal sovereignty and reign
(cf. Psa. 22.28; 145.13; Dan. 4.3; Rom. 13.1-2).
In Jesus’ parable of the tares (Matt.
13.24-30), “the kingdom of heaven” refers to the whole world (vv. 36-43).
However, since the majority of the world’s population rejects the rule of God
in their lives, “the kingdom of God” is also used in a more limited sense, viz.
the sphere in which the Lord’s dominion is acknowledged.
Only those who accept and submit to the Lord’s reign can comprehend, enter, and
comprise God’s spiritual kingdom (Mark 4.11; John 3.3, 5). In this sense the
“kingdom of God does not come with observation . . . For indeed, the kingdom of
God is within [or ‘among’] you” (Luke 17.20-21).
The kingdom is where the king is, whether in
the heart of the individual child of God (Eph. 3.17; 1 Pet. 3.15) or among all
of God’s children (Rom. 8.10-11; Col. 1.27).
It is this kingdom which, when Christ returns, will be delivered to God
the Father (1 Cor. 15.23-24) to receive the everlasting kingdom in heaven
(Matt. 13.43; 25.34; Phil. 3.20; 2 Peter 1.10-11).
The Kingdom Designated:
Designated according to its Origin or
Nature: The kingdom of heaven (Matt.
3.2; 4.17; 5.3, 10, 19, 20; 7.21; 8.11; 10.7; 11.11, 12; 13.11, 24-52; 16.19;
18.1-4, 23; 19.12, 14, 23; 20.1; 22.2; 23.13; 25.1); His [the Lord’s] heavenly kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18).
Designated according to its Source: The kingdom of God (Matt. 6.33; 12.28;
19.24; 21.31, 43; Mark 1.15; 4.11, 26, 30; 9.1, 47; 10.14, 15, 23-25; 12.34;
14.25; 15.43; Luke 4.43; 6.20; 7.28; 8.1, 10; 9.2, 11, 27, 60, 62; 10.9, 11;
11.20; 12.31; 13.18, 20, 28, 29; 14.15; 16.16; 17.20, 21; 18.16-17, 24-25, 29;
19.11; 21.31; 22.16, 18; 23.51; John 3.3, 5; Acts 1.3; 8.12; 14.22; 19.8;
20.25; 28.23, 31; Rom. 14.17; 1 Cor. 4.20; 6.9-10; 15.24, 50; Gal. 5.21; Col.
4.11; 2 Thess. 1.5; Rev. 12.10; cf. 1 Thess. 2.12; Heb. 1.8); The Father’s kingdom (Matt. 6.10;
13.43; 26.29; Luke 11.2).
Designated according to its King: The kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ
(Matt. 20.21; Luke 22.30; 23.42; John 18.36; 2 Tim. 4.1, 18; 2 Pet. 1.11); The kingdom of God’s Son (Luke 1.33;
Col. 1.13; cf. Matt. 16.28); The kingdom
of Christ and God (Eph. 5.5).
Simple designations: The kingdom (Mt. 8.12; 9.35; 13.19, 38, 41; 24.14; 25.34; Luke
12.32; Jas. 2.5; Rev. 1.9); A kingdom
(Heb. 12.28; Rev. 1.6; 5.10). Interchangeable designations: The kingdom of heaven = the kingdom of God
(Matt. 19.23-24; and compare Matt. 4.17 and Mark 1.15; Matt. 5.3 and Luke 5.3;
Matt. 13.11 and Mark 4.11; Matt. 13.31-33 and Luke 13.18-21); The kingdom of Christ = the kingdom of God
(Eph. 5.5; Matt. 13.41, 43; and compare Matt. 16.28 and Luke 9.27).
--Kevin L. Moore
*Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are from
the NKJV.
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