Re: The "KINGDOM OF ......"

This topic should have been posted in this section rather than in the General topics section so I moved it to here.


While doing a topical research on the "Kingdom of God" as used by Christ in the gospels, I found a great definion by the Jewish/Christian historian/scholar writer, Alfred Edersheim in his 'Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.' I thought the definition based on John 3 was worthy of posting as Christ indicates that there is a difference between "seeing" the Kingdom of God" and "entering the Kingdom of God."

References:
1) In this view the expression occurs thirty-four times, viz: Matt. 6:33; 12:28; 13:38; 19:31; Mark 1:14; 10:15, 23-25; 12:34; Luke 1:33; 4:43; 9:11; 11:20; 12:31; 17:17, 24-25, 29; John 3:3; Acts 1:3; 8:12; 20:25; 28:31; Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; Col. 4:11; 1 Thess 2:12; Rev.1:9

2) As in the following seventeen passages, viz: Matt. 3:2; 4:17, 23; 5:3, 10; 9:35; 10:7; Mark 1:15; 11:10; Luke 8:1; 9:2; 16:16; 19:12, 15; Acts 1:3; 28:23; Rev. 1:9

3) As in the following eleven passages: Matt. 11:11; 13:41; 16:19; 18:1; 21:43; 23:13; Luke 7:28; John 3:5; Acts 1:3; Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9.

4) As in the following twenty-four passages: Matt. 11:12; 13:11, 19, 24, 31, 33, 44-45, 47, 52; 18:23; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1, 14; Mark 4:11, 26, 30; Luke 8:10; 9:62; 13:18, 20; Acts 1:3; Rev. 1:9

5) As in the following twelve passages: Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1; 15:43; Luke 9:27; 19:11; 21:31; 22:16, 18; Acts 1:3; 2 Tim. 4:1; Heb 11:28; Rev. 1:9

6) As in the following thirty-one passages: Matt. 5:19-20; 7:21; 8:11;13:3; 25:34; 26:29; Mark 9:47; 10:14; 14:25; Luke 6:20; 12:32; 13:28-29; 14:15; 18:16; 22:29; Acts 1:3; 14:22; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 15:24, 50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; 2 Thess. 1:5; James 2:5; 2 Peter 1:11; Rev. 1:9; 12:10

7) The term 'repentance' includes faith in Christ, as in Luke 24:47; acts 5:32

I must say this clarified a lot for me and thought it would for those interested also.

 

Alfred Edersheim in his 'Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,' gave a worthy definition of the Kingdom of God starting with John 3. He says that in his analysis of the 119 passages in the New Testament where the expression 'Kingdom' occurs, it shows that it means;

1) the rule of God; ( 34 times)
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• Matt. 6:33; 12:28; 13:38; 19:31; Mark 1:14; 10:15, 23-25; 12:34; Luke 1:33; 4:43; 9:11; 11:20; 12:31; 17:17, 24-25, 29; John 3:3; Acts 1:3; 8:12; 20:25; 28:31; Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; Col. 4:11; 1 Thess 2:12; Rev.1:9</font>

2) which was manifested in and through Christ; ( 17 times )
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• Matt. 3:2; 4:17, 23; 5:3, 10; 9:35; 10:7; Mark 1:15; 11:10; Luke 8:1; 9:2; 16:16; 19:12, 15; Acts 1:3; 28:23; Rev. 1:9</font>

3) is apparent in 'the Church'; ( 11 times )
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• Matt. 11:11; 13:41; 16:19; 18:1; 21:43; 23:13; Luke 7:28; John 3:5; Acts 1:3; Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9.</font>

4) gradually develops amidst hindrances; (24 times )
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• Matt. 11:12; 13:11, 19, 24, 31, 33, 44-45, 47, 52; 18:23; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1, 14; Mark 4:11, 26, 30; Luke 8:10; 9:62; 13:18, 20; Acts 1:3; Rev. 1:9</font>

5) is triumphant at the second coming of Christ ('the end'); (12 times) </font>

• Matt. 16:28; Mark 9:1; 15:43; Luke 9:27; 19:11; 21:31; 22:16, 18; Acts 1:3; 2 Tim. 4:1; Heb 11:28; Rev. 1:9</font>

6) perfected in the world to come. (31 times )
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• Matt. 5:19-20; 7:21; 8:11;13:3; 25:34; 26:29; Mark 9:47; 10:14; 14:25; Luke 6:20; 12:32; 13:28-29; 14:15; 18:16; 22:29; Acts 1:3; 14:22; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 15:24, 50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; 2 Thess. 1:5; James 2:5; 2 Peter 1:11; Rev. 1:9; 12:10</font>

7) The term 'repentance' includes faith in Christ, as in Luke 24:47; acts 5:32

However, nowhere does it say that Christ's Kingdom is an earthly kingdom!

 

OLD REGULAR,

Thanks for the confinence. I love Edersheim. He is a good historian because he is was a Christian Jewish scholar and so his perspective is very good for researching the era of Christ and also from a Christian viewpoint.

I had hopes of keeping this as a good debate on the subject but it seems as though there are those who do like to disrupt a topic just for the sake of racking up #'s of posts - or, from what I have observed for awhile from the background.

 

ED..."Can you spell NON SEQUITUR?"

Covenant..."I had hopes of keeping this as a good debate on the subject but it seems as though there are those who do like to disrupt a topic just for the sake of racking up #'s of posts - or, from what I have observed for awhile from the background."

"I am asking you to please keep this a good debate on the subject and disrupt it. I have observed for quite some time from the background what you can do to a topic. I really would appreciate it. Thanks.

[ March 14, 2005, 05:38 AM: Message edited by: covenant ]

 

To whomever,

The Kingdom of Chirst was always intended to be spiritual - not literal. Why would Christ set up an earthly kingdom on a sin-cursed earth that is destined to be burned? This sin-cursed earth was given to Satan. A literal co-earthly kingdom with equal possesion with Satan is a contradiction of the highest degree. When Satan tempted Jesus with power to rule the earth, Jesus did not deny that the power to rule the kingdoms of the world had been delivered to him and that it was his territory.

Luk 4:5 And the Devil, leading Him up into a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

Luk 4:6 "And the Devil said to Him, All this power I will give you, and the glory of them; for it has been delivered to me. And I give it to whomever I will."

So, what is it then? Is it really an earthly Kingdom? Many of the OT prophecies were fulfilled by Christ and answers that question

1)…Isa 9:6-7 – “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the governmentt shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. There is no end of the increase of His government and peace on the throne of David, and on His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from now on, even forever.”

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• The Christ child was born. A "government" has a King. A King has a throne. Christ is the King.
  His kingdom rule shall perpetually increase and be unlimited and was fulfilled in Mat 2:2 - "Where is the One having been born King of the Jews?"</font>

2)…Psa 89:29 – “Also I have set his (Christ’s) seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. “
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• This can apply only to the spiritual David - Chirst. The posterity of David are long since extinct. His rule is for an unlimited time, therefore spiritual – not a literal 1,000 years.</font>

3)… Zec 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your King comes to you. He is righteous and victorious, meek and riding on an ass, even on a colt, the son of an ass.”
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• That this is a prophecy of the Messiah and his kingdom is plain from the literal accomplishment of its express application to, Christ's riding in triumph into Jerusalem,
  
  Fulfilled in Mat 21:5 – "Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you, meek, and sitting on an ass, even a colt the foal of an ass."</font>

4)… Mat 3:1-2 "In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand."
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• "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" refers to the prophecy of Daniel where the reign of Christ among men is expressly foretold.
  
  Fulfilled in Dan 7:13-14 - "I saw in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And dominion and glory was given Him, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages, should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”</font>

5)… Mat 5:10 – “Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness sake! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”
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• "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven" - A spiritual kingdom as referred to by John the Baptist in Mat 3:2 in the Beatitudes and of which persecution is considered a blessing, not something to escape from by being raptured out of this world.</font>

6)… Mat 10:6-7 - "But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, proclaim, saying, “The kingdom of Heaven is at hand."
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• The kingdom of Heaven - Literally, the “reign” of heaven.</font>

7)… Luk 1:32-33 – "He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. "
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• God's promise to David was that there should “not fail” a man to sit on his throne, or that his throne should be perpetual. The promise was fulfilled by exalting Jesus to be a Prince and a Saviour, and the perpetual King of his people. (1Ki_2:4; 1Ki_8:25; 1Ki_9:5; 2Ch_6:16,)</font>

8)… Luk 17:20-21 - "And being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation. Nor shall they say, Lo here! or, behold, there! For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst."
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• Having just been asked by the Pharisees "when" the kingdom of God would come, Jesus tells them that the kingdom of God is not visible (with observations). He then tells them that the kingdom of God is in their "midst" - or to paraphrase, "The kingdom of God is standing right in front of you but you cannot see it because you are spiritually blind."</font>

9)… Luk 22:29 – "And I appoint a kingdom to you, as My Father has appointed to Me,"
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• “And I appoint unto you a kingdom”,.... Not an earthly one, but a spiritual one, otherwise there would be 13 kingdoms!</font>

10)… Act 15:14 -16 - "Even as Simon has declared how God at the first visited the nations to take out of them a people for His name. And the words of the Prophets agree to this; as it is written, "After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David which has fallen down; and I will build again its ruins, and I will set it up,..."

• Fulfilled in Luk 1:32 "He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David."
  
  "...to this agree the words of the prophets — generally; but those of Amos (Amo_9:11-12) are specified. The point of the passage lies in the predicted purpose of God, under the new economy, that “the heathen” or “Gentiles” should be “called by His name,” or have “His name called upon them.” By the “building again of the fallen tabernacle of David,” or restoring its decayed splendor, is meant that only and glorious recovery which it was to experience under David’s “son and Lord.” (JFB Commentary)