The Kingdom of God in the Gospels

The Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospels

In our previous articles, we’ve looked at:

An Overview of the Kingdom, and;
The Kingdom in the Old Testament.

If you missed either of those, you can click on the links above to read them. In this article, we will build on that foundation and move into the teaching on the Kingdom of God found in the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

So, what do the Gospels say about the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is a pervasive topic throughout the Gospels. John the Baptist came to prepare the way for the Messiah and John’s message was to “repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.” All of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) record that Jesus went about preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God/Heaven. The synoptic Gospels also include fourteen (14) separate parables on the Kingdom. Christ also taught many additional teachings on the kingdom beyond His parables which are recorded in all four canonical Gospels. All of these teachings together reveal that the Kingdom of God is currently expanding and will grow to a great size when it is revealed in its fullness in the future. This Kingdom is ruled over by Christ Himself and all who turn to Him in humble faith will receive an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. This inheritance serves as the Christian’s present-tense hope as we eagerly look forward to this glorious coming kingdom. The Kingdom of God is of incomparable value and has implications for every human being, in all places, and at all periods of human history. As we await this coming kingdom, the church is tasked with bearing testimony to the Kingdom of God in accordance with the teaching of Christ.

We can dig much deeper into all of these various aspects and a whole lot more. Read on to learn more.

New Built Upon Old

The promise of the coming Kingdom of God was present through the entirety of the Old Testament Scriptures. If you missed our article on The Kingdom in the Old Testament, you can read it by clicking the link. There were many hopeful prophecies about the coming peaceful reign of the Messiah. The New Testament rests squarely upon that foundation.

Malachi, the last writing prophet in the Old Testament, left us with a promise of the coming Messiah. After the close of the Old Testament canon, there is a silent period of approximately 400 years between the Testaments. This silence is broken by God’s prophet, John the Baptist.

John the Baptist’s mission was to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Repent, The Kingdom is at Hand

John the Baptist’s message was simple, clear, and direct.

Matthew 3:1–2 (NASB)
Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This message was a continuation and fulfillment of the expectation set in the Old Testament.

Matthew 3:3 (NASB)
For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”

John the Baptist was the promised forerunner. He came to announce the coming of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.

Mary was told that her child, conceived in her virgin womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, would be the promised King whose Kingdom would have no end.

Luke 1:31–33 (NASB)
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

Tempting the Messiah

Satan understands that The Kingdom of God being established means the end of his kingdom of darkness. Therefore, Satan attempted to give the Messiah a shortcut to reigning over the kingdoms of the earth. All the Messiah needed to do was worship Satan.

Matthew 4:8–10 (NASB) — see also Luke 4:5–8
Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”

Jesus was not interested in submitting to Satan. Christ came to take dominion away from Satan and establish it fully and permanently for God alone.

The Good News of The Kingdom of God

In a future article, we will look at The Kingdom & The Gospel in much greater detail. For now, we will simply point out that after Jesus overcame the temptations from Satan in the wilderness, He began preaching the same message that John the Baptist had proclaimed.

Matthew 4:17 (NASB)
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark 1:14–15 (NASB)
Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus declared that proclaiming The Kingdom of God was His purpose.

Luke 4:43 (NASB)
But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”

The message of The Kingdom of God is good news!

Matthew 4:23 (NASB)
Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
Matthew 9:35 (NASB)
Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Matthew 24:14 (NASB)
This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Luke 16:16 (NASB)
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.”

The Centrality of The Kingdom in the Preaching of Christ

Jesus declared that He had come with the purpose of proclaiming the gospel of The Kingdom of God. Jesus was faithful in fulfilling His purpose.

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5—7), Jesus refers to The Kingdom explicitly eight times. Some have called this section of Matthew’s Gospel: The Kingdom Manifesto.

Matthew 5:3 (NASB); Cf. Luke 6:20
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:10 (NASB)
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:19-20 (NASB)
“Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 6:10 (NASB)
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.’
Matthew 6:33 (NASB)
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 7:21 (NASB)
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

Although many observations could be made about these statements, we must at least affirm:

The Kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit and to those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness;
Greatness in The Kingdom is related to keeping and teaching others to also keep God’s commandments;
Perfect righteousness is required to enter The Kingdom;
We ought to pray for God’s Kingdom to come;
We ought to seek God’s Kingdom as our first and foremost priority;
Not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord, Lord” will enter The Kingdom, but only those who do the will of the Father will enter;
The Kingdom is yet to come in its fullness, since each of these speak of a future coming and entering in.

Throughout the Gospels, as Christ is preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven, these characteristics would be a significant part of His instruction.

Apart from the Sermon on the Mount, Christ also told many parables about The Kingdom. These parables teach us much about the nature and character of The Kingdom of God.

Parables on The Kingdom

The Sower

Matthew 13:3–9 (NASB)
And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Without explanation, we may be confused as to what this parable means. Fortunately, Jesus explains it.

Matthew 13:18–23 (NASB)
“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

Notice that the first hearer (who doesn’t understand) endures spiritual attack from the evil one who snatches away what has been sown. This demonstrates the spiritual warfare that endures between The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.

Take note also that the remaining three all make some form of profession of faith. However, only the last one bears fruit. The others do not endure because of affliction, persecution, the worry of the world, and/or the deceitfulness of wealth.

See also Mark 4:1–9, 13–20 and Luke 8:4–8, 11–15. For even more on this, check out our video: Five Lessons From The Parable of the Sower.

Tares Among Wheat

Matthew 13:24–30 (NASB)
Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

This parable teaches that the enemy sows false brethren amongst true believers. Jesus explains further:

Matthew 13:37–43 (NASB)
And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”

Although these false believers will remain with true believers until the Day of Judgment, God will sort it out in the end. Then, after this separation, the righteous will shine forth in The Kingdom of God. Until this time, The Kingdom has stumbling blocks and those who commit unrighteous deeds in its midst.

The Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:31–32
He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

This parable teaches that The Kingdom of Heaven begins small and grows to great size. There also appears to be an allusion to a prophecy in Ezekiel 17:22–24, which tells of the coming Kingdom that will also incorporate Gentiles.

See also Mark 4:26–32 and Luke 13:18–19.

Leaven

Matthew 13:33 (NASB)
He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened.”

This parable teaches that The Kingdom will permeate and spread throughout the world, just like leaven permeates and spreads throughout dough.

A Valuable Kingdom

Matthew 13:44–46 (NASB)
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

The Kingdom is a valuable treasure. It is worth selling all else in order to acquire. This helps us to understand the proper priority of seeking His kingdom first.

An Inclusive Kingdom

Matthew 13:47–50 (NASB)
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The Kingdom’s net will be spread far and wide seeking to gather every person, in every place, and from every time and generation. As a righteous Judge and King, God will sort out everything and everyone at the end.

A Kingdom of Forgiveness

Matthew 18:23–35 (NASB)
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents [a sum equaling 60,000,000 denarii] was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

Recall from our Overview of the Kingdom article, the devil can gain an advantage over believers who fail to forgive others (2 Corinthians 2:10–11). The forgiveness God offers us in Christ far exceeds any debt of forgiveness we could accrue against one another. Therefore, those who have been forgiven much in Christ must forgive everyone else freely from our hearts. To fail to do so is to provoke the wrath of God, according to Jesus.

Kingdom People are Generously Rewarded

Matthew 20:1–16 (NASB)
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place; and to those he said, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ And so they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same thing. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing around; and he *said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’ They *said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He *said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’
“When evening came, the owner of the vineyard *said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to the first.’ When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one received a denarius. When those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.’ But he answered and said to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go, but I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ So the last shall be first, and the first last.”

The idea of salvation by the grace of God through faith in Christ can be a stumbling block for many. We can easily have a prideful attitude thinking that God owes us something because of our service to Him (cf. Luke 17:7–10). However, our salvation is completely of grace—from beginning to end. We are saved by the perfect righteousness of Christ being credited to our account. We cannot add anything to Christ’s perfect righteousness or take anything away from it.

The thief on the cross who believed upon Jesus Christ was promised the gift of everlasting life (Luke 23:42–43) just as the Apostle Paul was. This generosity of our God toward sinners should not cause us to grumble at our God and Savior. Instead, we should rejoice in His generosity and kindness toward all.

A Kingdom of Believers Only — The Two Sons

Matthew 21:28–32 (NASB)
“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They *said, “The first.” Jesus *said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.”

Entry into The Kingdom of Heaven is based on believing the testimony of God concerning His Son. Even if we have not believed in the past, we should change our minds. No longer be unbelieving but believe!

This passage uses a less common word for repentance/remorse. Several translations render this as either repent or changed his mind. The more common Greek word for repentance in the New Testament is metanoia. The word used here in verses 28 and 32 is metamellomai. This word only appears six times in the New Testament. The other four are Matthew 27:3, twice in 2 Corinthians 7:8, and Hebrews 7:21. Reading these usages shows that this less common word often carries a heavy connotation of remorse or regret in addition to the mind being changed.

A Kingdom of Those Bearing Fruit — The Landowner

Matthew 21:43 (NASB)
Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it.

The full parable is found in Matthew 21:33–44. This parable speaks to the importance of bearing fruit. It teaches that members of the Kingdom bear fruit for the Kingdom.

An Inclusive Yet Exclusive Kingdom — The Wedding Feast

Matthew 22:1–14 (NASB)
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. Then he *said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.
“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, and he *said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Three observations should be noted. First, this parable teaches the desire of the Father for all to come into The Kingdom. Second, it speaks of the righteous anger of God toward those who foolishly ignore, reject, or are unwilling to accept His gracious offer. And third, we see that despite the King’s desire for all to come, they must come in the appointed way or else they will be thrown out into outer darkness.

A similar parable is recorded in Luke 14:16–24.

Be on the Alert — The King is Coming Without Warning

Matthew 25:1–13 (NASB)
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

Don’t be foolish, unprepared, or distracted. The King and His purposes should always be at the forefront of our mind and at the top of our agenda. Be wise and stay alert!

A Kingdom of Good Stewards

Luke 19:11, 26–27 (NASB)
While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. … I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”

The reader is encouraged to read this entire passage to gain the context. The focus of the parable is on good stewardship. We must notice the purpose of Jesus telling this parable is because: “they supposed the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.”

Since the arrival of The Kingdom in its fullness is still to come in the future, those who submit to the rule and reign of Christ ought to live as good stewards while we await the return of our Master and King. Failure to conduct ourselves faithfully in the business of The Kingdom while we await the return of Christ is to live as if we do not want Him to reign over us.

Signs The Kingdom is Near

Luke 21:29–32 (NASB)
Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

Luke 21 is filled with signs of Christ’s return and the ushering in of The Kingdom of God in its fullness.

Additional Teachings of Christ on The Kingdom

Several additional teachings from Christ should be noted.

Least and Greater

Matthew 11:11 (NASB)
Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

John the Baptist had faith in Jesus as the Messiah. John was part of God’s covenantal people. Even so, Jesus looked forward to a future Kingdom of Heaven and its surpassing greatness where every member of the Kingdom in that day will be greater than even the greatest humans today.

A Kingdom United

Matthew 12:25–29 (NASB)
And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”

Jesus taught the importance of unity in any kingdom. In particular, Christ showed that He was against the kingdom of Satan and was operating in the power of the Holy Spirit and The Kingdom of God.

See also Mark 3:23–30 and Luke 11:14–23.

Mysteries Granted

Matthew 13:11 (NASB)
Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.”

This answer was given in response to a question about why Jesus spoke in parables. The purpose of parables was to reveal truth to some while also concealing it from others.

The Church and The Keys of The Kingdom

Matthew 16:18–19 (NASB)
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

The idea of “binding” and “loosing” can be controversial. Various interpretations have been suggested. If we examine the context, verse 18 states that the church of Christ will advance and that the gates of Hades will not be able to stop the advancement of the church nor keep people under the curse and power of death.

As we’ve seen throughout this study, the kingdom of darkness is presently established over the earth. Even so, The Kingdom of Heaven reigns over it.

A Brief Excurses

The phrase, “gates of Hades,” only occurs once in the New Testament in Matthew 16:18. This phrase is found once in the Septuagint (LXX; the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament) and also in some non-canonical writings.

The most important reference is the LXX. This text was well-known to Jesus and those whom He was speaking to in Matthew 16. This passage is Isaiah 38:10.

“I said, ‘In the middle of my life
I am to enter the gates of Sheol;
I am to be deprived of the rest of my years.’”

— Isaiah 38:10

Isaiah is recording the words of King Hezekiah after he recovered miraculously from his illness. Hezekiah knew he was on the verge of death. Had God not intervened, he was going to die. In this passage, Hezekiah is referencing “the gates of Sheol/Hades” as passing through biological death into the abode of the dead.

The non-canonical writings use this phrase in the same way and support this view from Hezekiah.

Odes 11:10 is the same passage we read in Isaiah 38:10. This book is included in the Eastern Orthodox canon, one version of the LXX, and in the Codex Alexandrinus.
Psalms of Solomon 16:2 is included in the LXX. It reads, “Within a little my soul would have been poured out to death, near the gates of Hades, with the sinner.”
Wisdom 16:13 is included in the RSV, NRSV, and NAB translations. This passage reads, “For you have power over life and death; you lead mortals down to the gates of Hades and back again” (NRSV).
3 Maccabees 5:51 is included in the RSV and NRSV. This passage reads, “and cried out in a very loud voice, imploring the Ruler over every power to manifest himself and be merciful to them, as they stood now at the gates of death [lit. Hades]” (NRSV).

As the King of The Kingdom of Heaven proclaims the gospel of The Kingdom, we see a promise from Christ that the gates of Hades will not be able to stop the advance of the Church of Jesus Christ, or the fact of people being released from the power of death. The keys of The Kingdom are then promised in this context of binding and loosing. What is done on earth will have impact in Heaven.

We see The Kingdom of Heaven beginning to invade and prevail over the kingdom of darkness on earth. We also see how actions on earth have an effect in Heaven. Binding and loosing are again mentioned a few chapters later in Matthew 18.

Matthew 18:15–18 (NASB)
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

The context of this passage is a discussion of church discipline. The work of the body of Christ on earth — the church — is important. It has impact on both this world and also on eternity. The message of the Gospel is able to truly set people free from their bondage to sin and the kingdom of darkness. For much more on this, you may enjoy our book: Gate Crashers.

The Kingdom of the Son of Man

Matthew 16:28 (NASB)
“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Here Jesus is affirming His identity as the Son of Man from Daniel’s prophecy (recall our discussion of Daniel 7 from our article on The Kingdom in the Old Testament — click the link if you missed it). The Kingdom of the Son of Man will be fully revealed at the coming of the Son of Man.

Various interpretations of this passage have been offered. Some of these interpretations have been futile attempts to discredit Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Skeptics may attempt to use this passage to show that Jesus has made an error since all the people present who heard Jesus utter these words in the 1st century AD have “tasted death” even though Christ has not returned yet. They incorrectly assert, therefore, that Jesus was mistaken about His identity and could not be who He claimed to be. They also falsely claim Christ’s earliest followers expected His return to happen within the lifetime of some who heard these words spoken by Christ in the first century AD. They claim this is further proof that Jesus was not the Messiah. We believe that this interpretation is forced. It is only appealing to those who are looking for problems in the text.

Another popular interpretation is that this passage is fulfilled immediately in the next chapter (Matthew 17:1–8), during the Transfiguration. Some who heard the words of Christ recorded in Matthew 16:28 — Peter, James, and John — then saw Him in His glory six days later, with Moses and Elijah. Those who favor this interpretation also tend to interpret the presence of Moses and Elijah as representatives of The Kingdom, since Moses died and Elijah was taken up to Heaven without tasting death. These then represent believers both who die and those who are caught up to Christ during the rapture. This interpretation is popular for a reason. It has much to commend it and is a strong possibility for the best interpretive option.

A third option is the strongest, in my opinion. This view is that Christ’s statement from Matthew 16:28 was fulfilled at the ascension of Christ. Look again at the original prophecy from Daniel.

Daniel 7:13 (NASB)
“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.”

The language of the original prophecy and what Jesus says in Matthew 16:28 are very similar. While it is natural for us, as readers, to read coming as an indicator of Christ’s future return in glory, the original prophecy in Daniel describes the Son of Man coming with the clouds to be presented before the Ancient of Days. That is, the “coming” is actually “going” from our earthly perspective. Since we have Daniel’s prophecy, we can also view this event from the heavenly perspective.

The Bible records the ascension of Christ to Heaven.

Acts 1:9–11 (NASB)
And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Some of those who heard Christ’s words in Matthew 16 witnessed this event. They watched Christ going from earth. They simultaneously saw Him coming with the clouds to be presented to the Ancient of Days.

After the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, Peter spoke of Christ taking His seat in glory.

Acts 2:32–36 (NASB)
This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”’
Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Peter quotes from Psalm 110:1. He affirms that Jesus has gone to the Father and taken His seat in glory. This is the same imagery we read in Daniel 7:14.

They witnessed Christ’s ascension. They were told He would return the same way. They are not promised that they will see His return. They saw the Son ascend with the clouds and come into His kingdom to the Father in fulfillment of Daniel 7. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost then served as proof that Christ actually had been exalted by the Father and taken His seat to rule and reign until He returns in the same way He ascended.

Various other interpretations have also been suggested. See also Mark 9:1 and Luke 9:27.

Greatest in The Kingdom are the Humble

Matthew 18:1–4 (NASB)
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Many sermons and illustrations have been given about the virtues of child-like faith. However, Jesus does not mention faith but instead makes reference to humility. In Matthew 19:13–14, the disciples are rebuking those who brought children to Christ. It seems the disciples still thought that some were unworthy. Yet, Jesus said The Kingdom belongs to such as these.

See also Matthew 20:20–28, Mark 10:13–16, and Luke 14:7–15; 18:15–17; 22:24–30.

Possible With God

Matthew 19:23–26 (NASB)
And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

To get the full context, it is best to read at least Matthew 19:16–30. This response comes after a conversation about the cost of obtaining eternal life. The focus of the question was not about obtaining benefits in their earthly life but looking forward to the life to come. The person asking the question to Christ is described (in this passage) as both young and rich. This rich young man left grieving when faced with the opportunity to sell all his belongings and follow Christ.

The earthly things that people value are worthless in obtaining entry into The Kingdom of Heaven (e.g., Proverbs 10:2; 11:4; 30:8–9; Ezekiel 7:19; Zephaniah 1:18). While it is impossible with people, praise God that it is possible with God by His amazing grace!

See also Mark 10:17–27 and Luke 18:18–26. In Matthew, he is a young man who owned much property. In Mark, it is simply a rich man who owned much property. In Luke, the man is described as an extremely rich ruler. As a result of combining all three passages together, typically the headings all refer to this man as “The Rich Young Ruler,” even though none of the passages (on their own) actually describe this man with all three descriptors.

Reward in the Regeneration

Matthew 9:27–30 (NASB)
Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”

Although the rich young man was grieved at the invitation to leave all and follow Jesus, the disciples were willing. Peter asked what their reward would be. Jesus speaks of a reward in the future, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne.

Whatever benefits come from following Christ now, far greater is the reward in the life to come.

See also Mark 10:28–31 and Luke 18:28–30.

Hypocrites Beware

Matthew 23:13 (NASB)
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

Religious hypocrites should be warned and take heed. It is a terrible thing to be subject to God’s woes.

A Future Kingdom

Matthew 25:31–34, 46 (NASB)
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. …
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

To get the full sense, we encourage you to read Matthew 25:31–46. Jesus teaches of a future judgment when He returns in glory. After this judgment, the righteous will inherit The Kingdom prepared for them. See also Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25 and Luke 22:14–23 where Jesus refers to a future reunion with His people in His Father’s Kingdom.

Kingdom People Remove Stumbling Blocks

Mark 9:47 (NASB)
If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell.

You are encouraged to read the whole teaching in Mark 9:42–50. Some view this simply as hyperbole (exaggeration for emphasis). However, Jesus is teaching a plain truth. It would be better to enter The Kingdom of God in any state than to be cast into hell. The point is not that Jesus wants people to maim themselves. He does, however, want people to take stumbling blocks seriously—both stumbling in their own lives and when they cause stumbling in others.

Most people treat sin casually. Jesus is teaching that we should take it extremely seriously. Considering the stakes, we ought to do everything within our power to eliminate any and all causes of stumbling.

The Apostle Paul teaches something very similar in Romans 13:14.

Not Fit for The Kingdom

Luke 9:57–62 (NASB)
As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Many are willing to follow Christ for a little while or as long as the circumstances are acceptable. Jesus declares that anyone who looks back after putting their hand to the plow is not fit for The Kingdom. Christ is not looking for conditional followers. He is only interested in committed followers.

Ask yourself:

Am I willing to follow Christ no matter what?
Or
Am I willing to follow Christ only as long as _____________ (fill in the blank)?

If we understand this truth in combination with the truth expressed in the section on Reward in the Regeneration above, we will be willing (as the original Apostles were) to leave everything in our pursuit of Christ.

The Father Gives the Kingdom Gladly

Luke 12:32 (NASB)
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

The Father gives gladly, not reluctantly.

Narrow Entry to a Broad Kingdom

Luke 13:22–30 (NASB)
And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. And someone said to Him, “Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last.”

Compare this to the sentiment in Matthew 7:13–27 and Luke 6:46–49. There is a difference between being a Christian and an almost-Christian. Proximity to Christ and His teachings are not enough. We must enter through the narrow door by fully turning to Christ and following Him with our whole heart. If we have truly believed, our deeds will follow our faith.

In Your Midst

Luke 17:20–21 (NASB)
Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Other major English translations render the last phrase as “the kingdom of God is within you” (KJV, NKJV, NIV). Various interpretations have been offered for the meaning of this phrase.

Since the question was coming from the Pharisees, it is unlikely that Jesus is telling them that The Kingdom is within their hearts. This group was mostly hostile toward Christ and unbelieving. This interpretation would be more fitting if Jesus was speaking to believers.

Considering that the Pharisees were mostly hostile toward Jesus, it seems Jesus is indicating His identity as the King of The Kingdom. The Pharisees are looking for the physical institution of The Kingdom when they are freed from their Gentile oppressors. However, Jesus is speaking truths in line with the words of the Old Testament prophets—rebuking those looking for The Kingdom yet who are not being faithful to the King.

Amos 5:18–20 (NASB)
Alas, you who are longing for the day of the Lord,
For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?
It will be darkness and not light;
As when a man flees from a lion
And a bear meets him,
Or goes home, leans his hand against the wall
And a snake bites him.
Will not the day of the Lord be darkness instead of light,
Even gloom with no brightness in it?

The Pharisees are looking for the coming Kingdom while they are rejecting the King in their midst. The best interpretation seems to be that Christ is telling them this is the closest they will get to The Kingdom, unless they repent and truly believe.

Immediately following this statement to the Pharisees, Jesus teaches His disciples about the second coming of the Son of Man (Luke 17:22–37).

You Must Be Born Again

John 3:3–5 (NASB)
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

The necessity of being born again is taught by Christ to both see and enter The Kingdom of God. While various interpretations have been suggested, it seems the most straight-forward way of understanding this teaching is that no one is on the path to Heaven by their natural birth. They must be converted.

Calvinists and Arminians have a difference of opinion on the order of events (referred to by theologians as the ordo salutis or order of salvation). They agree in substance that conversion is what is in view here in John 3. Most Protestants, including the vast majority of both Calvinists and Arminians, would reject the sacramental idea that the new birth is achieved through baptism.

The disagreement between Calvinists and Arminians is in the order of events in the new birth. Reformed theology (Calvinism) affirms that regeneration precedes faith, while the traditional Arminian position is that faith precedes regeneration. Examining the nuance of this discussion is well-beyond the scope of our focus on The Kingdom. Regardless of the position you take on the order of the steps in the new birth, the necessity remains: unless one is born again, they cannot see or enter The Kingdom of God.

A Kingdom Not of this World

John 18:36 (NASB)
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

Jesus affirmed that His Kingdom is not of this world. His is The Kingdom of Heaven. There is a coming day when the King will return and will establish His Kingdom on earth. After the final judgment, God will destroy both the present Heaven and earth and establish the new Heaven and new earth, in which The Kingdom of God will be established forever.

For more on the new Heaven and new earth, see Isaiah 65:17–25; 66:22–24; 2 Peter 3:10–13; and Revelation 3:12; 21:1–27.