I can imagine Jesus and his twelve students sitting around the campfire when suddenly he reveals to them a most profound and complimentary statement:

 

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WOW! Jesus had been teaching them about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven – also referred to as the kingdom of God. Jesus was their Rabbi, or teacher, but is often called ‘Master’ in the gospels. Jesus never provided an official definition for his kingdom-theme; yet, most seekers have already arrived at their understanding regarding the secrets of the kingdom.

 

Strange as it may therefore seem, I have come across three passages pertaining to his teaching about God’s kingdom, which seem to have been over-looked or misunderstood. One possible reason is that some versions of the Bible may interpret a difficult passage in a manner that is misleading or even inaccurate. After all, it's not easy to translate from one language to another. A second reason could be that the reader may be interpreting the passage using ‘eisegesis’ (prononced ice' a jee ses) This term means the passage is being read with preconceived ideas in mind, sometimes referred to as reading into the text. In the following passages, I shall intend to allow the passage to convey its intended meaning. This approach, called ‘exegesis,’ means to ‘draw out’ its meaning.

 

We shall seek to take a fresh look at these kingdom passages from the gospels. Each of these red-letter teachings consists of only two verses and are found in the synoptics: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The term, synoptics, is used by scholars indicating that they are similar to each other. The Gospel of John is not similar; nor does it focus upon the kingdom theme. So we shall bypass it.

 

 

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Let’s take a look at these three teachings of Jesus. The first passage, found in Luke, is independent of the scriptures before and after. Thus, the most likely context for the passage pertains to the Jewish messiah. The Jews had for centuries expected a Davidic messiah to save them from their enemies. Messiah is a Jewish term that refers to someone who has been anointed or blessed by God. As Palestine was ruled by the Romans, the messiah would be a gifted leader of the troops that would win a war against the Roman Empire, freeing the Jews from outside political control. The messiah would then become the king and Palestine would be ruled by the ‘kingdom of God’ as it was in the days before Saul and David became kings.

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That brings us to our first passage. A group of Pharisees is approaching Jesus with a question about the ‘kingdom of God.’ Apparently, they must have heard a rumor that Jesus was the messiah who would conquer the Romans and bring about the kingdom of God. Let’s pick it up in Luke 17:20-21. I shall divide the passage into two parts. In the first part, Jesus tells them where they won’t find the kingdom of God and in the second part he tells them where they will find it. Here is the first part of the passage:

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Clearly, Jesus is indicating to the Pharisees that his teaching about the kingdom of God is not an event or happening that can be observed with our human eyes in the outer world. Thus, it is not a political concept at all; it is not about the Jews establishing their ‘kingdom of God’ government in Palestine. Moreover, it would have nothing to do with Jesus being the Davidic messiah.

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In Jesus’ mind, the kingdom of God is something completely different. He is using figurative language; obviously, the kingdom of God has a symbolic meaning, since it is not to be taken literally. Though he does not reveal what it means, he does give them a hint. Let’s read the final sentence.

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This statement must have been a real shocker to the Pharisees! It completely baffles the human mind. Many people today (as well as 2000 years ago) are flabbergasted at the idea that Jesus is telling the Pharisees, his biblical foes, that God’s kingdom is within them. God’s Kingdom could not possibly be within the hypocritical Pharisees! For that matter, how could the kingdom of God be within humanity at all? And yet, twenty-six translations of our Bible use the phrase ‘within you.’

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We’ll have to sort this out. There are four possible translations of the Greek word, entos: ‘among’, ‘in the midst of,’ ‘inside,’ or ‘within.’ Thus, many translators have chosen to use ‘among’ or ‘in the midst of’ rather than ‘within.’ With such reasoning, what could the kingdom be? Assuming the symbolic kingdom of God is invisible but among them or in their midst, could it be everywhere? If it were everywhere, then the kingdom of God would also be ... within them!

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Take note that the kingdom is not a future issue; it is a present reality for the verb ‘is’ (The kingdom of God is within you) is in the present tense. Could it be a level of consciousness or a state of mind? Actually, the kingdom could also exist eternally; that is, in the past as well as the present and into the future. Indeed, the words ‘within’ or ‘inside’ would imply that God’s kingdom is presently within the Pharisees ... and all of humanity, for that matter. So, how can we understand this?

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We believe that the mind is invisible, but within each person; we also believe the spiritual heart (though not observable) is within us. Of course, the immortal soul is within us as well. So, could the kingdom of God be within our spiritual heart? Or within our soul? Or within our spirit?

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We are left with no choice but to conclude that the kingdom of God is a spiritual concept, not to be taken literally. Whatever the kingdom symbolized for the Master, it appears quite probable that the kingdom of God could very well be within all of humanity ... including the hypocrites!

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Let’s go to our second passage found in Mark 1:14-15 (ESV). It is the mission statement of Jesus, revealing what he and his life is all about. This passage marks the official beginning of his ministry.

 

 

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We shall seek to clarify the meaning of the underlined words. Again, I shall divide this passage into two parts. The first sentence seems innocent enough, but is plagued with hidden, misleading issues that we shall seek to bring out into the light of day. Hang in there, folks, for it’s gonna be a roller coaster ride!

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Of course, gospel means ‘good news.’ Now, let’s go to the next word. Most translators use the possessive word of which implies that the gospel belongs to God – it is God that brings the ‘good news.’ But let’s look again at the first sentence. The gospel is being proclaimed by Jesus – not God. He is excited about his wonderful message to his fellow Jews! The word 'of' is like a glove ... that does not fit!

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So, why did the translators use the word of if it’s not an appropriate word? Believe it or not, in the Greek manuscripts, there is no preposition – it does not appear at all (this was common in ancient Greek). The Greek states: ‘the gospel God.’ The reader must insert the most appropriate word between gospel and God that will reflect the context of the statement. The two likely choices are of and about. The word 'of' is a subject genitive whereas, the word 'about' is an objective genitive. Either choice is grammatically possible.[3] In fact, there are a few versions of the Bible wherein the word 'about' was chosen by the translators (EXB, ISV, EASY, and the NET in a footnote).

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Let’s try it on for size! Let’s take a look at the flow of the first sentence if we change the word of to about:

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​​This seems to make sense. Yet, in the second sentence, the gospel is about the kingdom of God. Consequently, it follows that the good news of Jesus is about two very important issues in his ministry: 1) God and 2) the kingdom of God. So, what exactly is the good news about God and his kingdom?

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Firstly, Jesus is announcing to his Jewish brothers and sisters a NEW concept of God. Although the deity of the Judeans is Yahweh (referred to as the LORD), Jesus does not use ‘the LORD.’ Instead, he is teaching his unique concept of God, which he identifies as our Father in heaven. These are two entirely different concepts of deity.  They are not synonymous!

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For instance, Jesus presents a passage from the Sermon on the Mount stating that the nature of our Father is egalitarian. This word embodies the idea or belief “that all humans are equal in fundamental worth or moral status.”[4] Here is the CEV translation of Matthew 5:43-48.

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Jesus is apparently comparing his new concept of God – which loves all people – with the Jewish concept of God, who loves some and hates others. I’m not making this up! The prophet Malachi states proudly and clearly the following words of Yahweh:

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The above teaching of Jesus is profound, covering a multitude of principles. For instance, not only does God love everyone, it implies that God has given each individual free-will. A person can make decisions that are good or bad, to do right or to do wrong. Thus, God does not interfere with our free-will. The teaching also implies that God does not judge us in regards to our choices, good or bad. In other words, what we experience as punishment is actually the consequence of our actions, not the judgment of deity.

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According to their Jewish scriptures, Yahweh was the official judge of the Israelites, his chosen people; however, he was known to be unjust in applying his judicial verdicts toward them. For instance, “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.”[8] Oh, my!

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​Notice that the Master advises us to be like our heavenly Father, not the LORD of the Old Testament. The Master obviously believed that God is our Creator, not our judge; for our Father in heaven did not withhold the sunshine from the bad people nor the rain from the ones who did wrong. He was not their judge; he was their Creator and their source of life.

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Thus, not only are we to love our enemies, Jesus taught us to respect the views of another without judging them; that includes ourselves. His teaching in Matthew 7:1-2 (ISV) on judging does not pertain to God, but to our human relationships with each other. Notice that it says nothing about God:

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In other words, if you go around being judgmental toward other people all the time, don’t be surprised when others seem to be judging you. Stop judging others and you will have no reason to fear others in their treatment of you.

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In the Old Testament (similar to the Jewish Tanakh), we know that the words attributed to the LORD were spoken through the prophets, starting with Moses. But were they accurate? Or could they have been slanted according to their beliefs about Yahweh, about life? We simply don’t know. In any case, the Master’s teachings are not directed to Yahweh and never does he pray to the LORD. Apparently, the approach being taken by the Master is to respond to what is recorded about the LORD in the Jewish scriptures. Indeed, throughout the synoptic gospels, Jesus is teaching his concept of the divine. And it is significantly different from the material found in the Jewish Tanakh.

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I realize this is confusing. So, how could this mistake have occurred? Why did the translators of our Bible choose 'of' rather than 'about'? There are many challenges the scholar faces in translating from one language to another. Moreover, maybe the translators ‘read into the passage’ rather than allowing the passage to speak for itself.

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In any case, the bottom line for Jesus is that he wanted everyone to know what his ministry is about! And the little word ‘of’ has pointed us toward a completely different mission statement of the Master. Unfortunately for the reader of our English Bible, (laymen, pastors, priests, scholars), the passage would be impossible to understand as it appears in most of our Bibles.

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Secondly, Jesus is likewise presenting his original theme of the kingdom throughout the synoptic gospels, especially in the form of parables. Here is one example: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it ... in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”[9] In the following, Jesus clarifies that his mission never changed: “‘I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.’ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea [emphasis added].”[10]

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Let’s now continue with the remaining portions of this verse, which reveal more about the kingdom. In the second sentence, Jesus is stating that the kingdom of God is available and within the reach of each person.  The time is now and the place is here. The words at hand simple mean ‘it is within our grasp.’ After all, Jesus not only taught that “the kingdom of God is within you,” but that “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”[11]

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If God wants us to have the kingdom, how do we get it? Several passages in Matthew give us a clue. Jesus is directing his followers to enter into the kingdom of heaven. In fact, Jesus is found complaining to the Pharisees (and their teachers of the law) for interfering with fellow Jews who want to enter the kingdom:

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The indwelling presence of the kingdom of heaven is within our grasp; that is, it is available for us to enter. But how? The most logical answer is meditation (entering into the silence).

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The Greek word metanoeo is usually translated ‘repent’ which in today’s culture means ‘feeling sorry and remorseful for your sinful nature.’ However, the original Greek connotation is ‘to change one’s mind – to think differently.’ Here is another version that does not use 'repent':

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In summary, the mission statement of the Master Jesus conveys his ministerial purpose: to proclaim his exciting message about God and his kingdom to his fellow Jews. The following is my paraphrased version of Mark 1:14-15.

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We conclude with our third passage found in Matthew 6:9-10. It is the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, which is actually a pattern for one’s individual prayers. Jesus is teaching:

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​In this passage, Jesus is identifying his understanding of deity with the words: Our Father in heaven. Packed into those four words lies a profound concept of the divine that Jesus no doubt discovered while growing up in Nazareth-town. The gospels reiterate over and over that Jesus would withdraw from his work to pray and meditate in the early morning hours: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”[14] Jesus is teaching from his years of dedicated prayer and meditation! Let us unpack this hidden treasure.

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The word ‘Our’ simply means that we are all children of the Father. Jesus wants us to acknowledge in our prayer that we are his and he is ours. In Jesus’ world, God does not leave anyone out.

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The word Father is much more complicated than one might believe. First of all, Jesus spoke Aramaic, not English, nor Greek. In the Greek, the word is Pater and is translated into English as 'Father.' So what word did Jesus use in his native tongue? He used the same word for God that he used for his own dad. In Aramaic, that word is Abba. It is a term of endearment. It’s a unique word, for it cannot be accurately translated into any other language. In English, the word Father connotes respect, but not intimacy. The word Dad or Daddy connotes intimacy, but not respect. The word Abba connotes both respect and intimacy in the Aramaic culture. So, Jesus selected the word Abba to identify his unique concept of God. As Jesus related to God with respect and intimacy, he selected a term that captured the essence of both. God is his Abba in heaven.

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Of course, Jesus wants each of us to pray to our Abba. So when you say or read the word ‘Father’ in the gospels, keep in mind that you are expressing both respect and intimacy. Jesus is differentiating God from your earthly father by adding the words: in heaven. Some versions read ‘who is in heaven.’ In the Jewish culture, there were three levels of heaven: the sky, outer space, and the third heaven, which King Solomon called God’s dwelling place.[15]

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When we think of the home of God as being in the highest heaven, the Creator seems remote and, indeed, very distant from us. Thus, when praying to the transcendent Creator-God of the Universe, we may find him less than ... intimate and loving. Herein lies the fantastic miracle of Jesus’ creative spirit. Even in his youth, he most likely realized that God was not far away in a distant, heavenly home – he felt the presence of God within himself. Thus, in his three-year ministry to his fellow Jews, he brought to their awareness (and the world’s) that the kingdom of heaven is within each and every one of us. Moreover, he claimed that God, our Abba, lives within the kingdom of heaven and can be experienced by his devoted children living upon the earth.

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Truly, the Master Jesus taught his disciples to pray to Abba by first entering into the kingdom of heaven. Prayer is no longer about communicating to an abstract, illusive deity outside our space-time continuum. Rather, prayer is about going to our heart – the doorway to the kingdom of heaven – wherein we commune with our loving, heavenly Father. Although we pray with words, praying is an experience of the heart rather than the mind: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”[16] The CEB translation of Matthew 6:6 reveals the Master’s approach more succinctly than any other for entering the kingdom to pray:

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The Greek tameion means “inner room” or “secret room.”[18] Consider, if you will, that “your secret room” and “that secret place” are both synonymous with the kingdom of heaven. Here is my paraphrased version:

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The phrase, “May Your kingdom come,” is linked with the next phrase, ‘may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ When God is reigning in one’s life, the kingdom has come ... into expression. Jesus assures us that God’s will is to fulfill our needs, and he claims, “Your Father knows what you need even before you ask.”[19] In other words, ‘May Your kingdom come’ is an invitation for God to guide and direct us in our daily lives.

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Jesus is teaching us that God, our Father in heaven, is our source of well-being. But if we fear the will of God, why would we choose the kingdom and his will? That’s a primary reason why the Master Jesus revealed that we must turn our thinking around about God and his kingdom. He obviously wants you and I to trust that God’s plan for our day is for our highest good.

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In conclusion, we have presented a fresh understanding of the Master’s theme: the kingdom of God. It cannot be appreciated without the acceptance of his exemplary concept of deity, who loves everyone, judges no one, respects our free-will, yet is ever available to the sincere seeker of Truth. To embrace the Master’s perception of God, we must release our beliefs that no longer serve us; otherwise, it’s like sewing a new patch on an old garment.[21]

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Jesus has enhanced our prayer-meditation experience by encouraging us to pray to our indwelling Father, who is ever available within our kingdom-of-heaven. Consequently, prayer becomes a communion with the Father in that secret, heart-centered place within.

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Truly, our heavenly Father indwells each individual and is accessible to everyone of his children. Entering the Kingdom of Heaven is pointing us toward a loving, trusting relationship with God. Indeed, this was the Master’s good news message: that we may enter the Kingdom of Heaven within and connect with the Presence of our respected and loving Abba.

 

 

Footnotes:

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[1] Matthew 13:12,16 (NLT)

[2] Luke 17:20-21 (GW)

[3] A footnote in the NET states that the genitive in the phrase ‘kingdom of God’ could be translated as an objective genitive: “gospel about God” and it would be grammatically possible.

[4] “Egalitarianism,” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab. Stanford University. 2019

[5] Matthew 5:43-45 (CEV)

[6] Malachi 1:2-3 (NCV)

[7] Matthew 12:33 (ESV)

[8] Leviticus 10:9 (NIV)

[9] Matthew 13:44 (NIV)

[10] Luke 4:43-44 (NIV)

[11] Luke 12:32 (ESV)

[12] Matthew 23:13 (ERV)

[13] Matthew 6:9-10 (NET)

[14] Mark 1:35 (NIV)

[15] 2 Chronicles 6:6

[16] Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

[17] Matthew 6:6 (CEB)

[18] Strong’s G5009

[19] Matthew 6:8 (CEV)

[20] Matthew 6:32-33 (ICB)

[21] Mark 2:21

[22] Matthew 19:13-14 (CEV)

[23] Matthew 18:3 (NET)

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