Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. Some have assumed that the Kingdom is simply in one’s heart. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 The kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus’ preaching, according to the Synoptic Gospels. Question: "What does it mean that the kingdom of God suffers violence?" Though his Good News does relate to what happens after death, it also has everything to do with this life. All rights reserved. While Matthew, who addresses himself to the Jews, speaks for the most part of the “kingdom of God,” which has the same meaning as the “kingdom of heaven,” but was more intelligible to non-Jews. Jesus himself was that Son of David who had come to take up the Reign of God once more and restore the Kingdom to Israel. There are people who preach saying the kingdom of heaven is here. The workplace consequences of living in God’s kingdom are profound. The use of “kingdom of heaven” in Matthew is certainly due to the tendency in Judaism to avoid the direct use of the name of God. Years ago, I used to think that Jesus’ announcement of the kingdom being near meant something like, “You can go to heaven after you die.” Now I realize that I had mistaken Jesus’ primary message. Kingdoms are concerned with governance, economics, agriculture, production, justice, defense—issues we see in most workplaces. Adopted by the Theology of Work Project Board July 6, 2011. Matthew 3:2. The workplace consequences of living in God’s kingdom are profound. For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:20-21). Thursday, February 7, 2019 Hey Fletch … Thank you for all you are doing in the will of God. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10). Misunderstanding regarding the latter part however, has given many an incomplete picture of the Kingdom. Others say that this Kingdom is in heaven. For all practical purposes, the terms “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” have the same meaning. Jesus adds in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord.' You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work. Growing up in Christian circles, I’ve heard that phrase often, but I never paused to consider what it might mean, until recently. However, the Kingdom of God (the Matthean equivalent being "Kingdom of Heaven") is a prominent phrase in the Synoptic Gospels and there is near-unanimous agreement among scholars that it represents a key element of the teachings of Jesus. To be sure, the expression heavenly kingdom is found in 2 Timothy 4:18, but there is no contextual evidence that this is an identical expression. Join us for a study, then try it with your own group. After Christ won, He declared, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” This is one of the most profound and inspiring statements ever made on Earth, yet almost no one knows what it means. Jesus’ teachings, as recorded by Matthew, speak directly to our life at work. In the Sermon on the Mount, he inducts his followers into the values, ethics, and practices of this new kingdom. Understanding this question has been confusing for many. Image by Jesus’ teachings, as recorded by Matthew, speak directly to our life at work. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘ The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of God": In these quotations, and in others which might easily be adduced, it will be observed that the phrases "the kingdom," "the kingdom of God," "the kingdom of heaven" are used interchangeably. Produced by TOW Project, Bible Study: Wednesdays, Oct. 14 - Dec. 16, Theology of Work Project Online Materials, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible That Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, The Kingdom of Heaven Has Come Near (Matthew), Working as Citizens of God's Kingdom (Matthew 1-4), The Kingdom of Heaven at Work in Us (Matthew 5-7), "Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 5:3), "Blessed are Those Who Mourn, For They Will be Comforted" (Matthew 5:4), "Blessed are the Meek, for They Will Inherit the Earth" (Matthew 5:5), "Blessed are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness" (Matthew 5:6), "Blessed are the Merciful, For They Will Receive Mercy" (Matthew 5:7), "Blessed are the Pure in Heart, For They Will See God" (Matthew 5:8), "Blessed are the Peacemakers, For They Will be Called Children of God" (Matt 5:9), "Blessed are Those Who are Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake" (Matt 5:10), Salt and Light in the World of Work (Matthew 5:13-16), Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread (Matthew 6:11), Store Your Treasure in Heaven, Not on Earth (Matthew 6:19-34), “Do Not Judge, So That You May Not be Judged” (Matthew 7:1-5), Do to Others as You Would Have Them Do to You: The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), Paying Taxes (Matthew 17:24-27 and 22:15-22), Living in the New Kingdom (Matthew 18-25), The Laborers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32), Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-41), The Great Commandment is a Great Framework (Matthew 22:34-40), Parable of the Faithful Servant (Matthew 24:45-51), The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus' Death and Resurrection (Matthew 27-28), Theology of Work Commentary Volume 4: Matthew through Acts, Theology of Work Bible Commentary - One Volume Edition, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. 13 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. I need a clear understanding of that What does the Bible have to say about work? Why Does Matthew Use “Kingdom of Heaven” Instead of “Kingdom of God”? What did Jesus mean when He said, “The kingdom of God is at hand”? or See there! Matthew is clear that this kingdom is not fully realized on earth as we know it, but will reach completion when we see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). Find out more on how we use cookies and how to disable them. What does it even mean for the kingdom of heaven to draw near? As previously indicated, the expression kingdom of heaven is confined to Matthew’s Gospel. It is not up in heaven, so that… By means of His death on the cross and victorious resurrection he would provide the ultimate means of healing, redemption and restoration for those wishing to become a part of the Kingdom of Heaven. Meanwhile, we turn our backs on the old ways of work, so that the new way of the kingdom of heaven is made visible in us as we live. When one is a loyal subject of the King, he or she will desire to please this King in everything he or she says and does. You have a chance to be part of a perfect Heavenly Kingdom, under Christ, the Son of… One of the esoteric parables, which I believe was also borrowed, is that the kingdom of heaven is within. and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." It means a lot of things at a lot of different levels, but basically it means - GOD is near you. At the beginning of his earthly ministry, Jesus announces that “the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). This series will not be week-to week, but I hope to occasionally write an article on the kingdom of heaven. The Gospel of Matthew concludes as Jesus commissions his followers to go to work throughout the world because he has received “all authority in heaven and on earth” and will be present with them in their work on earth (Matthew 28:19-20). N early 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ and Satan the devil fought the fiercest battle ever. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org. Bible Commentary They can mean the entire creation ultimately under God’s control or the kingdom of Jesus Christ that will come into being when Jesus physically returns to reign. It can denote a king's territory. They do not know what the kingdom of heaven … Even now, we work according to its values and practices. This one-of-a-kind Bible resource answers that very question. It is found in such key places as the preaching of John the Baptist, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" ( Matt 3:2); Jesus' earliest announcement, "The time has come… The kingdom of God is near. The Bible promises, when the follower of Jesus lives in this manner, God will supply all our needs…from … Kingdoms are concerned with governance, economics, agriculture, production, justice, defense—issues we see in most workplaces. It could just have correctly been translated, "heaven's kingdom" just as we often use "God's Kingdom" rather than "Kingdom of God. Business, education, law, service industries, medicine, government--wherever you work, in whatever capacity, the Scriptures have something to say about it. The word "kingdom" means the domain of the king denoting rule, dominion, and sovereignty. Contributors: Jonathan Pennington and Alice Mathews John the Baptist was actually the first to say this. It is the declaration that "the kingdom of God has come near." The kingdom would not be inaugurated with spectacle or splendor; there would be no great and magnificent leader who staked out a geographical claim and routed the Romans; rather, the kingdom would come silently and unseen, much as leaven works in a batch of dough (see Matthew … If it wasn’t borrowed, then it would indeed mean that Christ was an initiate into the Egyptian mysteries. We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, by continuing to use this site you agree to this. Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Similarly, when Jesus sends out his disciples in Luke 10 they proclaim the same message: Luke 10.8-11 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Although some Bible students in earlier generations expended a great deal of time and energy seeking to establish a difference between these two terms, most authorities today believe that when all of the evidence is examined the two expressions are used in a completely interchangeable way. KG is the realm where God exists in complete authority, full of righteousness and holiness, and where His rule is acknowledged in the hearts of believers. The lessons in each chapter are great for small group or individual study. They also can refer to the kingdom of God already present in the hearts and actions of believers who acknowledge Jesus Christ as King. When we read “kingdom of heaven,” we may think of harps, clouds, and angel choirs, but Jesus is clear that the kingdom of heaven refers to God’s rule on earth. Matthew 5:3 Jesus was not saying that Christians go to heaven.In these verses, "of" shows possession, not location. Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Lessons include scripture references, reflections questions and prayer. The true meaning of “for the kingdom of heaven has come near” is that each of us can gain the refuge or sanctuary of God - the shelter of God - immediately by simply turning to the Supreme Being - by worshiping Him and relying upon Him - and dismissing ourselves ("repenting") from our search for happiness in a materialistic world of emptiness and physical gratification. Responding to a question from the Pharisees about when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said, The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, See here! It also occurs twice in John (3:3, 5). The kingdom of heaven “has come near.” It has come here to this world. It means to draw near to something. / Jesus giving Peter "the keys of the kingdom of heaven ", (Matthew 16:18), depicted by Perugino, 1492. Luke 10:10 But if you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into the streets and declare, Luke 10:11 Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:22-24 NKJV). Moreover, Jesus declares in Matthew 18:3 , "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." According to Vine’s, the two are not the same. Jesus instructed us to preach saying. Daniel also makes the statement that the “God of heaven” will “set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed” (Dan 2:44; confirmed in the prophecy of Dan 7:13-14, 27.) But it was not a kingdom with human glory like David's or Solomon's, but one with spiritual glory like the Kingdom in the Wilderness, where the King himself dwelt in the midst of his people. Does it mean heaven is close, yet elusive, out of reach, until we get to heaven? Explore what Matthew says about the kingdom of God and your work. While Matthew, who addresses himself to the Jews, speaks for the most part of the “kingdom of God,” which has the same meaning as the “kingdom of heaven,” but was more intelligible to non-Jews. The first part of Jesus answer has been fairly easy to understand. ’ teachings, as recorded by Matthew, speak directly to our life at work also borrowed is! Refer to the Synoptic Gospels came to me those desiring to follow.... 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