  Foundations of the Faith
Foundations
of the Faith explores
and explains Thy kingdom By Robert P. Mills, The Presbyterian LaymanVolume 34, Number 4, Posted May 30, 2001 |
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Jesus began his preaching ministry by announcing the kingdom of God, a theme that found expression not only in his preaching but also in his teaching and healing as well. So we should not be surprised that when his disciples asked him how to pray, the second request Jesus taught them to make was “Thy kingdom come.” Our next study will look at what it means to pray that God’s kingdom come. But the petition will be more meaningful once we have explored the nature, mystery and boundaries of the kingdom of God. The nature of kingdom In trying to understand the nature of God’s kingdom, modern Christians first face the problem of those who insist on eliminating the very word from the Church’s vocabulary. Critics variously claim that “kingdom” is too sexist, patriarchal and/or militaristic for contemporary sensibilities. They insist that “rule” or “reign” be used as a substitute. Unfortunately, as is so often the case when Biblical language is sacrificed on the altar of culture, meaning suffers. As Ronald Glass notes, a study of the Old Testament reveals that the Biblical concept of kingdom “must involve a king, or ruler invested with sovereignty (authority). … It must also include a realm, a territory over which the king governs, together with the subjects, or the body of persons ruled.” Similarly, the New Testament Greek baseleia, best translated “kingdom,” conveys both the dynamic act of governing and the more static concept of territory. Looking at God’s kingdom as a realm, we see analogies, though definite contrasts, between the kingdom of God and earthly kingdoms. We can enter the kingdom (Matt. 5:20; 7:21; 18:3) and we can also be put out of it. (Matt. 8:12). There are keys to the kingdom (Matt. 16:19) and it can be closed to some by the actions of others (Matt. 23:13).
If attempts at cultural accommodation result in contemporary Christians reducing God’s kingdom to either reign or realm, the result will be like looking at the world with one eye closed. We require two functioning eyes to maintain proper depth perception, to walk around without bumping into things. Similarly, to maintain our perspective on the kingdom of God we must hold together the concepts of activity and territory, both of which are conveyed by the biblical word “kingdom.” The mystery of the kingdom Phillip Yancey notes that “Jesus never offered a clear definition of the kingdom; instead he imparted his vision of it indirectly through a series of stories. His choice of images is telling: everyday sketches of farming, fishing, women baking bread, merchants buying pearls.” The gospels record 11 parables in which Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God or, synonymously, the kingdom of heaven. Many are clustered in Matthew 13 and begin “The kingdom of heaven is like …” Using images and analogies instead of definitions, Jesus taught his followers much about the kingdom of God. But perhaps the most important message of the kingdom parables is that we do not grasp God’s kingdom; rather the kingdom of God reaches out and pulls us in, in part through these very illustrations. As N.T. Wright observes: “The parables are not simply information about the kingdom, but are part of the means of bringing it to birth. … They do not merely give people something to think about. They invite people into the new world that is being created, and warn of dire consequences if the invitation is refused. Jesus’ telling of these stories is one of the key ways in which the kingdom breaks in upon Israel.” Entering the kingdom From his first sermon, “Repent and believe,” to his post-resurrection Great Commission, “Go and make disciples,” Jesus insisted that the inbreaking of God’s kingdom required a response from every individual. And yet, Jesus also taught that God’s kingdom is pure gift, one that comes to a person without a person’s help or action. How, then, does one enter the new world God is creating? That was a discussion that unfolded when Nicodemus came to talk to Jesus in the night. Evidently, Jesus’ miracles had convinced Nicodemus that Jesus was no ordinary teacher but that God was with him in a unique and powerful way. In response, Jesus abruptly shifted the course of the conversation, telling the Jewish religious leader, “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again [or, from above]” (John 3:3). When Nicodemus expressed astonishment, Jesus continued: “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-8). Jesus insists that the new birth, the new beginning, must be the work of the Spirit, who comes from “above.” The origin of the kingdom determines the nature of its citizens. To understand the kingdom of God, individuals must be related to Jesus by the new birth from above. As Lesslie Newbigin summarizes, “to experience the kingship of God as a present reality (not merely a future hope) can only be the result of an act of God himself. It is always a miracle, a mystery, an action ‘from above.’ … it is a matter of regeneration. It is not just new seeing but new being.” Boundaries of the kingdom In a simple yet startling statement, William Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas remind us “Kingdoms have boundaries. There are those who are citizens, and there are those who are not.” Nevertheless, they continue, “God’s kingdom boundaries obliterate all of the world’s false means of demarcation between human beings. Here is a kingdom open to all, with no consideration given for the world’s boundaries. Our boundary is baptism.” Or, as Jesus put it, in order to enter the kingdom of God “You must be born again.” Jesus resisted the temptation to take control of the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-8). He refused to use the world’s means to establish an earthly reign and realm (John 6;15; 18:36). Instead he heralded the arrival of a new kingdom, a kingdom in this world yet not of it. Jesus came inviting us to join up with that heavenly kingdom. Seeing the kingdom at hand requires a response, a decision – enabled by the Holy Spirit – to repent and believe the good news. Thus God’s kingdom is his gift to his people, who by water and the Spirit have been born from above. It comprises both his reign and his realm, yet remains mysterious even to those whom he has given eyes to see and ears to hear (Matt. 13:16). It is both temporal and eternal, already a concrete reality among us, but one that has not yet arrived in all its fullness. It is that for which we have been taught to pray, “Thy kingdom come.” |
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