Kingdom of Heaven
Within, all around and unseen
Why the Kingdom of Heaven?
The Kingdom of Heaven was the key teaching of Jesus in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It is not an easy concept to define and Jesus often used parables to open our minds to the possibility of what it is. In summary, the Kingdom appears to be:
- The good news that Jesus preached
- Which is of the greatest value
- And what we should seek first
This is set out in more detail in the sections below.
The Kingdom is the good news
“but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”” Luke 4:43 ESV
“Until John, there was only the Law and the Prophets. Since then, the good news of God’s kingdom is preached, and everyone is urged to enter it.” (Luke 16:16 CEB)
This is the good news that Jesus preached. It is easy to miss this due to later writings in the New Testament but this is how Jesus refers to his own message. Since this is what Jesus preached it is worth finding out the content and meaning!
It is of the greatest value
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46 ESV)
The emphasis here is that the Kingdom is of the greatest value possible. The story is allegorical – the Kingdom cannot be bought with money so equally it cannot be obtained by the selling of physical possessions. But with the Kingdom being spiritual in nature then the message is still as strong. When we are seeking spiritually and discover the Kingdom we recognize its value is so great that we go and sell everything for it.
The reference to the “pearl of great value” also has parallels to the seeking the “pearl” in the ancient text Hymn of the Pearl – the allegory of our incarnation on Earth and our return back again.
We are to seek it first
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV)
Whatever our cares are in the world (from the preceding verses), if we seek the Kingdom first what we want will be added to us. But the key thing is to seek the Kingdom first.
It is within and all around us but we do not see it
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21 KJV)
Jesus said, “If those who lead you say to you, ‘See, the kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. (Thomas 3)
His disciples said to him, “When will the kingdom come?” Jesus said, “It will not come by waiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying ‘here it is’ or ‘there it is.’ Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it.” (Thomas 113)
Entering the Kingdom now is by doing the will of the Father
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 ESV)
Which is by following Jesus’s commandments
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (Matthew 7:24-26 ESV)
And Jesus commands us to
- Love God
- Love your neighbor
- Love your enemy
- Forgive
- Be merciful
- Do not judge
- Do not be anxious
- Do not be angry
And the extent that we follow Jesus’s teachings
is the extent that we can enter into the Kingdom now
And when we do – everything changes