Jesus and the Kingdom of God

¹⁴ Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel (Good News) of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand (has come near); repent (turn from sin and turn to God) and believe (faith) in the Gospel (Good News).” Mark 1:14-15, English Standard Version

Most scholars agree that the primary focus of Jesus’ public ministry was proclaiming the Goods News of God and His glorious Kingdom (e.g., see Matthew 4:17, 23; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:43; Luke 8:1; Acts 1:3). Jesus’ initial public sermon, His teaching in the form of parables, and His miraculous acts revealed the true Kingdom of God. In fact, Jesus primary message encouraged everyone to seek FIRST the Kingdom of God above all else (e.g., see Matthew 6:10, 33). The Kingdom of God is to be treasured and loved beyond all else (e.g., see Matthew 13:44-46, 52). Jesus anointed and sent out His disciples with His power to proclaim the message of the Kingdom of God (e.g., see Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 10:8-9). After Jesus’ death and ascension to heaven, His disciples continued Jesus’ message of announcing the Kingdom of God (e.g., see Acts 8:12; Acts 19:8; Acts 20:25; Acts 26:15-18; Acts 28:23, 31). Jesus taught the Good News of the Kingdom of God must be preached in the whole world to all the nations before the end will come (e.g., see Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19; Mark 13:10).

The teachings of Jesus are a critical need in the church today. However, throughout church history, the church has somewhat ignored the teaching of Jesus. For instance, the Reformation in the 16th century that began with Martin Luther in Germany focused primarily on the rediscovery of Paul’s teachings that focused on justification (righteousness) by faith alone (e.g., see Romans 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:21). John Calvin’s teaching is largely an exposition of Pauline thinking and not the recovery of the teachings of Jesus. Even today in Protestant churches, many churches are governed by a Pauline bias and emphasize the centrality of justification by faith alone. In the Apostles Creed used by many churches, the earthly life of Jesus is given little attention. Significantly, the earthly life of Jesus that compromise His public ministry and His teaching is only briefly mentioned in the Apostles Creed.

Today, there has been a renewed interest in New Testament scholarship on the Jewishness and Jewish background of Jesus (e.g., see John 4:9). In particular, New Testament scholars argue that many people would have recognized Jesus in first-century Palestine as a Jewish Rabbi (e.g., see Mark 10:51; John 3:2). The Gospels support Jesus’ position as a Jewish Rabbi. In the Gospels, Jesus was often called a Rabbi, which means “My Master” or “Teacher” (e.g., see Matthew 9:11; Mark 10:17). In many ways, Jesus functioned as a first-century Jewish rabbi. Both Jesus and other Jewish rabbis taught the Law of Moses to their students (e.g., see Matthew 5:17-48; Matthew 19:16-19; Matthew 22:24-27, 29-31; Mark 7:1-16, 20-23). Unlike the Jewish rabbis, Jesus taught with confident authority and heavenly wisdom, and not as the scribes, who quibbled and quoted others religion scholars and the traditions of the elders (e.g., see Matthew 7:28-29; Matthew 13:54; Mark 1:22; Mark 7:1-23).

Primarily, the four New Testament Gospels revealed the realist and nature of the Kingdom of God. In the Gospels, Jesus described the Kingdom of God as the reign and rule of the living LORD God active NOW for redemption (salvation) among ALL PEOPLE, races, creed, sexuality, and nationalities (e.g., see Luke 4:16-30). The Kingdom of God came into human history through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ to overcome evil, to deliver people from evil’s power, and to bring everyone salvation by faith in Him into the blessings of God’ Kingdom (e.g., see Matthew 4:23-25; Mark 5:1-20). Equally, Jesus’ life and mission also described the future reign and rule of the Kingdom of God, which will appear as an apocalyptic act at the end of the age – Eschaton (e.g., see Matthew 25:31-46). Thus, the Kingdom of God involves two great moments: fulfillment within history through Jesus’s life and ministry and also completion at the end of history when He returns in great power and glory (e.g., Mark 1:15; Mark 13:26). The parables and teaching of Jesus reveal BOTH the present and future nature of the Kingdom of God (e.g., see Matthew 12:28; Matthew 25:31-33; Luke 17:20-21).

Yet, the mere fact that God proposes to bring His Kingdom to all people was no secret nor mystery. The Jewish apocalyptic writings and orthodox Jewish theology reflected that expectation in one form or another of the Kingdom of God (e.g., see Daniel 7:13-14). Many first-century Jews were waiting on the arrival of the Kingdom (e.g., see Luke 2:25, 38; Mark 11:9-10; Mark 15:43). However, Jesus taught a new disclosure or new truth about the Kingdom of God. Jesus declared in His life and mission the Kingdom of God, which is to come finally in apocalyptic power at the end of the age, entered into this human world with His first coming – the Incarnation (e.g., see Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:23-25; Matthew 7:21).

In Jesus’ first public sermon, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel (also known as the Good News) of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel is the Good News of God’s fulfillment of His Old Testament promises to bring His salvation (e.g., Isaiah 40:9; Isaiah 52:7). The Gospel is proclaimed by Jesus the Messiah. In a secondary sense, the Gospel is the report about Jesus and God’s work through His Son Jesus to fulfill His Old Testament promises (e.g., Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 11:1-3).

Jesus declared, “the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the Good News!” (see Mark 1:15). Numerous biblical scholars have studies Jesus’ initial sermon at Mark 1:14-15 with parallels in Matthew 4:17. Most scholars agree Jesus’ initial sermon launches His public ministry. Importantly, Jesus’ initial sermon gave a simple summary statement of His life and ministry. The life and ministry of Jesus is the proclamation that the KINGDOM OF GOD HAD COME NOW, and He called upon EVERYONE to REPENT (change your life) and BELIEVE in the Gospel message. No one can enter God’s Kingdom unless one accepts and believes in Jesus the Messiah (e.g., see Matthew 21:31; Acts 20:21). Eternal life is virtually synonymous with entering the Kingdom of God and receiving salvation through our faith in God’s Son, Jesus (e.g., see John 3:3, 5, 15-16).

Before Jesus’ summary statement, the Gospel writers revealed a connection and continuity of Jesus’ life to the Old Testament. The Gospel writers connect Jesus’ life and ministry to the visible manifestation of what God promised in the Old Testament with the arrival of John the Baptist. The wonderful story of Jesus the Messiah (Christ) began with the Old Testament promises from God’s prophets (see Mark 1:1-3). In the Old Testament prophetic books of Isaiah and Malachi, God announced that He would send His Son to earth and that a special messenger would arrive first to prepare the world for His great coming (Mark 1:2-3; see also Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 14:33; Luke 1:76-77). This messenger was John the Baptist (Mark 1:3; see also Luke 1:17; 76; Luke 7:26-28; John 1:23). John the Baptist and Jesus were blood-related, as John’s mother Elizabeth was related to Jesus’s mother Mary (see Luke 1:36). Both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ were sent from the living LORD God as predicted in the Old Testament promises (e.g., 2 Samuel 7:12-16; John 1:6-7; John 3:16, 28; John 5:37; Acts 13:23).

John the Baptist announced a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins to get ready for the Lord Jesus’ arrival with the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:3; see also Matthew 3:2; Luke 3:3; Acts 13:24). Repentance means a purposeful decision to turn away from sin and evil and turn to the living LORD God so that God could graciously forgive and release you from sins (Mark 1:4; see also Acts 26:15-18). Essentially, John the Baptist preached a baptism of life change that leads to God’s forgiveness of sins (see also Acts 2:38). Repentance comes before baptism. Thus, baptism was not the means by which sins were forgiven but rather as signs indicating that one had truly repented. Importantly, John the Baptist’s proclamation has a Kingdom message. In John the Baptist’s ministry, the living LORD God was fulfilling His mission for the human race and establishing His reign and rule in creation.

With John the Baptist’s preaching of the coming Kingdom, people from Jerusalem and from all over Judea traveled out into the Judean desert (wastelands) to see and hear John (Mark 1:3, 5; see also Matthew 3:2, 5; Luke 3:7). John the Baptist was the forerunner of the Messiah, and the LORD God was resending His prophetic Spirit after over 400 years of silence. Many people believed in God and confessed their sins and John baptized them in the Jordan River (Mark 1:5; see also Acts 19:18).

The setting of John’s proclamation is the “wilderness” or “desert” (Mark 1:4; see also Matthew 3:1; Luke 3:2). In Jewish thinking, the wilderness remained the reader of Israel’s Old Testament exodus experience during the wandering in the wilderness when Israel refused to trust God at Kadesh-Barnea (e.g., see Numbers 13:1-14:45; Deuteronomy 1:19-46). Israel’s wilderness wandering was not a meaningless time but a time where God’s people were shaped and formed through trial, testing, suffering, and temptations. For many Jews, the wilderness represented a place of danger where demons lived (e.g., see Revelation 12:6). Even during the wilderness wandering, the LORD God continued to reign and rule to the overthrow of evil. Many theologians see John’s wilderness proclamation as God’s new exodus not only for Jews but for all people as He delivers everyone through faith in His Son into His Kingdom.

Also, biblical scholars see a connection with the Old Testament prophet Elijah to John the Baptist. Both John the Baptist and Elijah wore clothes woven from camel’s hair with a leather belt, and they both lived in the wilderness desert (Mark 1:6; see also 1 Kings 17:5; 1 Kings 19:4; 2 Kings 1:8). John the Baptist clearly stated that he was NOT the Messiah, but His duty was to prepare the people for Jesus the Messiah (Mark 1:7; see also Luke 3:15-16; John 1:19-23). With His coming, John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus baptism into God’s Holy Spirit (Mark 1:7-8; see also John 1:33; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:16). John’s baptism in the Jordan River turned one’s old life in for a Kingdom life (e.g., see Mark 1:8; Acts 19:4-6). However, Jesus’ baptism —a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit — changes one from the inside out through faith in Him (e.g., see Mark 1:8; Acts 11:16).

Then, Jesus arrived from Nazareth located in Galilee, and He was baptized by John there in the Jordan River (Mark 1:9 see also Matthew 3:13-17). The moment Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended onto Jesus (Mark 1:10; see also Matthew 3:17; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:32-34). Truly, the Holy Spirit was upon Jesus as predicted by the Old Testament (e.g., see Isaiah 42:1-4; Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18; John 3:34; Acts 10:38).  

The coming of the Spirit revealed an important Old Testament promise. The Spirit’s coming upon Jesus is a reminder of Old Testament prophecy such as the prophet Joel where the coming of the Messianic age would arrive when God’s Spirit descended onto His people (e.g., see Isaiah 32:15; Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 11:18-19; Joel 2:28-32; Luke 24:49). In the Old Testament, the Jews believed that God lifted His Holy Spirit and was not speaking through the prophets because of their rebellion. With the ascent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus, the LORD God filled His Son Jesus with His Holy Spirit power.

Then, the living LORD God’s voice from heaven declared about Jesus, “You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11, ESV; see also Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 3:16-17). The LORD God’s declaration commissioned and also affirmed the public ministry of Jesus. At the Transfiguration, LORD God also opened the heavens and reaffirmed His Son Jesus’ commission before His sacrificial death to bring redemption (salvation) to the world (e.g., see Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:7).

Then, immediately the Holy Spirit forcefully thrust Jesus into the wilderness desert (see Mark 1:12). There in the wilderness desert, for forty (40) days, alone except for desert animals, Jesus was subjected to Satan’s temptations to sin (see Mark 1:13). After His temptations, God’s holy angels came and cared for Jesus (see Mark 1:13).

Jesus’ temptation and testing reveals the active powers of Satan to stop and oppose the Kingdom of God (e.g., see Ephesians 2:1-3). Evil exists as an active force that opposes the rule and reign of God’s Kingdom. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, evil repeatedly attempted to stop the Kingdom of God working through Jesus. Jesus’ ministry revealed that He was STRONG, and He came to overthrow evil and evil’s kingdom ruling in the present world (e.g., see Matthew 12:22-32; Mark 5:1-20).

Interestingly, Mark’s account of Jesus’ temptation by Satan is brief. In the parallels of this story, Matthew and Luke’s Gospel fill out the temptation and testing of Jesus in great detail (see Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). For divine necessity, Jesus goes on the turf of Satan. The unknown author of Hebrews declares because Jesus suffered when He was tempted, He helps those who are being tempted and tested by Satan (e.g., see Hebrews 2:18; Hebrews 4:15-16). Satan is against everything that is right and good, and he is full of all kinds of deceit, lies, and trickery (e.g., see Acts 13:10).

By divine necessity, God’s Holy Spirit thrust Jesus into the wilderness to go into the habitation (den) of evil and do battle. The Kingdom of God does not come without opposition (e.g., see Matthew 11:12; Luke 11:18-20)! Instead, the rule and reign of God come with effort, pain, suffering, and testing. In this wilderness battle, Jesus proved victorious with the help of God’s holy angels (Mark 1:12-13; see also Matthew 26:53; Luke 22:43). The unknown author of Hebrews declares that God’s holy angels also protect those who are to inherit salvation (see Hebrews 1:14). At the end of the age – the Eschaton, the Lord Jesus will also prove victorious over the forces of evil (e.g., see Revelation 20:7-10).

Then after His victory over evil, Jesus went into Galilee to preach God’s Good News of the Kingdom (Mark 1:14; see also Matthew 4:12, 23). Jesus announced, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15, NKJV; see also Matthew 4:17). Essentially, Jesus’s proclaimed that God's Kingdom was NOW here in His life and mission.

In Mark 1:15, the word “time” in Greek means Kairos. There are two Greek words for time, Kairos and Chronos. Chronos means a length of time like chronology or how much time. Chronos is a quantitative time. However, Kairos is a special, critical, or unique time that requires immediate action or response that cannot wait. According to Jesus, the Kairos requires repentance. Repentance was a turning of one’s life – a changed life. The only response to the dawning of the Kingdom in Jesus was repentance and believe in the Gospel!

From the very beginning, the living LORD God invited everyone – Jews and non-Jews into His Kingdom to become a kingdom of priests for God (e.g., see Exodus 19:5-6). At Mount Sinai, God promised the Israelites that if they would submit and obey His voice and keep His commandments, they would be to Him a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6; see also 1 Peter 2:5, 9-12). Interestingly, the book of Revelation identifies faithful believers as “priests of God and of Christ” (e.g., see Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6). These faithful believers submitted to God’s reign and rule and remained faithful to Jesus and did not submit to evil’s temptation for money, fame, and power are thus priests of God and Jesus (see also Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10).

Even more interestingly, Jesus came preaching His first sermon on the Kingdom of God and repentance in Galilee (e.g., see Matthew 4:12-16). In the first-century, Galilee was known as Galilee of the Gentiles, and many Jews considered Galilee as an unclean territory. Jesus began His proclamation that the rule of God was in our midst in Galilee. Although Jesus was Jewish, He wanted EVERYONE to REPENT and BELIEVE (e.g., see also Acts 20:21). Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God transcends prejudices and divisions such as ethnicity, gender, economic, and sexuality barriers and welcomes and loves EVERYONE through faith Him (e.g., see Matthew 21:31; Luke 4:16-30; Galatians 3:26-29; 1 Corinthians 12:13). The Kingdom of God breaks down and destroys the dividing walls that separate the people. Interestingly at the end of the story, Jesus is crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem in a public place, and His charge had to be written in three languages: Aramaic, Latin, and Greek (e.g., see John 19:19-20; Hebrews 13:12). Jesus is universal!

When Jesus announced the Kingdom of God was near, many people were looking for a visible, dramatic, and cataclysmic end of history with heavenly armies arriving and also the restoration of Israel to world dominance. The dominant view of the Kingdom of God in the first-century among the Jews and even the everyday people who were non-Jews was that the Kingdom of God would bring a radical and dramatic inbreaking of God into human history.

Instead of a radical and catalytic inbreaking of the Kingdom of God, Jesus went walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and called His first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James, and John (see Mark 1:16-20). Thus, the first-century people saw nothing earthshaking, dramatic, nor cataclysmic with Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom. Amazingly, these fishermen yielded their lives and hearts to the rule of God. For these fishermen, the Kingdom of God did arrive with Jesus!

One of the signs of the presence of the Kingdom of God is that people are set free from evil (e.g., see John 8:31-38). With the acceptance of God and His Kingdom comes full liberation and freedom from sin, sickness, and ignorance (e.g., see Matthew 4:23-25; Matthew 10:7-8; Luke 10:8-9). When the Kingdom of God is present, there is deliverance, healing, and restoration (e.g., see Matthew 8:16-17; Mark 1:21-26, 29-34, 39-45; Luke 4:40-41). Our submission to the rule of God brings freedom, healing, and salvation!

References

ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008).

Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).

The Living Bible Paraphrase (Tyndale House, 1971).