Christ in all of Scripture

Pursuit of the kingdom

BRANDEN OBRERO

4/14/2017

What is the Kingdom of God, and what does it mean to seek it? Those are two questions that face us in the midst of studying Matthew 6:31-33. As we saw last time, the fulfillment of Jesus’ amazing promise to take care of the foundational necessities of life for his disciples is contingent on two factors: that we, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness”. Right now, we will concern ourselves with the first. What is the Kingdom of God (the Kingdom)?

When you start to probe at the subject of the Kingdom in the Bible, you soon realize that you are probing at a topic that permeates throughout all of Scripture. If you think a study of the Kingdom just involves looking at a few verses in a few books, you will be disappointed. The Kingdom is an incredibly multi-faceted and dynamic topic, and in order to understand it, we must get caught up on the meaning of a concept that would have been incredibly familiar to Jesus’ listeners. That concept is one of a kingdom. The word translated kingdom is the Greek word βασιλείαν, and it connoted a variety of key concepts. βασιλείαν refers both to the land that is ruled (a domain) and the right to rule it (dominion). It also inherently carried the ideas of a ruler and people who are under his rule. So, when Jesus’ listeners heard him mention a kingdom, those four aspects – a ruler, a people, a domain, and dominion (the right to make rules) – would have come to mind. So when Jesus mentions the “Kingdom of God”, we must recognize that those four aspects are inherently present. The Kingdom of God involves God (the ruler), his people, his domain (territory ruled over), and his dominion (the right to make rules).

A noteworthy fact to recognize is that the phrase “Kingdom of God” never appears in the Old Testament. However, references to God’s kingdom do occur.

“And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.” – Zechariah 14:9

“The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” – Psalm 103:19

Throughout all the Old Testament, implicit and subtle references to God’s kingdom can be found. Once we get to the New Testament, the phrase “the Kingdom of God” is on full display in Jesus’ teaching:

“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” – Mark 1:14-15

“And [Jesus] told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.’” – Luke 21:29-31

The Kingdom of God – which involves the ideas of God, God’s people, God’s domain, and God’s dominion – is described in a variety of ways that go beyond those inherent concepts contained in βασιλείαν. From the variety of descriptions of the Kingdom throughout Scripture, we learn that it is “at hand” (Matthew 4:17), the inheritance of the persecuted Christians (Matthew 5:10), for the one who does the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21), composed of Jews and Gentiles (Matthew 8:11 and Luke 13:29), necessitates repenting and believing in the Gospel (Mark 1:15), is about what the Gospel is about (Luke 4:43), it’s proclamation is equated with the gospel (Luke 9:2), was manifested in miracles (Luke 10:9), one must be born again to see and enter it (John 3:3,5), involves godliness in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17), and is incredibly precious and involves God's gospel being proclaimed through his people, to his people, resulting in their salvation, and life as the church (parables of Matthew 13).

The Kingdom of God is described in so many ways that we can easily feel overwhelmed. However, when we remember that at the foundational level the Kingdom of God involves God (the king), God’s people (those ruled over), God’s domain (territory ruled over), and God’s dominion (right to make rules); we can recognize many of the various descriptors of the Kingdom as tied to one of those foundational aspects.

For example, the ideas of the Kingdom as the inheritance of the persecuted Christians (Matthew 5:10) and composed of Jews and Gentiles (Matthew 8:11 and Luke 13:29) are related to the foundational concept of the Kingdom involving God’s people. The ideas that the Kingdom is for the one who does the will of the Father (Matthew 7:21) and involves godliness in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17) are related to the foundational concept of the Kingdom involving God’s dominion.

It is often easier to understand a hard concept when it is related to something else that is more familiar. The Kingdom of God is described in such a way. Specifically, the Kingdom of God is described as being intricately connected to the gospel message.

“but [Jesus] 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

As we can see from these verses, the proclamation of the gospel is equated with the proclamation of the Kingdom. In fact, the proclamation of the gospel is the proclamation of the Kingdom. In looking at the gospel message, we can see the foundational components of the Kingdom. The gospel message is from God. It brings new life to formerly dead sinners, making them new creations (God’s people), and brings them into a restored relationship with God (God’s dominion). Eventually, God’s people will go to be with God in the new creation (God’s domain). The gospel message is what brings people into the Kingdom of God.

Just as the gospel is simple yet so profound, so to the Kingdom of God is simple yet so profound. This profoundness of the Kingdom is on display when Jesus devotes countless parables to highlighting different aspects of it. So, at this point, we have established what the Kingdom of God is at the foundational level. It involves God, God’s people, God’s domain, and God’s dominion. It is also equated and synergistic with the gospel message.

Now, we must turn our attention from the foundational levels of the Kingdom to its highest fulfillment. We see what the highest fulfillment of the Kingdom is in the account of Jesus’ transfiguration:

And [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. – Luke 9:23-36

It is no mistake that in every account of the Transfiguration the preceding paragraph ends with Jesus telling his disciples that, “there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God”. Then the description of the Transfiguration proper is placed after that statement in implicit epexigetical fashion, showing how those disciples saw the Kingdom of God. In the Transfiguration account, we find heavy allusions to Christ’ fulfillment of the Old Testament in the presence of Moses and Elijah on the mount with Jesus, while he is shown in glory. The implications: the Kingdom of God is directly tied to Christ’ glorious fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures.

This is the Kingdom of God. At its most foundational level, it involves God, God’s people, God’s domain, and God’s dominion. It is also equated with the gospel message, wherein we see how it relates to the foundational elements of the Kingdom. At its highest end, it is summed up in Christ’ fulfillment of all Scripture. Every other description of the Kingdom of God in Scripture exists somewhere in-between those two ends. Every other description serves to illuminate an aspect of the multi-faceted and deep concept that is the Kingdom of God.

So, how do we “seek” the Kingdom, as we read in Matthew 6:33? Take note of the fact that “seek” isn’t a passive, half-hearted looking for something. Seek is the Greek word ζητεῖτε which is an active seeking out / trying to obtain with a desire to possess. It is an active, fully committed pursuit. Pursuing the Kingdom is the pursuit of each of those foundational elements of the Kingdom – God, God’s people, God’s domain, God’s dominion – in the way God wants us to as revealed in Scripture. Pursuing the Kingdom is also the pursuit of the gospel message and its implications for our lives. At its highest end, it is the pursuit of Christ, and the pursuit of seeing how He is the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Pursuit of the Kingdom, when understood in its various aspects, is all about Christ. The Kingdom is what God accomplishes through the gospel of Christ. It is Christ' gospel, redeeming Christ' people, bringing them into Christ' place and presence, and under Christ' rule. A part of me wishes we could define what it means to seek the Kingdom in simple terms, but we can’t. To do so would rob this idea of its multifaceted nature and depth. The simplest, yet still accurate, explanation I can think of to describe pursuing the Kingdom is that the Kingdom was what Jesus was about while on earth. It was what he proclaimed so passionately. So, for us to pursue the Kingdom is for us to pursue what Jesus was about. It’s to pursue his priorities, wrapped up in the amazing depth and multifaceted nature that the idea of the “Kingdom of God” contains.

So let us seek. Let us seek and pursue the Kingdom first in our lives, ahead of all our other priorities and concerns. Let us seek the Kingdom diligently, always being in awe of the amazing depth of the concept and how it finds its highest fulfillment in Christ.