Just what did Jesus preach about the kingdom of God?

Paul
Jesus preached that the kingdom was coming or starting soon. Jesus spoke this in part due to the expectation of the people for the Christ and His kingdom.(Such expectation was indeed valid.) And Christ spoke this as the "prophet like unto Moses" (Deut 18:15)Pierac wrote:Luk 4:43 But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose."
Just what did Jesus preach about the kingdom of God?![]()
Paul
steve wrote:Everything Jesus taught was concerning the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15; 4:11/ Matt.4:23; 6:33/ Luke 13:18, 20/Acts 1:3).
Among the things Jesus taught about it were the following:
1. The kingdom would not come in the visible form that the Jews expected (Luke 17:20-21/ John 3:3)
2. The kingdom of God was once associated with national Israel, but is to be given over to an international community (Luke 13:28-29/ Matthew 21:43; 24:14 [cf.Ex.19:5-6])
3. The kingdom of God is spiritual, not "of this world," and could only be entered by spiritual birth (John 3:5/ 18:36/ Matt.18:3 [cf. Rom.14:17])
4. In one sense, the kingdom of God was already present (Matt.12:28/ Luke 17:21 [cf. Col.1:13])
5. In another sense, the kingdom was yet to be realized in its universal phase (Mark 9:1; 14:25/ Luke 9:27; 19:11-12; 21:31)
6. The kingdom was presently quite small and inconspicuous, but was growing and destined to fill the earth (Matt.13:31-33 [cf.Dan.2:34-35, 44-45])
7. The growth of the kingdom would be by spiritual means (disseminating its message—like scattering seed), and not by military conquest (Matt.13:18-23/John 18:36 [cf.Isaiah 2:4])
8. His disciples would have the privilege of inheriting the kingdom (that is, as a domain over which they themselves would be rulers) in its future and universal phase (Matt.13:43; 25:3 [cf. 1 Cor.6:9-10; 15:50])
9. Being rich is, in this present time, an obstacle to entering the kingdom of God (Matt.19:24/ Luke 6:20 [cf.James 2:5-7])
10. Being religious (at least like the Pharisees) can be a hindrance to entering the kingdom of God (Matt.5:20; 21:31)
11. Some who are not yet in the kingdom may be "not far" from it (Mark 12:34)
12. The kingdom of God must be the absolute priority (even obsession) of those who wished to inherit it (Mark 9:47/ Matt.6:33; 13:44-46; 19:12)
Thanks TK,TK wrote:what very appropriate timing of this topic!
i am leading a multi-week class on "What is the Kingdom of God" at my church starting next week. i've been re-listening to Steve's excellent lectures on this topic- Pierac if you havent listened to them yet i highly recommend them!
i think most Christians have only a very cursory understanding of this vital topic. Thanks. Steve and Paidion, for your responses.
TK
Before the resurrection of Christ, His resurrection was a mystery. The critical message to the people in that generation was to repent before the kingdom started. Matthew 13 parables show some significance of the resurrection. For example,the Hid Treasure parable shows that Christ in a sense bought the field through His death. The similar idea is shown in the Pearl parable, that Jesus gave all He had -- His life -- to obtain the great pearl.Pierac wrote:So, why did Jesus and his Apostles not preach about his death and resurrection during His 3 years on this earth?
...snip...
The disciples didn't understand it. It seems that the disciples were in such a culture shock under the teachings of Jesus that these disciples couldn't understand all Jesus said. Part of that shock came because the disciples likely (and apparently) expected Jesus to move into kingship while among them -- and death is quite an interruption of that concept.Pierac wrote: At this stage the disciples had no knowledge of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This is proved by their subsequent reaction to Jesus's announcement of his impending arrests and crucifixion: Luk 18:31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 "For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, 33 and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again." 34 But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.
Scripture seems to say that the kingdom was yet future. So of course they had to share the gospel of the kingdom. Now, when speaking to Jews, the fact of Jesus' resurrection appeared to be widely known. The Apostles' preaching then only needed few references to the resurrection.Pierac wrote: ... snip...
Now if, as it is commonly said, the Gospel consist of information about the death and resurrection of Jesus only, how is it that both Jesus and the twelve proclaimed the Gospel without reference to the Savior's death and resurrection? What is the answer?
...snip...
Acts 4:10 shows an example where Peter highlighted the fact of Christ's resurrectionPierac wrote:In Acts, however, we find added to the Gospel about the Kingdom, the new facts about the death and resurrection of Jesus, which had now become history. The result is a Gospel message about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ's (Acts 8:12; 28:23, 31).
So this appears to be a fact inherent to the gospel of the kingdom. But the resurrection still didn't have to be comprehended by the disciples for the fact to be important later on.Acts 4:10 wrote: be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here before you whole.
How was this discussion supposed to change any impression about what Jesus preached?Pierac wrote:That Kingdom message remains as the primary component of the Gospel. Jesus’ death and resurrection are additional, indispensable subjects for belief.
So again what did Jesus preach?