READINGS &
QUESTIONARIES
readings & questionaries
include the following titles
readings on a just society
|
readings in jeremiah
|
readings in the new testament epistles
|
(archive of past readings can be found below the latest reading)
new testament questionary
matthew 13.33 & luke 13.20-21-- jesus and the kingdom or rule of god (questionary 19)
wednesday, january 29, 2025
matthew
33Another parable spake he unto them; “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”
33He shared another parable with them. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman procured and mixed into a bushel of flour until it was thoroughly activated (author’s translation).
luke
20And again he said, “Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing and spiritual exorcism as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus; 12) the kingdom of God can be and has been overcome by violence—the violence of others, certainly, but perhaps also its own ungodly urge to violence; 13) under Satan’s influence, the kingdom is infiltrated by those whose attitudes and actions are inconsistent with and undermine the kingdom. These are allowed to mingle with those whose attitudes and actions are consistent with and help propagate the kingdom until the final judgment; and 14) the beginnings of the kingdom are small and humble but will ultimately have a huge impact.
1. Jesus often uses parables to teach. This questionary explores a third parable of the kingdom, The Parable of the leaven. The elements to this parable are:
- a woman
- yeast
- flour
? What is the symbolic meaning of each element?
? What additional information about the kingdom do you learn from this parable?
2. We have suggested repeatedly in our previous questionaries in this series that as Jesus conceived of it the kingdom of God was something to be experienced in this life and not only or even primarily something to be experienced in a future “eternal life.”
? Does this parable support this suggestion and point to a kingdom of God that is experienced, at least in part, in this life as well as a future? Why do you answer as you do?
3. It the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus emphasized the small, humble beginnings of the kingdom. In the parable of the wheat and tares, the kingdom again began with a small seed.
? How does Jesus again emphasize the small, humble beginnings of the kingdom?
? Why, do you think, does Jesus keep coming back to this?
? How does Jesus emphasize the huge impact the small and humble beginnings can have?
? What is the role of waiting and patience in relation to the kingdom?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
33Another parable spake he unto them; “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”
33He shared another parable with them. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman procured and mixed into a bushel of flour until it was thoroughly activated (author’s translation).
luke
20And again he said, “Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing and spiritual exorcism as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus; 12) the kingdom of God can be and has been overcome by violence—the violence of others, certainly, but perhaps also its own ungodly urge to violence; 13) under Satan’s influence, the kingdom is infiltrated by those whose attitudes and actions are inconsistent with and undermine the kingdom. These are allowed to mingle with those whose attitudes and actions are consistent with and help propagate the kingdom until the final judgment; and 14) the beginnings of the kingdom are small and humble but will ultimately have a huge impact.
1. Jesus often uses parables to teach. This questionary explores a third parable of the kingdom, The Parable of the leaven. The elements to this parable are:
- a woman
- yeast
- flour
? What is the symbolic meaning of each element?
? What additional information about the kingdom do you learn from this parable?
2. We have suggested repeatedly in our previous questionaries in this series that as Jesus conceived of it the kingdom of God was something to be experienced in this life and not only or even primarily something to be experienced in a future “eternal life.”
? Does this parable support this suggestion and point to a kingdom of God that is experienced, at least in part, in this life as well as a future? Why do you answer as you do?
3. It the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus emphasized the small, humble beginnings of the kingdom. In the parable of the wheat and tares, the kingdom again began with a small seed.
? How does Jesus again emphasize the small, humble beginnings of the kingdom?
? Why, do you think, does Jesus keep coming back to this?
? How does Jesus emphasize the huge impact the small and humble beginnings can have?
? What is the role of waiting and patience in relation to the kingdom?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
new testament questionary
matthew 13.31-32; mark 4.30-32 and luke 13.18-19-- jesus and the kingdom or rule of god (questionary 18)
sunday, january 26, 2025
matthew
31Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”
mark
30And he said, “Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.”
luke
18Then said he, “Unto what is the kingdom of God like? And whereunto shall I resemble it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing and spiritual exorcism as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus; 12) the kingdom of God can be and has been overcome by violence—the violence of others, certainly, but perhaps also its own ungodly urge to violence; and 13) under Satan’s influence, the kingdom is infiltrated by those whose attitudes and actions are inconsistent with and undermine the kingdom. These are allowed to mingle with those whose attitudes and actions are consistent with and help propagate the kingdom until the final judgment.
1. Jesus often uses parables to teach. This questionary explores a second parable of the kingdom, this one the parable of the mustard seed. All three synoptic Gospels possess this parable.
? What are the similarities and differences in the parable between the three Gospels?
? What similar principles to the parable of the wheat and tares does this parable teach?
? What new information concerning the kingdom does this parable add to the parable of the wheat and tares?
2. The principal elements found in this parable are:
- a sower
- a field
- a mustard seed
- a mustard tree
- a flock of birds
? What is the symbolic meaning of each of these elements?
? If we understand Jesus as the sower, the field as this world, and the mustard seed as Jesus’ teachings concerning the kingdom and the principles upon which it exists, what is Jesus saying when he likens his teachings and the, then, state of the kingdom to “the least of all seeds”?
? In all three Gospels, birds “lodge in the branches” of the mature mustard tree. What is this saying about the kingdom of God?
? Mark’s recording of the parable is slightly different in that he has the birds “lodge under the shadow” of the mature mustard seed. What does this tell you about the kingdom?
? How does the kingdom of God on earth serve as a place of refuge and safety?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
31Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.”
mark
30And he said, “Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.”
luke
18Then said he, “Unto what is the kingdom of God like? And whereunto shall I resemble it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing and spiritual exorcism as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus; 12) the kingdom of God can be and has been overcome by violence—the violence of others, certainly, but perhaps also its own ungodly urge to violence; and 13) under Satan’s influence, the kingdom is infiltrated by those whose attitudes and actions are inconsistent with and undermine the kingdom. These are allowed to mingle with those whose attitudes and actions are consistent with and help propagate the kingdom until the final judgment.
1. Jesus often uses parables to teach. This questionary explores a second parable of the kingdom, this one the parable of the mustard seed. All three synoptic Gospels possess this parable.
? What are the similarities and differences in the parable between the three Gospels?
? What similar principles to the parable of the wheat and tares does this parable teach?
? What new information concerning the kingdom does this parable add to the parable of the wheat and tares?
2. The principal elements found in this parable are:
- a sower
- a field
- a mustard seed
- a mustard tree
- a flock of birds
? What is the symbolic meaning of each of these elements?
? If we understand Jesus as the sower, the field as this world, and the mustard seed as Jesus’ teachings concerning the kingdom and the principles upon which it exists, what is Jesus saying when he likens his teachings and the, then, state of the kingdom to “the least of all seeds”?
? In all three Gospels, birds “lodge in the branches” of the mature mustard tree. What is this saying about the kingdom of God?
? Mark’s recording of the parable is slightly different in that he has the birds “lodge under the shadow” of the mature mustard seed. What does this tell you about the kingdom?
? How does the kingdom of God on earth serve as a place of refuge and safety?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
new testament questionary
matthew 13.24-30-- jesus and the kingdom or rule of god (questionary 17)
thursday, january 23, 2025
24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27“So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, ‘Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?’
28“He said unto them, ‘An enemy hath done this.’
“The servants said unto him, ‘Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?’
29“But he said, ‘Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing and spiritual exorcism as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus; and 12) the kingdom of God can be and has been overcome by violence—the violence of others, certainly, but perhaps also its own ungodly urge to violence.
1. Jesus often uses parables to teach. He utilizes several parables to teach about the kingdom. This is one of them. This parable contains the following symbolic elements:
- a field owner
- his field
- wheat seed/ plant
- an enemy
- darnel seed/plants
- field hands.
? What is a “tare”?
Tare is a seed known as “darnel.” This seed becomes a weed that has the appearance of wheat but bears no wheat.
? After reading the parable, what, do you think, do each of these elements represent?
? How does your interpretation of the parable compare with Jesus’, found below?
“Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, ‘Declare unto us the parable of the a tares of the field.’
He answered and said unto them, ‘He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Mt. 13.37-43)
2. We have suggested repeatedly in our previous questionaries in this series that as Jesus conceived of it the kingdom of God was something to be experienced in this life and not only or even primarily something to be experienced in a future “eternal life.”
? Does this parable support this suggestion and point to a kingdom of God that is experienced, at least in part, in this life as well as a future? Why do you answer as you do?
3 This parable follows immediately upon Jesus’ most famous and well-known parable: the “Parable of the Sower.” In the Parable of the Sower, a sower sows seed that Jesus interprets as “the word of the kingdom” (see Mt. 13.19), or the message of/ about the kingdom.
? How does the word, message, and principles of the kingdom help bring about the kingdom?
In the Parable of the wheat and the tares, the seed of the word is replaced by a seed that is “the children of the kingdom.”
? How does the scattering of individuals who live by principles of the kingdom help bring about the kingdom?
? What are you doing to encourage other individuals and your society to move away from the evils of this world to principles on which the kingdom of God is based?
4. Tares, i.e., individuals whose lives are inconsistent with the kingdom, infiltrate the kingdom through Satan’s efforts. This can be related to the violence that is ever perpetrated against the kingdom and, sometimes within the kingdom.
? How do you feel about this infiltration?
5. The Lord allows those whose attitudes and actions are inconsistent with and undermine the kingdom to mingle with those whose attitudes and actions are consistent with and help propagate the kingdom to “grow together until the harvest.”
? How do you feel about this?
? How is it, do you think, that the two can often not be distinguished one from the other?
? What is the “fruit” than one bares but the other is without?
6. Jesus says that the darnel is to be bound in bundles and burned.
? What does this mean to you?
? How do you feel about this?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
27“So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, ‘Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?’
28“He said unto them, ‘An enemy hath done this.’
“The servants said unto him, ‘Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?’
29“But he said, ‘Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing and spiritual exorcism as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus; and 12) the kingdom of God can be and has been overcome by violence—the violence of others, certainly, but perhaps also its own ungodly urge to violence.
1. Jesus often uses parables to teach. He utilizes several parables to teach about the kingdom. This is one of them. This parable contains the following symbolic elements:
- a field owner
- his field
- wheat seed/ plant
- an enemy
- darnel seed/plants
- field hands.
? What is a “tare”?
Tare is a seed known as “darnel.” This seed becomes a weed that has the appearance of wheat but bears no wheat.
? After reading the parable, what, do you think, do each of these elements represent?
? How does your interpretation of the parable compare with Jesus’, found below?
“Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, ‘Declare unto us the parable of the a tares of the field.’
He answered and said unto them, ‘He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Mt. 13.37-43)
2. We have suggested repeatedly in our previous questionaries in this series that as Jesus conceived of it the kingdom of God was something to be experienced in this life and not only or even primarily something to be experienced in a future “eternal life.”
? Does this parable support this suggestion and point to a kingdom of God that is experienced, at least in part, in this life as well as a future? Why do you answer as you do?
3 This parable follows immediately upon Jesus’ most famous and well-known parable: the “Parable of the Sower.” In the Parable of the Sower, a sower sows seed that Jesus interprets as “the word of the kingdom” (see Mt. 13.19), or the message of/ about the kingdom.
? How does the word, message, and principles of the kingdom help bring about the kingdom?
In the Parable of the wheat and the tares, the seed of the word is replaced by a seed that is “the children of the kingdom.”
? How does the scattering of individuals who live by principles of the kingdom help bring about the kingdom?
? What are you doing to encourage other individuals and your society to move away from the evils of this world to principles on which the kingdom of God is based?
4. Tares, i.e., individuals whose lives are inconsistent with the kingdom, infiltrate the kingdom through Satan’s efforts. This can be related to the violence that is ever perpetrated against the kingdom and, sometimes within the kingdom.
? How do you feel about this infiltration?
5. The Lord allows those whose attitudes and actions are inconsistent with and undermine the kingdom to mingle with those whose attitudes and actions are consistent with and help propagate the kingdom to “grow together until the harvest.”
? How do you feel about this?
? How is it, do you think, that the two can often not be distinguished one from the other?
? What is the “fruit” than one bares but the other is without?
6. Jesus says that the darnel is to be bound in bundles and burned.
? What does this mean to you?
? How do you feel about this?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
new testament questionary
matthew 12.28-- jesus and the kingdom or rule of god (questionary 16)
friday, january 10, 2025
28But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
new testament questionary
matthew 11.11-12 & luke 7.28-- jesus and the kingdom or rule of god (questionary 15)
monday, january 6, 2025
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
28For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; and 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus.
1. Jesus offers very high praise of John the Baptist by saying that “among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” However, in the very next breath, Jesus declares that “he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
? What do you make of this paradox?
? What does Jesus’ statement have to say about the kingdom of God? About those who are citizens of it?
2. We have suggested in previous questionaries that in Jesus’ view the kingdom of God is not to be thought of only in terms of a kingdom in a future life but something that can be experienced in the world of here and now.
? How does this reading confirm that the kingdom of God is something that can be experienced in this life?
3. Jesus laments that previous to his ministry, during John the Baptist’s ministry, and up to the present “the kingdom of heaven has experienced violence” and that “violent individuals have captured it.” In an earlier reading, we heard Jesus declare, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
? How does this reading relate to the earlier one?
? What, do you think, does it mean that “violent individuals have captured the kingdom of God?
? What do you think and feel when you contemplate that the principles of the kingdom can be corrupted by violence?
? Can you point to examples when ideas of violence have captured and overwhelmed true principles upon which the kingdom of God is based?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
28For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fifteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will; and 11) disciples are called to preach the kingdom of God in the same manner as did Jesus.
1. Jesus offers very high praise of John the Baptist by saying that “among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” However, in the very next breath, Jesus declares that “he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
? What do you make of this paradox?
? What does Jesus’ statement have to say about the kingdom of God? About those who are citizens of it?
2. We have suggested in previous questionaries that in Jesus’ view the kingdom of God is not to be thought of only in terms of a kingdom in a future life but something that can be experienced in the world of here and now.
? How does this reading confirm that the kingdom of God is something that can be experienced in this life?
3. Jesus laments that previous to his ministry, during John the Baptist’s ministry, and up to the present “the kingdom of heaven has experienced violence” and that “violent individuals have captured it.” In an earlier reading, we heard Jesus declare, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
? How does this reading relate to the earlier one?
? What, do you think, does it mean that “violent individuals have captured the kingdom of God?
? What do you think and feel when you contemplate that the principles of the kingdom can be corrupted by violence?
? Can you point to examples when ideas of violence have captured and overwhelmed true principles upon which the kingdom of God is based?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
new testament questionary
matthew 10.7-- jesus and the kingdom or rule of god (questionary 14)
friday, january 3, 2025
7And as ye go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fourteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; and 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will.
1. There is much in this reading concerning God’s kingdom that we have found in previous readings. In Mark 1.15 and Matthew 4.17 (questionary 1), the Evangelists have Jesus declaring that the kingdom of God is “near,” “approaching,” “almost here.” In Matthew 4.23 and again in 9.35 (questionary 4), Jesus’ message of the kingdom’s approach was associated with healings. In Matthew 6.33 and Luke 12.31 (questionary 12), the kingdom of God was to take priority over the acquisition of basic human material needs.
In this reading, the disciples are called to preach Jesus’ message of the kingdom’s eminence, they are to accompany this message with healing, and they are to ignore their most basic human needs as Jesus taught.
? Does this apply to you? If so, how? If not, why not?
? What do you think and feel when you consider that disciples are called to preach the same message of the kingdom in the same manner as Jesus?
? What do you do to be true to this call?
? What can you do to be truer to Jesus’ call?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the fourteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities; and 10) those who enter God’s kingdom as those who do His will.
1. There is much in this reading concerning God’s kingdom that we have found in previous readings. In Mark 1.15 and Matthew 4.17 (questionary 1), the Evangelists have Jesus declaring that the kingdom of God is “near,” “approaching,” “almost here.” In Matthew 4.23 and again in 9.35 (questionary 4), Jesus’ message of the kingdom’s approach was associated with healings. In Matthew 6.33 and Luke 12.31 (questionary 12), the kingdom of God was to take priority over the acquisition of basic human material needs.
In this reading, the disciples are called to preach Jesus’ message of the kingdom’s eminence, they are to accompany this message with healing, and they are to ignore their most basic human needs as Jesus taught.
? Does this apply to you? If so, how? If not, why not?
? What do you think and feel when you consider that disciples are called to preach the same message of the kingdom in the same manner as Jesus?
? What do you do to be true to this call?
? What can you do to be truer to Jesus’ call?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
new testament questionary
matthew 7.21-- jesus and the kingdom or rule of god (questionary 13)
wednesday, january 1, 2025
21Not every one that saith unto me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the thirteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; and 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities.
1. In previous readings we have found that those who enter the kingdom of God are 1) those who believe in the possibility of a new kind of governance based upon godly principles and values; 2) those who are poor; 3) those who are persecuted; and 4) those whose behavior goes beyond the legalistic behavior of pharisaical individuals. In this reading, Jesus adds another qualifier for the kingdom.
? What is that qualifier?
? How would you characterize doing the will of the Father? What is entailed in doing the will of the Father?
? How is doing the will of the Father different than what legalists such as the pharisees think it to be?
? How can you think, speak, and act so as to avoid being like a legalists such as the pharisees?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
In this series of questionaries entitled, “Jesus and the kingdom of God ,” we examine Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God. What did the kingdom of God mean to him? What was the nature of the kingdom of God? What did he hope and intend to happen as a consequence of his focus and teachings on the kingdom of God? What sorts of people inhabited the kingdom of God? We explore these and other questions in this series of questionaries. This questionary is the thirteenth in the series.
Jesus speaks of kingdom of God[1] some forty times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew not only introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one focused on “the kingdom of heaven,” but says that “from that time Jesus began to preach… the kingdom of heaven.” In introducing Jesus’ ministry, Mark characterizes Jesus as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” We might translate, “preaching the positive proclamation about God’s kingdom.” All this suggests that the kingdom of God remained a central feature of Jesus’ teachings and intentions throughout his ministry.
In previous questionaries, we have attempted to show that 1) the kingdom of God should be thought of as that group or society that adopts God’s rule over it, i.e. accepts and lives by the principles and values by which He, Himself, lives and governs, and by which individuals and societies endure; 2) Jesus hoped and intended to change this world and the principles and values by which it governed and by which it lived. The kingdom of God on earth was in preparation for a kingdom of God in heaven, but he always intended that life on earth be improved and that the kingdom of God become a lived experience in human history; 3) Jesus expected a personal response to his message of the kingdom, that response being repentance/ a change in one’s perspective and world view, and belief in Jesus’ message of the imminent coming of the kingdom of God; 4) the kingdom of God was linked to Jesus’ ministry of physical healing as a demonstration of the kingdom of God and His ability to take control of things previously out of control and rule in a way that benefits all, thus demonstrating the reality and desirability of the kingdom of God; 5) the kingdom of God is based on very different principles than the kingdoms of this world, including the rejection of violence as a means of resistance and the maintenance of power; 6) the poor, those financially and economically destitute and beggarly, are the very kind of people that constitute the kingdom of God in the here and now and for whom it was created in the distant, future, post-mortal time and place; 7) those who desire the kingdom of God and to live by its principles become targets of persecution; 8) the plea that the kingdom of God come and that people be ruled by his principles in the here and now should be a regular and integral part of the disciple’s prayers; and 9) the kingdom of God should be our first priority, even above the acquisition of life’s necessities.
1. In previous readings we have found that those who enter the kingdom of God are 1) those who believe in the possibility of a new kind of governance based upon godly principles and values; 2) those who are poor; 3) those who are persecuted; and 4) those whose behavior goes beyond the legalistic behavior of pharisaical individuals. In this reading, Jesus adds another qualifier for the kingdom.
? What is that qualifier?
? How would you characterize doing the will of the Father? What is entailed in doing the will of the Father?
? How is doing the will of the Father different than what legalists such as the pharisees think it to be?
? How can you think, speak, and act so as to avoid being like a legalists such as the pharisees?
[1] Where the other Gospel writers speak of the “kingdom of God,” Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is generally thought that Matthew speaks of the “kingdom of heaven” rather than the “kingdom of God” out of a disinclination to refer to God directly out of respect for God, much as Jews avoid speaking the name of Yahweh, replacing it with LORD. Therefore Matthew’s “kingdom of heaven” should be understood as being precisely the same as the “the kingdom of God” spoken of elsewhere.
ARCHIVE OF PAST READINGS/QUESTIONARIES
OLD TESTAMENT
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 01_gen-songofsongs_edition_22_11_12.pdf |
psalms 1-50
| 02_psalms1-50_edition_24_02_22.pdf |
psalms 51-100
| 02_psalms51-100_edition_24_03_16.pdf |
psalm 101-150
| 02_psalms101-150_edition_24_03_18.pdf |
isaiah
| 03_isaiah_edition_23_12_28.pdf |
jeremiah-lamentation
| 04_jeremiah-lamentations_edition_23_12_23.pdf |
amos
| 05_amos_24_07_30.pdf |
ezekiel-malachi
| 05_ezekiel-malachi_edition_24_02_27.pdf |
NEW TESTAMENT
matthew
| 01_matthew_edition_24_12_23.pdf |
mark
| 02_mark_edition_24_11_21.pdf |
luke
| 03_luke_edition_24_12_19.pdf |
john
| 04_john_edition_24_11_30.pdf |
acts-revelation
| 05_acts-revelation_edition_24_11_16.pdf |
jesus and the kingdom of god (series)
| nt_jesus_and_the_kingdom_questionary_series.pdf |
BOOK OF MORMON
| |||||||||||
| 01_1nephi-mosiah_edition_24_12_24.pdf |
alma
| 02_alma_edition_24_03_07.pdf |
helaman-moroni
| 03_helaman-moroni_edition_23_08_22.pdf |
1 nephi 11-14--the visions of nephi (series)
| bm_series_1nephi11-14_visions_of_nephi.pdf |
DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS & PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
doctrine & covenants/ pgp
| 04_dc_ppg_edition_24_03_29.pdf |
JUST SCRIPTURE
o.t. genesis-ecclesiastes |
| ||
o.t. isaiah-malachi |
| ||
new testament |
| ||
book of mormon |
| ||
dc & pgp |
| ||
ATONEMENT
atonement readings & questionaries by series |
| ||
atonement readings and questionaries by topic |
| ||