Temporal Aspects of the Kingdom of God in

the Gospels
"Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." A literal version is "has come near."
John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed the nearness of God's kingdom (Mt 3:2;
4:17//Mr 1:15; NIV used throughout). They preached a soon-coming kingdom,
something near in time to their audiences. The message had immediate relevance and
urgency.

However, Jesus also indicated that the kingdom of God is something yet future. The
poor and the persecuted are blessed, because they have the kingdom (Mt 5:3, 10) ---
but it is clear that the blessedness of these suffering people is primarily future. The
parallel in Lk says "you will be satisfied" (Lk 6:20-21). The kingdom is connected
with the judgment at the end of this age (e.g., Mt 25:1-10). At Jesus' Last Supper, the
kingdom was yet future (Mt 26:29//Mr 14:25//Lk 22:18).

The Gospels present the kingdom of God as both present and future. But how can it be
both? To answer that, this paper surveys all occurrences of "kingdom of heaven/God"
in the Gospels. Interpretation of some passages may be disputed, but enough verses
are clearly present and enough are clearly future to substantiate my thesis.

Presence of the kingdom

When Jesus and John preached, the kingdom had come near. The verbs in Mt 3:2,
4:17//Mr 1:14 are in the perfect tense --- something had happened and its results
continue (Duling 56). Even at the time of John, the kingdom had already drawn near.

Another scripture that shows that the kingdom was present in the ministry of Jesus is
Mt 12:28//Lk 11:20: "If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of
God has come upon you." The aorist tense can be used to emphasize the certainty of a
yet-future event (Caragounis 422-423), but the context here argues for a true past
tense. The kingdom is here, Jesus said, and the proof is in the exorcisms. "Ladd
exegetes this passage to show that God's dynamic reign invades the present age" (Epp
49). "For Jesus the coming of the KG and the activity of the Spirit were tightly
connected, so much so that we may suggest that it was the working of the Spirit in and
through Jesus that constituted the actual coming of the KG.... Jesus acted as an agent
of God's rule and did not merely announce it as a prophet might have done" (Marshall
10).
And the kingdom was not just in Jesus --- it was also "near" as his disciples cast
demons out, healed, and preached (Mt 10:7-8, Lk 10:9-11). Since exorcisms are
evidence of the presence of the kingdom, the kingdom is present in the church today,
too, as Jesus empowers his disciples through the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of God is
overpowering the kingdom of Satan. When we are told about the preaching of the
kingdom, we are sometimes also told about healings and exorcisms (Mt 4:23, 9:35, Lk
9:2, 11). Thus the preaching of the kingdom is associated with its nearness or
presence.

"The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing" (Mt 11:12), and "forceful
men" are laying hold of it. A parallel verse, Lk 16:16, also uses present-tense verbs:
"everyone is forcing his way into it." The meaning of these sayings is disputed, but
they clearly talk about the kingdom as a present reality. Lk 16:16 replaces the first
part of the verse with "the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached." This
variation suggests that the kingdom's advance in this age is, for practical purposes,
roughly equivalent to its proclamation. The kingdom exists, and it is advancing by
being preached. A similar thought is implied in Lk 9:60-62, which parallels
proclaiming the kingdom with serving in [which implies being in] the kingdom.

The kingdom is among us

Some Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom would come (Lk 17:20). You can't see
it, said Jesus. And yet a few verses later Jesus said that the Son of Man would come,
presumably with the kingdom, visibly, surprising people (17:26-35). But before then,
the Son of Man had to suffer and be rejected (17:22-25) --- the return of Christ is
future.

But Jesus also said, "The kingdom of God is within [NIV footnote: among] you"
(17:21). Was the kingdom within the Pharisees? That may be one way to understand
the verse (cf. Mt 21:43). Or it may mean that the kingdom was among the Pharisees in
the person of Jesus. "The kingdom is related to the things Jesus does and says.... His
actions and words are `signs' of its presence among men" (Stanton 197). "God was
acting in power and consequently his realm was already in existence" (Marshall 8).

Just as the kingdom was present in the ministry of Jesus, it is present in the activity of
his church as we 1) cast out demons and perform other miraculous works and 2)
preach Jesus' gospel. Another indicator is 3) the Holy Spirit. Not only does the Spirit
enable the preaching and miracles, the Spirit also indicates that the eschatological age
has begun, albeit not yet in fullness. The kingdom of God is among us. The King is
among us; his spiritual power is among us; he is ruling us.
But Jesus, the King, was rejected and crucified. His disciples are sometimes
persecuted. The kingdom is not yet operating in the fullness of its power. The
kingdom's current power is exercised in limited ways, by a limited number of people,
but it nevertheless has current existence.

There has been a strong reaction against the identification of the KG as the Church.
Indeed, the current understanding of the KG as God's activity of ruling rather than as
the area or people over whom he rules has strengthened the case. But...the people
created by Jesus is a manifestation of the KG.... The Church as the people of God is
the object of his rule and is therefore his Kingdom, or at least an expression of it,
imperfect and sinful though it is (Marshall 12).

The kingdom of God is here, Jesus said. His audience did not need to wait for a
conquering Messiah --- God is already ruling, and we should be living his way now.
Ladd (130-6) emphasizes that basileia, kingdom, means rule or reign more than it
does realm or territory. Evidence for this is seen in Lk 19:12, 15: a king went to a
foreign country to receive a kingdom, i.e., "to have himself appointed king" (NIV). He
received authority, not territory. "Kingdom," in an abstract sense, indicates God's
intervention. "Jesus' message and that of John the Baptist are the same: `God is about
to act' " (Ladd 145).

Mt 21:43 indicates both a present-tense existence of the kingdom and a future

fulfillment: "The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people
who will produce its fruit." This implies that the first-century Jews in some way had
possession of some aspect of the kingdom right then. The kingdom had some
existence in the first century. A comparison of Mt 8:11 and Lk 13:28 shows that the
Pharisees were "subjects of the kingdom." But the kingdom has been given [past
tense] to the disciples (Lk 12:32). "I confer on you a kingdom," Jesus told them (Lk
22:29) --- but this present sense is immediately followed by a future sense: "that you
may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones." The temporal
aspects are mixed.

Enter the kingdom by obeying the King

When Jesus talked about the kingdom, he didn't emphasize physical blessings or
chronology. He focused instead on what people should do to be part of it. Tax
collectors and prostitutes are entering [present tense] the kingdom of God, Jesus said
(Mt 21:31), and they do it by believing a message about righteousness and repentance
(21:32) and by doing what the Father wants (21:28-31). We enter the kingdom at the
same time as we live God's way of life. Although we eagerly await the glorious
fulfillment of the kingdom, we do not simply wait for the kingdom --- there are things
to be done right now. The kingdom has significant ethical demands. Our behavior
must reflect God's compassion and his righteous way of thinking and acting.

It is hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom, which seems to imply that it is to be
entered in this life (Mt 19:23-24//Mr 10:23-25//Lk 18:24-25). Mr 10 makes a
connection between behavior and entering the kingdom. A man wanted eternal life,
and Jesus told him he must keep the commandments (Mr 10:17-19). Jesus told him to
give up all his possessions for the heavenly treasure (10:21). Jesus then commented to
his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" (10:23). The
disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" (10:26). In this passage, and in its parallel
in Lk 18:18-30, we see several phrases used to indicate the same thing: receive the
kingdom, inherit eternal life, have treasure in heaven, enter the kingdom, be saved.
"Follow me" (10:21) seems to indicate the same thing: We enter the kingdom by
living the way of Jesus. The disciples said they were following Jesus; he told them
that they receive rewards both in this life and the next (10:29-30), both present and
future.

We are to seek God's kingdom (Mt 6:33//Lk 12:31); this implies that the kingdom is
something that can be found in this age. In Lk 12:31-34, Jesus indicates that several
phrases are similar: seeking the kingdom, being given the kingdom, having a heavenly
treasure, giving up trust in physical possessions. We seek God's kingdom by living the
way Jesus taught. In Mr 10:15//Lk 18:17, Jesus indicates that the kingdom is
something we must receive like a child, apparently in this life. It belongs to the
childlike (Mt 19:14//Lk 18:16). Mt 23:13-13 makes entering the kingdom clearly
present-tense: "You yourselves do not enter [the kingdom], nor will you let those
enter who are trying to."

The kingdom announcement demands a decision, although not everyone hears this
call to action (Mr 4:10-12, Mt 13:11). Just as someone who found a great treasure was
willing to give up everything else for it, so should believers be willing to give up
everything to follow the way of life of God's kingdom (Mt 13:44-46). The parables of
the treasure and pearl emphasize the present-day decision. The parable of the dragnet
shows a judgment (13:47-48) and illustrates a difficulty in assigning temporal aspects
to kingdom parables. "The kingdom is," Jesus starts, but the story is in the past tense.

Parables of the kingdom

Since a parable is a story, the kingdom parables tend to present the kingdom as
a development. The seed grows quietly (Mr 4:26-29); the kingdom starts as small as a
mustard seed but grows large (Mr 4:30-32//Mt 13:31//Lk 13:18). It is hidden like
yeast, but grows (Mt 13:33//Lk 13:20). These parables suggest that the kingdom is a
reality before it comes in a powerful and dramatic way. The message of the kingdom
is like seed scattered on various soils; the seed grows and in time bears fruit (Mt 13:3-
9, 18-23//Mr 4:3-8, 14-20//Lk 8:5-15).

Many parables suggest that the kingdom begins in this age and is completed in the
future. The kingdom is like wheat growing with weeds, which will be harvested and
separated at the end of the age (Mt 13:24-30, 36-43). "The Kingdom of the Son of
Man seems to be a provisional Kingdom which includes both righteous and
unrighteous; it is presumably the Matthaean community [i.e., the church]" (Duling
58).

Some kingdom parables focus on a future judgment, but also imply a development
leading up to that judgment, all included in the term "kingdom." The kingdom is like a
man who forgives debt (Mt 18:23-35). The parable is about forgiveness in this life,
and this forgiveness is what is being compared to the kingdom. It is operative in this
life. The kingdom is like a landowner who rewarded workers (Mt 20:1-15). The
similitude includes not only the time of reward, but also of the calling and the work.
The parables of wedding banquets illustrate the calling as well as judgment (Mt 22:1-
14, Lk 14:15-24). The parable of the virgins focuses on the future judgment (Mt 25:1-
13), but the moral of the story is about what we do in this life (25:13). This is
followed by the story of the king who rewarded servants based on what they did with
talents in this life (25:14-30). The process is compared to the kingdom.

The kingdom of God is yet future

Numerous verses tell us that the kingdom of God will be a glorious future reality.

Christ is a King, and we yearn for the day he will exercise his power in a great and
dramatic way to stop human suffering. This is what most Jews wanted. The mother of
James and John expected her sons to rule in the kingdom (Mt 20:21); the crowd in
Jerusalem praised "the coming kingdom" (Mr 11:10). Joseph of Arimathea was
waiting for the kingdom (Mr 15:43//Lk 23:51). The Pharisees asked when it would
come (Lk 17:20). The thief on the cross wanted to be remembered "when you come
into your kingdom" (Lk 23:42); Jesus implied that he would receive his wish that very
day.

We pray for the kingdom to come (Mt 6:10)//Lk 11:2). The poor in spirit and the
persecuted await their future "reward in heaven" (Mt 5:3, 10, 12, Lk 6:20-21). People
"enter the kingdom" on a future "day" of judgment (Mt 7:21-23, Lk 13:22-30).
Entering the kingdom is contrasted with entering hell, as if entrance is future for either
(Mr 9:46-47). The tares will be sorted out (Mt 13:24-30); evil subjects of the kingdom
will be expelled (Mt 8:12//Lk 13:28). As noted above, several kingdom parables
include a time of future judgment. Jesus gave a parable because some people thought
the kingdom would become powerful right away (Lk 19:11). The kingdom is
associated with the eschatological banquet (Mt 8:11//Lk 13:28-29, Lk 14:15, 22:30).
In Lk 21:28, 30, the kingdom is parallel to redemption at the end of the age.

In the Olivet prophecy, Jesus announced that the kingdom would come after dramatic
signs and apocalyptic events. "When you see these things happening, you know that
the kingdom of God is near" (Lk 21:31). Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus looked
forward to a kingdom in the future (Mt 26:29//Mr 14:25//Lk 22:18). This is equated
with his return (1 Cor 11:26).

Bridging the gap between the present incomplete kingdom and the future kingdom of
glory is the statement of Jesus: "Some who are standing here will not taste death
before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom" (Mt 16:28//Mr 9:1//Lk 9:27),
followed in all three accounts by the Transfiguration. The disciples saw the glory of
the kingdom, but it was a vision. The glory was not yet a reality on earth.

Timeless truths

Many "kingdom" scriptures could easily apply to the present kingdom or to the future
fulfillment. The child Jesus would be given an eternal kingdom (Lk 1:33).
Lawbreakers will be called least in the kingdom; the obedient will be called great (Mt
5:19). We must be righteous to enter (Mt 5:20); we must become childlike (Mt
18:3//Mr 10:15). The least in the kingdom is greater than John the Baptist (Mt
11:11//Lk 7:28); the childlike are greatest (Mt 18:1-4). The secrets and keys of the
kingdom were given to the disciples (Mt 13:11//Mr 4:11//Lk 8:10, Mt 16:19, Lk 9:60).
The kingdom is/will be preached (Lk 4:43, 8:1, Mt 24:14); people hear the message
about the kingdom (Mt 13:19); they are instructed about the kingdom (Mt 13:52).
Some are celibate because of the kingdom (Mt 19:12); some leave families for the
sake of the kingdom (Lk 18:29).

One person was "not far from the kingdom of God" (Mr 12:34); this could be taken
spatially, temporally, or intellectually. Indeed, much of Jesus' teaching about the
kingdom could have multiple application. The kingdom transcends time. Since our
future participation in the kingdom is determined by what we do in this life; it is
counterproductive to make sharp separations. "This, says Ladd, is where the Gospels
leave us: `anticipating an imminent end and yet unable to date its coming. Logically
this may appear contradictory, but it is a tension with an ethical purpose --- to make
date-setting impossible and therefore to demand constant readiness' " (Epp 51).

We have briefly categorized every kingdom reference in the Gospels. All three
Synoptics have a mixture of nearness, future, and timeless senses, and parables that
include both present life and future judgment. John has only two kingdom references,
perhaps because heretics were misusing the term when the Gospel was written
(Hodgson 163-8). But Jn 18:36 implies the kingdom is otherworldly and future,
whereas 3:5-8 implies it is something that can be entered now by means of a spiritual
renewal. Even in John, the tension between present and future exists. The temporal
tension is in all strands of the tradition, as it is in the rest of the NT.

The kingdom of God past and future

Mt 25:34 tells us that the kingdom has been in preparation since the foundation of the
world. It has been in existence all along, albeit in different forms. When God
promised Abraham that his descendants would become great nations and
that kings would come from him (Gen 17:5-6), he was promising a kingdom of God.
But it started small, like yeast hidden in some dough, and it took hundreds of years to
be seen for what it was. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt and made a
covenant with them, they became a kingdom of priests (Ex 19:6), a kingdom
belonging to God. He had saved them, and the Israelites responded appropriately ---
they agreed to be his people. God was their king (1 Sam 12:12). When the people
rejected Samuel's leadership, God said they had rejected God as their king (1 Sam
8:7). David and Solomon sat on the throne of God, ruling on his behalf (1 Chr 29:23).
The kingdom of Israel was a kingdom of God. (My survey of the kingdom concept
outside the Gospels is not exhaustive. For more detail, see Patrick for the OT and
Donfried for Paul. Guthrie surveys the rest of the NT.)

But the Israelite kingdom fell apart because the people wouldn't obey their spiritual
King. God sent it away, but he promised to restore it with a new heart (Jer 31:31-33),
a prophecy that has been fulfilled, at least in part, by the Church today, which
participates in the new covenant. We who have been given the Holy Spirit are the
royal priesthood and holy nation that ancient Israel was unable to be (1 Pt 2:9, Ex
19:6). We are in the kingdom, but there is clearly more yet to be revealed. "At the end
of the age," the weeds will be removed and "the righteous will shine like the sun" (Mt
13:37-43). Christ will return in power and glory. After the Millennium (Rev 20:7-
21:1), there will be a new heavens and earth, and the kingdom of God will again be
transformed in appearance. The kingdom of God has had, and will have, different
appearances.

Since the kingdom has historical continuity, it is proper to speak of it in past, present,
and/or future tenses. In its historical development, it has had and will continue to have
major milestones as new phases are established. The kingdom was established at Mt.
Sinai; it was established in Jesus' ministry; it will be established at his return, and it
will be established again after the Millennium. In each phase, God's people rejoice in
what they have and look forward to more yet to come.
The common denominator is that God is ruling in each of these phases, and he wants
his subjects to obey him willingly. We come willingly under the authority of the
kingdom. God's kingdom operates in us as we submit to the rule of our Lord. As we
experience the limited aspects of the kingdom we are now in, we gain confidence that
the future kingdom will also be a reality. The Holy Spirit is not only a present
blessing, but also our guarantee of greater blessings in the future (2 Cor 5:5, Eph
1:14). "The hope is built on the experience of what [God] has already done and is
doing in the present time. And this hope is that God will bring to completion what he
has already begun" (Marshall 12). Recognizing the present existence of the kingdom
should not reduce our understanding of the critical importance of the future kingdom,
since we know that the present existence is only a fraction of the blessings yet to
come.

Other NT verses

Luke tells us that Paul preached the gospel of the kingdom, and he preached the
gospel of God's grace, repentance, and faith (Acts 20:21, 24-25, 32). The kingdom is
closely connected with salvation --- we can enter it only through faith, repentance and
grace, so those are an important part of any message about God's kingdom. Paul
preached both the kingdom and about Jesus and salvation (Acts 28:23, 29, 31). Luke
considers these different aspects of the same Christian message.

We have already been brought into God's kingdom (Col 1:13). We are already
receiving a kingdom, and our proper response is reverence and awe (Heb 12:28). Our
citizenship is in heaven, and we look forward to a time of greater glory (Phil 3:20-21).
Christ "has made us [past tense] to be a kingdom" (Rev 1:6). We are a holy nation
(1 Pt 2:9) --- already and currently a holy kingdom --- but it does not yet appear what
we shall be (cf. 1 Jn 3:2). In this age, we share not only in the kingdom but also in the
persecutions it now involves (Rev 1:9).

"Kingdom" --- a term with various meanings

Perrin calls kingdom a "tensive symbol," having a set of meanings that cannot be

adequately expressed by any one word (Elmore 61). Stanton calls it a "dynamic
concept" --- "it is a way of speaking about God's strength or power" (195). I prefer to
call it a "flexible metaphor," and I think the meaning includes our relationship with
God as well as his power. The word kingdom may remind us of the imperfect
kingdoms of this world. Other metaphors are used to indicate the love that
characterizes God's kingdom, such as the family term children. Each metaphor
describes some aspect of our relationship with God, but none of the terms describes
the complete picture.
Not only did the apostles translate Jesus' sayings from Aramaic to Greek, they also
translated them into other metaphors, especially metaphors that were more meaningful
to a non-Jewish audience. "While the early Church faithfully preserved the account of
what Jesus actually said, it also moved beyond his teaching and interpreted it for its
new situation in the post-resurrection period in the Hellenistic world" (Marshall 12).
John's use of "eternal life" conveys some of the same concepts. Eternal life is a
present reality/possession (1 Jn 5:11-12), but it is obviously also a future blessing.

The temporal ambiguity is also shown in the concept of salvation. Paul said we have
been saved (Eph 2:8), are being saved (2 Cor 2:15) and shall be saved (Rom 5:9).
Salvation is a present reality as well as a promise of future blessings.

Both present and future; what do we learn from this tension?

Some kingdom verses are clearly present tense, and some are clearly future tense.
Rather than "explaining" away the verses we don't like, our explanations can focus on
explaining what we can learn from the combination of present and future.

God has rescued us from the dominion of sin and transferred us into his kingdom,
under his ruling authority. He has given us salvation and the Holy Spirit. How should
we respond to his love and generosity? By obeying in faith --- by willingly coming
under the authority of the King. The kingdom has relevance not merely because it is
our future reward, but also because it affects how we live and think in this age. We
prepare for the future kingdom by living in the kingdom now, in accordance with our
King's teachings and way of life. Understanding that the kingdom already exists helps
us give greater attention to serving others around us. But we do not forget that the
completion of the kingdom is still future.

Satan still exerts his dangerous influence, but he has been defeated and condemned
(John 16:11). He has been partially restrained (Mr 3:27). Jesus overcame Satan's
world (John 16:33), and with God's help we are overcoming it, too (1 John 5:4). But
not everyone does. In this age, the kingdom contains both fruitful grain and weeds.
Satan is still influential; we still look forward to the glorious future of the kingdom.
The future has transformed our way of life, but not yet the world's. When we suffer
setbacks and persecutions, when we see people reject the gospel, we gain strength
from the knowledge that the fullness of the kingdom is in a future age.

If our only hope is in this age, we don't have much hope (1 Cor 15:19). We do not
harbor illusions about bringing the kingdom with human efforts. The kingdom of
glory will not be created by mortals, not even mortals who are led by God's Spirit. No
matter how much we try to live in a way that properly reflects God and his kingdom,
we cannot transform this world into God's kingdom. The kingdom cannot be fulfilled
without dramatic intervention.

As we live in faith, we recognize God's rule as a present reality in our personal

experience. We are living in God's kingdom, empowered by the Holy Spirit to
continue the ministry of Christ. And we continue to pray for a future time when the
kingdom will be filled to the full, when the earth will be full of the knowledge of the
Lord.

Works Cited

Caragounis, C. C. "Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven." Dictionary of Jesus and

the Gospels. Ed. Joel B. Green et al. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1992. 417-30.

Donfried, Karl Paul. "The Kingdom of God in Paul." Willis 175-90.

Duling, Dennis C. "Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven." Anchor Bible

Dictionary. Ed. David Noel Freedman et al. Vol. 4. New York: Doubleday, 1992. 56-
69.

Elmore, W. Emory. "Linguistic Approaches to the Kingdom: Amos Wilder and

Norman Perrin." Willis 53-66.

Epp, Eldon Jay. "Mediating Approaches to the Kingdom: Werner Georg Kümmel and
George Eldon Ladd." Willis 35-52.

Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1981. 409-

41.

Hodgson, Robert, Jr. "The Kingdom of God in the School of St. John." Willis 163-74.

Ladd, George Eldon. The Presence of the Future: The Eschatology of Biblical

Realism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974. 122-48.

Marshall, I. Howard. "The Hope of a New Age: The Kingdom of God in the New
Testament." Themelios 11 (1985) 5-15.

Michaels, J. Ramsey. "The Kingdom of God and the Historical Jesus." Willis 109-18.

Patrick, Dale. "The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament." Willis 67-80.

Stanton, Graham N. The Gospels and Jesus. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1989. 189-203.
Willis, Wendell, ed. The Kingdom of God in 20th-Century Interpretation. Peabody:
Hendrickson, 1987.