ABSTRACT

This research work, examined the phrase “Kingdom of God “as it relate to the theology in the

book of Mark. The research adopted the survey method where other people’s opinions on the

concept of the kingdom of God in the book of Mark. Some scholars understood it from an

eschatological point while others from the concept of Gods reign in this world still others sees it

as both eschatological and the reign of Christ on earth. All these the three concepts carries a

sense of what that phrase really meant, however the text and the context has some variance as

what exactly Jesus meant when he used the phrase and how his audience understood him. As

such, this research work contextualized the usage of the word from scholar’s point of view and

also relate it to what the recipients of the gospel understood Jesus.

1
Table of Contents

Abstract ……………………………………………………………… 1

Introduction ……………………………………………………………. 13-4

Author …………………………………………………………………. 5

Mark’s Theology ……………………………………………………. . 5-6

Make Up of Mark ……………………………………………………. 6

The Word Kingdom ……………………………………………………. 7

Survey into the history of Interpretation Kingdom of God …………. 7-10

The Kingdom in 20th Century …………………………………………. 11

The Promised Kingdom ………………………………………………….. 12

The Promise and Time ……………………………………………….. ….. 13

Summary/ Conclusion ………………………………………………………. 14-15

Works Cited …………………………………………………………………. 16

2
INTRODUCTION

Jesus started His ministry by proclaiming the kingdom of God, and He ended His earthly

ministry proclaiming the kingdom of God (Mk. 1:14-15; Acts 1:3).What is so special about this

kingdom? Everything that Jesus spoke related to the subject of the kingdom of God in some way

or another (Matthew 4:23; 13:24,31,33, 44, 45, 47; 18:23; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1,14). I would say that

the kingdom was really the only message that He proclaimed (Luke 4:43). Within His teaching

different aspects of the kingdom appeared. The kingdom of God is like: unto a man, a mustard

seed, leaven, treasure, a merchant, a net, a certain king, a man that is a householder, ten virgins, a

man traveling into a far country, etc. His teaching related primarily to his subject, the kingdom of

God. However, this research work shall focused on Mark’s used of the word “The Kingdom of

God” in the New Testament.

The kingdom of God is the spreading of Christ as His divine life into His believers to

form a realm in which God Himself rules in their lives. The Kingdom of God is the ruling and

the reigning of God with all its blessings and enjoyment. The Kingdom of God is the reality of

His Church (the Body of Christ) brought forth by the resurrection life of Christ through the

gospel

The gospel of Mark over the years has received less attention. Mark was not mentioned among

the twelve disciples. Yet he gave us good information about the life and ministry of Jesus. We

have comprehensive information from Mark’s gospel than we have in other gospels. This draws

our attention to consider the theology of the book of Mark.

The King James Bible has 1,189 chapters and out of which the word kingdom is mentioned

about 370 times (Price 19).

3
The book of Mark has become the testing ground for the New Testament books. Heubenthal has

this to say in attempt to explain the book of Mark, “it is not surprising at the moment that the

gospel of mark has gained the undivided attention of religious education teachers and pastoral

ministers and is a recent topic of both advanced training in religious instruction and scholarly

publications in this area” (46).

In

Corinthians 15:24 says, “Then comes the end ... when [Christ] delivers the kingdom to God the

Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. “With those words, Paul

presents to us a snapshot of God’s kingdom as it will be some time after the return of Jesus

Christ

(Johnson 3).

The kingdom of God is not a place rather a rule and leadership of people led by a king. When

Jesus began his ministry, he started with this the idea of the fulfilment of the kingdom of God.

The Old Testament also gave us the glimpse of a coming Messiah. Many were waiting for his

arrival.

It was toward evening when Joseph of Arimathea arrived. He was a respected member of the

Council, who was waiting for the coming of the Kingdom of God. It was Preparation day (that is,

the day before the Sabbath), so Joseph went boldly into the presence of Pilate and asked him for

the body of Jesus (Mark 5:42).

Such a sense of anticipation, as we’ve said, had been built up from prophecies like Daniel’s

when he wrote of how one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of

Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom

4
that all the people’s nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an

everlasting dominion which will not

pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed ... but the saints of the Highest

One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come” (Daniel

7:13-18) (Johnson 4).

AUTHOR

All the four gospels are thought to be anonymous, and together they provide the church an

authorized, collective to Jesus’ person and work. Although the apostles were the primary

witnesses, there is nothing inconsistency about using their fellow worker John Mark to put their

collective and individual witness into writing (Reformation Study Bible 1777).

It is assumed that John Mark wrote the book of Mark. The Jerusalem Church gather at Jerusalem

in the house f John Mark’s mother for prayers (Acts 12:12).He assisted his cousin Barnabas as

well as Saul (Paul) in Ministry.

MARKS THEOLOGY ON THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Mark’s theology centers on the paradox that Christ has powerfully inaugurated God’s

eschatological kingdom through the apparently shameful defeat of His cross (Sproul 1730).

The book is a book that contains most of the miracles performed by Jesus Christ. One of

the major miracle recorded in the book is the walking on water by Jesus which is found in the

book (Mark 4:41). Peter revelation of the Christ in Mark 8:29 also suggests to us that Peter is the

main author of the book. Mark seems to be his helper or aid in transmitting the teaching of the

scriptures.

5
 The first mentioned of the word the Kingdom of God is found in the book of Mark

1:15.The Word Kingdom is translated from the Greek word βασιλεια which means (rule, reign,

and kingdom) (Greek Bible). It is not a place. It used to indicate a particular reign. Since the

writer was writing to the Romans, they understood the Roman ruler-ship and have the vivid

picture of the word; while on the other hand, the Jews expected a Messiah who will deliver them

from the bondage of the Romans. He perhaps used the word figuratively to communicate an

idea- the idea is simply the kingdom of God has come near. The reign of devil is over. But the

quest that come to mind is, what did Jesus meant when he used the word “Near” not that the

kingdom has come but it is near. Is he talking about the after his crucifixion? Some of the

surveys into other scholar’s views will guide the scholar as meaningful conclusion to this

discourse is drawn.

MAKE – UP OF A KINGDOM

There are three things that make up a kingdom. A king, his rule and his subjects. The word

“kingdom” is derived from two words: “King” meaning “the sole and absolute rule,” and “dom”

meaning “the domain, or territory of rule, that is, his subjects.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary

defines “kingdom” in the following way: “Since this earth is the scene of universal rebellion

against God, the kingdom of God is the sphere in which at any given time His rule is

acknowledged.” In other words, the kingdom of God has the idea of a group of people that would

accept God’s rule. This decision must accompany a change of heart, referred to in scripture as

repentance. When the kingdom is proclaimed a king is proclaimed. A king means an absolute

ruler, a master, one who has authority. Was this the kind of Kingdom Jesus was referring to?

This actually was the dominant settings and the leadership of that time. So when Jesus came, he

had in picture a better and greater kingdom. Is might likely seems that Jesus was not talking

6
about this kind of setting and rule, rather the reign of God in the hearts of men and women.

However the research shall provide answers to this question and many other questions

(Reformation Study Bible 1778).

THE WORD KINGDOM

A kingdom is a derivation of Greek word Basilia and the Hebrew word is Malkuth which means

reign, royal rule or power. It refers to a territory that is ruled by a king. Therefore the kingdom of

God is the reign of God in human history. There is no kingdom is without king. Although the

kingdom was not mentioned in the Old Testament. The kingdom of God has two natures. It is

present and also future (Reformation Study Bible1778).

If you looked up the word “kingdom” in Latin, you would see that it refers to one’s property,

ownership rights and Lordship. In Hebrew it meant “ruler-ship, dominion and realm]. In Greek it

means “rule and the realm over which one has the rule” (Strong 155)

SURVEY INTO THE HISTORY OF THE INTERPRETATION OF THE KINGDOM OF

GOD AS UNDERSTOOD BY SCHOLARS

It has been agreed throughout history that the ministry and teaching of Jesus Christ

centered on the kingdom of God. Yet many are unclear what that that Phrase through mean

(Heitbrink 13).

Heitbrink also assert that the Kingdom of God rarely receives a theological thought, rather it has

received an exegetical approach. That makes it one of the most difficult aspect of the

7
understanding of many church goers and lay people in the society (15). It becomes obvious that

there is need for better understanding of this phrase “The Kingdom of God”

Raimarus sees the kingdom of God from an eschatological point of

view. He was afraid of pioneering such a study especially since his

thoughts were not the conventional ones. His view did not have

much effect between 18th and 19th century (Heitbrink 16).

At the heart of his view of God’s kingdom is eschatology. This he has to say: Thus when

Jesus everywhere preached the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven had drawn near and

had others preached the same thing, the Jews were well aware of what he meant, that the

Messiah would soon appear and that his kingdom would commence. For it was Israel’s hope

waiting in longing since the days of oppression and captivity ad according to the words of their

prophets, that an anointed one or Messiah would come who would free them from all afflictions

and establish a glorious kingdom among them (16).

How then Reimarus did sees Jesus ‘ministry? Perhaps a failure if he hold such views about the

kingdom of God. According to him, Jesus did not lead a political revolt and died alone and in

disappointment ( Heitbrink 16). Strauss view is similar to Reimarius. He believes that Jesus

teaching about the kingdom hold some mythical elements contained in them (Heitbrink 16). He

further explain that the teachings, life of Jesus contained in the gospels had very little historical

basis but were rather based much more heavily on myth and evolution of religious thoughts. In

his book as quoted by Heitbrink the history of Christian thoughts, James Livingston states:

“Jesus held and expressed the conviction that he was the Messiah; this is an indisputable fact. He

saw Jesus’ Messianic vocation as being a temporal and national hope that would be brought by

per-natural, miraculous intervention and Jesus’ second advent on the clouds of heaven” ( 16).

8
This view is similar to that of Reimarus, although Strauss’s depiction of Jesus’ eschatological

views to that of Reimarus but reject the Messiah-ship as that of a political revolutionary. Weiss

like Reimaruis believes that the entire ministry of Jesus is more of an apocalyptic eschatological

preparation and expectation. He saw Jesus as having a similar role as that of John the Baptist: He

was a herald of an immediately ensuring kingdom inherent in the notion that Jesus is to fight

against the kingdom of Satan (Heitbrink 17).

Schweitzer in the same vein in 1901, also saw Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom as being

eschatological in nature. Weiss and Schweitzer thought that Jesus expected an immediate arrival

of the kingdom, not a distant realization of it. (Heitbrink 18).

He also point out some scholars who sees the kingdom of God as a reality in this world. One of

them is Immanuel Kant. For Kant, the kingdom of God is the ideal for this world. Kant thought

that by obeying the good principles found in each of our hearts, human beings could fully

establish the kingdom. This idea differs from people like Remarius and Weiss. They see the

kingdom as something that would happen in the future (18).

The second scholar in this school of though is Ferdinand Baur. Whereas Kant relied most heavily

upon Philosophy for his formulations concerning the kingdom of God, F. C Baur relied primary

on historical examination. Baur held the historical Jesus in high regard and believed that Jesus’

teachings was behind every subsequent formulations concerning the kingdom of God. The

historian Dennis Duling says of Baur:

Jesus’ teaching, said Baur, was somewhat like that of his Jewish

background, but he went beyond that background in an original

and radical way. Whereas the kingdom of God for Jews stressed

9
 God’s rule breaking in from without to reestablish the nation of

Israel, Jesus’ radical transformation led to a spiritual and inward

kingdom for all people. The heart of Jesus’ teaching about the

kingdom of God was found in the Sermon on the Mount, and

within that the Beatitudes (187).

The understanding of Jesus’s teaching about the kingdom of God is very crucial especially to a

Jewish man. He understood the kingdom as being God’s rule and the restoration of the nation of

Israel. Another scholar is Schleiermacher who affirms each individual persons’ experience as a

key factor in the growing Kingdom of God. His ideas built upon those of Kant but are often

difficult to understand. He made reference to God’s consciousness which is not understood as

key ingredient of the kingdom. Here again what is truly important is human beings inward

experience. He writes:

To feel oneself absolutely dependent and to be conscious of being

in relation with God are one and the same thing; and the reason is

that absolute dependence is the fundamental relation which must

which must include all others in itself. This last expression

includes.. God-consciousness in… self – consciousness in such a

way that, quite in accordance with the above analysis, the two

cannot be separated from each other. The feelings of absolute

dependence becomes a clear self-consciousness only as this idea

comes simultaneously into being. In this sense, it can indeed be

said that God is given to us in feeling in an original way: and if we

speak of an original revelation of God to man or in man, the

10
 meaning will always be just this, that along with the absolute

dependence which characterizes not only man but all temporary

existence, thee is given to man also the immediate self-

consciousness of it, which becomes a consciousness of God (20).

Well, this is a good approach. When we talk of the kingdom of God, we are talking about the

reign of God in the hearts men. Though the context upon which the term is being used differs.

But in all sense it is used as a means to having a fellowship with the father.

Fuller did not see the kingdom as present but

THE KINGDM OF GOD IN THE 20TH CENTURY

The Oxford Congress of the History of Religions: The major debate on this topic came from

the Oxford congress of the History of Religions in 1908. Germans and British, and American

Scholars met for the purpose of discussing the issues surrounding the idea raised by Schweitzer

and Weiss. They rejected the eschatological view of Jesus’ teaching. They felt that focusing on

that exclude any portion of ethical instruction (Heintbrink 22).

The Symposium on Eschatology: Some American Scholars also desired to respond to the views

put forth by Schweitzer and Weiss. In 1922 a collection of papers entitled a “Symposium on

Eschatology discredit Weiss and Schweitzer and they felt that there are some apocalyptic

expectation in Judaism all together (Heitbrink 22).

The Canterbury Conference: this groups according to Heitbrink emerge in 1927. They met in

England but in this case not discrediting Weiss and Schweitzer but of affirming the validity of

their points.. The conference include twelve Scholars from Germany and England, all of whom

upheld the apocalyptic expectation of Jesus in the gospel.

11
CH. Dodd: One of the key Scholar at this conference in Canterbury was C.H Dodd, who is

famous for his notion of “realized eschatology. Dodd stood with the rest of his colleagues in

affirming that Jesus indeed included notion of future eschatology in his preaching, he also argued

that Jesus preached a kingdom realized in the resent ( Heintbrick 23).

Fuller did not see the kingdom as present but rather something that was so near and could be

observed and experience. This h has to say: The reign of God is already breaking in proleptically

in the proclamation and signs of Jesus (that is the different with time of Jesus Ministry and the

time of John the Baptist), but it would be overstated the case to say that with Jesus the kingdom

of God has already come (26).

Bultmann Rudolf: He is a key New Testament Scholar who aggress with Weiss and Harnack’s

view on eschatological understanding of Jesus’ preaching of the Kingdom or reign of God, and a

future destruction of all satanic influences in the world. Sorrows shall also give way and bring in

salvation for the people of God (4).

THE PROMISED KINGDOM

There were prophecies in the Old Testaments which attest to the ministry of Jesus and the

establishment of a kingdom. Daniel prophesied such a time and a rule. At the time of those rulers

the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never end. It will never be conquered, but

will completely destroy all those empires and then last forever (Daniel 2:24).

The kingdom will never end. And will completely destroy all the kingdom. The kingdom is a

spiritual kingdom in God of heaven set up the spiritual kingdom of the Messiah, which shall yet

"become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth. Mathew Henry rightly observes and he have

this to say:

12
 The kingdom of Christ shall wear out all other kingdoms, shall

outlive them, and flourish when they are sunk with their own

weight, and so wasted that their place knows them no more. All the

kingdoms that appear against the kingdom of Christ shall be

broken with a rod of iron, as a potter's vessel, Psa_2:9. And in the

kingdoms that submit to the kingdom of Christ tyranny, and

idolatry, and everything that is their reproach, shall, as far as the

gospel of Christ gets ground, be broken (E-sword commentaries).

God’s kingdom was promised by many prophets-especially the coming of a messiah that shall

put an end to all other kingdom of the world. For the Jewish is a restoration to Zion and the

establishment of the ruler-ship of the Messiah who shall reign in majesty over the wicked

kingdom of this world.

PROMISED KINGDOM AND TIME

The question that thus arises is that, when shall all what was promised in the Old Testament by

God come to past? Were they expecting it? Have they seen the coming Messiah? Is the coming

Messiah the climax of God’s fulfilment of prophecy? All these draws our hearts to understand

the relation between time and the kingdom of God.

Kaiser calls it “inaugurated eschatology.” For example, in the Gospel accounts, the

kingdom of our Lord Jesus is set forth as already having made its presence known in certain key

aspects, yet it is also clear that this kingdom of our Lord has not yet been fully realized (17). The

question is how can it be both present and also eschatological? The used of the word Inaugurated

Eschatology, carries an extra consideration not only an eschatological approach but also a

13
present time reality. Either his kingdom is now present or it is not, some will reason, but it

cannot be both present and not yet present without there being a contradiction—or so it would

seem on the surface of things. However, Darrel believes that we are saved in the present and we

shall als be saved whe Jesus shall appear in his glory. This he has to say as a way of summary:

But both the “already” and the “not yet” need careful defining, for

covenant theologians of the past have

tended to overemphasize the “already” in their critiques of Dispens

ationalism while underemphasizing the “not yet.”

Dispensationalists [on the other hand] have

tended to underemphasize the “already,” minimizing what is prese

ntly fulfilled in God’s program in an attempt to maintain

distinctions [and put their stress on the “not yet”] (46).

The good news is that there is a wonderful future coming, in which God will bring

at least a threefold transformation to this world. He will transform the human

person completely to suit his plans for the future fellowship.

SUMMARY/CONCLUSION

Having interacted with different scholars, the researcher conclude that, when Jesus say the

Kingdom of God is at hand, He means that the Kingdom of God is the reign of God in human

heart now in the present. When people believe in him, they experience the reign or rule of God in

their heart. Even though they live in the World, they are not of the world.

14
Jesus told his disciple in Mark 4:11 that they have being given the secret of the kingdom, while

to others is not understood because they are not part of the kingdom. ("You have been given the

secret of the Kingdom of God," Jesus answered. "But the others, who are on the outside, hear all

things by means of parables). It means, a believer is expected to live the kingdom life style here

on earth. There is an expectation from the king- Jesus Christ.

The Kingdom could also be seen as something believers would experience in the future. When

Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. He instructed them to pray for the Kingdom of God to

come on earth. Even though the Lord’s Prayer is not mentioned in the book of mark, however,

we understood that, it was the reign and plan of God for humanity. When we shall see him face

to face and all the troubles of this world shall be taken away from us.

15
WORKS CITED

Blaising and Darrell L. The Reign of Jesus in Human Hearts, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.

Print.

Dennis, Duling. Jesus Christ through History, San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1979.

Print.

Fuller, R.H. The Mission and achievement of Jesus, London: SCM Press, 1960. Print.

Heitbrink, Jonathan. The Kingdom of God in the Gospel of Mark: A Theological

Reflection, Central College Project Johnston, Brain. The Kingdom of God- Past, Present

or future. Swindon: Hayes Press Publisher, 20212. Print.

Price, Micheal. Thy Kingdom Come: Exploring the Kingdom of God, Bloomington: Michael,

Price. 2015. Print. .

Schleiermacher, Friedrich, The Christian Faith ed. H.R mackintorch and J.S Stewart,

Endingburg:

T&T Clark. 1928. Print.

Rudolf Bultmann. Theology of the New Testament, Trans. Kendrick Grobe, New York: Charles

Press. 1987. Print.

Reformation Study Bible, ed. Sproul, R.C. Orlando: Reformation Trust, 2019. Print

16
Questions

1. Description

2. Use theological books

3. Authorities and commentaries

EXAMS

Share all the note you have

All the major assignment sent to Polmi and he would sent it to him.

Exams day come with English and Greek Bible

You might be required to do an exegegis from from any book

Know the steps for doing exegesis

Why scholars think Mark should have been the first gospel not Mathew

The characteristics of the gospel of Mark

Eschatology Christology, the kingdom of God Christology, the son of man.

Criticism and the various types of criticism

17