Jesus' Central Message: The Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven

 

The Kingdom of Heaven Clearly Explained

Matthew 4:23: “And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.”

The central focus, the central theme, the central Mission of Jesus was to initiate and inaugurate the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.  To miss the significance of the Kingdom of Heaven in the life, the work and the teaching of Jesus, is to miss his Mission altogether.

And what is the Kingdom of Heaven?   The ancient Hebrew prophets spoke of an End of Days when the Hebrew God will come to Earth with his Messiah to rout-out all evil, to destroy all that is wrong, and to create a New Heavens and a New Earth.  The Hebrew God will reign on Earth through his Messiah King.  

Jesus initiated and started this Kingdom.  He spoke with urgency and passion: people must immediately turn from all wrongdoing, be baptized and prepare themselves immediately for this Immanent Event.  

The Kingdom of Heaven (also called the Kingdom of God) has two time-based aspects:

1.          -The Invisible Kingdom of the Heart exists right now.

2.          -This Visible Political Kingdom will come on the Last Day, the End of Days.

“Look! The kingdom of God is in your midst.”  -Luke 17:21

The dynamic proclamation that the Kingdom of God (that is, the Rule and Reign of God) has already come to earth is the central focus of Jesus’ authoritative teaching.  Jesus’ audience (the Israelites) had been dominated for centuries by five great empires (Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Egypt and Greece) and were currently dominated by a sixth Empire: Rome.  They were longing for liberation and longing for independence.  In short, they were longing for the Kingdom of God to come to Planet Earth.  Jesus’ message that the Kingdom of God has already come is, therefore, extremely relevant to his audience. 

Jesus brought hope to his listeners by declaring that the Kingdom of God is a spiritual Kingdom, a Kingdom of the Heart, a Kingdom that dwells in the very souls and minds of humankind.  –Yes, a Political Kingdom will come (Matthew chapter 24)—but the True Kingdom is the Kingdom of the Heart (Luke 17: 21).

This word, “Look!” in the Greek is “Idou!” which was used to enliven and arouse the attention of those who were hearing him speak. 

“To you have been given the secret mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to those outside everything is in parables.”  -Mark. 4:11

Jesus, here, tells his disciples that the mysteries of the Kingdom are given to them only.  To everyone else, the Kingdom is a Mystery, that is, a Secret.

The Greek word, here is “musterion.”  This word is defined as a secret, a secret rite or teaching, a mystery that is too profound for human understanding; a mystery that is hidden from human reason.  This word, “musterion,” is associated with the Mystery Religions of the Greek and Roman age who practiced secret rites and shared their teachings only with those who had been initiated.  (For instance the word “musterion” was used for the Mysteries of Dionysus, the god of wine in the Hellenistic and Roman age, who died each winter and was reborn each spring.) 

Jesus tells his disciples in Mark 4:11 that they are the elect, the chosen ones, the initiated, and it is they alone who understand the mysteries of the Kingdom. 

Jesus, however, does share these mysteries broadly to the masses of people—but he does so through the filter, the mask of Parables.  Parables were symbolic tales (allegorical, figurative stories) that lacked interpretation.  These Parable stories (approximately 33 of them) could only be understood (that is, interpreted) by those who were truly seeking to understand; only the faithful; only those who are seeking after the Kingdom.  Parables were used not only to teach the faithful but also as a way of protection from those who would seek to harm Jesus.  The Dead Sea Scrolls also used symbols (“Teacher of Righteousness; Man of Lies; Wicked Priest”) for the dual purpose of protection and keeping their teachings secret.


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