Jesus/Judaism/... the "kingdom"

Blog #7, Jesus/Judaism/ and the kingdom

I recently mentioned various Greek Testament verses, in which both Jesus and John the Baptist were called "rabbi," along with others in the narrative. Serious students can examine the Greek/English verses of Matthew 23:7, 23:8, John 1:38, John 1:49, John 3:2, and John 6:25 for confirmation of that manuscript based assertion.

I had also referenced 9 gospel verses in which the English translation term "master," was supplied for the Greek manuscript embedded "rabbi." Those verse locations were Matthew 26:25, 26:49, Mark 9:5, Mark 11:21, Mark 14:45 (2), John 4:31, John 9:2, and John 11:8.

It seems that one of Jesus’ favorite topics was the Kingdom of Heaven/God. There may be close to one hundred references to the Kingdom of God/Heaven in the four gospels alone. It was the subject of many of Jesus’ parables.

The concept of "kingdom" was quite Jewish, and usually related to Israel’s place in this world and Gods rule over that people and their leader. The Hebrew term for kingdom of God is "malchut haElohim," and the Hebrew for kingdom of Heaven is "malchut hashamayim."

Since devout Jews have an aversion for making the Divine name common or profaning it, they developed a system of using an "evasive synonym" for the word G-D. Thus the term "heaven" substitutes for the word "God." By using the term kingdom of heaven instead of kingdom of God, they avoid the vanity alluded to in Exodus 20:7, you shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Thus, in spite of our English interpretations and scholarly assertions, the kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven are the same thing in Hebraic thought. And, best I have learned, there were no cuss words in biblical Hebrew; so taking Gods name in vain didn't involve cussing. Although Christians are taught better than using foul language.


After the resurrection, and before the Holy Spirit outpouring, the followers of Jesus were concerned about the "time" of restoring the kingdom to Israel in Acts 1:6. They asked then about that aspect of the kingdom, but Jesus was more concerned about the spreading of his message of reconciliation to the ends of the earth. Before the kingdom can come to earth or to Israel, its message must bring repentance and the rule of God to the hearts of mankind.

In Jewish thinking, one takes upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, when becoming bar mitzvah; a son of the commandment. It involves the commitment to practice and observe the teachings of God, as delivered to Moses and the prophets. A young man or woman becomes of age, and accepts the Jewish responsibility of maturity, and the yoke of God’s teaching. In that way, God becomes the king over ones life. The concept is both literal and spiritual.


Regarding the spiritual significance of the Kingdom of God in Luke 17:20, Jesus told some Pharisees that the Kingdom of God comes not with observation, but dwells within you. Yet in that same narrative section, he links a Son of Man to a coming day of judgment, and a future kingdom being ruled by the Son of Man. In that, we see a two fold aspect regarding kingship and kingdom.

Various Psalms allude to and mention God as Israel and the worlds King, and many prayers in Hebrew liturgy relate that God is King of the universe (melech ha olam).

Some Psalm verses showing God’s "rule" are found in Psalm 10:16, 24:8-10, 47:2, 47:7, 89:18, and Psalm 95:3.

Thus, "kingdom" for Jesus, had a past, present, and future connotation. He had explained that his followers should pray to the Father; "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." Among Jews, the kingdom of God held promise of future rule in the world to come (olam haba), but the greater concern was for "this world" (olam hazeh), since it is here where we can make a real difference for the future.


In Tanakh prophecies, the reign of the messiah would be linked to a David/Solomon type rule under God, as shown in the prophecies of Daniel 7:13-14, where one like a Son of Man was given dominion, kingdom, and rule over all people, nations, and tongues. His kingship was said to be everlasting. God would anoint His king on the holy hill of Tzion (Psalm 2:6), and give him the heathen and the earth itself for a possession (Psalm 2:8).

During the days of Samuel the prophet, and Solomon the king of Israel, the concept of Israel with a Divinely appointed and anointed king was to be established "for ever" (1Samuel 13:13-14). But Israel’s first choice of king was Saul and became flawed. Although he was anointed with holy oil to rule, his failure to perform the specific will of God in the matter of the Amalekites as prophesied by Moses in Deuteronomy 25:17-19, cost him the kingdom.

God took the kingdom from Saul, and as if to emphasize Saul’s rejection, He chose David instead, who became the only man in biblical history or otherwise to be anointed with literal holy oil 3 times.


According to 2Samuel 7:14-15, Gods mercy departed form the house of Saul, and kingship was established upon the house of David, who is called Gods "firstborn". Firstly, because he was a man after Gods own heart, and secondly because David was named as God’s "servant" (avdi) in Psalm 89:20. When the Hebrew Bible names a person "avdi" (My servant), it shows great honor
and deep insight into that persons character, since God speaks of that person in those endearing terms.

A covenant existed with David and the Lord, and promised to establish his sons after him in the throne and rule of God, so long as they kept the conditions. Righteous kings were the hope of Israel’s continual rule. This is noted in the reigns of Solomon and Hezekiah. One rabbinic opinion actually states that Hezekiah was the messiah.

Jesus was never anointed during his life with literal holy oil to be either prophet or king. But his authority was given by Divine decree. Its written in Luke 1:32, that the angel Gabriel said to Miriam, his mother: He shall be called the son of the highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."


It seems quite obvious to Christian Bible readers that Jesus identified himself often with the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14. The most supernatural human ruler in the bible. The Aramaic-Hebrew term "bar enosh" son of man), appears only once in the entire bible (not to be confused with ben Adam), and seems to fit Jesus after he returns to earth in the clouds of heaven as world ruler.

When the Son of man returns from heaven after having been given authority and power by the heavenly Father, he will be as the thrice anointed king of Israel: anointed as a shepherd to lead the flock, anointed as a king to rule the people, and thirdly, anointed to unite all Gods people. Thats exactly what David's third anointing accomplished-united a divided Israel.