Part 15: A Rejected Kingdom

Introduction

John 1:11 LSB

He came to what was His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

The apologetic purpose of the Gospels is to answer a critical, controversial and consequential question: If Jesus is the Christ, the Davidic Messiah, what about the Kingdom? Of course the Gospels have many purposes. They serve to document the works and teachings of Jesus, connecting his life and ministry to the Old Testament prophecies, and most importantly, preserve the testimony of his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. They are truly the “Good news” of Jesus.

But in light of the prophetic expectation of the Kingdom of God in its covenanted fullness, readers of the Old Testament would find themselves in a quandary - how could Jesus be the promised Messiah if he did not bring in the promised Kingdom? This question poses a series apologetic crisis to the Christian faith, one that was quickly picked up upon by skeptics throughout Church history.

It should not be surprising then to discover that all of the Gospels, and in particular the synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), structure their portrayal of Jesus Christ in a strategic fashion; they begin with Jesus coming upon the scene with public teaching and ministry (anticipated by John the Baptist) focused upon the Kingdom of God, warning of coming wrath and calling Israel to repentance, and his own identity as the Son of Man - the union of divinity and humanity. All the Gospels present Jesus’ person and message as entirely in line with the Old Testament prophetic expectation of the Messiah. All of the Gospels present clear evidence of the negative reception that this Messianic message received from Israel’s leadership and the larger populace. And all of the Gospels document how this rejection of the Kingdom offer led to a distinct and sobering shift in Jesus’ message and ministry, with the shadow of Gethsemane and the cross coming rapidly into view.

Certainly the death of Christ was foreknown and ordained in the plan of God from eternity past, including through the predictions of the prophets. Yet the Gospel narratives consistently present this shocking and history-altering execution as a result of Israel’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge the identity of Jesus Christ as Messiah, as well as their own need for a Savior who would bring about their righteousness in preparation for the coming Kingdom. This rejection of the Kingdom during the earthly ministry of Jesus confirmed both the utter depravity of mankind (as represented by the covenant nation), and the extraordinary lengths to which Yahweh would go to redeem a people for himself, out of every tribe, nation and tongue.

The Kingdom Commission

Having expounded the social and moral requirements of the Kingdom “at hand”, and demonstrated the creational and supernatural power that he wielded with compassion through a series of spectacular miracles, Jesus began to organize his efforts to bring this disruptive Gospel (Good news) of the Kingdom, selecting twelve of his loyal disciples and commissioning them with the same message and miraculous power that he himself exhibited.

Matthew 10:5–15 (LSB)

These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans;

but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

…

“Now as you enter the house, give it your greeting.

“And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

“And whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you leave that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.

“Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

While it may sound strange to Christian ears (in light of the “Great Commission” of Matthew 28:19 to bring the Gospel to “all nations”), in light of the covenantal expectation of the Kingdom in the Old Testament, it is both natural and necessary that the proclamation of the kingdom’s nearness (“at hand”) be made specifically with the covenant nation of Israel. God had not forgotten the Gentiles (recall the healing of the Centurion’s servant boy in Matthew 8), for indeed the Abrahamic covenant included a promise of blessing for “all the families of the Earth”. But the Kingdom of God as foreseen in the Old Testament prophets and as covenanted by God was specifically and repeatedly identified as a restoration of the fallen Davidic monarchy of Israel (cf Amos 9:11). The Messiah himself was foretold to be the Davidic branch (Isaiah 11:1, Jer 23:5). His throne was destined to be in Jerusalem (Psalm 2:6), from which he would judge the nations in righteousness (Isaiah 9:7). His Kingdom’s effects and jurisdiction would indeed be worldwide (Isaiah 2:4, Isaiah 11:9), encompassing all of creation itself (Isaiah 65:17, Hosea 2:18), yet it is squarely anchored in Jerusalem and the covenant nation (Micah 4:2, Psalm 87:2).

What is perhaps more surprising (in context) is the starkly negative response that Jesus anticipates to this “good news” (Matt 10:16-39). It was to be expected that faithful Israelites would provide shelter and hospitality to Yahweh’s prophets (cf 1 Kings 17:9), hence Jesus’ instruction not to prepare provisions for the journey. And the Messianic hope was strong in 1st Century Israel, chafing under Roman Imperialism. But Jesus warned his apostles that they would not be received in every house, and indeed could expect to face persecution and even martyrdom for their witness. The sobering prospect of the Messiah’s messengers being in mortal danger from the covenant people themselves (cf Matt 10:17), while disturbing from the perspective of the apostles, is all too familiar to anyone with knowledge of Israel’s history (cf Matthew 5:12). However, the extent of the persecution and Jesus’ other instructions suggest that Jesus may have a longer view than the immediate mission.

Matthew 10:23 (LSB)

“But whenever they persecute you in this city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.

As stated previously, this puzzling statement indicates that not all of Jesus’ instruction was exclusively focused on present moment. At this point, not enough information has been gathered to determine exactly what time period/s Jesus has in view, but we can safely make some general conclusions. The mission is explicitly restricted to the nation and people of Israel, it is concerned with repentance in light of the “at hand” Kingdom, and it will be opposed and persecuted by the people themselves (as opposed to general antagonism from both Jewish and Gentile sources). And this mission will not be completed in full prior to the coming of the “Son of Man”.

The reference to the “coming of the Son of Man” is loaded with Messianic and Kingdom implications. The phrase is clearly a reference to Daniel 7:13-14

Daniel 7:13–14 (LSB)

“I kept looking in the night visions,

And behold, with the clouds of heaven

One like a Son of Man was coming,

And He came up to the Ancient of Days

And came near before Him.

“And to Him was given dominion,

Glory, and a kingdom,

That all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue

Might serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

Which will not be taken away;

And His kingdom is one

Which will not be destroyed.

For the newly-commissioned apostles, this Messianic promise must kindled intense excitement and urgency to their task. The Son of Man title, used exclusively by Jesus to refer to himself, sets him apart as the divinely-appointed ruler for Yahweh’s Kingdom, distinguished from the beastly world empires of Daniel’s vision. It references God’s creation design of human beings as his image-bearers and designated rulers over creation (Genesis 1:28). Again, we see that Jesus’ mission is in continuity with the Kingdom expectation of the Old Testament.

As an aside, it is interesting to think about why Jesus would entrust this mission to a group of otherwise untrained (cf Acts 4:13) and sometimes dense (Mark 9:34) followers. It appears from the subsequent chapter (Matt 11:1) that he wanted additional representatives to advance his ministry alongside him. Surely Jesus was capable of miraculously communicating with as many cities and people as he wished; however, it is God’s desire to work in and through humanity, not independently from them. Simply put, Jesus wanted partners and friends in his mission to proclaim the Kingdom to Israel (cf 2 Corinthians 5:18).

The Kingdom Suffers Violence

Matthew 11:7–19 (LSB)

Now as these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?

“But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ palaces!

“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet.

“This is the one about whom it is written,

‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,

Who will prepare Your way before You.’

“Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

“For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John.

“And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children,

and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

In this text we begin to see the broad contours of Israel’s reception of the Kingdom message, proclaimed both by John (now imprisoned) and Jesus (alongside his apostolic task force). Having reassured his persecuted cousin of his Messianic credentials and ministry (citing Isaiah 35:5), Jesus turned to the crowds and defended John’s character and witness. Citing Malachi 3:1, Jesus validated John’s forerunner ministry, declaring him the greatest among the human prophets - while also hinting at the even greater exaltation that awaited those who would enter the Kingdom.

It is significant that Jesus again shows that the Kingdom is still a future reality from this standpoint - none are greater than John the Baptist, yet in the Kingdom, even the “lowest” believer will be greater still. It is difficult to harmonize this statement with a view that the Kingdom had already arrived at this point.

Verse 12 (“The kingdom of heaven suffers violence”) has long puzzle interpreters, partially due to the odd grammatical structure (a verb without an object), which can be legitimately translated in either an “active” (middle voice) or passive sense. Read in isolation, it has often been interpreted as a call to vigorous striving for kingdom entrance (e.g, by John Bunyan in Pilgrim’s Progress, also Spurgeon, MacArthur, and others). Other interpreters (and some translations) make the Kingdom itself to be the worker of “violence”, with the idea being something like “the kingdom of heaven advances violently/energetically”. However, these more positive readings do not fit the context; rather, Jesus is in the process of rebuking the people for their lack of response towards the messages of John and himself, and there is no indication that any widespread “striving” was taking place at this time, nor that the message of the Kingdom was making particular progress (in terms of genuine repentance). Elsewhere Jesus compares the receiving of the Kingdom to the faith of a child (Matthew 19:14, Luke 18:17). The words “violence” and “take by force” are almost universally negative in the New Testament; the idea seems to be that the Kingdom, and its proclamation (beginning with John the Baptist’s ministry and continuing to Jesus’ time), faces opposition and violence. This is fitting given the opening of the passage with John’s prison inquiry - the imprisonment (and imminent execution) of the forerunner was a foreshadowing of the rejection that the Messiah himself would soon receive.

“If you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.”

This statement is incredibly significant, in that it demonstrates that the response of the people would determine the course of future events with respect to the Kingdom. Jesus had already affirmed that John filled the Messianic forerunner role with respect to his own ministry. Logically, it would follow then that Jesus was the King and that the other events Malachi (Mal 4:5) predicted - the Day of Yahweh and the coming of the Kingdom - were soon to follow. To this (otherwise accurate) expectation, Jesus added a sobering qualifier - “If you are willing to accept it”.

This conditionality (which will be repeated elsewhere in the Gospels) is key to understanding the apologetic argument of the Gospel writers. The King had arrived, the Kingdom was near - but yet something depended upon the response of people (specifically, the Jews). As we will see later, this condition itself was also predicted by the prophets - they foresaw not only the coming of the Kingdom, but also the reception (both negative and positive) that it would receive; critically, the Kingdom would only come when the people were ready to receive it on God’s terms (cf Hosea 5:15-6:3).

The illustration of children in the marketplace is somewhat obscure, likely due to cultural setting, but the general point is fairly straightforward - an unbelieving people would find any excuse to reject the message of the Kingdom, whether it came from the eccentric John or somewhat more cultured Jesus.

Woe to The Cities

Matthew 11:20–24 (LSB)

Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

“Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.

“And Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.

“Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

Now we see the rejection of the Gospel of the Kingdom becoming more explicit. Note that the narrative specifically calls out the lack of repentance (the very first imperative associated with the Kingdom Gospel - “Repent!”). No particular reason is given for the lack of repentance; certainly the crowds that Jesus regularly gathered would indicate his popularity as a teacher and miracle-worker. But the call of the Kingdom Gospel was not to awe and wonder, but to repent and receive.

As a result of this failure to meet the condition, Jesus warned that these unrepentant populaces would face the Day of Judgement (synonymous with the Day of Yahweh) on worse terms then even some of the most notorious cities of the pagan Gentiles. The picture is beginning to take shape: The Good News of the Kingdom was being preached, but the message was not receiving the appropriate response, and as a result, the specter of wrath was looming in its place.

Blasphemy Against the Spirit

Matthew 12:14–21 LSB

But going out, the Pharisees took counsel together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him. But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all, and warned them not to make Him known, in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, “Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. “He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. “A battered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory. “And in His name the Gentiles will hope.”

The temperature is heating rapidly. Jesus is beginning to alter his formerly-free roaming ministry to avoid the increasingly antagonistic opposition of the Pharisees. Jesus also begins a puzzling new strategy of telling the people to not spread the news about him (a stark reversal from the open proclamation of chapters 10-11). Matthew explains Jesus rationale by citing Isaiah’s Servant Song, the opening text that expounds the Messianic character who, through his rejection and suffering, will bring salvation both to Israel and to the Gentiles. It may not yet be clear how this is connected to Jesus’ strategy, however this link might become more clear as the story unfolds.

Matthew 12:22–32 (LSB)

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.

And all the crowds were astounded, and were saying, “Can this man really be the Son of David?”

But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”

And knowing their thoughts He said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand.

“And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?

“And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges.

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

“Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

“And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

Israel’s rejection of the Kingdom reaches a climax in this passage. Faced with a triple-miracle (restoration of sight, speech, and exorcism), the crowd (likely drawn from across the many cities in which Jesus had ministered) ventured to wonder whether Jesus was indeed the “Son of David”, a thin euphemism for the Messiah. The Pharisees, representing Israel’s civil and religious leadership of the time, shut down these Messianic wonderings, and directly attributed Jesus’ supernatural activities to Satanic power.

In response, Jesus cooly and methodically refutes their outrageous claim, and his conclusion carries grave implications for the nation and its leadership.

“If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Jesus argues that if, as all available evidence indicates, his power over the demonic realm came from the Holy Spirit, that this fact demonstrates the reality of the Kingdom in his own person. This text has also been used, in isolation, as a proof-text for an already-inaugurated kingdom. However, this is pressing the statement beyond its contextual meaning - Jesus is not making a statement about the Kingdom’s nature, but rather about the nature of his power over demons. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit is frequently associated with both the Messiah and his kingdom (e.g, Isaiah 61:1, Ezekiel 36:26-27, 37:14). Jesus is confirming his Messianic credentials by showing that his works are done through the power of the Spirit of Yahweh himself.

“He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters”.

This statement once again is loaded with grave significance. The “gathering” motif is prevalent in Messianic and Kingdom prophecy (e.g, Isaiah 11:12, 40:11, 54:7, Jeremiah 23:3, Zech 10:10). With the arrival of the Messiah, the legitimate role of Israel’s leadership would be to facilitate this gather by modeling repentance and directing the people to receive the message of the Kingdom - instead, they act in opposition, undermining and refuting the Good News of the Kingdom by attributing its power (namely, the Spirit of Yahweh) to the Devil himself. In this, the Pharisees (along with other factions of the nation’s ruling class) were following in the steps of many generations of false shepherds in Israel’s history, who regularly clashed with the prophets of Yahweh and led the people astray (Jeremiah 50:6, Ezekiel 34:2, Matthew 23:31).

Jesus takes this particular blasphemy extremely seriously; the Pharisees have crossed a point of no return. No further revelation could possibly change a heart so hardened that it would rather attribute the gracious works of the Spirit of Yahweh to Satan, than to humble itself in repentance and faith. This “unpardonable sin” is not a mere act of misunderstanding a miracle worker; rather, it is the personal, overt defiance of the Spirit’s power through the physically-present Messiah. Jesus was not laying down a tripwire for anxious believers fearful they may have inadvertently condemned themselves; he was ominously condemning Israel’s leadership for their staggering and inexcusable unbelief in the very presence of the Kingdom’s power.

Kingdom Revelation

Matthew 16:13–23 (LSB)

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, saying, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

This text is the first time in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus explicitly begins to teach his own impending death and resurrection. We should take note that this necessarily means that the apostles (and Jesus himself) never preached Christ’s death and resurrection during the Kingdom Gospel mission in chapter 10. This was (from the perspective of the apostles) a new and disturbing development, though it was absolutely foreknown and planned by God; yet in the context of Matthew’s narrative (as well as the other Gospels) it is revealed after Israel’s clear and overt rejection of the Kingdom (both from the regular populace (Matt 11) and the leadership (Matt 12) has been documented.

“I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven” - This passage has been misunderstood as teaching that Peter is the gatekeeper of heaven. While the idea of “Saint Pete at the pearly gates” may have some romantic charm, it is completely missing the point of Jesus’ declaration. In this text Jesus is responding favorably to Peter’s declaration (on behalf of the other disciples) of faith in his Messianic identity (“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”). This truth is the “rock” upon which Jesus will build “my church”; this is the first time (out of only two) the Church is directly referenced in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus does not explain further what he means by “his church” (literally “his assembly”), but clearly it is associated with something new (“will build”) and distinct from the Kingdom itself. He then promises that (in the future) Peter will be granted delegated authority in the Kingdom (a promise that will later be extended, at least in a general form, to the other apostles; Matthew 19:28). The grammar of this statement is nuanced - the idea appears to be that Peter is to wield his authority in a mediatorial role, binding or loosing on Earth the things that have already been bound or loosed in Heaven (in effect, enacting God’s will on Earth, cf Matt 6:10).

Again, we see the ground seemingly changing under the disciples feet. Having favorably received the affirmation of his Messiahship from his apostles, Jesus suddenly forbids them from sharing this knowledge any more. “From that time” underscores that this was the first time Jesus directly informed his disciples of his fate. Peter’s impulsive reaction reminds us of how shocking and confusing this revelation must have been for all of the apostles. Their nascent faith was already being severely shaken.

Matthew 16:27–28 (LSB)

“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay each one according to his deeds.

“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Jesus was not oblivious to the consternation of his disciples. Again alluding to the glorious vision of Daniel, he reminded them of the Kingdom expectation they longed for, and then added a tantalizing afterword - some of the apostles themselves (not all) would see this glorious event in their lifetime. All three synoptics contain this same mysterious promise - and in all three accounts, it is immediately followed by the Transfiguration event.

Matthew 17:1–13 (LSB)

And six days later Jesus brought with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three booths here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

And when the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified.

And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”

And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.

And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things;

but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”

Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

Together with the innermost circle of his followers, Jesus once again (cf Matt 5:1) ascended a mountain. Perhaps expecting another mind-bending teaching session, the apostles were instead treated to an overwhelming display of the Messiah’s glorified form. The word “transfiguration” quite literally means “metamorphosis” - it indicates a drastic change in appearance, perhaps so as to be unrecognizable (cf Luke 24:16). Rather than sunlight shining down upon them, Jesus himself became their light source (Rev 1:16, 21:23). In the midst of this awesome demonstration of Kingdom glory, Moses and Elijah - the two greatest prophets of the Old Testament - appeared alongside Jesus. The entire scene is rich with symbolic and Messianic significance - Elijah as the prophesied forerunner of the Kingdom (Mal 4:5), Moses as the Covenant Lawgiver and the one whose own face “shone” following his encounter with Yahweh on Sinai (Exodus 34:29-35). According to Luke’s account, the two prophets spoke words concerning Jesus’ impending death, though the exact details of this historic conversation remain a mystery. Peter’s confused and excited chattering was drowned out by the divine voice of the Father, no doubt bursting with paternal pride at the full display of the Son’s glory - “This is My beloved Son” (Matt 3:17).

It is hard to overstate the significance of this revelation on the mountain, and its importance in rebuilding the shaken confidence of the apostles in their leader. The event must have had a lasting effect on each of them, as it certainly did upon Peter (2 Peter 1:16-18). It confirmed that, despite the troubling talk of Jesus’ death, their Kingdom hope was still well-placed. Jesus was the Christ, the Son of Man, destined to come in “clouds with great power and glory” - they could hardly doubt it, for they had seen it and heard it.

As quickly as the transfiguration took place, it was over, and Jesus - in his humble, Galilean form - comforted the awestruck apostles. Again he instructs them to keep this revelation to themselves for the time-being. The conversation quite naturally turned to the appearance of Elijah, and the disciples rightfully were somewhat confused. The scribes, in keeping with the prophetic expectation (Mal 4:5), taught that Elijah would come before the Messiah. Yet Jesus has already been around for decades, and Elijah himself appeared (briefly) only just now. Jesus’ answer reverberates with eschatological significance. “Elijah is coming”. This statement confirms that the prophets were correct, Elijah himself would indeed appear prior to the great Day of Yaweh, and the coming of the Kingdom. Yet, alluding to his rebuke to the unbelieving crowds in Matthew 11:14, Jesus also intimated that John the Baptist, the rejected forerunner, also filled Elijah’s prophetic role. Just as the forerunner had been rejected, “so also” the King himself was destined to suffer rejection at the hands of the unbelieving covenant people - and yet “Elijah is coming”, and so was the Son of Man after him. The reality that there must be two coming of Messiah - a detail not directly revealed in the Old Testament - were beginning to come into view.

We Do Not Want This Man to Reign Over Us

Luke 19:11–27 (LSB)

Now while they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return.

“And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’

“But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

“And it happened that when he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know how much they had made in business.

…

‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.

‘But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.’”

From Luke’s account, we will briefly examine an aspect of a very different parable, which serves a similar function in this Gospel. As Jesus approached Jerusalem for the final time, his disciples were clearly overcome with anticipation and excitement - despite his repeated warnings of his impending death, their Kingdom expectation was such that they could not help but think that they were on the verge of seeing it inaugurated in, perhaps even in the streets of the Holy City.

The blunt reality was that the disciples were wrong. The Kingdom had not appeared, nor was it to appear in the immediate future. Both the forerunner and the King himself had been roundly rejected; the former killed and the latter facing the same fate in only a few short days. The people and their leaders had steadfastly refused the call to repentance; judgement was inevitable. The Kingdom was proclaimed “at hand” by John, Jesus, and his apostles in the first portion of their ministry - however, with the unbelieving response from the people, this proclamation ceased to made, virtually at the same time as Jesus’ shift to parables and to concealment of his identity. The message had not been received - the offer had been rejected - the Kingdom, once at hand, was no longer to appear “immediately”.

While the focus of the parable is rightfully on the interaction between the nobleman and his slaves, Jesus includes details that anchor its setting in the present context of his coming to Jerusalem. “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then to return.” Jesus was preparing his disciples that he too was “going away” to “receive a kingdom”, just as Daniel 7:13 indicated (cf Psalm 110:1). There would be an interval between his going away, receiving the kingdom, and his return - and this interval (and the servants’ usage of time and resources during it) is the primary point of the parable.

Yet we cannot overlook the significance of verses 14 and 27. The nobleman’s right to rule is not uncontested - his citizens loathe him and reject his claim to the throne. As a result, when he returns, he deals severely with the rebels who sought to overturn his rightful reign. This parable lays out the sequence of the rejected Kingdom - the departure, the receiving of the Kingdom, and the return to judge and to realize the Kingdom.

The Stone Which the Builders Rejected

Matthew 21:33–46 (LSB)

“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard and put a wall around it and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey.

…

“But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’

“And they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

“Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?”

They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,

‘The stone which the builders rejected,

This has become the chief corner stone;

This came about from the Lord,

and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation, producing the fruit of it.

“And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them.

And although they were seeking to seize Him, they feared the crowds, because they were regarding Him to be a prophet.

As we will see in the next message, one of the consequences of the rejection of the Kingdom in the synoptic Gospels was Jesus sudden shift in teaching style, from detailed expositions to the use of parables. The decision to teach the crowds exclusively via parables was explained by Jesus as having judicial significance (Matt 13:10-15) - it was in effect a concealment of revelation, as a punishment for the people’s rejection of the Kingdom Gospel.

This particular parable was part of a series addressed to Israel’s apostate leadership, following Jesus “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem on a donkey (a literal fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy in Zech 9:9). Jesus had been hailed by his disciples (cf Luke 19:37) as the “Son of David”, citing the joyous blessing of Psalm 118:26 - “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, significantly, are not said to have joined in this procession, only responding with curiosity (Matt 20:10) and perhaps a little annoyance (Luke 19:39).

Now, Jesus faced down his opponents directly, expertly weaving his arguments (in parabolic form) to hit the priests and Pharisees where it hurt. The parable of the vine-growers highlighted the failure on the part of Israel’s leaders to faithfully steward the responsibility entrusted to them, and foreshadowed the doom that was to befall both them and the nation as a result. No doubt with the joyous refrain of Psalm 118:26 still fresh in his mind, Jesus zeroed in on a preceding stanza, the application of which must have chilled whatever spiritually-sensitive portion remained in these hardened hearts: “The stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief corner stone; This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’

Jesus could scarcely have made his point any more clearly - the foolish “builders” of Psalm 118, the devious vine-growers of his parable, and the unbelieving leadership of Israel were one and the same. The “stone” was Jesus himself, and he was designated by Yahweh to become the chief cornerstone, in spite of the builder’s rejection. What’s more, the stone would have destructive results for those who came against it - perhaps a veiled allusion to Isaiah 8:14 (cf Romans 9:32-33, 1 Peter 2:8).

The result of this rejection was truly calamitous: “The kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation, producing the fruit of it.” The unbelief and rebellion of Israel’s leaders resulted in the forfeiture of their place in the Kingdom. It would be incorrect to read this condemnation as a “replacement” of Israel’s national relation to the Kingdom, as Jesus confirmed this reality multiple times (including after his rejection, eg. Matthew 19:28)

The priests and Pharisees got the message; true to form, they responded by scheming how they would seize him, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were only confirming the condemnatory parable that had thrown them into an dark rage (Matt 21:38-39).

Lament over Jerusalem

Luke 19:41–44 (LSB)

And as He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He cried over it,

saying, “If you knew in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.

“For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,

and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

It is impossible to fully enter in to the emotions that would have run through Jesus as he neared his beloved city. This was Zion, the City of David, the City where Yahweh had chosen to set his name. Despite all her failures, sins, rebellions, the King’s heart ached for the city he was to call home, and for the people to whom he was to shepherd. “If only!” is the feeling running through this text, as Jesus declares the horrors that are to come upon the city as a result of the rejection of the Kingdom. It is not entirely clear what the “time of your visitation” refers to, but in context it appears to show that Jesus expected that the people could have known that this was “the time” (it may even be a reference to Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy, which was calculable to the time of Jesus per the criteria of Daniel 9:25). However the time may have been determined, it was clear that Jerusalem and Israel had missed their opportunity - the things which make for peace were not to be found any time soon.

Matthew 23:13 (LSB)

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

In a final, fiery condemnation of the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus again reminds them of their unforgivable failure to lead the nation in receiving her Messiah and the covenanted kingdom; not only would they refuse to enter themselves, but (through falsely accusing Jesus of being indwelt by demons) they poisoned the hearts and minds of the people from receiving it themselves.

Matthew 23:37–39 (LSB)

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you did not want it.

“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!

“For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Again, we can hear the emotional outcry of Jesus as he morns the plight of the Holy City. This is not merely a moral judgement, but rather the deep and personal pain of rejection. We must not forget to recall that this is Yahweh himself standing before the city and people, to whom “I have spread out my hands all day long” (Isaiah 65:2). “How often I wanted to gather”, referencing the eschatological theme of “gathering” so often associated with the prophet’s kingdom expectation. As a result of their unwillingness, Jesus declared desolations upon her house (a reference to the Temple), almost certainly alluding to the “desolations” that were predicted by Daniel in the prophecy of the 70 Weeks (and which Jesus would expound upon shortly in his Olivet Discourse).

In the final clause, we see the glint of Kingdom hope even in the midst of pain and doom. “You will not see me until you say “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. The word “until” is critical - it shows that Israel’s rejection is not final. The same city that rejected Christ in this moment, would one day greet him with the heartfelt Messianic blessing of Psalm 118:26. Until that day, however, desolation and judgement were inevitable.

Until They Seek My Face

This loaded “until” in Jesus’ lament has correspondence in the Old Testament prophets. To look at one example, Hosea 5 enumerates the trials and judgements that Yahweh will bring upon Israel because of her defilement and pride (Hosea 5:1-14). In verse 15, we find a strikingly familiar “until” clause:

Hosea 5:15 (LSB)

I will go away and return to My place

Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face;

In their affliction they will seek Me earnestly.

The narrative of Hosea shifts persons in chapter 6, giving us a glimpse of Israel’s future response:

Hosea 6:1–3 (LSB)

“Come, let us return to Yahweh.

For He has torn us, but He will heal us;

He has struck us, but He will bandage us.

“He will make us alive after two days;

He will raise us up on the third day,

That we may live before Him.

“So let us know, let us pursue to know Yahweh.

His going forth is established as the dawn;

And He will come to us like the rain,

Like the late rain watering the earth.”

This beautiful passage in an otherwise grim prophetic utterance shows us that , just as Psalm 118 predicted the “builders’ rejection”, the prophets also foresaw (with varying degrees of detail) a time during which Yahweh’s presence and blessing would be removed for a time “until” there was a reversal in their attitude towards himself. Indeed, this change from a rebellious heart towards a sincere seeking one was predicted by Moses himself.

Deuteronomy 4:29–30 (LSB)

“But from there you will seek Yahweh your God, and you will find Him, for you will search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

“When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the last days you will return to Yahweh your God and listen to His voice.

How will this change of attitude take place? Again the prophets foretold this as well: It will be through the New Covenant, and the associated giving of the Holy Spirit, that the hearts of Israel will be changed:

Ezekiel 36:26–27 (LSB)

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to do My judgments.

The Postponement of the Kingdom

The idea that the Kingdom, proclaimed “at hand” by John and by Jesus, did not actually arrive during their ministry as a result of Israel’s rejection, is sometimes termed “Kingdom Postponement”. Historically this has been a very unpopular and misunderstood teaching, although it can be traced to the very earliest Church Fathers. For many Christians it seems incomprehensible to think that Jesus offered a Kingdom only to withhold it for some time in the future. We have seen several texts however that clearly place conditions on the coming of the Kingdom - the reception of John/Elijah, repentance (or lack thereof), and recognition of Jesus Messianic and Divine identity (or lack thereof). At each point, Israel clearly failed these conditions. The Kingdom goes from being declared “at hand” in the earliest Gospel ministry, to being described as “afar off” with numerous events and trials preceding its coming. Ultimately, Jesus explicitly connects the coming of his Kingdom with his Second coming in power and glory (cf Matt 16:27, 25:31, etc), which precludes any theory that places the Kingdom prior to that event. As uncomfortable as this may be for us to imagine, it is a clear component of the Gospel narratives - and it is consistent with the Old Testament expectation, which tells both of the Messiah’s sufferings (recall the Servant Song citation in Matthew 12:18-21) and rejection, as well as his coming in power and vindication to establish his everlasting Kingdom.

And this phenomena - of divine blessings being offered, rejected, and postponed - is not unprecedented in the Bible’s story thus far. Perhaps you can think of a few examples. Here I will give two:

Israel’s refusal to enter the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 1-2) - Despite great miracles and divine guidance, the people refused to enter the land in faith, and as a result, their inheritance was postponed for 40 years, and an entire generation was condemned to perish in the wilderness before the Promised Land could be inherited.

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1-3) - God made provision for a beautiful and fulfilling existence for humanity, conditioned only upon obedience to a single instruction. Yet, Adam and Eve disobeyed, and as a result, the realization of Paradise has been postponed for millennia.

What do these examples of postponed blessings have in common with the Gospel presentation of the Kingdom? Simply put: They all failed to be realized initially because of the sinful hearts of men and women (Genesis 6:5, Jeremiah 17:9). This is the crux of the issue. God can offer all manner of blessings, and reveal himself in any way he chooses (contrast the fearful revelation at Mt Sinai with the meek and lowly presentation of Jesus), but so long as our hearts are inclined away from God, the fullness of God’s blessings cannot be realized. This applies to the Kingdom as well. Something needs to change in the heart of human beings in order for this glorious Kingdom expectation to become a reality.

And this is where the story of the Rejected Kingdom becomes the turning point for our Kingdom hope. Because it was through this rejection, foreseen by the prophets, that Yahweh would take action to solve this problem. The Cross is where Rejection meets Reconciliation.

As Paul says in Romans 11:

Romans 11:11 (LSB)

…by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.

Romans 11:30 (LSB)

…you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of [Israel’s] disobedience,

The rejection of Christ’s kingdom offer led him to the Cross - at the Cross redemption was purchased for all.

The postponement of Christ’s kingdom means he would go away - and send the Spirit to “convict the world” (John 16:8) and to indwell his people (John 14:17).

As a result, in the wisdom and sovereign plan of God, the Rejected Kingdom was not a failure, it was not a catastrophe, and it was not an accident - instead it is the means by which men and women of every nation, tribe and tongue can be presented with the offer to become sons and daughters of the Kingdom of God.

John 1:12 (LSB)

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,