Kingdom of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ’s kingdom is a heavenly kingdom

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It is not of this world

John 18:36 NRSV

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

See also Re 5:6; Re 7:10; Re 21:1; Re 21:3

The kingdom was given to him by God

Daniel 7:14 NRSV

To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

See also Ps 72:1; Da 2:44; Mt 28:18; Jn 16:15

The kingdom is his by right

Colossians 1:15–16 NRSV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him.

See also Heb 1:8; Ps 45:6; Re 22:13

Jesus Christ inherits the kingdom promised to David

Luke 1:32 NRSV

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.

See also Ro 15:12; Is 11:10; Re 2:27; Ps 2:9

Jesus Christ reveals God’s kingdom on earth

Jesus Christ brought in God’s kingdom

Mt 4:17 The expressions “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God” are interchangeable.

See also Mt 3:2; Mt 10:7; Mt 12:28; Mk 1:15; Lk 17:20–21

Miracles are a sign of the kingdom

John 6:14–15 NRSV

When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

See also Mt 8:26–27 authority over the created world; Mt 11:2–5 authority to heal

Authority over life and death:

Lk 7:11–15; Re 1:17–18

Parables are a sign of the kingdom

Matthew 13:1–52 NRSV

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!” Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it. “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ” He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.” Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

See also Mk 4:1–34; Lk 8:4–15; Lk 13:18–21

Jesus Christ exercises kingdom authority today

Believers enter Jesus Christ’s kingdom immediately

Luke 23:42–43 NRSV

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

See also Mt 5:3; Mt 11:11

Believers are redeemed from the kingdom of darkness

Colossians 1:12–13 NRSV

giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son,

See also Eph 5:5

Believers enjoy the blessings of Jesus Christ’s kingdom now

Matthew 16:19 NRSV

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

See also Da 7:22; Da 7:27; Lk 12:32; Lk 22:29–30; Jas 2:5; Re 1:5–6; Re 1:9; Re 3:21

Jesus Christ rules over every authority now

1 Peter 3:22 NRSV

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

See also Eph 1:20–23; Php 2:9; Col 2:10; Heb 12:2; Re 12:10; Re 19:16

Jesus Christ’s kingdom will be fully established at his return

His kingdom will come with power at a specific moment

Matthew 25:31 NRSV

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

See also Zec 9:10; Mt 24:30–31; 2 Ti 4:1

His kingdom will replace all earthly authority

Revelation 11:15 NRSV

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.”

See also 1 Co 15:24–25; 1 Co 15:50–52; Php 3:20–21

All creation will acknowledge Jesus Christ’s kingship

Philippians 2:10–11 NRSV

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

See also Ps 2:6–8; Re 5:13

His kingdom lasts for ever

Luke 1:33 NRSV

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

See also Is 9:7