The Gospel of the Kingdom
January 9, 2022
We opened an important discussion Wednesday night about the characteristics of the kingdom of God. It centered around the idea of whether or not the kingdom of God is “spiritual.” I think the adjective “spiritual” has such a broad range of meanings that it becomes unhelpful.
For instance, often we contrast “spiritual” and “physical” or “earthly.” We may think Jesus’ kingdom is “otherworldly” when he says “My kingdom is not of/from this world.” (Jn. 18.36). This would make Jesus’ kingdom a “spiritual” kingdom, of little threat or interest to Rome and therefore Pilate. In such a case, we should expect this kingdom to have little impact on the world.
Contrast that with the vision of the kingdom of God in Daniel 2, the stone that crushes all the earthly kingdoms to bits. When the kingdom of God comes, it lays waste to the other kingdoms. It is absolutely a danger to them, though not in the way they would expect.
Surely, Jesus’ kingdom is not from this world. But it does manifest itself in the world. After all, it has a physical king over physical people and will extend over the physical earth. It does not have many of the signs of earthly kingdoms—a flag, geographic borders, or ethnic or nationalistic markers. Even so, it does have a king, a throne, a capital city (waiting in heaven for the resurrection, when it will descend upon the earth). And on that day the kings of the earth will enter the city and bow the knee to their king, the king of kings, Jesus the Messiah (Rev. 21.24), and what has been said will be fully true—“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.” (Rev. 11.15).
The kingdom of God is not from this world—it does not operate like the worldly kingdoms. It doesn’t come on earth through wars and violence, but through submission and love. It doesn’t share the same values as the kingdoms of this world do; it has values from heaven. All the same, the kingdom of God has economic, religious, and political systems, just like earthly kingdoms do (though you can’t really separate them into separate categories).
The kingdoms of earth don’t have to fear an invasion with weapons of war and violence—we don’t play that game the world is so fond of. We are a peaceable kingdom, invading with love, compassion, and kindness. We won’t overthrow rulers, but we will show them that their way of ruling will perish unless it is in line with the way of the true king, Jesus.
The Gospel is, partly, that God has a day of judgment against all the rulers of the world, and that it has begun with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus (see also, Mary’s song, Lk. 1.46-55). Whatever rulers will bow the knee to Jesus and rule as he rules will remain. Those who refuse will be broken.
—John Coffey
