The Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God in Matthew’s Gospel

  • In Matthew’s Gospel, the Kingdom of God is one of the central themes. It is a central part of Jesus’ teachings and parables.
  • Frequently, instead of Kingdom of God, Matthew uses the term Kingdom of Heaven, which was a common Jewish substitute to avoid direct reference to God, further hinting at Matthew’s primarily Jewish audience.
  • The Kingdom is portrayed as being both present (in the teachings and actions of Jesus) and in the future (a place or state of being with God after the second coming of Christ and the final judgement).

Teachings about the Kingdom

  • Jesus used parables to explain what the Kingdom of God is like. Examples include the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9), the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30), and the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32).
  • These parables often emphasized the mysteriousness of the Kingdom, growth from small beginnings, the response to the message about the Kingdom, and the final judgement.
  • In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus sets out the moral conduct expected of the Kingdom’s members – these are known as the Beatitudes.

Entering the Kingdom of God

  • According to Matthew’s Gospel, entering the Kingdom of God requires faith, illustrated in Jesus’ teachings on becoming ‘like little children’ (Matthew 18:3-4).
  • It also requires righteous living, as suggested in the Sermon on the Mount and in contexts such as Matthew 25:31-46 where Jesus talks about the final judgement.
  • Emphasis is placed on the difficulty for the rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, as illustrated in Matthew 19:24 (the eye of the needle teaching).
  • Additionally, repentance is necessary for entering the Kingdom, as indicated by John the Baptist’s message of the need for repentance (Matthew 3:2) and in Jesus’ first recorded words of public ministry in Matthew 4:17 – ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’

The Kingdom of God and the Church

  • The Church is referred to by Jesus as an earthly manifestation of the Kingdom of God, implying that the Church’s mission is to bring about the Kingdom on earth.
  • The Kingdom is seen as something that spreads and grows, starting small and then expanding, as suggested in parables like the Mustard Seed and the Leaven.
  • However, the Gospel also suggests that the full realization of the Kingdom of God will only occur at the end of the present age, with the second coming of Christ.