A Comment on Jesus’ Teaching on the nature of the Kingdom of God, with particular reference to Matthew 13:1-52 and Matthew 5-7. A Study by Blair Humphreys.

 

A Comment on Jesus’ Teaching on the nature of the Kingdom of God, with particular reference to Matthew 13:1-52 and Matthew 5-7.

A Study by Blair Humphreys.

1) Introduction

Throughout the New Testament, especially the Synoptic Gospels * The Gospels of  Matthew, Mark and Luke, there are numerous references to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven, which *1 “ is generally considered to be the central theme of Jesus’ Teaching . “ Although spoken to mainly Jewish Audience, some 2,000 years ago, in a province of the Roman Empire, it is still the same Life Changing and Revolutionary message today as it was then. *2 “ Jesus preached the Kingdom of God. We preach Jesus. In Him and through the power of His Message the Kingdom is available to us, but can we preach Jesus or even understand Him, without understanding God’s Kingly Rule, the central note in all His Teaching.”

*1 Encyclopaedia Britannica Article The Kingdom of God.

*2 Understanding the Kingdom of God, by Georgina Harkness, Chapter 1, Where We

Stand

It is my objective, through my own personal study of the above Scriptures and with reading through the New Testament, especially the Synoptic Gospels, prayer and reading through relevant articles, books such as Matthew Henry’s commentary ,and using various translations of the Bible, to gain an understanding of the Lord’s teaching of the Kingdom of God, and applying that teaching to myself and it’s relevance for us today in the early part of the 21st Century.

The Kingdom of God/Heaven is the central theme and the essence of Jesus’ message, when we read through the Gospels, we see how important this message is, there are so many references to the Kingdom of God throughout the Gospels, (although there several references to the Kingdom of God in the Old Testament, for example in Psalm 145:13 Nlt “For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations, “ although the Old Testament saints, only saw an glimmer of what was to come, Matt.13:17), we can only come to the conclusion that if the Kingdom of God is mentioned so many times it must be important.

Indeed in Matthew 6:33, The Lord’s commends us to seek, the Kingdom above all else, or in some versions “,make the Kingdom of God, your primary concern. “ If the Kingdom of God was central to our Lord’s Teaching, it must be central to our Christian Walk, Witness and Lifestyle.

Indeed the Kingdom of God is the Life force of Jesus’ Message, in Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Matthew 13, it states that “ the word of the Gospel is the word of the Kingdom. “ Our Message must be the same as Jesus’ Message. In Matt. 13:1-23 , it describes how a farmer when to sow some seed, (the word of God) and the responses to that word, although Jesus spoke a message that everyone could relate to, and hopefully understand, he used phrases, terms and illustrations that people would know, I believe that the four times of soil, can relate to 4 times of people that hear the Gospel, a) some seed fell on the path, some people hear the message of the Kingdom, but don’t understand it, b) other seed fell on shallow ground, some people hear the message gladly, but because of various problems etc, turn away, c) other seed fell among thorns, some people hear the word, but their lives become full of other things, turn away and don’t produce a crop, and finally d) some seed fell on good soil, and produced a huge harvest, speaks ofthose who truly accept God’s message, and see other lives transformed by the Gospel.

In Matt. 13:9 Jesus says “ Anyone who is willing to hear, should listen and

understand! “ I believe that although, the message of the Kingdom of God

can be easy to understand, not everything who hears it, will accept it .

The Lord only reveals a greater understanding of the Kingdom to those

, who truly accept the message ( I’m not speaking of a type of special knowledge or revelation that is only available to some sort of initiate of a secret society or an elite band of people, because that would be a form of Gnosticism) , in Matthew 13:11f. Jesus tells the Disciples, “That you have

been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, to those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. “ although Jesus was speaking to the 12 here, he also speaks to us, we can’t understand the Kingdom, unless we have a relationship with the King, I believe because of our relationship with the King, we will have a fuller understanding of Kingdom, the more time we spend with Him, and as we show others the truth that we have learned from Him. See Matt 13:52. “, He can bring out old treasures as well as new treasures from his storehouse.”

I believe that as Jesus was sent by God, to reveal the message of the Kingdom of God , today we’re sent by Him, to reveal to others the Gospel of the Kingdom, see Romans 10:14, Mark 3:14; Matt 9:37-38

The Kingdom of God is not of this world, see John 18:36, although it can be, seen in the lives of His followers who express every day both the fullness and

revelation of His Kingdom. Indeed, there’s nothing quite like knowing the King andbeing part of His Kingdom, see Matt 13:44-46.

In Matthew 5-7, we see practical and everyday Kingdom Teaching, that reaches, through the pages of our Bibles into our lives, situations and personalities.

IVP Commentary, Matthew 5-7 Introduction “ The Ethics of God’s Kingdom”

“Jesus summons those who would be his followers to radical devotion and radical dependence on God. His followers must be meek, must not retaliate, must go beyond the letter's law to its spirit, must do what is right when only God is looking, must depend on God for their needs and pursue his interests rather than their own, and must leave spiritual measurements of others' hearts to God. In short, true people of the kingdom live for God, not for themselves, “

This Kingdom teaching, starts with what’s commonly referred to as the Beatitudes in Matt 5:3 Nlt. “ God blesses those who realise their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them, “ we also see the types of people, that God will bless in Matt 5:4f and basically it includes everyone. Amen

We’re called to be both salt and light in Society, salt purifies and light shows people, the way to go, see Matt 5:13- 16.

In Matthew 6:9f, we see the Lord’s Prayer,

“9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

There are so many examples of the nature of Kingdom Living, found in

, these Chapters, Matt 5-7, but what summarises this teaching for me, can be found in Matt 7:24-27” 24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”

James 1:22 “ But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says, “

Matt 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Yours by His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport

January 9th  2014

Bibliography

1) Encyclopaedia Britannica Article The Kingdom of God

2) Understanding the Kingdom of God, by Georgina Harkness

3) Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Matthew 13

4) IVP Commentary on Matthew 5-7

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Words For the Wise, Matthew 7 Asking in Faith

Matthew 7

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Judging Others

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ³ Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, when there is the log in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Ask, and It Will Be Given

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

¹² “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly areravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thorn bushes? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

²⁴ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be likea foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

The Authority of Jesus

²⁸ And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,²⁹ for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 7:13 Some manuscripts For the way is wide and easy

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Verses 7-11

Our Saviour, in the foregoing chapter, had spoken of prayer as a commanded duty, by which God is honoured, and which, if done aright, shall be rewarded; here he speaks of it as the appointed means of obtaining what we need, especially grace to obey the precepts he had given, some of which are so displeasing to flesh and blood.

I.                    `Here is a precept in three words to the same purport, Ask, Seek, Knock (Matt. 7:7); that is, in one word, “Pray; pray often; pray with sincerity and seriousness; pray, and pray again; make conscience of prayer, and be constant in it; make a business of prayer, and be earnest in it. Ask, as a beggar asks alms.” Those that would be rich in grace, must betake themselves to the poor trade of begging, and they shall find it a thriving trade. “Ask; represent your wants and burthens to God, and refer yourselves to him for support and supply, according to his promise. Ask as a traveller asks the way; to pray is to enquire of God, Ezek. 36:37. Seek, as for a thing of value that we have lost, or as the merchantman that seeks goodly pearls. Seek by prayer, Dan. 9:3. Knock, as he that desires to enter into the house knocks at the door.” We would be admitted to converse with God, would be taken into his love, and favour, and kingdom; sin has shut and barred the door against us; by prayer, we knock; Lord, Lord, open to us. Christ knocks at our door (Rev. 3:20; Song 5:2); and allows us to knock at his, which is a favour we do not allow to common beggars. Seeking and knocking imply something more than asking and praying. 1. We must not only ask but seek; we must second our prayers with our endeavours; we must, in the use of the appointed means, seek for that which we ask for, else we tempt God. When the dresser of the vineyard asked for a year’s respite for the barren fig-tree, he added, I will dig about it, Luke 13:7, 8. God gives knowledge and grace to those that search the scriptures, and wait at Wisdom’s gates; and power against sin to those that avoid the occasions of it. 2. We must not only ask, but knock; we must come to God’s door, must ask importunately; not only pray, but plead and wrestle with God; we must seek diligently; we must continue knocking; must persevere in prayer, and in the use of means; must endure to the end in the duty.

Dictionary of Bible Themes

8235 doctrine, nature of

The teachings of Scripture, especially as expressed as a formulation and summary of revealed truth.

Doctrine communicated

In the OT Ezr 7:10 See also Dt 33:10; Ps 78:1-4; Ps 119:33-36; Pr 4:1-2; Mal 2:6

In the ministry of Jesus Christ Mt 4:23 See also Mt 9:35; Mk 6:6,34; Lk 6:6; Lk 13:10,22; Lk 19:47; Lk 20:1; Lk 21:37; Jn 6:59 The authority of Jesus Christ’s teaching causes amazement: Mt 7:28-29; Mt 13:54; Mt 22:23-33; Mk 1:21-22 pp Lk 4:31-32

In the ministry of the apostles Ac 2:42 See also Ac 4:2; Ac 5:42; Ac 18:11

2Ti 1:13 See also 1Co 15:3-5; Php 2:5-11; 1Ti 3:16; Tit 2:1-10; Heb 5:11-6:2

In the church Eph 4:11 See also Ac 13:1; Ro 12:7; 1Co 12:28; 1Co 14:26; 1Ti 5:17; Jas 3:1

True doctrine is from God

Jn 7:16; 2Ti 3:16-17 See also Jn 8:28; Jn 12:49-50; Jn 14:10,24; 2Pe 1:20-21

Yours in His Grace

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside

10th January 2014