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Beginning Catholic: Kingdom of God — Taking The Center Of Christ's Teaching Into ...[Ecumenical]
BeginningCatholic.com ^ | not given | Beginning Catholic

Posted on 08/23/2008 8:57:17 PM PDT by Salvation

 

The Kingdom of God —
Taking The Center Of Christ's Teaching
Into The Heart Of Your Faith

Jesus taught constantly about "the kingdom of God".

This concept was at the center of his teaching and life. It should also form a central place in your own Catholic faith.

This article will give you a solid understanding of this concept.

At the center of Christ's preaching

St. Mark announces to us the beginning of the public life of our Lord in these words: "And after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying: 'The time is completed, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe in the gospel'" (Mk 1:14).

St. Matthew says somewhat more briefly: "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say: 'Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Mt 4:17).

St. Matthew sums up the whole of our Lord's teaching in the words: "preaching the gospel of the kingdom" (Mt 4:23), and our Lord himself, according to St. Luke, describes this as the object of his mission: "To other cities also I must preach the kingdom of God: for I am sent for this purpose" (Lk 4:43).

The good news of the kingdom of God was the starting point and the center of our Lord's whole public life. He was sent to announce this kingdom, to induce men by means of his miracles to believe in his gospel, and to unite all the faithful in this new kingdom.

The Gospels use the terms "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven" to refer to this kingdom.

A main concept in the Old Testament

Christ's own references to the kingdom of God were not new—the concept was a central, constant part of God's revelation to Israel from the beginning.

Although the specific term "kingdom of God" is rare in the Old Testament, the idea which underlies this term is found everywhere: Yahweh, our God, is eternal King and Lord for ever and ever. We find this especially in the Psalms and the prophets.

(The free eBook Understanding the Kingdom of God provides a lot of detail about the Old Testament understanding of this concept.)

At the time of Jesus, the Jewish people had a deep conviction about the kingdom of God.

The Old Testament repeatedly emphasized that it was to be regarded and expected as a divine, everlasting, universal, and spiritual kingdom.

Ancient Israelites distort the kingdom

But the ancient Jews, desiring earthly things, transformed these characteristics of the kingdom of God more and more—and above all abandonded the spiritual nature of the coming kingdom.

By the time of Jesus, the Jewish people had come to expect a Messiah who would usher in an earthly kingdom, rule over all people through the kingdom of Israel, and require all people to first become Israelites in all things and take upon themselves the whole burden of the Jewish law.

And of course, in the observance of this law they emphasized more and more following the letter of the law and the external, ceremonial directions of the time.

The Israelites had lost the special significance of the spiritual nature of the kingdom of God.

Many passages of the Gospel also give clear evidence that a similar distorted concept of the kingdom of God was widespread in the time of our Lord (see Mt 18:1; 20:20; Jn 6:15; etc.).

And that kind of distortion is specifically why Jesus spent so much time teaching about the true nature of the kingdom of God....

Christ's teaching about the kingdom of God

Our Lord addressed his teachings on the kingdom of God to these Israelites, to those with false earthly ideas of the kingdom.

Jesus came before his people as the Messiah predicted by the prophets. He preached and announced the kingdom as it was known by the true meaning of the prophets.

Thus in the first place this kingdom is the realization of God's sovereignty over man. For this purpose, the fulfillment of the will of God is above all things necessary: "Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that does the will of My Father who is in heaven" (Mt 7:21).

Second, this kingdom isn't simply God's reign over individual people. It was to be established in a true and real kingdom, a gathering together of a religious community which would have as its head the only begotten Son of God, and which shall be governed according to the constitution which he has given and in accordance with his laws. This is the kingdom of the Messiah as foretold by the prophets.

The seed & initial gathering of this kingdom is the Church, founded by Christ to preach the gospel of Christ and bring Christ's own means of salvation to the world through the sacraments.

Third, the kingdom of God is a true and actual kingdom of heaven—its foundation is in heaven, from which its King and Founder has descended from the bosom of the Father, and it will have its final consummation again in heaven where Jesus Christ will reign for ever with the saints in glory.

Finally, this triumphant final time of the kingdom will be preceded by the preparatory stage of the time of conflict in the kingdom of God on earth. This community of the new covenant is founded on earth for man, will embrace all nations, and will last to the end of time. The time of conflict shall be followed by the eternal enjoyment of the reward in the kingdom of glory.

The kingdom of God is one, although it has both these earthly and heavenly parts. Both parts of the kingdom coexist, each is related to the other, and each affects the other.

While our Lord always refers to this one single kingdom of God, at times he teaches more about the time of preparation on earth, and at other times he refers to the final consummation in heaven.

The parables teach about the kingdom

Jesus wished to use parables to illustrate his doctrine about the kingdom of God. In many parables we find an introduction such as, "the kingdom of heaven is like...", or similar words. But even where there is no such introduction, the parables all still have at least some reference to the kingdom of God.

In these parables we can see three principal points of view:

  1. The development of the kingdom, its nature, and its working;
  2. The members of the kingdom of heaven and their obligations;
  3. Christ the Head of the kingdom of God and his position among the members.

Jesus addresses these lessons first of all to his disciples, but also (at least partly) to the Jewish people as a whole to teach them the true character of the kingdom of the Messiah.

(Our free eBook Understanding the Kingdom of God provides more detail about these categories, and also lists the parables that correspond to each category.)

The Kingdom = salvation

Admittedly, the term "kingdom of God" is somewhat complex: it spans the Old and New Testaments, and it refers to several things at once. But at its core, the kingdom is fundamentally about salvation.

Pope John Paul II neatly summarizes the concept of the kingdom of God:

In a word, the kingdom of God is the manifestation and the realization of God's plan of salvation in all its fullness.

(Redemptoris Missio, #15)



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; catholiclist; faith
Continuing the Beginning Catholic series. Please follow the Religion Moderator's Guidelines for Ecumenical threads.
1 posted on 08/23/2008 8:57:17 PM PDT by Salvation
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To: Salvation
Complete title was too long to post.

The Kingdom of God — Taking The Center Of Christ's Teaching Into The Heart Of Your Faith

2 posted on 08/23/2008 8:58:48 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

How many examples are there?

The kingdom of God is like ......

Would be fun to list them.


3 posted on 08/23/2008 8:59:44 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: nickcarraway; Lady In Blue; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; Catholicguy; RobbyS; markomalley; ...
Catholic Discussion Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.

4 posted on 08/23/2008 9:01:18 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
Nice.!
5 posted on 08/23/2008 9:04:11 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (when you're bot, you're pwn3d)
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To: All
Matthew 6:33
 
But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, 19 and all these things will be given you besides.

6 posted on 08/23/2008 9:09:07 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: All
Mark 4:26-27

26
He said,"This is how it is with the kingdom of God; 6 it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
27
and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.

8 posted on 08/23/2008 9:14:26 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

Most informative.


9 posted on 08/23/2008 9:28:55 PM PDT by Ciexyz
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To: Ciexyz
John 3:5

5
Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

10 posted on 08/23/2008 9:35:12 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Beginning Catholic: The Catholic Church's Origin [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Church Authority In Scripture [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Tradition: Life in the Spirit [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Infallibility: Keeping the Faith [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Moral Conscience: Catholic Teaching for a Strong Faith [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: Catholic Morality: Life in Christ [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: When Was The Bible Written? [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Books of the Catholic Bible: The Complete Scriptures [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: A Strong Start in the Faith: The Catholic RCIA Stages [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The RCIA Inquiry Stage In the Catholic Church [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: Accept No Substitutes: Catholic Orthodoxy [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Basic Tenets of Catholicism [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The Creed Of The People Of God: The Essentials/Catholic Belief [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Creeds: Apostles, Nicene, Athanasian [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Purgatory: What Does It Mean? [Ecumenical]

Beginning Catholic: Understanding The Bible: A Catholic Guide To The Word of God [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Kingdom of God — Taking The Center Of Christ's Teaching Into ...[Ecumenical]

11 posted on 08/23/2008 9:40:45 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation; Religion Moderator
How can info from "BeginningCatholic.com", be listed under a "ecumenical" heading, when it is clear enough that the aim is not necessarily ecumenical or "uniting" in nature, as it is much more proselytizing for one particular religious organization above all others, in form?

It's stealthily done, sure enough. But blatantly obvious, at the same time.

Please, if you wish to proselytize, I ask that you do so openly, or else, somewhere else, other than behind the cover of "no antagonism" rules, on ecumenical tagged threads, on FreeRepublic.

Your list of links here, sort of proves my point? That this all about proselytizing to the Roman Catholic Church? "Unity" being only accepted, under that particular heading?

How is that posture "ecumenical"? I don't get it, for it does seem totally exclusive of all else, including "all else" of Christianity, as it exists today in this world.
I say exclusive, for it doesn't take long, in digging into the links you post, to find the claim of there being only ONE "church" (which I can agree with, in Spirit) equates with that one being solely and only, the "Roman Catholic" one.

A great many of us, find there is nothing particularly ecumenical in nature, about that claim. Yet there it is, easy enough to find (in the links you proffer).

Should we have a proselytizing corner or some such, for these sort of threads? I can imagine it could turn contentious, but it would be more open, and honest.

I can see how you might need to post somewhere other than a closed caucus thread, for the aim is not to just preach to the choir, right? Yet this seeming posturing of ecumenical spirit... (by having that tag) when it is clear enough no such "spirit" is the aim, leaves me cold.

Again, I ask that you leave the tag "ecumenical", off of, your own proselytizing threads. Please, be honest with yourself in this. Continuing on in this way, is an abuse of the word and classification of the word ecumenical.

Please think this over carefully before hitting the "abuse" button. Thank you.

12 posted on 08/23/2008 10:51:49 PM PDT by BlueDragon
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To: BlueDragon

The object of an “ecumenical” thread in this Religion Forum is to foster discussion without antagonism. The subject matter does not have to be common ground.


13 posted on 08/23/2008 10:56:22 PM PDT by Religion Moderator
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To: Salvation
I hadn't seen this series.

Since it is Ecumenical I will offer the following:

What Must I Do To Be Saved?

14 posted on 08/24/2008 4:37:40 AM PDT by Gamecock (The truth of Christianity does not hinge on my personal experience.)
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To: Salvation

The Kingdom is not coming with signs to be observed — for behold, the Kingdom of God is in your midst

Lk. 17:20,21


15 posted on 08/24/2008 9:49:14 AM PDT by grimalkin (For everyone but America the free world is mostly a free ride. -Mark Steyn)
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To: andysandmikesmom; Antoninus; ArrogantBustard; celticfreedom; CTK YKC; dan1123; DaveMSmith; ...
If you want to be on the Catholic Theology for non-Catholics list but are not on it already, or if you are on it but do not want to be, let me know either publicly or privately.

Previously posted:

On Salvation Outside the Catholic Church
The Great Heresies
SALVATION PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
JUSTIFICATION IN CATHOLIC TEACHING
Hermits and Solitaries [Ecumenical]
THE PRIESTHOOD DEBATE
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND MERIT
A Well-Rounded Pope [Ecumenical]
A Monastery to Last 1,000 Years [Ecumenical]
Explaining Purgatory from a New Testament Perspective [Ecumenical]
In the Crosshairs of the Canon [How We Got The Bible] [Ecumenical]
'An Ordinance Forever' - The Biblical Origins of the Mass [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Church Authority In Scripture [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Tradition: Life in the Spirit [Ecumenical]
Christian Atheism
Vatican plea to uncover Virgin Mary and show her breast-feeding baby Jesus
Why do Catholics have to confess their sins to a priest instead of praying straight to God? [Ecu]
Our Times: The Age of Martyrs
The Eucharist - the Lord's Sacrifice, Banquet and Presence
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Morality: Life in Christ [Ecumenical]
Chosen In Him: The Catholic Teaching on Predestination [Ecumenical]
The Sacraments [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: A Strong Start in the Faith: The Catholic RCIA Stages [Ecumenical]
Beginning Catholic: The RCIA Inquiry Stage In the Catholic Church [Ecumenical]
Catholic Art
Evangelicals: Change of Heart toward Catholics
Beginning Catholic: The Creed Of The People Of God: The Essentials/Catholic Belief [Ecumenical]
An open letter to Mr. Stephen A. Baldwin, Actor, and “born again” Christian.
Beginning Catholic: Catholic Purgatory: What Does It Mean? [Ecumenical]

16 posted on 08/25/2008 7:41:16 PM PDT by annalex (http://www.catecheticsonline.com/CatenaAurea.php)
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To: grimalkin
The Kingdom is not coming with signs to be observed — for behold, the Kingdom of God is in your midst. Lk. 17:20,21

That's an interesting statement...Guess that means the Kingdom of God is in your area...In your vicinity...You just have to get into it, somehow...Apparently by joining a church...

Ya know, the Catholic church didn't always teach that...This is what my bible says:

Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Ya know what that means??? That means the Kingdom of God is within you...And that means the Kingdom of God is not in a building...It is not in a religion...The Kingdom of God is inside of individual people...Christians...

And the only way the Kingdom of God can be within you is if the Kingdom is Spiritual, not physical...

Why would someone change the Scripture to make one think the Kingdom of God was NOT in them, but around them??? Who would do that??? And when would they do that??? Couldn't have been too long ago...

I mean, even your good ole' Saint Jerome knew the Kingdom of God was within you...And those people that put Jerome's words into the English language knew that the Kingdom of God was within you...

I'd be wondering about that...Wouldn't you???

17 posted on 08/26/2008 7:41:29 AM PDT by Iscool (If Obama becomes the President, it will be an Obama-nation)
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To: Iscool
To answer, I think it best to communicate the words of Pope Benedict XVI. This is taken from his book Jesus of Nazereth p 59 - 60. It's contained in Chapter 3: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Let us examine more closely at least one text that typifies how difficult it is to decipher Jesus' mysteriously coded message. Luke 17:20-21 tells us that, "being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, 'The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed [by neutral observers], nor will they say, "Lo, her it is!" or "There!" for behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you.'" As the interpreters go to work on this text, they reflect here, too, their different approaches to understanding the "Kingdom of God" in general -- according to the prior decisions and the basic worldview that each interpreter brings with him.

There is the "idealistic" interpretation, which tells us that the Kingdom of God is not an interior structure, but is located in the interiority of man -- recall what we heard earlier from Origen. There is truth in this interpretation, but it is not sufficient, even from the linguistic point of view. Then there is the interpretation in the sense of imminent expectation. It explains that the Kingdom of God does not come gradually, so as to be open to observation, but it is suddenly there. This interpretation, however, has no basis in the actual formulation of the text. For this reason, there is a growing tendency to hold that Christ uses these words to refer to himself: He, who is in our midst, is the "Kingdom of God," only we do not know him (cf. Jn 1:30). Another saying of Jesus points in the same direction, although with a somewhat different nuance: "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you" (Lk 11:20). Here (as in the preceding text, for that matter) it is not simply in Jesus' physical presence that the "Kingdom" is located; rather, it is in his action, accomplished in the Holy Spirit. In this sense, it is in and through him that the Kingdom of God becomes present here and now, that it "is drawing near."

18 posted on 08/26/2008 3:13:05 PM PDT by grimalkin (For everyone but America the free world is mostly a free ride. -Mark Steyn)
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To: Iscool

All of your argument is based on translation differences. Without that, it crumbles.


19 posted on 08/26/2008 3:56:44 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("If the angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion." -M. Kolbe)
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