Kingdom
Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:36 pm
Is there any difference between the Kigndom Christ teaches about in chapter one and the Kingdom Paul teaches about in chapter 28?
They teach about one and the same kingdom.
Jesus' teachings in the gospels, and his kingdom parables seem to show the growth of the kingdom in three stages:
1. The nascent stage:
"The kingdom of God is at hand"
"The kingdom of God is among you"
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."
2. The growing stage:
Grain of mustard seed grows into a large plant.
Yeast in bread leavens the whole loaf.
3. The mature kingdom:
Son of man comes in his kingdom
Wheat and darnel grow together until the harvest --- when the wheat are gathered into Christ's barn and the darnel are burned up
"The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers"
In acts 28, Paul probably proclaimed the kingdom in its nascent stage.