God’s Kingdom
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11: Kingdom — Malkuth (OT), Basileia (NT), and Intertestamental Usage
1. Hebrew Term: Malkuth (Malchut) — מַלְכוּת Pronunciation: mal-KOOTMeaning: Kingdom, reign, sovereignty; refers to God’s rule and the dominion of kings. Old Testament Usage: Intertestamental Usage: New Testament Usage: Comparative Summary:
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14: Kingdom — Malkuth (OT), Basileia (NT), and Intertestamental Usage
1. Hebrew Term: Malkuth (Malchut) — מַלְכוּת Pronunciation: mal-KOOTMeaning: Kingdom, reign, sovereignty; refers to God’s rule and the dominion of kings. Old Testament Usage: Intertestamental Usage: New Testament Usage: Comparative Summary:
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8: The Kingdom of God in Jewish Thought
1. Term: Kingdom of God — מַלְכוּת הָאֱלֹהִים (Malkuth HaElohim) Meaning: God’s reign, sovereignty, and rule. 2. Historical-Cultural Context: 3. Literary Examples: 4. Cultural Significance:
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Revelation and Resistance: Prophets, Politics, and the Kingdom of God
The Council That Never Was – Volume VI Prologue: The Thunder of Thrones The scene changed again. Now the forum resembled a battlefield of thrones:Golden thrones of kings, stone benches of judges, leather seats of parliaments.Behind each stood banners—nations, ideologies, denominations, movements.The Church had not been silent in history.But often—too…
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Chapter 1: The Grainfield Confrontation
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 12:1–8; Mark 2:23–28; Luke 6:1–5) The morning sun rose softly over Galilee, bathing the rolling grainfields in gold. Jesus walked ahead, His steps unhurried, His robe brushing against the ripening stalks. Behind Him, His…
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Chapter 2: Healing on the Sabbath
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 12:9–14; Mark 3:1–6; Luke 6:6–11) The synagogue in Capernaum was filled that Sabbath morning. Its stone walls echoed with quiet prayers as men gathered in their places, women standing silently at the back. The…
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Chapter 3: Dining with Sinners
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 9:9–13; Mark 2:13–17; Luke 5:27–32) The sun had begun its slow descent over Capernaum, casting a warm golden hue across the dusty streets. Jesus walked along the road near the customs booth, where men…
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Chapter 4: The Handwashing Dispute
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 15:1–20; Mark 7:1–23) The morning market bustled with voices calling out prices of figs, olives, and salted fish. Disciples walked beside Jesus, weaving through traders and buyers. They stopped at a vendor selling freshly…
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Chapter 5: The Beelzebub Accusation
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 12:22–37; Mark 3:22–30; Luke 11:14–23) The midday sun glared down on the crowded village square, where men gathered under olive trees for shade. A commotion stirred as people pressed forward, creating a path for…
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Chapter 6: The Demand for Signs – The Sign of Jonah
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 12:38–42; Matthew 16:1–4; Mark 8:11–13; Luke 11:29–32) The afternoon shadows lengthened as Jesus taught in the bustling courtyard, His voice carrying over the murmurs of the gathered crowd. Pharisees in flowing robes and Sadducees…
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Chapter 7: Testing Jesus on Divorce
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 19:3–9; Mark 10:2–12) The road beyond the Jordan was lined with travellers heading towards Jerusalem for the approaching feasts. Dust rose with every footstep, coating sandals and robes alike. Jesus walked ahead, His disciples…
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Chapter 8: The Seven Woes against the Pharisees
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 23:1–36) The temple courts were crowded as Passover drew near. Pilgrims thronged every archway, carrying lambs and doves, coins jingling in their purses as merchants called out prices for sacrifices and offerings. Jesus stood…
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Chapter 9: The Plot to Kill Jesus after Lazarus’ Resurrection
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (John 11:45–53) The village of Bethany buzzed with whispers and astonished laughter. Men ran along the narrow streets calling to their neighbours. Women clutched their shawls to their mouths, eyes wide with wonder. Children scampered…
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Chapter 10: Paying Taxes to Caesar – The Trap Question
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 22:15–22; Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26) The morning sun streamed through the great courtyards of the temple, lighting its white stone walls with dazzling brilliance. Pilgrims pressed through the colonnades, their sandals scraping against the…
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Chapter 11: The Question about the Greatest Commandment
Jesus and the Pharisees: A Conflict of Kingdoms A Historical Novel Based on the Gospels (Matthew 22:34–40; Mark 12:28–34; Luke 10:25–28) The temple courts bustled with pilgrims and scholars debating in shaded colonnades. Pharisees regrouped, their traps thus far foiled by the calm authority of Jesus. Yet they were not…
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The Parable of the Sower
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Sower 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Kingdom of God / Heaven; Reception of the Word; Spiritual Growth and Fruitfulness 4. Parable Summary The Parable of the Sower presents a sower scattering seed across four types of ground: the path, rocky…
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The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Tares)
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Tares) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Kingdom of God / Heaven; Coexistence of Good and Evil; Final Judgement 4. Parable Summary Jesus tells of a man who sowed good wheat seed in his field. While he…
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The Parable of the Mustard Seed
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Mustard Seed 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Kingdom of God / Heaven; Small Beginnings and Great Expansion; Divine Sovereignty 4. Parable Summary Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed — a seed known for its minute size…
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The Parable of the Leaven
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Leaven(also known as The Parable of the Yeast) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Kingdom of God / Heaven; Hidden Transformation; Spiritual Influence 4. Parable Summary Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven to leaven (yeast) that a woman takes and mixes…
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The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Hidden Treasure 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Kingdom of God / Heaven; Joyful Discovery; Costly Discipleship; Eternal Value 4. Parable Summary Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to treasure hidden in a field. A man finds it, hides it again,…
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The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price(also known as The Pearl of Great Value) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Kingdom of God / Heaven; Sacrificial Discipleship; Recognition of True Worth 4. Parable Summary Jesus tells of a merchant in search of fine pearls…
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The Parable of the Growing Seed
1. Introduction The Parable of the Growing Seed, found only in Mark’s Gospel (Mark 4:26–29), is one of Jesus’ shortest and most under-discussed parables. Yet it offers profound insights into the nature of God’s Kingdom as a divine process that operates beyond human comprehension. The image of a seed growing…
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The Parable of the Dragnet
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Dragnet(also known as The Net) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Kingdom of God / Heaven; Final Judgment; Separation of the Righteous and Wicked 4. Parable Summary Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a dragnet that is cast into the…
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The Parable of the Minas
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Minas(also called The Ten Servants or The Pounds) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Stewardship; Accountability; Leadership; Reward and Judgment; Kingdom Delay 4. Parable Summary As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, He tells a parable to correct the mistaken belief that the Kingdom…
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The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats(also known as The Judgment of the Nations) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Judgment and Eschatology; Compassion and Justice; Kingdom Ethics 4. Parable Summary Jesus describes a future scene where the Son of Man comes in His…
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The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard(also known as The Labourers in the Vineyard) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness; Divine Generosity; Kingdom Reversal 4. Parable Summary Jesus tells of a landowner who hires workers at various times throughout the…
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The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Rejection)
1. Title of the Parable The Parable of the Wedding Banquet (with emphasis on rejection) 2. Scripture Reference(s) 3. Thematic Category Rebuke or Warning to Religious Leaders; Kingdom Invitation; Judgment; Unworthiness; External vs. Internal Righteousness 4. Parable Summary Jesus tells a story of a king who prepares a wedding feast…
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Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence (Contents)
Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence in Biblical Theology Heaven and Ethical Living – Shaping Character through Eternal Perspective Kingdom Ethics – Living Justly under God’s Rule Practising God’s Presence – Daily Discipleship and Moral Formation Early Christian Theologians on Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence Medieval Theologians on Heaven,…
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Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence in Biblical Theology
1. Introduction In biblical theology, the themes of heaven, the Kingdom of God, and God’s presence are conceptually distinct yet deeply interwoven. These motifs lie at the heart of Christian doctrine, shaping understandings of divine sovereignty, eschatological hope, and the relational dynamics between God and humanity. While heaven is portrayed…
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Kingdom Ethics – Living Justly under God’s Rule
1. Introduction The proclamation of the Kingdom of God lies at the heart of Jesus’ message and mission. Far from being a mere eschatological ideal, the Kingdom is a present and active reality, inviting believers to participate in a new way of life marked by justice, mercy, and righteousness. Kingdom…
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Early Christian Theologians on Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence
1. Introduction The early Church Fathers laid the foundations for Christian theological reflection on heaven, the Kingdom of God, and God’s presence. Drawing on Scripture, Greek philosophical traditions, and ecclesial experience, figures such as Augustine of Hippo, Origen of Alexandria, and Gregory of Nyssa offered interpretations that shaped Christian thought…
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Medieval Theologians on Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence
1. Introduction The medieval period (c. 500–1500 AD) represents a pivotal era in the development of systematic theology, marked by the synthesis of biblical doctrine, patristic legacy, and classical philosophy, particularly Aristotelian and Neoplatonic frameworks. During this era, theologians such as Thomas Aquinas, Anselm of Canterbury, and Hildegard of Bingen…
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Reformation Theologians on Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence
1. Introduction The Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century marked a watershed in Christian theology, reorienting the Church’s understanding of heaven, the Kingdom of God, and God’s presence. Reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli dismantled aspects of medieval scholasticism, advancing doctrines grounded in Sola Scriptura (Scripture…
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Modern Theologians on Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence
1. Introduction Modern theology, emerging in dialogue with historical criticism, philosophical modernity, and socio-political concerns, presents a nuanced engagement with the doctrines of heaven, the Kingdom of God, and divine presence. Influenced by biblical scholarship, ecological awareness, and the traumas of history, theologians such as N.T. Wright, Jürgen Moltmann, and…
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Biblical Ethics in Daily Life: Applying Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and God’s Presence
1. Introduction Biblical ethics serve as a moral compass for Christian living, rooted not in abstract rules but in the dynamic relationship between theological truth and daily practice. The doctrines of heaven, God’s kingdom, and His presence are not merely eschatological or metaphysical; they profoundly influence how believers live, relate…