Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does Matthew portray the Kingdom of
God?
A: Matthew presents us with the famous Sermon on the Mount as not only a
way of life but to express how we can enter the Kingdom through the
teachings of the Kingdom.
Q: What is the relationship between the
Messiah and the Kingdom?
A: Matthew begins by defending the Royalty of Jesus in tracing back
Jesus' roots to David. Jesus is a king from birth and has a
kingdom not of this world as he himself said before Pilate.
Q: What specific passages speak of the Kingdom? A: We have Matt 4:3, 5:8, 6:33, 12:28 and 21:43 as the main passages to examine concerning the Kingdom of Heaven.
Q: Where are most of the discourses done to speak of the Kingdom? A: Matthew uses the "mountain" as a place unique to him.
Q: Where do we find the most number of references to the Kingdom? A: Oddly enough, Luke contains 15 or so references concerning the Kingdom. They are Lk: 9:2, 18:17, 13:18, 8:1,11:20, 22:31, 12:31, 10:9, 21:31, 16:17, 6:20, 4:43, 7:29, 19:9. These are not in order of preference.
Q: When and where does Luke situate the teachings on the Kingdom? A: The parables and in liturgical settings are Luke's favorite style. For example, the reading of Is. 62 and 58 in the Synagogue describes Jesus' mission to bring the Kingdom to everyone. In Lk 8:9, we find Jesus explicitly teaching the apostles that he speaks of the kingdom in parables but more directly to them personally.
Q: Does Mark also address the Kingdom? A: Yes, 7 passages in particular speak of the Kingdom. Mark seems to speak more of a physical kingdom of Heaven as Matthew also refers to. However, Mark does introduce the Kingdom with Jesus coming after John the Baptist. This kingdom is more the fulfillment of the coming of the Messiah now and the belief in Him and the gospel.
Q: What specific parable teaches about what can be compared to the kingdom? A: In Mark 4:26, Jesus compares the kingdom to a grain of mustard seed that is small but grows into a large tree or bush. This is the clearest teaching in a series of parables on the Kingdom.