113. THE "KINGDOM" AND THE "CHURCH".
From Appendixes
112 and
114 it will be seen that, if each use of the term "kingdom" has its own special and particular meaning and must not be confused with others that differ, there must be still greater confusion if any one of them is identified with "the Church", as is very commonly done : though which of the Kingdoms and which of the Churches is never definitely pointed out.
The following reasons may be given which will show that "the Kingdom" and "the Church" cannot thus be identified :--
- The subjects of the former are spoken of as "inheriting", or as being "heirs of the Kingdom"; but we cannot speak of inheriting or being heirs of "the Church".
- We read of the possibility of "receiving the Kingdom", but in no sense can any Church be spoken of as being received.
- We read of "the elders of the Churches", messengers or servants of the Churches, but never of the elders, &c. of the Kingdom.
- The word basileia, translated "kingdom", occurs 162 times, and in the plural only in Matt. 4:8. Luke 4:5. Heb. 11:33. Rev. 11:15. On the other hand, the word ekklesia occurs 115 times, and of these 36 are in the plural and 79 in the singular, all rendered "church" except in Acts 19:32, 39, 41, "assembly".
- We read of "the children (or sons) of the Kingdom", but the Bible knows nothing of the sons of "the Church".
- The characteristics of each are distinct.
- The names and appellatives of "the Church" are never used of the Kingdom (Eph. 1:23; 2:21; 4:4, 16; 5:30. Col. 1:24. 1Tim. 3:15).
- The privilege of "that Church" which consists of the partakers of "a heavenly calling", Heb. 3:1 (see Ap. 112. 4, 5); Rev. 20:4-6, will be to reign with Christ over the earthly Kingdom, whereas that Kingdom will be "under the whole heaven" (Dan. 7:27).
- The Church" of the Prison Epistles (Eph., Phil., Col.) is here and now, in the world, and is waiting for its exanastasis, and its "heavenward call" (Phil. 3:11, 14); whereas the Kingdom is not here, because the King is not here (Heb. 2:8).
- The Kingdom is the one great subject of prophecy; whereas the Church (of the Prison Epistles) is not the subject of prophecy, but, on the contrary, was kept secret, and hidden in God, until the time came for the secret to be revealed. (see Ap. 112. 5).
It must be understood that this "secret" (Gr. musterion,
see Ap. 182) did not and could not refer to Jews and Gentiles in future blessing, because this was never a secret, but was part of the original promise made to Abraham in Gen. 12:3, and was repeatedly spoken of throughout the Psalms and the Prophets. See Deut. 32:43. Ps. 18:49; 117:1. Isa. 11:1, 10, &c. Cp. Rom. 15:8-12, and the quotations there given.
114. THE "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN"
AND
THE "KINGDOM OF GOD".
We have seen in
Ap. 112 that the word "kingdom", like the Greek basileia, has regard to sovereignty rather than territory, and to the sphere of its exercise rather than to its extent. Using the word "kingdom" in this sense, and in that which is conveyed in its English termination "dom", which is short for dominion, we note that the former expression, "the Kingdom of heaven", occurs only in Matthew, where we find it thirty-two times (*1).
But in the parallel passages in the other Gospels we find, instead, the expression "the Kingdom of God" (e.g. cp. Matt. 11:11 with Luke 7:28). The explanation of this seeming difference is that the Lord spoke in Aramaic; certainly not in the Greek of the Gospel documents.
See Ap. 94. III.
Now "heaven" is frequently used by the Figure Metonymy (of the Subject),
Ap. 6 for God Himself, Whose dwelling is there. See Ps. 73:9. Dan. 4:26, 29. 2Chron. 32:20. Matt. 21:25. Luke 15:21 ("I have sinned against heaven" is thus contrasted with the words "and in thy sight"). John 3:27.
Our suggestion is that in all the passages where the respective expressions occur, identical words were spoken by the Lord, "the Kingdom of heaven"; but when it came to putting them into Greek, Matthew was Divinely guided to retain the figure of speech literally ("heaven"), so as to be in keeping with the special character, design, and scope of his Gospel (
see Ap. 96); while, in the other Gospels, the figure was translated as being what it also meant, "the Kingdom of God".
Thus, while the same in a general sense, the two expressions are to be distinguished in their meaning and in their interpretation, as follows :--
- The Kingdom (or Sovereignty) of HEAVEN
- Has Messiah for its King;
- It is from heaven; and under the heavens upon the earth;
- It is limited in its scope;
- It is political in its sphere;
- It is Jewish and exclusive in its character;
- It is national in its aspect;
- It is the special subject of Old Testament prophecy;
- And it is dispensational in its duration.
- The Kingdom (or Sovereignty) of GOD
- Has God for its Ruler;
- It is in heaven, over the earth;
- It is unlimited in its scope;
- It is moral and spiritual in its sphere;
- It is inclusive in its character (embracing the natural and spiritual seeds of Abraham, "the heavenly calling", and the "Church" of the Mystery). Hence,
- It is universal in its aspect;
- It is (in its wider aspect) the subject of New Testament revelation;
- And will be eternal in its duration.
(*1) The Kingdom of God occurs only five times in Matt. (6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31, 43).
The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God - Appendix to the Companion Bible
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