The teaching of Jesus on the subject of the Kingdom of God has been hotly debated for centuries. This subject is complicated by three paradoxes in His teachings that dominate the discussion.

By definition, a paradox affirms the truth of two opposing ideas that cannot logically be reconciled. Such truth is greater than either of the two sides of the paradox. To summarise, in the New Testament the Kingdom is affirmed to have come and yet it lies in the future. It is just about to happen and is still far off. There are signs, but the timing of the fulfilment of the Kingdom is to us unknown and unknowable.

The first paradox regarding the Kingdom of God is that the Kingdom has already come in the person of Christ but that same Kingdom is still in the future. Jesus tells His opponents, “But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you” (Luke 11:20). This text says that the Kingdom is already here. At the same time in the Lord’s Prayer, we are told to pray “Thy Kingdom come,” which looks to a future that has not yet taken place. So, the Kingdom is both now and not yet.

The second paradox affirms that the Kingdom of God is near and faraway. On his last journey to Jerusalem Jesus invited Himself to dinner at the home of Zacchaeus. It was there that Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this home today….” (Luke 19:9). This led Jesus’ disciples to imagine that the end of history was about to take place. So, “…. Jesus told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away” (Luke 19:11). Jesus then told a parable about a man who called his servants together, gave each of them a sum of money and told them to get to work. Jesus told this story to make clear that the coming of the Kingdom was still in the unspecified future and that they had responsibilities to fulfil in the meantime. The Kingdom was near, and yet far off.

The third paradox appears in Luke 21:6-36. Jesus speaks of signs of the coming of the Kingdom and tells His disciples that they can never determine the time of the coming of the Kingdom because “only the Father” knows such mysteries (Matt. 24:36).  The signs are given to the disciples and are told that they cannot figure them out! The time of the coming of the Kingdom is unknown and unknowable, yet they are the signs they/we are to watch out for!

Friends, our part is to pray, and never stop praying, “Thy Kingdom come”, as we labour in faith and confidence as Kingdom subjects in preparation for the coming of the King, and His Kingdom. Hallelujah!

Best wishes
Bill