As previously mentioned, the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery notes that the Bible “speaks largely in images.”[1] A Biblical image is a mental picture or impression (often incomplete) of a spiritual reality. The images are constructed from the original languages in the context of a unique historical background.
It is important to not over literalize Biblical images. For example, the image of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” communicates the extreme disappointment of those who do not enter the Kingdom of God (Matt. 13:42, 50; Luke 13:28). In my opinion, their “weeping and gnashing of teeth” does not literally describe their eternal general emotional state or condition. Our goal is to understand the spiritual truth communicated by Jesus Christ or the Biblical authors. We cannot properly understand the Bible’s message unless we properly understand the meaning of the Biblical images.
The Kingdom of God is a predominant and controlling image of the New Testament, and the image of the Kingdom of God is an important key for unlocking the message of the New Testament. The New Testament mentions the “kingdom of God” well over 100 times. Additionally, it should be noted that, in my opinion, there is an equivalency between the term “kingdom of God” and the term “kingdom of heaven.” This is also the stated opinion of the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery.[2]
The term “kingdom of heaven” was utilized only by Matthew. On the other hand, the other Biblical authors only utilized the term “the kingdom of God.” Matthew also used the “kingdom of God” four times. At Matthew 19:23-24, Jesus spoke to His disciples about the Kingdom. In one sentence, Jesus said, “kingdom of heaven,” and in the next sentence, He substituted, the “kingdom of God.” The “kingdom of heaven” is a metonymy for the “kingdom of God.” The Cambridge Dictionary defines “metonymy” as “the act of referring to something using a word that describes one of its qualities or features.”[3] Matthew substituted the word “heaven” for the name of “God” in the same way that we substitute the words “White House” for the “President” or “office of the Presidency” (e.g., “the White House issued a statement today”). Most likely, Jesus used the terms kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God interchangeably. In other words, the locus of the power was substituted for the name of the authority or power.
Together, both the “kingdom of God” and the “kingdom of heaven” are used about 150 times in the New Testament. A proper understanding of the Kingdom of God is essential to a proper understanding of the New Testament. As previously discussed, the Kingdom of God is a present spiritual reality and a future political reality here on Planet Earth at the return of Jesus Christ. At Matthew 7:21, we read that Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” To enter the Kingdom of God, we must consistently do the will of the Father. We must consistently acknowledge God as our Lord and King. Obviously, none of us are sinless in this life. From time to time, we must acknowledge our sins to God (1 John 1:9). However, as stated at Matthew 7:23, if we do not consistently do the will of our Father, we practice lawlessness.
Entrance into the Kingdom of God is through a narrow gate (Matt. 7:13-14). On the other hand, like the thief on the cross adjacent to Jesus, believing and avoiding the lower parts of Hades, and going to Paradise in Heaven after we die is a wide-open gate. Many will enter through the wide gate into salvation. Fewer will enter the Kingdom of God. However, those who enter the Kingdom of God in this life will also inherit the Kingdom of God in the next life. They will uniquely share in the life of God, the glory of God, and the rule of God (Matt. 7:13-14; Rev. 2:7; Eph. 1:18; 1 Pet 5:1-4; Rev. 2:26).
So, what else do we need to know if we want to enter into the Kingdom of God? Today, I ask you to consider the following non-exhaustive list:
1) After believing that Jesus is the Son of God, we must “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33). The Greek adjective prōtos is defined as “foremost (in time, place, order, or importance).”[4] To seek God’s Kingdom is equivalent to seeking God’s will. We must seek God’s righteousness, not our personal opinion of what is righteousness. God’s will must have priority over our will.
2) We must be humble and teachable. At Matthew 18:1-4, we read,
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He [Jesus] called a child to Himself and set him among them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So whoever will humble himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
To be humble is to be teachable. As finite beings, at any given moment in time, there is an infinite number of things that we do not know. Accordingly, we should be humble and teachable. Unfortunately, the majority are not humble. At Mark 10:15, we read, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”
3) Self-righteousness will blind us and block our entrance into the Kingdom of God. At Matthew 5:20, Jesus said, “For I say to you unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The scribes and Pharisees were the Bible scholars of the First Century. They knew a tremendous amount of information about the Bible, but their arrogance and self-righteousness blocked their access into the Kingdom of God. The same is often true today. We can know a lot about the Bible but not enter into the Kingdom of God. We should have no confidence in our inherent righteousness or capacity to live the Christian Spiritual Life. At Matthew 21:31, when confronted by the Chief Priests and elders, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.” Jesus was not encouraging His audience to become prostitutes. The Chief Priests and the elders were blinded by their self-righteousness.
4) At Acts 14:22, Paul said, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” God trains us and disciplines us through many trials and tribulations. We learn through adversity. We must have perseverance. We must learn to trust God under many different and difficult circumstances.
5) At Luke 8:10, Jesus told His disciples (meaning His students) that it had been granted to them to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. The Greek noun mystērion is defined as “secret, hidden religious information.”[5] Jesus’ inner core of students was given special insights into the teachings of Jesus. To advance in the Christian Spiritual Life, we must have more than a casual interest in the Bible. We must be students of Jesus Christ. As we learned in the Parable of the Sower, the vast majority will not persevere in their spiritual advance. They will fall away because of affliction, persecution, pressure, the anxieties of the world, the deceitfulness of wealth, or the desires for other things. The Word is choked off, and it does not become fruitful. However, on some occasions, the Word lands in good soil. At Luke 8:15, we read, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.”
6) Finally, at James 2:5, we read, “Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters: did God not choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him.” The “poor” recognize their need for truth. A life of faith is a prerequisite for entrance into the Kingdom of God. And, most importantly, if we do not love God, we will not enter into the Kingdom of God. If we love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15).
In summary, to enter the Kingdom of God, we must allow God to be King over the meditations of our hearts, the words of our mouths, and our actions. We must seek first His Kingdom (a/k/a God’s will). We must be humble and teachable. We cannot be self-righteous and arrogant. We must go through and endure many trials and tribulations. We must be faithful students of Jesus Christ. We must love God more than everything else. And of course, the Holy Spirit is our primary teacher.
For more information about the Kingdom of God, listen to this class I taught on “Biblical Imagery: The Kingdom of God, Part 2” at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church: https://youtu.be/UDsEEU-RmTM?si=tOfTkkW10eBCKWyQ
[1] Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, edited by Leland Ryken, et al, InterVarsity Press, 1998, p. xIII.
[2] “Kingdom of God.” Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, edited by Leland Ryken, et al, InterVarsity Press, 1998, p. 479.
[3] “Metonymy.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, 20 Mar 2024. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/metonymy.
[4] “G4413 – prōtos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 20 Mar, 2024. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4413/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
[5] “G3466 – mystērion – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb20).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 20 Mar, 2024. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3466/nasb20/mgnt/0-1/>.
