Post by Lee on Mar 26, 2014 3:05:41 GMT
“THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU” (LUKE 17:21)
THIS passage is generally wrested in the endeavour to prove that the Kingdom of God is not a visible dominion of God to be established upon earth in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ returned from heaven, but a spiritual reign of Christ in the hearts of believers.
CHRIST ANSWERS TO PHARISEES
A careful reading of the episode (verses 20–37) will show how sadly mistaken is such an endeavour. In the first place the words of Christ in question were addressed, not to believers, but to unbelievers—to the Pharisees, Christ’s enemies, of whom he said, “Within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matt. 23:28); “Ye make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). How then could the kingdom of God, in the sense of the spiritual reign of Christ, be “within” such as these? In was certainly not “within” them, and Christ meant no such thing. What he did mean was this: that in spite of their “observation” (parateereesis, narrow watching, compare Luke 6:7: 14:1), they could not discern “the finger of God” plainly revealed in their midst. Even the margin of the A.V. gives the alternative for “within” thus: “or, among”; and the R.V. margin says: “or, in the midst of you.” This certainly ought to have been put into the text, for the very obvious reason indicated above.
When his enemies attributed his works of healing to Beelzebub, Jesus referred them to their own doctors, and added, “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils (demons), no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you” (Luke 11:20). That is, the power of God was thus openly revealed in Christ in the land of Israel. Hence, when he sent out his disciples into the cities which he himself proposed to visit, he said: “Heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” (Luke 10:9, 11). In a sense the “kingdom of God” is universal, all creation being in the grasp of His divine dominion: “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psa. 102:19). But we must not misinterpret such general declarations in a way that will make void “the gospel of the kingdom” which Jesus preached.
1924 Christadelphian: Volume 61. 1924 (electronic ed.) (359). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.
THIS passage is generally wrested in the endeavour to prove that the Kingdom of God is not a visible dominion of God to be established upon earth in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ returned from heaven, but a spiritual reign of Christ in the hearts of believers.
CHRIST ANSWERS TO PHARISEES
A careful reading of the episode (verses 20–37) will show how sadly mistaken is such an endeavour. In the first place the words of Christ in question were addressed, not to believers, but to unbelievers—to the Pharisees, Christ’s enemies, of whom he said, “Within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matt. 23:28); “Ye make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). How then could the kingdom of God, in the sense of the spiritual reign of Christ, be “within” such as these? In was certainly not “within” them, and Christ meant no such thing. What he did mean was this: that in spite of their “observation” (parateereesis, narrow watching, compare Luke 6:7: 14:1), they could not discern “the finger of God” plainly revealed in their midst. Even the margin of the A.V. gives the alternative for “within” thus: “or, among”; and the R.V. margin says: “or, in the midst of you.” This certainly ought to have been put into the text, for the very obvious reason indicated above.
When his enemies attributed his works of healing to Beelzebub, Jesus referred them to their own doctors, and added, “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils (demons), no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you” (Luke 11:20). That is, the power of God was thus openly revealed in Christ in the land of Israel. Hence, when he sent out his disciples into the cities which he himself proposed to visit, he said: “Heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you” (Luke 10:9, 11). In a sense the “kingdom of God” is universal, all creation being in the grasp of His divine dominion: “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psa. 102:19). But we must not misinterpret such general declarations in a way that will make void “the gospel of the kingdom” which Jesus preached.
1924 Christadelphian: Volume 61. 1924 (electronic ed.) (359). Birmingham: Christadelphian Magazine & Publishing Association.