The Book of Matthew: Jesus' Kingdom of Heaven Versus the Kingdoms of Earth

The Book of Matthew: Jesus’ Kingdom of Heaven Versus the Kingdoms of Earth

By Lucas Dawn

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Lucas Dawn

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Heaven’s Promised King Among Israel’s Compromised Kings (Mt. 1:1-2:23)

Chapter 2 - The Kingdom from Heaven Begins (Mt. 3:1-5:16)

Chapter 3 - Jesus’ Righteousness Surpasses Israel’s Righteousness (Mt. 5:17-48)

Chapter 4 - Earthly Appearances Versus Heavenly Realities (Mt. 6:1-7:29)

Chapter 5 - The Merciful Lord, the Royal Son of Man (Mt. 8:1-9:34)

Chapter 6 - The Lord Teaches His Disciples About Mission and Opposition (Mt. 9:35-11:1)

Chapter 7 - The Controversial Son of Man in the Kingdom of Israel (Mt. 11:2-12:50)

Chapter 8 - Parables About the Coming of the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 13:1-52)

Chapter 9 - The Bread of Jesus Versus the Leaven of Jerusalem (Mt. 13:53-16:12)

Chapter 10 - Will the Kingdom of Heaven Become Great on Earth? (Mt. 16:13-20:28)

Chapter 11 - Jesus’ Fearless Judgment Against Fruitless Jerusalem (Mt. 20:29-23:39)

Chapter 12 - The Earth’s Future Tribulations and Heaven’s Final Judgment (Mt. 24:1-25:46)

Chapter 13 - Kings of the Earth Kill the King of Heaven (Mt. 26:1-27:66)

Chapter 14 - The King of Heaven Rises and Rules Forever (Mt. 28:1-20)

Introduction

The kingdom of heaven is a special phrase found only in the Gospel of Matthew, and it is found often: thirty-two times. The other three Gospels have the more common phrase, the kingdom of God. This kingdom is the focus of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But why does Matthew emphasize the kingdom of heaven?

Did Matthew simply have a Jewish hesitancy to write the name of God and thus substitute the word heaven? Probably not, because Matthew uses the name of God over fifty times, and uses the phrase kingdom of God four times.

Maybe there is a contrast between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God, involving two different periods of history or two different locations. Definitely not, for Matthew uses its special phrase in the same teachings of Jesus where Mark and Luke have the kingdom of God (for example, compare Mt. 13:10-13; Mk. 4:10-12; and Lk. 8:9-10).

I think Matthew does use its special phrase as a contrast, but the contrast is between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdoms of earth. In Matthew’s story, the plot is full of conflict between Jesus and Jewish leaders. Jesus’ new kingdom of heaven is clearly different from all the kingdoms of earth, including the kingdom of Israel.

Though the crowds in Israel love Jesus’ healing power—and hope he will rule over Israel—their rulers in the synagogues and temple reject Jesus, and finally instigate his death. So does Jesus fail plan A (ruling the kingdom of Israel) and eventually turn to plan B (ruling the kingdom of heaven)? No, the kingdom of heaven was not plan B. While Jesus does speak and act mostly in the kingdom of Israel, he proclaims the new kingdom of heaven from the very beginning. He never intends to rule or reform the kingdom of Israel, despite the hopes and dreams of the crowds, and even John the Baptist.

Matthew’s distinctive early chapters introduce this contrast between kingdoms. The genealogy of 1:2-16 begins with the famous forefather of Israel, Abraham, and climaxes in the birth of Jesus, who is called Christ (the promised anointed king). The summary of the genealogy in 1:17 also emphasizes a former great king, David. The kingdom ruled by David and the thirteen other fathers listed after him (1:6-11), however, ends up in exile in Babylon—another emphasis of the genealogy, in 1:11-12,17. The exile was God’s judgment against the kingdom of Israel.

In the fullness of time the Christ (Messiah) is born. Unlike the earlier fathers and sons of the kingdom of Israel in Matthew’s genealogy, it is not an earthly father who begets the new king; it is the heavenly Spirit (1:18,20). From the start, the infant Christ is a threat to the ruling fathers in Jerusalem: king Herod, the chief priests, and the scribes (rabbis). All Jerusalem is upset when they hear the wise men speak of a newly born king (2:1-4); it is the rulers of the kingdom of Israel versus heaven’s king.

Later, John the Baptist announces the impending arrival of the kingdom of heaven (3:2), and its king (3:11-12). John contrasts this coming king and kingdom with the kingdom of Israel led by Pharisees (especially their rabbis) and Sadducees (the chief priests) (3:7-10).

After John baptizes him, Jesus is anointed (as king) by the dove (Spirit) from heaven, and announced (as son) by the voice (of his Father) from heaven (3:16-17). (The Greek phrase for kingdom of heaven can also be translated as the kingdom from heaven.) The new king is then tempted to test his heavenly anointing by impressing Jerusalem, the capital of (the kingdom of) Israel, with a miracle that includes angels from heaven (4:5-6). When Jesus refuses, the devil finally offers him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (4:8). But the anointed son remains true to his Father and Spirit from heaven; he refuses Satan’s kingdoms of earth.

After refusing the kingdoms of earth, the obedient new king begins to inform everyone—in Galilee, far from Jerusalem—that the kingdom of heaven has now arrived (4:12-17). And then Jesus begins to call specific disciples to follow him (4:18-22).

Thus Matthew’s beginning chapters introduce his special theme: heaven’s new king and his new kingdom of heaven. The powerful Spirit from heaven first conceives and later inaugurates the new king. In contrast, the kingdoms of earth belong to a different spirit, the devious and deceptive Satan. Jesus’ kingdom is not the kingdom of Israel or any other kingdom of earth. On earth Jesus’ kingdom of heaven will be composed of his faithful disciples.

Heaven’s king will rule in a new way on earth; he will gather disciples, and eventually give them the Spirit from heaven. This is the beginning of the kingdom from heaven.

Jesus’ first disciples slowly learn the differences between Jesus’ kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of Israel. Matthew is full of teaching about these differences. But too many later Christians have settled for less (differences). For them, the kingdom of heaven was merely the future bliss of heaven, or the private devotion of the heart, or spiritual worship in a church.

Throughout church history, churches sometimes connected Christian nations or empires with the kingdom of God on earth. From the Holy Roman Empire to the United States (one nation under God), God supposedly blessed these powerful kingdoms of earth. Political leaders from these powerful empires—as well as social reformers and missionaries—all imagined they could enlighten kingdoms of earth, civilize unruly nations, and transform evil societies. Just as Jesus’ mission was supposedly to transform Israel, they would seek to transform other kingdoms of earth. As for especially sinful societies that remained obstinate, they could be punished, even destroyed, by a kingdom of earth that represented the kingdom of heaven.

Thus Jesus and his little kingdom of disciples have been manipulated to fit in comfortably with great kings and kingdoms of the earth. The commands of (king) Jesus about loving one’s neighbor—including not seeking revenge against enemies—could be dismissed whenever national rulers demonized their enemies and demanded vengeance. Didn’t Jesus say to render unto Caesar the things of Caesar? He did, but Jesus was only talking about giving back to Caesar his idolatrous coins, in order to pay his taxes (see 22:17-21).

Patriotic churches also quoted Paul’s letters, where passages like Rom. 13 supposedly said to obey ruling authorities. Paul does not, however, say obey there. And the context preceding Rom. 13 is all about Jesus’ love for enemies and doing good to those who persecute them (Rom. 12:14-21). Unlike the authorities of Rom. 13:1-5, Christians should never repay evil with evil, but continue to do good in the sight of everyone (Rom. 12:17). Christians should take the lead in trying to live at peace with everyone, even enemies (Rom. 12:18).

Then Rom. 13:1 says that instead of getting revenge, Christians should let everyone—especially a non-Christian (as in Rom. 12:17-18)—who does evil be subject to the punishment of the ruling authorities. Thus Rom. 13:1 should be translated: Let everyone be subject to the ruling authorities (rather than be subject to the revenge of persecuted Christians). Rom. 13:2-5 adds that if Christians instead seek revenge (taking the law into their own hands), they too could be subject to the sword (punishment) of the authorities. But the final emphasis again (Rom. 13:8-10, as in Rom. 12:14-21) is on Christians owing nothing (no revenge) to anyone except to love one’s neighbor. Like Christ, Paul contrasts what Christians should do over against what ruling authorities of the kingdoms of earth do.

Because so many Christians and churches have honored and served their kingdoms of earth as much as or more than the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of heaven is not the same as the church. Church members who profess to love Jesus must listen to how he warns disciples that the righteousness of his kingdom is contrary to the righteousness of an earthly kingdom.

The Christian life of Jesus’ kingdom often diverges from the godly life promoted by various national leaders, in the government as well as in the churches. For example, American political leaders have preferred to speak of God (rather than Jesus) and have compared their blessed nation with the kingdom of Israel (rather than the kingdom of heaven). Most major church leaders and evangelists have strongly supported their country and its presidents.

Consequently, a biblical church and its leaders could be more like a Jewish synagogue and its rabbis (or like the Jewish temple and its chief priests) than like small groups of controversial disciples of Jesus. Christian leaders who want to apply the Old Testament law of Moses (for the kingdom of Israel) to their own kingdom of earth, so that it would be righteous, are like the rabbis or chief priests, not Jesus.

Professional pastors or priests presiding over religious gatherings in sacred buildings, all supported by tithes and offerings, and preaching to crowds that take pride in God and country, are also more like the rabbis or chief priests—or other reputable religious leaders of the kingdoms of earth. Yet the rabbis (scribes) and chief priests of Jesus’ day were not just religious leaders; they ruled over much of life in the kingdom of Israel. Jesus’ kingdom of heaven is thus a challenge to the kingdoms of earth, and continues to challenge earthly churches.

Chapter 1

Heaven’s Promised King Among Israel’s Compromised Kings (Mt. 1:1-2:23)

Matthew begins with a special genealogy that lists famous fathers and sons from Israel’s history. God promised Israel’s forefathers (and foremothers) future sons who would rule as kings; most of these kings, however, make compromises that cause their kingdom to collapse. Yet eventually the final promised king appears; he will rule his kingdom forever.

Royal genes (1:1-17)

The summary in 1:17 of the preceding genealogy divides that whole time into three periods of fourteen generations each. The first period is from Abraham to David, the second from David to the exile in Babylon, and the third from the exile to the Christ. Note the emphasis on David—and then the exile—both mentioned twice; nevertheless, the ultimate goal is the Christ, the promised anointed king.

David is the climax of the first period, exalted as David the king (1:6). He also begins the second period (of fourteen generations), the list of kings who descend from him (1:6-11). After the second period ends, their kingdom is in exile due to disobedience; foreign kings now rule Israel. Yet the climax of the third period, and of the whole genealogy, is Jesus, who is called Christ. Christ means the anointed one, the promised Messiah (king).

Abraham is the early focus of the genealogy (1:1-2). In Gen. 17:5-6 God promises Abraham that his descendants would include nations and kings. Then in Gen. 49:10, Abraham’s grandson Jacob prophesies that the ruler’s scepter would belong to (descendants of) his son Judah (Gen. 49:10). This rule would come to include the obedience of other nations (or peoples). So Abraham will be the father of Israel and its kings—and also the father of many nations.

David becomes the first descendant of Abraham and Judah to rule as king (1:6). God promises David his offspring would rule over an eternal kingdom; nevertheless, whenever an offspring rules wrongly, God will punish him through other leaders (2 Sam. 7:12-16).

Although David excels as the first great king of Israel, even he commits great sins against God. When David begins Matthew’s second period of fourteen generations (in 1:6), the period of the mostly disobedient kings, he is connected with the wife of Uriah. David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, led to another great sin, the murder of Uriah.

The Davidic kings will rule mainly over the southern kingdom of Judah. After David’s son Solomon dies, Israel separates into the northern kingdom (called Israel) and southern kingdom (called Judah). Eventually the sins of the kings and kingdoms of Israel and Judah result in God’s punishment of exile to the kingdom of Babylonia for Judah (and earlier to the kingdom of Assyria for Israel).

A young Solomon receives special wisdom from God, but eventually his hundreds of foreign wives and concubines (and their gods and goddesses) compromise his kingship (1 Kgs. 11:1-10); he turns away from God. The summary of his reign in 1 Kgs. 11:6—So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord—will reoccur for other disobedient descendants of David as well.

Among later kings in Matthew’s genealogy, Rehoboam, Abijah, Jehoram, Ahaz, Manasseh, Amon, and Jeconiah (Jehoiakin) do evil in the eyes of the Lord (see 1 Kgs. 11-15; 2 Kgs. 8,16,20-24). But kings Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah do what is right in the eyes of the Lord (see 1 Kgs. 15,22; 2 Kgs. 15,18,23).

Ahaz’s rule in Judah is linked with the evil ways of the kings of Israel (the northern kingdom), who were uniformly evil (2 Kgs. 16:3). And Manasseh leads Judah to become even more evil than the Gentile nations in Canaan before them (2 Kgs. 21:9-11). Because Judah’s evil kings disobey their special covenant (the law of Moses) from God, the curses of the covenant (exile and captivity) come due.

Matthew’s third period of fourteen begins with Jeconiah (Jehoiakin) in exile, and ends with the climax of the whole genealogy, Jesus Christ. Throughout the genealogy, fathers beget sons (with a few added notes about wives and mothers); but Joseph does not beget Jesus.

Joseph is described as the husband of Mary, (out) of whom is born (begotten) Jesus. So Joseph is Jesus’ (legal) father—but the emphasis is on Mary’s special birth. The Christ who fulfills all God’s promises to Abraham, Judah, and David will be a very different son of David.

The king from heaven (1:18-23)

The special beginning or birth (the Greek word in 1:18 is genesis) of the Christ emphasizes his being conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. After all the generations of fathers and sons, the final son is not conceived via an earthly father. The Christ is conceived from heaven, (out) of the Holy Spirit. This anointed one will not be just another earthly king.

Joseph is a righteous descendant of David, and decides to divorce the strangely pregnant Mary, though quietly in order not to shame her. So heaven intervenes again: an angel of the Lord addresses Joseph as son of David and tells him the child in Mary is (out) of the Holy Spirit.

The angel tells Joseph to name the child Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Earlier sons of David could not save Israel or Judah or themselves from their sins. This child, however, will be a king unlike any before him—and rule over a people unlike any before them. In this Gospel, his people are his disciples (as in 5:1), his kingdom.

The promise of the Lord through the prophet (Isaiah) predicts the virgin will conceive and bear a son. Isaiah adds that the name of the son will be Emmanuel, which in Hebrew means God with us. God is with this young family through the heavenly Spirit and angel. And at the end of this Gospel, the risen Christ will fulfill the meaning of Emmanuel by continuing to be with his disciples always (28:20). Indeed, the heavenly Christ (king) will be with all his future disciples, his people on earth, until the end of the (evil) age.

Rulers in Israel threaten the new king (2:1-23)

Jesus is born during the days of Herod the king. Though not a son of David, Herod rules in the city of David, Jerusalem, where he receives visitors from the east; the visitors are not kings, but wise men from the courts of rulers east of Israel. They ask Herod about one who has been born king of the Jews. They have seen the new king’s star in the east and have come to worship him. Idolatrous worship of kings was common among the (non-Jewish) Gentiles; it will be unusually appropriate for this new king.

The news of the wise men troubles Herod—and all Jerusalem with him. All Jerusalem includes especially all the chief priests and scribes of the people, whom Herod gathers in order to discover where the Christ is to be born. All Jerusalem sympathizes with their wary rulers: Herod, the chief priests, and scribes.

The chief priests are rich Sadducees in Jerusalem; they rule over the profitable temple complex and its business of selling and banking. The scribes are mostly powerful Pharisees, in Jerusalem and throughout Israel; these rabbis teach in and rule over the popular synagogues. These teachers and judges interpret and enforce the law of Moses, Israel’s national constitution, the authoritative foundational document for the kingdom of Israel. The chief priests and scribes are not just religious leaders; they are also national political leaders.

Although the Romans were the highest authorities over Israel at that time, they allowed lesser rulers like Herod (and later his sons), the chief priests, and the scribes of the Pharisees to rule over most daily matters in Israel. The Jewish chief priests and scribes might not like Rome, but they compromised since Rome allowed them to wield significant power in Israel.

The national council (the Sanhedrin) in Jerusalem included chief priests, (aristocratic) elders, and Pharisaic scribes, with the high priest presiding. There were also smaller local councils outside Jerusalem, in synagogues led by scribes (see 10:17). Especially outside Jerusalem, the scribes and Pharisees, with headquarters in the synagogues, taught and enforced the national law of Moses throughout the kingdom of Israel; they sit and rule as authorities of Moses in the synagogues (23:2).

Because the law of Moses covered much more than just religious matters, these authorities of that law were not just religious authorities. And rabbis (scribes) of the Pharisees added and passed on many more oral (unwritten) laws in order to interpret and apply the written law of Moses; all these laws affected practically every area of life in the kingdom of Israel.

Some scribes could tell Herod what their scriptures say about the birth of the promised Christ. Because they have compromised with Herod in order to maintain power, they readily become informants against the new king. The answer to the question of birth place is found in Mic. 5:2—from Bethlehem of Judah will come a ruler who will rule God’s people Israel.

God is fulfilling another promise about the coming Christ; little Bethlehem looks like a big threat to all Jerusalem. Yet the fulfillment of the promise will be on a higher level than even Micah imagined: Christ’s people will not be the kingdom of Israel, but disciples from every nation (including Israel).

Like most kings of the earth, Herod is wise in the ways of the world. He manipulates the wise men into becoming his spies; he sends them to Bethlehem.

When the star reappears, the wise men are full of joy and find the child with Mary in a house in Bethlehem. Like loyal servants of glorified kings, they fall before the child and worship him. Their lavish gifts—intended for the newly born king of the Jews in Jerusalem’s palace—are offered to this unadorned son in a humble house. These unwitting Gentiles are a foretaste of the future, when wise disciples from every nation will worship and serve this new king.

The wise men would have returned to report to the wiser Herod, except for even wiser powers (from heaven) who warn them in a dream to bypass Jerusalem. At the same time, an angel of the Lord appears again to Joseph in a dream and warns him to take his family and flee to Egypt. Heaven’s informant tells Joseph that Herod will be seeking the child in order to kill him; it is not unusual for kings of the earth to retain power by eliminating rivals to the throne.

Righteous Joseph obeys immediately, leaving at night, escaping to Egypt. The family will remain there until Herod dies. All this trouble, however, will fulfill another word of the Lord through the prophet Hosea, Out of Egypt I called my son (Hos. 11:1). In Hos. 11:1 the son is Israel, whom God loved as a young child and brought out of Egypt. Now that word is fulfilled on a higher level: God’s son here is the Christ, begotten out of Mary by the heavenly Spirit.

Herod throws a temper tantrum when the wise men don’t return to Jerusalem. To insure he kills the Christ child, he orders his hired swords to slaughter all the sons two years old and under in Bethlehem—and in all that region. This collateral damage is considered (both then as well as now) as merely part of the price of conquering enemies.

Yet, ironically, Herod’s massacre fulfills another word of the Lord—the word through Jeremiah the prophet—who wrote about Rachel weeping for her children, heard as far away as Ramah (Jer. 31:15). This word is also fulfilled on a new level: Rachel and her children are now all the young mothers who cry for their slaughtered sons in the region around Bethlehem. Brutal kings of the earth are willing to sacrifice the least in their kingdom—children and mothers—for the sake of the greatest in the kingdom (themselves).

Every deadly king of the earth must eventually die. When king Herod dies, heaven again springs into action: an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, telling him he and his family can return to Israel. But on his return Joseph hears that Herod’s son Archelaus is now ruling (badly) in Judea, and is afraid to return there. Joseph is then warned in another dream (from heaven) not to go back to Judea. So as he secretly departed to Egypt earlier, now he prudently departs to Galilee, to the city of Nazareth, fulfilling more words of the prophets. Heaven has all