Time of the Kingdom of God
79. Time of the Kingdom of God
The Pharisees believed that the kingdom of God would arrive on the heels of an apocalyptic event, where the righteous are lifted to the heavens and the sinners sent to burn in hell. As we’ve seen, Jesus had a very different conception of the kingdom of God. It is not a physical place you can point to, but an attitude of being, a spirit of love and compassion and inclusion. Jesus no doubt saw himself as a vehicle of that spirit, and that may be what he meant when he said, “the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
[See also “Discourse on the Kingdom of God” (Commentary 7-34), “Limits of the Kingdom of God” (Commentary 12-69), “Essential for Entrance into Kingdom” (Commentary 14-84), and “Time of the Kingdom of God” (Commentary 14-89).]