5.1 The kingdom of God in Luke

Question 1

What is the concept of Kingdom used to portray in the Old Test?

Answer 1

• to convey the idea of sovereignity
• as a way of expressing God’s overall authority

Question 2

What are the differing views about the arrival of the kingdom?

Answer 2

• The past- it was established before Jesus and continues on into the present
• The present- it is made known to the people through the life and teachings of Jesus
• The future- it is an eschatological happening; the second coming of Christ, the parousia

Question 3

What is the Parousia?

Answer 3

The second coming of christ

Question 4

Who was Hanz conzelmann?

PAST

Answer 4

A Protestant German theologian, wrote ‘The Theology of St Luke’ 1960

Question 5

What did Hanz Conzelmann believe about the Kingdom?

PAST

Answer 5

That it was a historical event, the salvation history. Divided into 3 stages

1. The age of israel- God’s kingdom was given to his chosen people, the Jews
2. Jesus’ ministry ushered in the new age- John the Baptist is the end of the old history of God’s kingdoms and the inauguration of a new phase, where the Kingdom is now available to all people.
3. Jesus’ ascension marked the start of the third age- Chrisrians have to spread the message that the age will end in the future; the Parousia

Question 6

Who is Ian Howard Marshall?

PAST

Answer 6

A scottish new test scholar, focused on biblical ground for faith, and the apostles. Had a historical and theologian view of Luke.

Question 7

What does Marshall think about Conzelmann’s view?

PAST

Answer 7

Disagrees and as Conzelmann ignores the apocolyptic nature of Luke 21

Question 8

What did Dodd believe?

PRESENT

Answer 8

• Wrote in ‘The parables of the Kingdom’ that the kingdom was already present in the person of Jesus, evident in the miracles involving exorcisms

The present Kingdom was:
1. Available to all, epsecially those who were least on earth (Luke 13:30)
2. With all people now (Luke 17:21)

Diagrees with a future kingdom because:
1. Jesus used apocolyptic language to refer to his own ministry, e.g Son of Man
2. Judgement usually linked with the future happens in the present when some accept or reject Jesus (Luke 10:16)

Question 9

What are the criticisms of Dodd?

PRESENT

Answer 9

• All interpretations assume realised eschatology is correct
• The ‘futuristic’ passages had more to do with the eschatology of the early church than Jesus’ own teachings

Question 10

Who was Albert Schweitzer?

FUTURE

Answer 10

A French/ German theologian who challenged liberal’s theology’s view of Jesus as just a moral teacher, he concluded that Jesus’ life and teachings needed to be seen within historical context of Jewish eschatology at the time

Question 11

What did Schweitzer believe about Jesus?

Answer 11

• Saw his teachings as central and the Parousia was imminent, believed that Jesus saw himself as the Son of Man who would bring about the Kingdom of God:
• first through his ministry and that of the disciples
• The, when this did not happen, through his suffering and death
• Consistent eschatology: all Jesus’ teachings were pointing to one time, an imminent future

Question 12

Why do most scholars reject Schweitzer’s consistent eschatology?

FUTURE

Answer 12

• His theory is dependent on the Gospel’s content being chronological
• Jesus’ death is seen as a failure
• It ignores the early church’s view that God intervened through the resurrection and Jesus’ death made salvation possible

Question 13

Who is Oscar Cullmann?

Answer 13

A lutherean new test scholar, who proposed a third position of the Kingdom of God against Dodd and Schweitzer- redemptive history (God’s saving acts from creation to present)

Question 14

What does inaugarated eschatology suggest?

PRESENT AND FUTURE

Answer 14

• The kingdom came into being through Jesus’ life
• But will be completed in the future

Question 15

What is Cullmann’s analogy for inaugarated eschatology?

Answer 15

• Even though D-day saw a decisive battle, the war was not won until VE day
• Jesus’ death and resurrection were compared to D-day and the future Parousia to VE day

Question 16

What was Marshall’s conclusion?

PRESENT AND FUTURE

Answer 16

The kingdom of God is present and a future reality:
- It was present in the ministry of Jesus; Jesus offers salvation to all.
- Jesus speaks of the future Parousia, a time when Son of Man will come (Luke 21:5-28) and arrive when least expected (Luke 12:40)

Question 17

Through his parables, what did Jesus mean by Kingdom of God?

Answer 17

Conflicting ideas are:
- Jesus refers to it ‘in your midst’ (17:21), referring to himself
- Yet in the parable of the sower (8:1-15) the kingdom is seen as what makes changes in people’s lives

Question 18

Did Jesus teach about a present or future kingdom?

Answer 18

This is down to interpretation, depending on the view of eschatology taken

Question 19

How did Jesus teach about the Kingdom of God?

Answer 19

• Parables- some refer explicitly to rhw kingdom of God; others it is more hidden
• Other teachings- references to the kingdom are made, often in response to questions
• Miracles can be seen as eschatological statements, which announce the arrival of the kingdom and reveal something of its nature
• Events in Jesus’ life are linked to the kingdom, for example his arrival in Jerusalem

Question 20

What is the meaning and theological significance of the Parable of the sower (Luke 8:1-15)?

Answer 20

• Deals with the question of why all those that hear the message do not act upon it
• The disciples have an inside knowledge; the kingdom is secretly realised in the person of Jesus. It is present now.
• Knowing about the kingdom depends on seeing beyond the superficial, just as in Isaiah 6:9; the kingdom is not immediately seen, it requires faith.
• Conzelmann suggests that it is just the message that is present; the kingdom would come in the imminent future

Question 21

Why is the parable of the sower important for early believers?

Answer 21

• Warns us against dangers like initial enthusiasm and obsession with possessions
• Teaches us what is required whilst waiting for the delayed Parousia

Question 22

What is the meaning and theological significance of Jesus and Beelzebul and the sign of Jonah? (luke 11:14-32)

Answer 22

• The people do not see that the kingdom is among them
• The ‘finger of God’ echoes the account of the exodus- the Egyptian magicians, not the israelites, recognise the actions of Moses as the ‘finger of God’. Jesus is asking his audience if history is repeating itself
• Realised eschatology is seen in verse 11:20 ‘The kingdom of God has come upon you”. Jesus driving out demons is a sign that the kingdom of God is present
• in 11:21-23 the people are challenged to see the signs of the kingdom in Jesus- the 2 signs of the messianic age were mastery of evil and gathering in the people of God
• Jesus reproaches the people for not realising the kingdom is present noe. He uses 2 old test examples to make his point: Jesus is greater than Jonah and Soloman
• ‘The sign of Jonah’- Jesus is a sign, like Jonah was to the Ninevites

Question 23

Why is the Jesus and Beelzebul and the sign of Jonah significant to early believers?

Answer 23

• The early church would have seen itself as the ‘church’ under attack (11:21-22), and needing to continue the fight against Beelzebul
• The teachings fit in with Luke’s savation history- the church belongs to the third age, and they gather to resist sin
• In the ‘sign of Jonah’ redaction critics suggest that Luke removed the reference to the crucifixion and ressurection found in Matthew 12:40, removing the idea that the end had started

Question 24

What is the meaning and theological significance of the narrow door? (Luke 13:22-30)

Answer 24

• The question Jesus deals with is whether manyor few will be saved. His reply indicates that it is pointless to speculate; it draws attention away from the kingdom of God being present
• The parable is apocolyptic: God is the owner of the house, the door is the way to salvation, and the people knocking are awaiting judgement
• Jews don’t have automatic right to enter the kingdom: they need to respond to Jesus, if they don’t ‘the door’ will close, and if the door closes they miss their oppurtunity to join the kingdom

Question 25

Why is **'the narrow door'** significant for early believers?

Answer 25

* Parable reflects the confused beliefs about the kingdom in the early church: the first believers probably thought they had automatic entry, Dodd suggests that the presence of the kingdom was a gift for the poor (6:20) and those considered least (13:30) according to Jewish beliefs would not have qualified for entry to the kingdom * Unclear when the 'door' will shut

Question 26

What is the meaning and theological significance of **'the parable of the great banquet'**? (luke 14:15-24)

Answer 26

* Parable appears to be directed at the Pharisees' expectation that they already have an invite to the Kingdom * Uses imagery of the Jewish custom of a servant summoning the guest to the banquet: God is calling Israel to the messianic banquet through Jesus his servant, and the Jews are finding excuses as to why they can't come- they don't hear the servants message. The master (God) tells the servant (Jesus) to invite the outcasts of Israel * Israel has excluded itself from being part of the kingdom of God

Question 27

Why is the **'parable of the great banquet'** important for early believers?

Answer 27

* The church should welcome outcasts like God does- no one is excluded from the kingdom unless by their own choice * When compared to Matthew's version of the parable all the apocolyptic element have been removed. Showing the parousia is delayed, the invitation to the banquet is more of a reward and it fits in with the third stage of salvation history

Question 28

What is the meaning and theological significance of **'The coming of the kingdom of God'**? (luke 17:20-37)

Answer 28

* The kingdom of God is in your midst and that it is either: a prophecy how the kingdom will come with no warning, a spiritual state within a person now, or a present reality in the person of Jesus * 'The son of Man in his day' and 'first he may suffer many things' suggests: the second coming of Jesus was a future event and Jesus believed he needed to die before the kingdom would come * Jesus warns the kingdom will take people by surprise: it's like lightning (17:24), and there will be no time to react * when the kingdom comes it should be met with urgency (17:30-33)

Question 29

Why is **'The coming of the kingdom of God'** important to early believers?

Answer 29

* The early church thought the Parousia was imminent * Form critics suggests this passage was taken from an earlier collection of sayings about the coming of the Kingdom * People are encourgaed to live their life as if the Parousia could happen at any time and not to be complacent

Question 30

What is the meaning and theological significance of **'The rich and the kingdom of God'**? (luke 18:18-30)

Answer 30

* theme of salvation is prominent in Luke; it is through Jesus that those seeking the kingdom find salvation and eternal life * in reply to 'what must i do to inherit eternal life?' Jesus warns about the dangers of wealth, that worldly possessions staind in the way of faith and that it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom * The rich at as a contrast to the children, the childlike traits of trust and openness are required to be part of the kingdom, the request to sell everything was a test of his trust in Jesus, and wealth is not the issue but the unwillingness to part with it

Question 31

Why is **'the rich and the kingdom of God'** important to early believers?

Answer 31

* Jesus' reply would be reassuring to early christians, as they contributed all they had to the communal purse on becoming part of the early church * In response to the delayed Parousia, the early church began to see the 'age to come' to mean eternal life

Question 32

What is the meaning and theological significance of **'the parable of the 10 minas'**? (Luke 19:11-27)

Answer 32

* Jesus' death was imminent: it was expected at this Passove Jesus would establish his kingdom, the parable is told to address their false hope * Dodd observes the parable addresses the concern about the delayed Parousia as the nobleman: it takes him a long journey to a distant land, makes himself king, and then returns to take account of the servant's actions * If an allegorical interpretation is taken, the return of the master as king signifies the second coming of Christ who will judge his people- the focus is the third servant who expects to be praised but is condemned as he has betrayed the trust of his master, ecouraging the listeners of Jesus to make good use of 'the message' of the kingdom in the absence of their master Jesus

Question 33

Why is **'the parable of the 10 minas'** important to early believers?

Answer 33

* Luke may have included this parable and put his twist on it to address the early church's concern that the Parousia, believed to be imminent, had not happened * The early believers are living through the 'time of Jesus' absence' but they still need to show a commitment to the Christian life, as when Jesus returns they will be judged on how they have used the gift of the Christian message.