The Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew

Summary: The Gospel of Matthew presents the Messianic Kingdom to the Jewish people. In this book, there are teachings about the Messianic Kingdom that will be established on earth.

Call to action: By His grace, let us learn to live out the Kingdom of Heaven on earth now, in our daily lives, day by day.

Our theme this time is the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel of Matthew. This brief writing does not intend to interpret the book of Matthew verse by verse, but only to discuss the theme of the ‘kingdom of heaven’ found in this book. Indeed, Matthew is the gospel for Christians of Jewish background, in which its main theme is the kingdom of heaven. In fact, the central theme of the books in the New Testament is the kingdom of heaven, because Jesus and His apostles proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the subject of the kingdom of heaven is very important for us to understand together.

Unfortunately, within Christianity the expression “believe in Jesus and go to heaven” has become commonly accepted, where “heaven” is usually understood as a certain geographical place somewhere in the universe. It is also taught that Christians will be raptured when the Lord Jesus returns, although not all Christians hold this teaching. Through this brief writing, we will attempt to understand what Jesus and His apostles actually proclaimed regarding the kingdom of heaven.

Let us begin with the genealogy of Jesus Christ written in Matthew 1:1–17. We will not discuss this genealogy in detail, but we will observe a kind of conclusion found in verse 17: “So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the exile to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.”

If we count these sets of fourteen generations, we find that from Abraham (1) to David (14), then from Solomon (1) to Jeconiah (14), and next from Shealtiel (1) to Jesus we only find (13), meaning the fourteenth is Christ. Verse 16 says: “and Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Thus, Jesus (13) “begot” Christ (14). What does this mean?

In Paul’s letters, the term ‘Christ’ does not only mean ‘the Anointed One’ (Greek: Christos = the anointed), but carries several meanings we should see. First, Christ is corporate in nature (1 Corinthians 12:12). This means Christ is a body composed of the Head (Jesus) and the Body (the church). Second, Christ is the kingdom (Ephesians 5:5). Third, Christ is our life (Galatians 2:20). Fourth, Christ is within our inner being (Colossians 1:27). Therefore, the kingdom of Christ is within our inner being, and it is our hope of the glory of God (Colossians 1:27).

After understanding the meaning of Christ, what does it mean that Jesus “begot” Christ? Consider Isaiah 53:10: “…If he would place his soul as a guilt offering, he will see his seed; he will prolong his days…” (ILT). This verse is a prophecy of the Messiah as a guilt offering. After the Messiah offers Himself as a guilt offering, He will “see His seed” and prolong His days. The Hebrew word for ‘seed’ is ‘zera’, which means offspring. Thus, through His death and resurrection, Jesus has ‘offspring’, which is Christ, and through Christ He prolongs His days on earth.

Jesus once said that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Jesus also told His disciples that they would do greater works than He did. Furthermore, Jesus said to Pilate that His coming into the world was to establish His kingdom on earth (John 18:37). If we understand these statements, then we see that Jesus as King prolongs His days on earth through Christ, who is His ‘offspring’. The kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth through Christ, the offspring of Jesus. And the kingdom of Christ will accomplish even greater works on the earth.

Let us continue our discussion on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew by looking at the Magi from the East. Matthew 2:2 says, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” The Magi from the East had received a vision concerning the ‘star’ of Christ, as it is written: “…a star shall come out of Jacob, a scepter shall rise out of Israel…” (Numbers 24:17). By the grace of God, the Magi saw the “star” of Christ, but they assumed that the King of the Jews must be born in Jerusalem, the city chosen by Yahweh for Israel to establish His Name.

When the Magi inquired, the chief priests and scribes confirmed from Scripture that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, according to the prophecy of Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… from you One shall come forth for Me who will rule over Israel…” (Micah 5:2). After hearing the scriptural prophecy, the Magi went to Bethlehem to worship Him.

Here we observe an interesting fact. The Magi received a vision regarding the “star” of Christ, but that alone was not enough for them to know where the King would be born. They still needed the guidance of Scripture. Conversely, the chief priests and scribes knew exactly from Scripture that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, yet they did not come to worship Him. Why?

The answer is in Matthew 22:29: “And answering, JESUS said to them, You are mistaken, because you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God” (ILT). The Magi, by God’s grace and power, were ready to worship the newborn King, but they were misled in Jerusalem because they did not know the Jewish Scriptures. Conversely, the chief priests and scribes knew the Scriptures, but they refused to worship Him because their hearts had not experienced the power of God.

The Magi then offered gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). Gold symbolizes the divine nature. The aroma of frankincense symbolizes resurrection. Myrrh symbolizes suffering and death. The gifts of the Magi portray the journey of Jesus’ life, who possesses the divine nature and through His suffering, death, and resurrection is seated at the right hand of the Father.

From this brief description, we learn that to worship Jesus, the King, one needs not only knowledge of Scripture but also the transforming power of God in the heart day by day. Scriptural knowledge has its place, but we must not think that knowing Scripture alone enables a person to worship Him or enter His kingdom. Christians need to study the Scriptures well, but they also need grace to experience the power of God in their inner being day by day. Only after understanding Scripture and experiencing God’s power can someone worship Him and enter His kingdom.

Now let us reflect on the phrase that appears frequently in Matthew’s Gospel: “so that what was written might be fulfilled.” The Greek term ‘pleroo’ (verb), translated ‘to fulfill’, appears 86 times in the New Testament. In Matthew, similar expressions appear about 13 times; in Mark, once; in Luke, twice; and in John, six times. Matthew uses this phrase more often because his gospel is addressed to the Jews. The Jewish people needed to understand that the coming of Jesus and His proclamation of the kingdom of heaven (the Messianic kingdom) was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

All Old Testament prophecies indeed focus on Jesus and His kingdom, but we will look at only a few, especially those in Matthew. First, Matthew 4:15–16: “…Galilee… the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great Light, and upon those dwelling in the land of the shadow of death, Light has dawned.” Jesus began proclaiming His kingdom in Galilee to fulfill this prophecy. The prophecy emphasizes that the region was overshadowed by “death” (Greek: ‘thanatos’ = physical and spiritual death). Thanatos is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). The proclamation of Jesus’ kingdom will defeat death, just as light overcomes darkness.

Many Christians think that the Messianic kingdom, as the kingdom of Light, defeats the kingdom of darkness only partially and not completely. It is as if the kingdom of Light and the kingdom of Darkness must always coexist. But consider the prophecy of Isaiah 9:7 concerning the Messianic kingdom: “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon His kingdom…” (ILT). The kingdom of the Messiah, as the kingdom of Light, will never cease its advance over darkness, just as physical light, traveling at nearly 300,000 km/second, continually eliminates darkness. That is why Scripture affirms that in the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more ‘death’ (thanatos—Revelation 21:4). The victory of the Messianic kingdom over the kingdom of darkness is absolute, complete, and final. His chosen people must proclaim this absolute victory.

Second, Matthew 21:5: “Tell the daughter of Zion: Behold, your King is coming to you, meek and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” At first glance, Jesus riding a donkey may seem insignificant. But in the Old Testament, horses symbolize the “strength trusted in by man,” and God disapproves of this (Isaiah 30:16; 31:1). Meanwhile, a donkey is a slow-moving animal, yet God has His own timing for every step. Every citizen of the Messianic kingdom must learn God’s timing in all things. The advancement of the Messianic kingdom cannot be forced according to our desires. His chosen people must grow in the meekness of Christ and therefore understand God’s timing. These are some examples of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messianic kingdom that Jesus fulfilled.

Now we turn to Matthew 3 concerning John the Baptist: “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” (Matthew 3:1–2). Compare John’s proclamation with Mark 1:1,4: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God… John… preached…” Clearly, the beginning of the gospel—the good news—of the kingdom of heaven was proclaimed by John the Baptist.

But John the Baptist himself was not ‘in’ the kingdom of heaven. Jesus makes this clear in Luke 16:16: “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone is forcing his way into it” (ILT). Likewise, Matthew 11:11 states: “…Truly, among those born of women there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Let us observe some facts about John the Baptist. First, the proclamation of the kingdom of heaven began with John the Baptist. Second, John himself was not in the kingdom of heaven. What does this mean? We must clearly distinguish between the SOVEREIGNTY of God and the GOVERNMENT of God. God is sovereign, meaning He determines all things—even the fall of a sparrow does not happen apart from the Father’s will (Matthew 10:29). But the government of God proclaimed by Jesus is not something that previously existed. The government of God proclaimed by Jesus is the kingdom of heaven within the human inner being. “The kingdom of God is within you.” We will discuss this later. God sovereignly determines all things OUTSIDE of man, but He governs and arranges all things THROUGH and WITHIN man.

John the Baptist was not in the kingdom of heaven because he only proclaimed the WORD concerning the kingdom of heaven. All prophets before John proclaimed the word of God. But Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of heaven, and then died, rose, ascended, and sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the human inner being to govern man and through man govern all things. John the Baptist was “greater” than all previous holy men who proclaimed God’s word. But the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Third, John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus, so he began his ministry at about age thirty. He ministered perhaps only one to two years before being imprisoned and beheaded. Yet his preparation as the one who would prepare the way for the Lord likely took about thirty years. John was prepared by the Father in the wilderness like an “ascetic.” John did not grow up like other Jewish children, who from an early age learned the Torah in the synagogues from the rabbis. Yet clearly John had fellowship with the heavenly Father. This fact is worth reflecting on.

Let us apply this to our context today. In Christianity, generally, anyone who wishes to serve “full-time” must go through formal theological schools. We are not against theological schools, but Christianity has indeed become a religion. And as a religion, Christianity is filled with rules established by man. Strangely, the teaching of the kingdom of heaven in Christianity is generally summarized as: “believe in Jesus, go to heaven,” meaning to be evacuated to “a beautiful place far away” called the Father’s House. As we shall see later, neither the Gospel of Matthew nor the books of the New Testament proclaim such a thing.

Continuing our discussion of John the Baptist, let us examine the message he preached. Matthew 3:1–2 says, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” We know that John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord. More precisely, John “made straight the path” so that the kingdom of heaven could arrive, for it was already very near.

John made straight the path for the kingdom of heaven by calling the Jewish people to repent. The Greek verb translated ‘repent’ is ‘metanoeo’, meaning ‘to change the mind’ or ‘to change one’s concept’, particularly regarding the acceptance of God’s will. A person must change his mind or concept in order to receive God’s will, or to receive the kingdom of heaven.

The change of mind here concerns not only evil behavior but also religious behavior. Let us reflect carefully on this. John the Baptist and Jesus both preached the good news (gospel) of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven was not something previously proclaimed. The good news of the kingdom of heaven was something extremely radical, and the Jewish people had never heard of this before. Although the Old Testament prophetically spoke of the Messiah and His kingdom, in reality they did not understand it.

The kingdom of heaven that will be manifested is the governance of Elohim within the human inner being. The way of worship of those who receive the kingdom of heaven within their inner being is not the same as the worship practices of the Jewish religion (Judaism). The Jewish people had to radically change their thoughts and concepts, especially their religious concepts, in order to receive the kingdom of heaven. Worship within those who receive the kingdom of heaven is worship in spirit and in reality. Jesus emphasized to the Samaritan woman that worship is not about this ritual or that ritual, not about this place or that place. Worship is a matter of the heart that obeys the governance of Elohim within.

It was not easy for the Jewish people to receive the kingdom of heaven, especially their religious leaders. They thought that the Messiah was the son of David, and therefore the Messianic kingdom must be a physical kingdom like that of David. The Messianic kingdom, in their view, had to deliver Israel from their physical enemies, and in that era, those enemies were the Roman Empire. Meanwhile, the kingdom of heaven that was about to come was a kingdom from the heavenly dimension. The kingdom of heaven would liberate humanity from the slavery of sin and the slavery of destruction. That is why the Jewish people needed to repent not only from evil behavior, but also from their religious behavior.

When the Jewish religious leaders came to John the Baptist, John rebuked them sharply, saying, “…You brood of vipers… therefore bear fruit worthy of repentance. And do not think that you can say within yourselves: ‘We have Abraham as our father…’” (Matthew 3:7–9). Notice here that John did not point to certain specific sins of these religious leaders, but rather to their ‘religious pride’—their pride as Yahweh’s chosen people for having Abraham as their father. We will later see that the coming of the kingdom of heaven would end the dispensation of the Law of Moses with all its rituals. In 70 A.D., the Temple was destroyed, and practically all Jewish religious rituals ceased. If the Jewish religious leaders were willing to change their religious concepts, only then could they receive the kingdom of heaven. That is why they needed to repent.

Today, the Christian world has also become a religion with its own rituals and rules. A person who receives the kingdom of heaven within and follows the governance of Elohim inside cannot

fit into the present Christian system. Religious leaders in the Christian world must also repent in order to worship according to the governance of Elohim within.

We now move on to discuss Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. Matthew 3:13–15 states, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him… But in response Jesus said to him, Permit it now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness…” (ILT). We must remember that John’s baptism was a baptism with water ‘unto repentance’ (Matthew 3:11). And we have emphasized that repentance means a change of thought and concept—not only regarding evil behavior but also religious behavior.

The reason Jesus was baptized by John was ‘to fulfill all righteousness’. Surely Jesus was not baptized because He had sinned. But at least two important matters must be considered here. First, Jesus was baptized as a sign of ‘identification’. Jesus, as the Lamb who would become the atoning sacrifice, had to identify Himself—becoming ‘the same’ as sinners—in order to die on behalf of sinful humanity. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “For He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of Elohim in Him” (ILT).

Second, Jesus was baptized by John in His ‘identification as a Jew’ who needed to undergo the process of ‘changing religious thinking’. The salvation program of Elohim was moving forward. Hebrews 8:13 states, “In that He says, ‘a new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” About ten years after the writing of Hebrews, the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed. The Old Covenant with all its rituals could no longer be practiced. And God’s salvation program for the Jewish people and the nations would now be ‘in and through the New Covenant’. Jesus prophesied the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, and He never prophesied the building of a third Temple. All the Jewish people had to undergo a ‘change of mind’ (repentance) from their religion (Judaism) in order to receive the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus identified Himself with them by being baptized by John.

Since the early church fractured into tens of thousands of denominations, there has been a ‘decline’ in the church. The church no longer fully preserves the New Covenant. The Christian world, with all its ‘mixed rituals’—organizational rules, Old Testament rules such as tithing, firstfruits, and others, as well as rules imposed by leaders—has become a kind of ‘new religion’. This ‘new religion’ is not Judaism, nor is it Christianity in the sense of ‘following Christ wherever He goes’ (Revelation 14:4). Rather, it is the religion ‘called Christianity’. Jesus did not come to establish any religion, including the Christian religion; He came so that we may receive ‘Life (zoe)’, and so that our daily living would be governed by the Life of Christ. We live as the organism of Christ, His Body, and there is no authority other than the authority of the Life of Christ governing the Body. The authority in the Christian world is a mixed authority—the Life of Christ plus the authority of leaders who draw God’s people to themselves and build their own kingdoms, i.e., denominations. If someone receives grace and is appointed by the Father to receive the Kingdom—as stated in Luke 12:32, “Do not fear, little flock! For your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom”—then we will repent and leave behind the religious behaviors found in the Christian world.

We continue by looking at what happened to Jesus after He was baptized by John the Baptist. Matthew 3:17 states, “And behold, a voice from heaven said: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Here we see that the Father in heaven was already pleased with Jesus ‘before’ He began His ministry. For about 30 years of Jesus’ life, the Father was already pleased with Him. A person does not need to be visibly performing “religious activities” in order to be pleasing to the Father. If our daily life is led by Christ within, then we are pleasing to the Father. Once again we observe that religious activities themselves do not automatically please the Father.

Next, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4:1–11). We will not examine the temptations in detail, but we will observe how Jesus faced them. The first and second temptations invited Jesus to “act independently” as the Son of Elohim to meet His own needs. But Jesus rejected these temptations by saying, ‘It is written’. Jesus, as the Son of Man, depended entirely on the Father. In the third temptation, the Devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory if He would worship him. Jesus again rejected it with, ‘It is written’. Here we clearly see that Jesus depended fully on the Father. Jesus would not act based on His own initiative or His own will. The Father sent Jesus as the Son of Man to redeem humanity, and as a human being, He depended completely on the Father.

This is different from the temptation of Adam and Eve in Eden. Adam and Eve acted independently to gain the knowledge of good and evil. Before the Devil tempted them, they knew nothing about good and evil. They depended entirely on the Father in determining what was good or evil. If the Father said something was good, they said it was good; if the Father said something was evil, they agreed it was evil. Their fall, at its essence, was ‘deciding for themselves what is good and what is evil’.

In truth, the Christian world has become a religion—the Christian religion. Through the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, Christianity—which was originally an organism governed directly by the Life of Christ—has been transformed into a religious world (a ‘kosmos’). And essentially, the Christian world, through its leaders, has determined for itself what is good and what is evil. Every denomination has its own concepts of good and evil according to its leaders. Certainly, each leader will say, ‘it is written’. But at His coming, Jesus will speak plainly and will judge the Christian world so that we may all know the truth—what is right and what is wrong according to Jesus.

After being tempted by the Devil, Jesus began proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 4:17 states, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near.” The Greek term ‘eggizo’, translated ‘has drawn near’, actually means ‘an action begun in the past whose effect continues until now’. This means the kingdom of heaven has arrived, and does not need to be awaited in the future. The essence of Jesus’ message is: God’s time has come—now. His Kingdom has now arrived and has broken into the world where humanity lives.

Luke 17:21 states, “Neither will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst” (LAI). The Greek term ‘entos’, translated ‘in your midst’, actually means ‘within’. So the kingdom of heaven is truly ‘within’ you. The kingdom of heaven is a kingdom from the heavenly dimension; it has already come and is within the human inner being. A person must repent from sins and from religious practices, and believe in Jesus, in order to enter the kingdom of heaven and experience the power of its presence within.

Jesus came into the world proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Note Matthew 4:23, “And Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and weakness among the people” (LAI). Jesus did not preach any other gospel except the gospel (the good news) of the kingdom of heaven. Observe the sequence: first, teaching; second, proclaiming; and then demonstrating the power of that kingdom by removing diseases and weaknesses.

The first step Jesus took was to teach about the good news of the kingdom of heaven, then to proclaim the kingdom. One teacher explained the difference between teaching and proclaiming in this way: Teaching is always orderly and systematic. Someone who teaches the kingdom of heaven must explain the what, why, and how of the kingdom. But proclaiming the kingdom is like making a declaration—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near!” This is the proclamation of the kingdom. After the kingdom is taught and proclaimed, then its power is demonstrated.

In the Christian world people often say, “What matters is that the gospel is preached.” But do we realize that the phrase ‘preaching the gospel’ is incomplete? The question is: ‘Which’ gospel? There are many ‘good news’ messages in the world. But Jesus and His apostles proclaimed only ‘one’ good news—the good news of the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus taught, proclaimed, and demonstrated it.

Today, as the people of the Kingdom, we must teach the good news of the kingdom of heaven, according to the gifts/talents God has given us. We must also proclaim it. And finally, we must demonstrate the power of the kingdom of heaven in our daily lives. Jesus promised, “You will do greater works than these.” We believe that when the sons of Elohim are manifested on earth in glorified bodies, we will perform greater works, according to the promise of the Lord Jesus.

We have seen that the kingdom of heaven has already come to Earth. Jesus is the beginning of the kingdom’s manifestation on Earth. In fact, Jesus is the kingdom of heaven on Earth—Jesus is the governance of Elohim dwelling within humanity. When Jesus came 2,000 years ago, the kingdom of heaven arrived on Earth. Jesus stated that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces many fruits. Through His death, resurrection, and ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the 120 disciples. These are the ‘many fruits’ Jesus spoke of, for He died, rose, and ascended to the Father.

Next, we will discuss Matthew chapters 5–7, commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. Of course, we will not discuss them verse by verse. But before we begin, let us observe Matthew 5:1–2: “Seeing the crowds, He went up the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to speak and teach them, saying…” The term ‘them’ in this verse refers to ‘His disciples’. Jesus was not speaking to ‘the crowds’. It even appears that Jesus avoided the crowds by going up the mountain. Although eventually the crowds listened and were astonished at His teaching (Matthew 7:28), it is clear that the Sermon on the Mount was not addressed to the crowds. Why?

In the Gospels, Jesus’ followers are of various kinds. There were ‘the crowds’, His ‘disciples’, and also the ‘apostles’. Even among the apostles, there were three—Peter, James, and John—whom Jesus brought along in certain situations.

Consider the account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in John 6. These crowds eventually sought after Jesus (John 6:1–27). We must understand that they followed Jesus because “…they saw the miracles of healing He performed on the sick” (v. 2). Even so, Jesus still blessed the crowds by giving them bread. But when these crowds who had eaten the miraculous bread returned to look for Jesus, He rebuked them, telling them to work for the food that does not perish—the ‘bread of life’ that He would give them (vv. 26–27). So we see that the ‘crowd’ were followers of Jesus, but they followed Him because of miracles and physical bread. Jesus still blessed them, but He also rebuked them.

Returning to the Sermon on the Mount: the Sermon on the Mount is teaching about the kingdom of heaven addressed specifically to Jesus’ disciples. This does not mean that Jesus did not bless the crowds who followed Him, but the teaching of the kingdom of heaven was not intended for the ‘crowds’.

In the Christian world, there are also ‘crowds’ and also the Lord’s disciples. The crowds in the Christian world seek Jesus for physical bread and miracles. Once again, Jesus still blesses the crowds, but the teaching of the kingdom of heaven is not for the ‘crowds’ of the Christian world. That is why, in the Christian world, there are many are called, but few are chosen. Everything depends on the Father’s sovereignty in giving the ‘kingdom’ to whomever He pleases (Luke 12:32).

Let us return to reflect on Matthew 5–7, where we have seen that the Sermon on the Mount is specifically addressed to Jesus’ disciples. This sermon is Jesus’ teaching concerning the kingdom of heaven. We will see later that Jesus repeatedly contrasts His teaching with Judaism, which is, of course, based on the Law of Moses. We may call Jesus’ teaching on this mountain the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. We refer to the Sermon on the Mount as the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven because in Matthew 7:21–23 there are people who violate the Law of the Kingdom. Notice the Greek term ‘anomia’ in verse 23, which means ‘lawlessness’ or ‘violation of law’. Thus, Matthew 5–7 contains Jesus’ teaching on the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. Perhaps we could title the Sermon on the Mount as “The Law of Moses and the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

However, we must be very clear in distinguishing the Law of Moses from the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. Galatians 3:23–25 states, “Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”

How can the Law of Moses lead someone to Christ? The Law functions to make a person aware of sin. Notice Romans 7:7: “…Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law…” If, by God’s grace, someone becomes aware of his sin and realizes that he cannot fulfill God’s law, he will come to Christ to be justified by faith. Thus, the Law serves as a tutor leading a person to Christ. The Law of the Kingdom of Heaven taught by Jesus in Matthew 5–7 does not function like the Law of Moses, which exposes sin. Rather, by understanding the Law of the Kingdom, a person will live by faith and depend entirely on God’s grace.

Here is another way to distinguish the Law of Moses from the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. When Jesus came and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom, He opened a new dispensation, which we may call the dispensation of the kingdom of heaven. The old dispensation—the dispensation of the Law—lasted until the time of John the Baptist (Luke 16:16). Although John the Baptist also proclaimed the kingdom of heaven as a forerunner, he himself lived and ministered within the dispensation of the Law and the Prophets. Therefore, when Jesus taught the Law of the Kingdom, it had nothing to do with the dispensation of the Law of Moses. This does not mean that the Law of Moses was violated; rather, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law, and now the dispensation of the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived.

Some prefer to call this new dispensation the dispensation of ‘grace’ or the dispensation of the ‘church’. This is acceptable as long as we have a proper understanding of the kingdom of heaven. Indeed, the kingdom of heaven HAS come in the person of the Lord Jesus, IS COMING because wherever two or three gather in His name He is present, and WILL COME in fullness when the sons of God are manifested on earth in glorified bodies (Romans 8:19–21). Thus, the kingdom has already come to earth, is continually coming, and will be fully manifested on earth when the Lord Jesus comes ‘the second time’

We continue discussing the ‘Law of the Kingdom of Heaven’ taught by Jesus in Matthew 5–7. We have emphasized that the Law of the Kingdom is directed specifically to Jesus’ disciples. Let us compare the Law of the Kingdom with what Paul states in 1 Corinthians 9:21: “To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.” Paul clearly states here that he lives under ‘the law of Christ’.

The term ‘Christ’ (‘Christos’) appears 529 times in the New Testament, meaning ‘Messiah’ or ‘the Anointed One’. Matthew uses the term ‘the Christ’ with the definite article to prove that Jesus is the expected Messiah (Matthew 2:4). The Jewish readers of Matthew’s Gospel understood this well. Paul’s writings are filled with the term ‘Christ’ used as a name, as in Romans 5:6; 1 Corinthians 1:6, 13, 17; Ephesians 2:5; Philippians 1:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:5; 1 Timothy 5:11. And Paul frequently uses the expression ‘in Christ’ to describe the believer’s relationship with the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3–14; Philippians 3:8–9). When Paul uses the term ‘Christ’, it carries several meanings. Let us observe a few of them so we may better understand the expression ‘living under the law of Christ’.

First, Christ is the kingdom. Ephesians 5:5 says, “…has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ…”

Second, Christ is our life. Philippians 1:21 states, “For to me, to live is Christ…” Colossians 3:4 affirms, “When Christ, who is your life…”

Third, Christ is the Spirit. Romans 8:9 states, “…And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”

Fourth, Christ is within us. Colossians 1:27 states, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Considering these meanings of ‘Christ’ as used by Paul, we can understand that living under the law of Christ is nothing other than living under the law of the kingdom of heaven. But this law of Christ is within us as our Life (‘zoe’). As ‘zoe’ grows within us, our understanding of the law of Christ grows. Thus, day by day, we increasingly live under the law of Christ.

The Law of the Kingdom of Heaven taught by Jesus in Matthew 5–7 is not carried out by our own ability, but by the law of Christ within us. We cannot possibly obey the Law of the Kingdom written in Matthew 5–7. But as the law of Christ grows within us, we become increasingly enabled to fulfill the Law of the Kingdom. It is not we who perform the Law of the Kingdom, but Christ in us.

Therefore, the disciples of Jesus who live out the Law of the Kingdom in Matthew 5–7 are not like the Jews living under the Law of Moses. Jesus’ disciples are not under the Law, but under grace. Jesus taught the Law of the Kingdom to His disciples, but Christ within us fulfills it.

Let us continue our discussion of the ‘Law of the Kingdom’ in Matthew 5–7. We have seen that the Law of the Kingdom is identical to the law of Christ within us. And as the life of Christ (‘zoe’) grows within us, we increasingly live under the law of Christ or the law of the Kingdom. We need not fear or try to escape the demands of the Law of the Kingdom in Matthew 5–7, nor attempt to ‘lower the standard’ of its demands. For these demands are fulfilled by Christ within us.

Let us take one example of these demands in Matthew 5:48: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Notice this demand: “you must be perfect,” and the level of perfection required is ‘as’ the Father’s perfection. We should not immediately think that such perfection is impossible. Certainly, it cannot be attained as long as we live in this body, even with the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul states that he feels ‘absent’ from the Lord while in the body (2 Corinthians 5:6). In Philippians 3:12 Paul also says, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on…” Paul means that he presses on to know Him, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, to be conformed to His death, and thus attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:10–11).

Nevertheless, Paul writes that a person may be saved because righteousness is credited to him through faith. By God’s grace, we BECOME the righteousness of God. Not only do we become God’s righteousness, but we also become the Father’s PERFECTION through faith. Thus, legally—or ‘de jure’—we have ALREADY attained the Father’s perfection. But experientially—or ‘de facto’—we are in the process of arriving there. If so, who is responsible for bringing us to the Father’s perfection ‘experientially’?

Notice Luke 12:32: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” It is emphasized here that inheriting the kingdom is a matter of whether the Father is pleased to give it—not of human effort. If so, who is responsible for making the ‘little flock’ receive the kingdom? Or who is responsible for bringing the ‘little flock’ to the Father’s perfection? Of course, it is the Father in heaven who is responsible for enabling the ‘little flock’ to fulfill the requirements of the kingdom—that is, to be perfect as the Father is perfect.

The requirement of salvation—or of receiving the kingdom—is the Father’s responsibility, not ours. Certainly, we are trained and disciplined by the Father so that we may be worthy of the kingdom. But this remains the Father’s matter. This does not mean that we do not actively work out our salvation, as Philippians 2:12–13 says, but the responsibility for granting the kingdom lies with the Father.

In the Christian world, religious leaders commonly ‘demand’ God’s people to do this or that in order to enter heaven—give tithes or firstfruits or ‘faith pledges’, attend certain buildings regularly, and so on. Such religious demands are not the demands found in the Law of the Kingdom or the Law of Christ. These religious requirements enslave God’s people, although we may understand why religious leaders impose them. But citizens of the kingdom cannot be enslaved by such religious demands.

We continue discussing the Law of the Kingdom in Matthew 5–7. We have emphasized that it is God who demands, but also God who fulfills the demands within and through us. The demands of the Law of the Kingdom cannot be met by us. Yet by His grace we are empowered to fulfill them in His time and way. We will not discuss every point in Matthew 5–7. At this time we will discuss the nine beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3–12. Let us examine these nine statements briefly.

First, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (v. 3). The original text says “poor in spirit,” meaning those who have no desire to be rich.

Second, blessed are those who mourn—those who feel sorrow over the condition of the world where injustice exists, where God’s word is rejected, and where the Lord Jesus is rejected. These cause grief in the hearts of the kingdom people.

Third, blessed are the meek—those who do not resist and can bear pressure.

Fourth, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Righteousness here refers to right behavior. This verse does not say, “Blessed are the righteous,” because no one can claim perfectly righteous behavior. But those who long for righteous behavior will be satisfied.

Fifth, blessed are the merciful—those who give something to those who do not deserve it.

Sixth, blessed are the pure in heart. The original text says “those whose heart is pure,” meaning those with a single purpose—to do the Father’s will and glorify His name.

Seventh, blessed are the peacemakers. The Father reconciled the world to Himself through Christ’s sacrifice. Blessed are those who bring this message of peace to the world.

Eighth, blessed are those persecuted for righteousness’ sake. This refers to the past—saints in the Old Testament persecuted for righteousness will inherit the kingdom.

Ninth, the final beatitude addresses New Testament saints who are persecuted, insulted, and slandered because of Christ.

If we notice the nine beatitudes, all are related to the inner condition of the kingdom people. Not one blessing is associated with having wealth, worldly honor, worldly success, or high achievements. Why? For several reasons. The New Testament focuses on spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3), while the Old Testament—being symbolic, prophetic, and typological—focuses on material blessings. Furthermore, Christ dwells within His people (Colossians 1:27). The kingdom of Christ is within us today. Therefore, the nine beatitudes concern our inward condition before God.

Nevertheless, the kingdom within us will be manifested on earth at His coming (commonly called the second coming). Therefore, it is stated that the meek will inherit the earth. For at His coming, the kingdom people will reign on earth with the Lord Jesus.

We continue with the nine beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–12. But before that, we will divide the Sermon on the Mount into six sections and assign a main theme to each.

Section 1: Matthew 5:1–16 — The identity or fundamental character of the kingdom people.

Section 2: Matthew 5:17–48 — The fulfillment of the Law.

Section 3: Matthew 6:1–18 — The worship of the kingdom people.

Section 4: Matthew 6:19–34 — The devotion of the kingdom people regarding mammon.

Section 5: Matthew 7:1–12 — The fellowship of the kingdom people.

Section 6: Matthew 7:13–29 — The kingdom people, the crowds, and the deception that will occur.

Let us look again at the beatitudes related to the kingdom of heaven and the earth. It is emphasized that the kingdom people inherit both the kingdom of heaven and the earth. What does it mean to inherit the kingdom of heaven and also the earth? We know that the kingdom people are already citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and that the kingdom is already within them. The kingdom people do not need to die physically to enter the kingdom. Even now, by the

Father’s grace and pleasure, the kingdom people (“the little flock”) have inherited the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

At the coming of Jesus, the kingdom people will be manifested on earth with glorified bodies to reign and possess the earth (Revelation 5:10; 20:4; Romans 8:19–21). The kingdoms of the world will become the kingdom of the Lord and His people (Revelation 11:15). Together with the Lord Jesus, the kingdom people will reign on the earth, subduing all things until the Father becomes all in all (1 Corinthians 15:21–28). The last enemy, which is death, will be the wages of sin have been subdued. Through the ministry of the people of the kingdom, the earth moves toward the new earth and the new heaven as well. Thus the people of the kingdom inherit the kingdom of heaven and also possess the earth, according to Jesus’ sermon on the mount.

At the moment the people of the kingdom indeed do not possess many things, yet Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:10, “…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” Paul’s words here seem contradictory, but the people of the kingdom fully believe the promises of the Lord Jesus that we will inherit the earth and will subdue all things so that the Father may be all in all.

In the Christian world, generally, it has been taught and believed that Christians will leave this earth and go to “heaven far away” when they die physically. Some Christians even believe that they will be “raptured” from the earth in order to escape the great tribulation that will come upon the world. All such concepts and beliefs are foreign to the Gospel of Matthew.

Let us take just one example from Matthew 24:37–42 concerning the coming of the Son of Man. Notice verse 24, which emphasizes that the coming of the Son of Man corresponds to the days of Noah. We know that in the days of Noah, the wicked were “taken away” by the great flood, while Noah and his household inherited the earth. Therefore, at the coming of the Son of Man, the wicked will be “taken away” from the earth, while the people of the kingdom will inherit the earth, as in the sermon on the mount. Thus the people of the kingdom possess the earth.

Now we will discuss Matthew 5:13–14 regarding the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This section belongs to the first division in our outline, Matthew 5:1–16, whose main theme is ‘the identity or fundamental nature of the people of the kingdom’. It was emphasized earlier that the identity of the people of the kingdom is ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’. The people of the kingdom do not need to do anything to become salt and light. Jesus plainly said, ‘You are the salt of the earth’ and ‘You are the light of the world’. Their identity is clear.

After Jesus declares the identity of the people of the kingdom, then come the facts and the commandments: if the salt loses its flavor, it is no longer good for anything. Concerning the light of the world, Jesus commands, ‘Let your light shine before others’. Here we see a very important principle for the people of the kingdom: their identity precedes the commandments. They are not given commandments in order to become salt and light. Rather, because they already ‘are’ salt and light, the commandments come so that they may act in accordance with their identity.

The principle for the people of the kingdom is: they have ALREADY become salt and light, THEREFORE they must act according to that identity. This principle is crucial because being salt and light is entirely due to the grace and choice of the Father in heaven. Inheriting the kingdom of heaven is likewise solely by the Father’s choice and pleasure (Luke 12:32). We become salt and light not because of our works, but solely because of the Father’s choosing.

Paul also says in Ephesians 5:8, “…for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” This principle is the same: you are light and ALREADY light, THEREFORE walk as children of light. This ALREADY–THEREFORE principle is a principle of pure grace.

Consider 1 Corinthians 15:10, “…on the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” Even though Paul worked harder than the others, he said, “not I, but the grace of God.” The principle behind Paul’s words is the same ALREADY–THEREFORE principle we are discussing. There is no grounds for boasting, for everything is grace. The people of the kingdom ‘boast only in the Lord’ because of His grace.

Why do we emphasize this principle? Because Christianity has fallen into merely being the ‘Christian religion’, the prevailing principle in the Christian world is IF–THEN. Religious leaders often say: if you give money, then you will be blessed. If you pray, then you will be blessed. If you faithfully attend a certain building, then you will grow in faith. If… if… and if. Each denomination typically has its own IF–THEN principles. This is the religious attempt to earn heaven or to be pleasing to God. The Christian religion is no different from other religions, for every religion in the world is humanity’s attempt to please God. The IF–THEN principle is the principle of human effort. But the people of the kingdom live solely by His grace.

We will now discuss the second section of the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5:17–48, whose theme is ‘the fulfillment of the Law’. Verse 17 states, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” In verse 18, Jesus emphasizes that not even one iota or one dot will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

The Law and the Prophets here refer to the entire Old Testament. The Old Testament is prophetic, symbolic, typological, and all has been fulfilled through the coming of Jesus. Not a single iota or dot is left unfulfilled, because Jesus said none may pass away ‘until all is accomplished’, meaning until all is fulfilled. Thus the entire Old Testament has been fulfilled by Jesus.

Consider Luke 16:16, “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” This verse affirms that after John the Baptist a new ‘dispensation’ or ‘era’ in God’s administration began, in which the gospel of the kingdom is proclaimed. Although John preached the gospel of the kingdom, he himself did not belong to this new dispensation.

In this new dispensation, the message preached is the good news of the kingdom of heaven. All the books of the New Testament have only one central theme: the kingdom of heaven. Jesus and His apostles proclaimed only one good news—the good news of the kingdom. Once again, the Old Testament is not abolished; it is fulfilled.

How did Jesus fulfill the Old Testament? Through His death, resurrection, ascension to heaven, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the entire Old Testament was fulfilled. Not a single iota or dot remains unfulfilled. With the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament, Jesus then presented something new: the laws of the kingdom of heaven. Notice this section (Matthew 5:21–48) in which Jesus says six times, “You have heard … but I say to you” (vv. 21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43). This does not mean Jesus cancelled the previous word, but since He has fulfilled it, a new word comes—the law of the kingdom.

Jesus warns that whoever annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven (v. 19). The meaning is not that Jesus brings the commandments of the Law into the law of the kingdom, but that whoever teaches the Law WITHOUT teaching its fulfillment will be least in the kingdom.

In the Christian world, we see some Bible teachers insisting that tithing laws or first-fruits laws (money)—interpreted as financial obligations—still apply in the New Testament, using various arguments. But the people of the kingdom will teach the Law along with its fulfillment in the context of the New Testament.

We are still discussing the second section of the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5:17–48, focusing on the ‘fulfillment of the Law’. Let us look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:20: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Greek term ‘dikaiosune’, translated ‘righteousness’ or ‘your religious life’ in some versions, actually means ‘righteousness’.

The ‘righteousness’ referred to here is not the ‘objective righteousness’ received by a believer through faith in Jesus (justification by faith), but ‘subjective righteousness’—the righteousness of Christ formed in the believer’s inner being, which leads and governs daily life, and becomes his or her righteousness. This subjective righteousness grows only by living out the ‘Life of Christ’ in our inward being day by day. This subjective righteousness relates to the ‘wedding garment’ in the parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1–14), whose conclusion is many are called, but few are chosen.

This subjective righteousness grows day by day, as Paul affirms in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “our inner man is being renewed day by day.” Christians who live by the Life of Christ daily will grow in their subjective righteousness. This is how believers can keep the laws of the kingdom of heaven taught by Jesus. It is not the Christian who performs these laws, but Christ within them. Thus is fulfilled, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Let us look again at Matthew 5:20: unless our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. How can our righteousness surpass theirs? The scribes and Pharisees in the New Testament era kept the Law externally. They emphasized outward rituals—fasting, tithing, lengthy prayers, sabbath-keeping, washings, sacrifices, broad phylacteries, long fringes—to appear zealous for Yahweh.

Jesus rebuked them repeatedly as ‘hypocrites’ (Matthew 23). Hypocrisy is presenting an outward appearance of godliness while being inwardly corrupt, like whitewashed tombs beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones inside (Matthew 23:27). Christian righteousness in worship must surpass the outward righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Christians must worship daily in spirit and truth (reality), as Jesus said in John 4. Paul prophesied that a time would come when people would have ‘a form of godliness but deny its power’ (2 Timothy 3:5).

Look at today’s Christian world, where worship generally takes place in church buildings on Sundays. Honestly, Sunday services provide wide opportunities for hypocrisy. Not all Christians behave hypocritically, of course, but hypocrisy is far more easily expressed in church buildings than in daily life at home. This is one reason why, in the Christian world, many are called but few are chosen.

Let us again consider Matthew 5:20. Our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. These men zealously kept the Law but lacked true understanding. Romans 10:3 states, “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” In Romans 3:21 Paul confirms that we obtain God’s righteousness only through faith in Christ Jesus, and by this we meet God’s standard. We do not build our own righteousness by keeping the Law or religious regulations, but through faith in Christ. Thus our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.

The righteousness of God is the standard required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. No one can achieve this standard by keeping the Law—or even by keeping the laws of the kingdom Jesus teaches in the sermon on the mount. Because they did not understand God’s righteousness, the scribes and Pharisees kept the Law outwardly, which not only failed to meet God’s standard but also rendered them hypocrites as they tried to establish their own righteousness.

Indeed, anyone who attempts to please God or reach His standard by keeping His commandments, or religious rules, or any human-devised religious practices, will end up only with hypocrisy and pretense. This is exactly what Paul foretold in 2 Timothy 3:5: “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” This prophecy applies equally to Christians at the end of the age.

To better understand God’s righteousness obtained through faith, let us consider 1 Timothy 1:4, “…rather than the stewardship of God that is by faith.” The term ‘stewardship’ is translated from the Greek ‘oikonomia’, made up of ‘oikos’ (household) and ‘nomos’ (law or regulations). Thus the stewardship of God means the way God arranges His household by giving laws or regulations appropriate for each era. In the Old Testament era, God gave the Law to His people Israel. In the

New Testament era, God has given the laws of the kingdom to the church. But we must remember: this stewardship of God is ‘by faith’. Meaning: both keeping the Law in the Old Testament and keeping the laws of the kingdom in the New must be by faith.

The saints of the Old Testament were called men and women of faith because they believed in Yahweh and expressed their faith through the Law. Likewise, the church today consists of people of faith who express their faith through the laws of the kingdom of heaven. Truly, in every age, from the time of Abel to the era of the New Testament, all the saints were people of faith (Hebrews 11).

Today, the church has fallen into tens of thousands of denominations, each with its own religious regulations. Yet the people of the Kingdom still worship in spirit and in truth, and do not fall into the error of the Pharisees and scribes, who practiced the Law externally.

We now enter the third section of the Sermon on the Mount, whose main theme is the worship of the people of the Kingdom (Matthew 6:1–18). In this section, Jesus teaches about the practice of worship in giving alms, prayer, and fasting. In His teaching, Jesus compares the common worship practices of the scribes and Pharisees with the practices that should characterize the people of the Kingdom.

Let us observe these three acts of worship. First, giving alms (6:1–4). Here Jesus emphasizes giving alms in such a way that “your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing,” meaning it is done secretly. The Pharisees and scribes liked to carry out their religious practices openly so that they would be seen and praised by others. Jesus calls such people ‘hypocrites’. These hypocrites have already received their reward and will not receive any reward from the Father in heaven.

Second, praying (6:5–15). Here too Jesus warns not to pray in order to be seen by others, for such people have already received their reward. Jesus also teaches a prayer we commonly call “the Lord’s Prayer,” which we will discuss later. Third, fasting (6:16–18). Jesus also teaches that we should not look somber or show outward signs when fasting, but fast in secret. Thus we receive our reward from the Father in heaven and avoid hypocrisy.

Jesus’ teaching regarding ‘acts of worship’ here places strong emphasis on the reward from the Father in heaven. Likewise, those who worship must not fall into hypocrisy. The Pharisees and scribes have already received their reward from people—money, position, and human honor.

So then, how should the people of the Kingdom worship? Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4 explains the worship of the people of the Kingdom. Jesus stresses that worship is not about “on this mountain or in Jerusalem” (verse 21). Worship is not a matter of externals or outward forms. Worship must be done ‘in spirit and in truth’ (verse 23). The Greek term ‘aletheia’, translated ‘truth’, also means ‘reality’. Reality is the opposite of symbols, shadows, and outward forms. Worship in ‘reality’ means worship in essence, not in symbols, shadows, or outward rituals.

Old Testament worship was indeed filled with symbols, shadows, and outward forms because the Old Testament itself is symbolic, shadowy, and prophetic. But Jesus came to fulfill the Law; therefore, the people of the Kingdom no longer worship through symbols, shadows, and outward forms.

The essence of worship is in the spirit, in our inner being. Colossians 2:17 emphasizes that Christ is the substance of all Old Testament symbols, shadows, and prophecies. And Christ is in our inner being as our Life (Colossians 1:27; 3:4). Worship for the people of the Kingdom is inward: living out the Life of Christ in daily life—living each day under the leading of ‘Christ within’. The worship of the people of the Kingdom is not ‘on this or that mountain’, nor on this or that day. Their daily life is their worship. Of course, the people of the Kingdom also gather to praise the Lord together as the Spirit leads, just as the early church did.

We know that the church has fallen because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans. These three false teachings have turned the church into the world (a system) of Christianity, where hypocrisy can easily arise in worship, and where leaders can easily benefit from religious activities. Certainly not everyone in the system of Christianity is hypocritical or seeks profit from ministry, but the system created by the three false teachings makes such possibilities very widespread.

We will now discuss the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9–13. But we will not discuss the entire prayer, only the parts that directly concern the Kingdom of Heaven. Observe verse 10: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We have already discussed that the Kingdom of Heaven came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. However, in verse 10 Jesus teaches that we should pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth so that the Father’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 18:20 affirms, “For where two or three gather in My name, there am I in their midst.” Thus, whenever two or three believers gather in the name of Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven comes to earth. But Revelation 5:10 and 20:4 affirm that after this age, believers will rule on this earth. This means the Kingdom of Heaven has come, continues to come, and will one day come in its fullness upon the earth. Scripture affirms that Jesus Christ will return to establish His Kingdom on earth.

We see here that the earth is the focus of the Father’s plan. Even in the nine Beatitudes we previously discussed, the meek are promised that they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). From all these facts, we learn that the Father’s plan for humanity centers on this earth, even though in the world of Christianity people are commonly focused on “going to heaven after death.”

Let us consider Genesis 1:26, which says, “…Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have dominion… over all the earth…” God’s purpose in making humanity in His image and likeness is that they may rule over the earth. The Hebrew term for ‘have dominion’ here is ‘radah’, meaning ‘to rule’. This refers to human government over the earth. Verse 28 adds not only ruling but also ‘subduing’ the earth. The Hebrew term here is ‘kabash’, meaning ‘to trample’. From Genesis 1:26–28 we learn that God’s purpose for humanity is to rule and subdue the earth. There is an enemy to be subdued and trampled underfoot.

Jesus taught us to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth so that humans may rule over the earth and subdue the kingdom of darkness. Romans 8:19–21 explains that when the Kingdom of Heaven is fully manifested on earth through the sons of God, not only will the Father’s will be done ‘on earth as in heaven’, but all creation will also be freed from the bondage of corruption. Notice Romans 8:20–21: “For the creation was subjected to vanity… the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (ILT). Thus, the sons of God, manifested on the earth in glorified bodies, will liberate the entire creation from corruption. This is the purpose behind Jesus’ teaching for us to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth.

We will now discuss the fourth section of the Sermon on the Mount: “the devotion of the people of the Kingdom concerning mammon” (Matthew 6:19–34). Matthew 6:22–24 states: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness… No one can serve two masters. For he will either hate the one and love the other… You cannot serve God and mammon.” The word ‘serve’ here is the Greek ‘douleuō’, a verb meaning ‘to serve as a slave’.

Thus Jesus clearly states that no one can be both a ‘servant of God’ and a ‘servant of Mammon’. We must not quickly assume that ‘servants of God’ are Christians who serve on pulpits or in full-time religious activities, while ‘servants of Mammon’ are Christians working in business or the ‘secular world’. We must first understand who the Pharisees really were in God’s eyes. Luke 16:14 says: “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they derided Him.”

When Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13), the religious leaders of His day mocked Him. Thus, whether someone is a servant of God or a servant of mammon is not determined by their occupation or religious service in the Temple. It is determined by a person’s ‘eye’—their vision, life purpose, and focus. Since the ‘servants of Mammon’ in Jesus’ day were religious leaders, we will discuss servanthood only in relation to the ‘religious world’, not Christians working in business or secular fields.

To understand the ‘religious world’, we must understand John’s writings concerning the ‘world’ (‘kosmos’), which carry deep theological meaning. The term ‘kosmos’ appears 186 times in the NT; more than half of these are in John’s Gospel (78) and his epistles (24). The basic meaning of ‘kosmos’ is ‘order’ or ‘system’. To understand its meaning in John’s writings, we must look at context. In John 3:16, ‘kosmos’ refers to all humanity loved by the Father. But in John 15:18–25, where the world (‘kosmos’) hates Jesus and His disciples, the reference is to the religious world (Judaism), since verse 25 cites a prophecy from their Law.

This religious world is exactly what John refers to in Revelation 2–3, where the churches in Asia Minor (representing the church age) have become a ‘kosmos’ through the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. This religious world arose because the early church fell, resulting in the Lord calling forth His overcomers. Christianity, originally an ‘organism’ (the Body of Christ), has become a ‘system’, a ‘kosmos’. If we receive grace from the Lord, we will understand that the early church split into tens of thousands of denominations because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans.

Let us discuss only one, according to our theme: the teaching of Balaam, which has spread throughout denominations. The core of Balaam’s teaching is the support of a wage system for serving God. Many verses appear to support this, such as ‘the worker is worthy of his wages’, or ‘do not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain’. But the teaching of Balaam is false; therefore, there must be a true version. Those who teach ‘Balaam’s doctrine’ often take verses about wages for service to support their teaching. But it is certain that such teachers are servants of mammon.

Before continuing with John’s vision of the scroll that only the Lamb of God can open, let us first discuss the 24 elders and the four living creatures around God’s throne, who will reign on earth (Revelation 4–5). Some say that the 24 elders and the four living creatures are angels or heavenly beings, not saints redeemed and chosen from every tribe, nation, people, and tongue. We must address this view, because it obscures our understanding of Revelation and the Father’s original purpose. Several points must be considered.

First, Genesis 1:26–28 clearly states that God’s original plan for humanity is to rule and subdue the earth. Thus, the earth is the focus of His plan.

Second, God’s plan in choosing Israel was that the entire nation would be ‘a kingdom of priests’, that is, kings and priests to all nations (Exodus 19:5–6). But after Israel fell into the worship of the golden calf, only the tribe of Levi came to Moses when he asked who was on the Lord’s side (Exodus 32:26). Thus God selected only the Levites to serve as priests, representing all the tribes. But God’s original plan was for all tribes of Israel to be kings and priests to the nations.

Third, God’s plan in the NT for all the saints is to make the entire church ‘a royal priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:9). But through the false teaching of the Nicolaitans, the church was divided into clergy and laity, or pastors and congregations. Yet the Father has chosen a “little flock” within Christianity and is forming them into kings and priests (Luke 12:32; Revelation 1:6).

Thus it is clear that the Father’s purpose is to form humanity so they may rule and subdue the earth—and this begins with His chosen people. Therefore, the view that the 24 elders and four living creatures are angels or heavenly beings, not humans, obscures the Father’s original plan. It also makes the focus of Revelation unclear. Why? Because Revelation unveils the person of Jesus Christ. And there are four stages in the revelation of Jesus Christ to His church:

1. Christ revealed TO us — we know Him outwardly.

2. Christ revealed IN us — we experience Him inwardly.

3. Christ revealed AS us — as Paul says in Galatians 2:20, Christ lives as Paul.

4. Christ revealed THROUGH us — Christ expresses Himself through His chosen ones on earth.

In truth, the “second coming” of Christ means Christ is manifested to creation through the sons of God (Romans 8:19–21).

Thus, Revelation is indeed the unveiling of Jesus Christ, but His coming ‘through His chosen people’ is the ‘central’ focus of Revelation. And at this time, His chosen ones are being formed into kings and priests. Not angels, not heavenly beings, but the saints. For how can Jesus come as King of kings if His people remain spiritual infants? How can He come as High Priest if His people still rely on “pastors” or “priests” to meet their spiritual needs? Therefore, the 24 elders and the four living creatures symbolize God’s chosen people, formed into kings and priests.

Let us now discuss a little more about the ‘system’ or ‘kosmos’ in John’s writings, because it is this ‘system’ that hates Jesus and His disciples (John 15:18, 25). We must recognize what this ‘system’ is, because Christianity, which was originally an ‘organism’ (the early church = the Body of Christ), has become a ‘system’ or ‘kosmos’.

In the Indonesian dictionary, a system is ‘a set of elements that are interconnected in an orderly manner to form a totality’. In English, a system is ‘a group of things or parts working together in a regular relationship’. To simplify the concept of a system, we may imagine gears of various sizes, however, each one is connected by a belt. If a certain wheel is turned, then the other wheels will certainly turn as well, although of course at different speeds according to their diameters. If we apply this illustration to the world (system) of Christianity, then the wheels (parts) of this system are the denominations, theological schools, synods, and other components of Christianity. What we must understand well is that there must be energy or power to exert effort so that this system operates. What, then, is the energy or power that drives the Christian system?

Before we answer that, let us first look at John’s writings that speak about this ‘system’ (kosmos). 1 John 5:19 affirms, “… the whole world (kosmos) lies in the power of the evil one.” 1 John 2:15–16 says, “Do not love the world (kosmos) or anything in the world… For everything in the world (kosmos)—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father…” 1 John 5:4 states, “… And this is the victory that overcomes the world (kosmos): our faith.” If so, what drives the Christian system? The answer is, of course, money, because a system will not function without money.

The early church had not yet fallen into a ‘system’ (kosmos). The revelation that the church had become a kosmos was given to the apostle John when the church was dominated by three false teachings: Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3). The early church, which was an organism, was moved solely by the Holy Spirit, or the Life of Christ. Indeed, the servants of the early church also needed money, but only for daily necessities and travel needs such as Paul’s. There was no wage system (the teaching of Balaam) that drove the servants of the early church. This is very different from what happens in the Christian system today.

To conclude this section, the journey of Israel out of Egypt toward the Promised Land may clarify what ‘system’ means. Israel in Egypt is essentially a symbol of God’s people inside a system (the world), for in Scripture, Egypt represents the world. Although the Bible calls Egypt ‘the house of bondage’, God still cared for and greatly blessed the Israelites in Egypt so that they multiplied abundantly. But the inheritance of Israel was not Egypt—it was the Promised Land. Therefore, Israel had to leave the house of bondage to obtain their inheritance. And we know that only the families of Joshua and Caleb received their inheritance because they had faith. Thus, Israel in Egypt symbolizes God’s people enslaved by the system, whereas Israel in the Promised Land symbolizes God’s people receiving their inheritance—the kingdom of heaven.

Likewise with the Christian system today. God’s people within the Christian system are still cared for and abundantly blessed. But that is not proof that the Father’s plan for Christians is to remain inside the system (kosmos). The Christian system (kosmos) will be destroyed at the coming of the Lord Jesus. The kingdom people who receive grace to inherit the kingdom will reign on earth, replacing all worldly systems (political, economic, religious, etc.), including the Christian system (Revelation 11:15).

We now continue our discussion into the fourth section of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:19–34, with the main theme being ‘the devotion of the kingdom people concerning mammon’. Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (ILT). We have already discussed that no one can serve two masters—God and mammon (6:24), and we have also discussed the Christian system (the world = the Christian kosmos). After teaching that one cannot serve two masters, Jesus immediately continues into the teaching about worry (6:25–34). Why is that? We will explore this matter of worry in the context of ‘the devotion of kingdom people concerning mammon’.

Once again, we must remember that this teaching on the mount was addressed to Jesus’ disciples. Jesus certainly knew that the root issue that might cause His disciples to serve mammon was their worry about their daily needs. The essence of Jesus’ teaching here is that the Father knows our needs and will surely meet them; therefore, we do not need to worry.

To interpret this matter of worry correctly, we must return to how the early church eventually fell into the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans in the days of the apostle John (Revelation 2–3). We will focus especially on the teaching of Balaam because this false teaching is what caused the church to implement a ‘wage system’ for those who serve God. Let us look at Numbers 22–24 to understand this false teaching of Balaam.

Balaam appears to be a servant of God because he first asked God when the elders of Moab came to him with ‘the diviner’s fee’ to curse Israel (Numbers 22:7–8). God clearly said that Balaam must not curse Israel (22:12). But when the king of Moab sent more distinguished princes with a much larger diviner’s fee, Balaam asked God the second time (22:19). When Balaam asked God the second time, it became clear that he was actually a servant of mammon and loved the wages of divination. Why? Balaam already knew God’s will not to curse Israel, but because the fee increased, he acted as if he were seeking God’s will by asking again. Because God already knew Balaam’s heart loved the wages, He allowed Balaam to go. And when Balaam went, God’s anger burned against him (22:22).

From this story, it may seem that God changed His mind—initially forbidding Balaam but later allowing him to go. In fact, God did not change His mind; He allowed Balaam to go because He saw that Balaam’s heart loved the wages. This case is similar to Matthew 19:3–8, where the Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce. Jesus answered, “… Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so” (19:8). Sometimes God allows His people to take a path that He did not intend from the beginning, but He allows it because of the hardness of their hearts.

If we reflect on why God allowed the false teaching of Balaam into the church—even though it was not His original intention—it is because in the Christian world, the Balaam teaching opened wide opportunities for servants of mammon disguised as servants of God, who appear to seek God’s will but actually seek and love the wages of their ministry. God allowed all this to happen because of the hardness of His people’s hearts.

But for the kingdom people, God speaks: “Do not fear, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms…” (Luke 12:32–33). This does not mean that we may not own anything in this world, but the Father in heaven is emphasizing that our true treasure is in heaven and that we should not worry about our daily needs.

We now enter the fifth part of the Sermon on the Mount on the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 7:1–12, with the theme ‘the fellowship of the kingdom people’. Several matters are discussed here: do not judge, do not give what is holy to dogs, prayer, and principles of relationship with others.

Let us begin with the matter of judging. Many Christians do not distinguish between judging and rebuking or pointing out error. Paul advised Timothy to “… rebuke and exhort with all patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). Jesus also taught how to rebuke a brother who sins (Matthew 18:15–17). Therefore, rebuking or pointing out a brother’s sin is not wrong—indeed, as fellow brothers and sisters, we are encouraged to admonish, rebuke, and build one another up.

But judging is something forbidden for kingdom people. Judging is not only pointing out wrongdoing but also pronouncing a verdict or penalty on a brother we consider guilty. That is the task of a judge—to declare guilt and to deliver a sentence.

Jesus’ disciples would never judge one another if they obeyed His teaching in Matthew 23:1–12. In this passage, Jesus is speaking to the crowds and to His disciples (v.1). Jesus says that the Pharisees and scribes sit in “Moses’ seat,” meaning they have authority over the people; therefore the people must do what they teach, though Jesus warns not to follow their deeds.

Then, in verses 8 to 10, Jesus speaks to His disciples, telling them not to let anyone be called Rabbi, father, or leader. In context, Jesus is teaching His disciples that among them there is no “seat of Moses.” No one has authority over another. All members of the kingdom community are brothers—meaning there is no “Moses’ seat.” There is no hierarchy among the kingdom people,

unlike the fallen Christian world. If there is hierarchy among God’s people, a leader can judge his brother because he can not only rebuke but also impose penalties.

In other words, in the context of an ‘organization’, someone can judge his brother. But kingdom people live in the context of an ‘organism’, and therefore they will not judge one another. Kingdom people only admonish, rebuke, and build one another up as fellow members of an organism. Therefore, Jesus’ command not to judge our brother can indeed be obeyed by kingdom people. In fact, it is Christians who live in an organizational context who violate Jesus’ command not to judge.

Another matter in this section is the instruction not to give what is holy to dogs or throw pearls before swine. The teaching of the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven is like ‘what is holy’ or ‘pearls’, meaning this teaching is not for the general public. This is why Jesus first went up the mountain and only taught when His disciples came to Him. We also need to seek God’s wisdom to know when and how to share the teaching of the kingdom of heaven.

We now reach the sixth part of the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 7:13–29, with the theme ‘kingdom people and the crowds, and the deception that will occur’. Let us begin with Matthew 7:13–14: “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it; but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The Greek term translated ‘destruction’ here is ‘apoleia’, which means ‘ruin or loss’. The term ‘apoleia’ does not necessarily mean destruction in the sense of losing salvation or eternal damnation in hell. In Matthew 26:8 and Mark 14:4, concerning the woman who anointed Jesus with very expensive perfume, the term ‘apoleia’ is translated ‘waste’. Indeed, the meaning of a term depends on how it is used in its context. We know that the Sermon on the Mount was addressed especially to Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 5:1–2), although eventually the crowds also listened in awe (Matthew 7:28).

Thus, the listeners of the Sermon on the Mount were Jesus’ followers consisting of His disciples and also the crowds. In John 6 we read that the crowds followed Jesus because they sought physical bread, and Jesus rebuked them for this (John 6:26–27). Therefore, the term ‘apoleia’ must be understood as ruin or loss FOR JESUS’ FOLLOWERS. 1 Corinthians 3:13–15 explains this loss or ruin for followers of Jesus: “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

So, there are two gates and two roads that may be taken by Christians or followers of Jesus. Jesus affirms that the gate leading to life is narrow and the road is difficult, and few find it. We may reasonably conclude that the ‘crowds’ following Jesus will take the wide gate and broad road. Why?

In the Gospels, the crowds consistently followed or sought Jesus for physical bread, healing, miracles, and other material benefits. These things are not wrong as long as they first seek the kingdom of heaven and work for the food that does not perish. The issue lies in the hearts of the followers. If their hearts already prioritize bread, miracles, healing, and other physical matters, then they will naturally choose the easy path—the wide gate and broad road—which will bring loss at the judgment seat of Christ.

The remaining verses in Matthew 7 speak of deception or false prophets, and also of Christians who have performed many miracles, prophesied, and cast out demons but are rejected on the last day. We may conclude that Christians who focus on worldly and outward matters will not stand at the judgment seat of Christ.

Now let us continue this sixth part of the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven regarding ‘kingdom people, the crowds, and the coming deception’. We will discuss the deception that will occur among followers of Jesus. Matthew 7:15 states, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Now we will discuss or identify who these false prophets are. This is very important because in the Christian world there is a tendency to assume that false prophets or false teachers are Christians who have not been born again and do not know Jesus at all. In other words, they are assumed to be ‘outside’ the Christian world—commonly called ‘not insiders’ or ‘not church people’.

The term ‘false prophet’ is translated from the Greek word ‘pseudoprophētēs’, which appears 11 times in the New Testament. Let us look at 2 Peter 2, which speaks extensively about these ‘pseudoprophētēs’. Note verses 15, 20, and 21: “They have forsaken the right way and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness… For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them… It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

We see several facts about the ‘pseudoprophētēs’ here. First, they are people who have FORSAKEN THE RIGHT WAY, meaning they once walked in the right way but then went astray into the way of Balaam. Second, they ONCE KNEW Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and had escaped the defilements of the world, yet became entangled in them again. Third, they are those who TURNED AWAY FROM THE HOLY COMMAND (THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS) and then followed the way of Balaam. From Peter’s description of these ‘pseudoprophetes’, the identity of these false prophets or false teachers becomes clear: they are Christians who have been born again, have personally known Jesus Christ, have once walked in the way of righteousness, and have even escaped the defilements of the world.

The statement in Matthew 7:15 above, that these false prophets “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves,” should not be misunderstood as if their true identity is that of SAVAGE WOLVES pretending to be SHEEP. Not so. Paul spoke to the leaders of the church that savage wolves would attack, causing church leaders to teach false doctrines in order to draw the Lord’s disciples away (Acts 20:28–30). Revelation 2–3 mentions three false teachings: the doctrines of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. Therefore, false prophets or false teachers are church leaders who ARE TRUE SHEEP but are attacked by SAVAGE WOLVES, which refer to the devil. Thus, to be clear, false prophets or false teachers are SHEEP who have been ATTACKED BY SAVAGE WOLVES.

In the Christian world today, the teachings of Balaam, Jezebel, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted in many denominations. So, in the context of today’s Christianity, who are the “sheep attacked by savage wolves”? They are church leaders who teach false doctrines in order to draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves.

We continue our discussion of the sixth section in the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven, written in Matthew 7:13–29, concerning ‘deception’. Let us observe Matthew 7:16: “You will know them by their fruits…” Jesus clearly declares that false prophets or false teachers are recognized by their fruit. Many Christians assume that the fruit refers to a person’s character or to the results of a false prophet’s ministry.

However, seeing the context of Matthew 5–7, which speaks about the ‘teaching’ of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is more fitting to interpret the ‘fruit’ of false prophets or false teachers as their teaching. It is from their teaching that we can know who they truly are. We have already discussed from 2 Peter 2 the characteristics of false teachers, namely that they follow ‘the way of Balaam’ (verse 15). In Revelation 2–3, Balaam has become one of the false doctrines, a doctrine that supports and gives opportunity to those who love the wages of their “ministry.” These false teachers or prophets indeed seek personal gain in their ministry. So, it becomes quite easy to recognize these “Balaam-teachers.” If a “servant” of God frequently preaches about how he obtained money, it can be certain that he is a “Balaam-teacher.”

Let us take two false doctrines that are popular in Christianity today, though not accepted by all groups: the false doctrines of tithing and first fruits (money), which are generally understood as monetary offerings from the congregation to their leaders. Although in the books of the New Testament there is not a single example of the early church practicing tithing or first fruits—let alone a specific command to give monetary tithes or first fruits—these “Balaam-teachers” continue to teach them. Sometimes these teachers interpret Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:23, “You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former,” as though Jesus were recommending tithing for the church. But we know that the context of this verse is a rebuke to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who were under the Law of Moses. Therefore, those living under the Law must tithe, but the church does not live under the Law; it lives under Grace.

In Acts 20:28–30, Paul reveals the motivation of these church leaders in teaching false doctrines: to draw disciples to themselves. These false teachers build their own kingdoms, and for that they need money—to build buildings and support anything that advances “their ministry.” Such things were never practiced by the Apostles or by the servants of the early church.

Thus, we can test the teaching of “Balaam” from Scripture. But then, how can the people of the kingdom recognize them, since not all of them have wide and detailed understanding of Scripture? In truth, the people of the kingdom have been equipped with the ‘anointing within’, enabling them to recognize true teaching (1 John 2:27). His anointing teaches all things to the people of the kingdom. In this way, they can discern these false teachers.

After speaking about the ‘deception’ His followers must face, Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount by emphasizing judgment (Matthew 7:21–27). 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” Yet we must see God’s judgment in two aspects: the aspect of punishment (what a person sows, he reaps), and the aspect of restoration, as written in Isaiah 26:9: “…for when Your judgments come upon the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”

Let us begin with the first judgment in Matthew 7:21–23: “Not everyone who says to Me: Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day… we prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and performed many miracles in Your name… Then I will declare to them… you workers of lawlessness.” Here it is clear that the judgment depends on whether someone does the will of the Father in heaven—not on prophesying, casting out demons, or working miracles in His name. The followers of Jesus who are denied participation in reigning with Him when the Kingdom of Heaven is fully manifested on earth (commonly called the millennial kingdom) are those who commit ‘lawlessness’, meaning they do not do the Father’s will.

The Greek term translated ‘lawlessness’ is ‘anomia’, meaning the absence of law. It means these followers of Jesus carry out their ministry in His name but violate the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. The term ‘anomia’ also appears in the parable of the wheat and the tares: “…all who practice lawlessness (anomia) will be gathered out of His kingdom” (Matthew 13:41). Thus, these followers of Jesus are indeed in the Kingdom of Heaven, but during their earthly ministry they did not do the Father’s will and violated the Law of the Kingdom, and therefore they are rejected from reigning on earth at the Lord’s “second coming.”

The next judgment is written in Matthew 7:24–27 concerning two foundations. Followers of Jesus who hear His words and do them are likened to a foundation built on rock. Those who do not are likened to a foundation built on sand. The Lord’s judgment is likened to “the rain descending and the floods coming.” Naturally, the house built on the rock stands firm.

A similarity appears in both judgments: those who endure in the day of judgment are those who do the Father’s will or hear and obey Jesus’ words. At present, it cannot yet be seen whether a Christian performs ministry according to the Father’s will or not. Likewise, whether a Christian is building on rock or sand is invisible, for the foundation cannot be seen. For now, we only see that all Christians are building a ‘house’. Concerning this, Paul’s counsel in 1 Corinthians 4:5 is fitting for reflection: “…do not judge anything before the appointed time, before the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”

Before we continue our discussion on the Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew, we need to observe the structure of ‘discourses’ or ‘teachings’ intentionally arranged by Matthew. There are five major discourses in Matthew, with the remaining content being ‘narrative’—stories about Jesus and the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us observe these five divisions, each ending with the phrase “when Jesus had finished saying these things…” The first section, Matthew 5:1–7:29, commonly called the Sermon on the Mount, has already been discussed. The second, Matthew 9:35–11:1, contains the ‘commissioning of the twelve apostles’. The third, Matthew 13:1–52, contains the seven parables of the Kingdom of Heaven. The fourth, Matthew 18:1–35, concerns forgiveness and the parable of the unforgiving servant. The fifth, Matthew 23:1–25:46, contains the rebuke to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, as well as teachings about the end times.

We know that Matthew’s Gospel is especially directed to readers of Jewish background. Matthew intentionally divides the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven into five sections, as if presenting Jesus as the ‘new and greater Moses’. The five books—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—are known as the books of Moses or the Law of Moses. Thus, by dividing the teachings of the Kingdom into five sections, Matthew shows his Jewish readers that, just as Moses was sent by Yahweh, Jesus is sent by the Father to give the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Jewish people.

The comparison Matthew makes between Jesus and Moses is seen in the Sermon on the Mount through the repeated expression, “You have heard that it was said to those of old… but I say to you…” (Matthew 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43). Thus, by dividing Jesus’ teaching into five discourses, Matthew shows that, just as Moses was sent by Yahweh, Jesus was sent by the Father to give the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Jews. Yet we must remember: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

Before entering the second discourse, let us recall what is recorded in Matthew 9:35: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages… teaching… proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven and healing every disease and sickness.” The sequence is clear: teaching, proclaiming, then healing. Teaching and proclaiming the Kingdom are primarily the King’s concern; healing and removing weaknesses serve primarily human concerns. As His followers, we must first teach the laws of the Kingdom, then attend to human needs. We must not reverse this order.

Many in Christianity focus on human needs. Preachers commonly like to preach what appeals to human interests. But Matthew 26:10, 13 states: “…for she has done a beautiful thing to Me… wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” The woman who broke her alabaster jar did a good deed ‘to Jesus’. And Jesus required that her act be told whenever the gospel is preached. Why? So that we understand that the preaching of the Gospel must produce people willing to break their “alabaster jar” (something precious to them) to do good ‘to Jesus’. Thus, the Gospel is preached so that we may do good to Jesus, not primarily to show how good God is to humans. The Gospel is preached primarily for Jesus’ sake, not for human benefit. By His grace, the people of the kingdom will first teach the laws of the Kingdom so they can do good to Jesus—even breaking their “alabaster jar”—and then attend to the needs of others.

Now we enter the second discourse on the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven: Matthew 9:35–11:1, which concerns the ‘commissioning of the twelve apostles’. The background of this mission is Jesus’ compassion on the crowds, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd, and because the harvest was plentiful but the laborers were few (9:36–37). Therefore, Jesus called His twelve disciples, gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and heal every disease and weakness, and sent them to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Let us examine the instructions Jesus gave when He sent them. First, Matthew 10:5–15 explains the mission of the twelve at that time. Second, Matthew 10:16–23 explains the difficulties they would face in preaching the gospel of the Kingdom—then and in the future. Third, Matthew 10:34–42 explains what Jesus asks of us.

There are at least two things we must notice to avoid directly applying these instructions to our current context. First, this commissioning was directed only to the Jews (Matthew 10:5–6), whereas the commissioning for all of Jesus’ disciples throughout history is directed to all nations (Matthew 28:19–20). Second, Luke 22:35–36 shows that Jesus cancelled His earlier instructions regarding taking gold, silver, copper, a bag, extra clothes, sandals, or staff (Matthew 10:9–10).

However, not all the Lord’s instructions in this commissioning were cancelled. His warnings about difficulties and opposition in proclaiming the Kingdom remain true today. Likewise, His demands in Matthew 10:34–42 still stand: that we prioritize the Lord’s interests above everything—even above our own lives.

One more point must be noted carefully: the authority given to the twelve apostles at that time to perform miracles, cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead. At that time the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out on believers because Jesus had not yet been glorified (John 7:39), meaning He had not yet died, risen, and sat at the Father’s right hand. At that time, the twelve apostles were commanded only to perform miracles and proclaim the Kingdom—proclaim, not teach. Meanwhile, we see that the central teaching of the apostles ‘after’ Jesus was glorified was the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed, the entire New Testament has the Kingdom of Heaven as its main theme.

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19–20 emphasizes, “…make disciples of all nations… and teach them…” meaning: make all nations disciples of Christ by teaching them the Kingdom of Heaven, for this is the central theme of the New Testament. In today’s Christianity, in general, a shift has occurred in the preaching of the Gospel. The teaching about the kingdom of heaven is no longer a primary matter. Emphases on miracles or worldly success often shift the importance of Christ’s disciples properly understanding the teaching of the kingdom of heaven. But the people of the kingdom receive grace to understand the kingdom of heaven and to exercise its power in daily life.

We have seen that there are five sections of dialogue or teaching about the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel of Matthew, where the third section speaks about ‘the seven parables of the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 13:1–52). But before we enter the third section, we need to reflect on chapter 12, where Jesus is accused by the Pharisees, saying, “…It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man drives out demons” (12:24).

This accusation by the Pharisees is very serious, because in the following verses Jesus speaks about the sin of blaspheming/opposing the Holy Spirit (12:32), that the Pharisees are a brood of vipers (12:34), and that they are an evil and adulterous generation (12:39,45). Yet we must remember that they were God’s people bound by the covenant of Moses. Even in Matthew 23:2, Jesus explicitly says that the Pharisees and the scribes sit on Moses’ seat (Moses’ authority), so the crowds must obey them. Thus, when Jesus says they are a brood of vipers, it does not mean they are not God’s people. They remain God’s covenant people under Moses.

Let us look more closely at Jesus’ response in the following verses after the Pharisees accuse Him. First, the devil and the spirits form a kingdom (12:26). Satan is the ruler of this world/system = kosmos (John 12:31). The devil and evil spirits are rulers of the darkness of this world/kosmos or world-system (Ephesians 6:12). Second, because Jesus firmly states that the Pharisees are a brood of vipers, it means that the religious world (system = kosmos) of His day was ruled or influenced by the kingdom of the devil. Third, Matthew 12:43–44 is still part of Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and scribes, meaning that “the evil generation” (the religious world of His time) will be inhabited by “seven spirits” more wicked than the first.

What lesson do we learn here? Many Christians do not understand or recognize the religious world during Jesus’ time, which we usually call Judaism. In truth, it was this religious world that crucified Jesus—not Pontius Pilate, who represented the political world of that era. Repeatedly Pilate tried to release Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes stirred up the crowds to have Jesus crucified and Barabbas released. The religious world of Jesus’ time was clearly dominated by the kingdom of darkness.

How about the Christian world? Is the Christian world also ruled or influenced by the kingdom of darkness? If we want to understand the Christian world, we must look, and certainly ask for the revelation of the Holy Spirit, to understand the revelation found in the writings of the apostle John. Many Christians—perhaps including Bible teachers—do not see that the New Testament books must be divided into three sections (a trilogy): revelation through Peter and his team, revelation through Paul and his team, and revelation through John and his team.

The revelation given to the apostle John came when the church had already fallen/declined. Revelation 2–3 clearly describes how the church had become the Christian world through the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans. Because of this decline, the Lord calls His overcomers to be the representatives of the fallen church. John is the one who frequently uses the term ‘world’/kosmos/system, where the ruler of the ‘world’ is the devil. We will not discuss John’s revelation about the kosmos/world here, but for now we must see that the ‘religious world’ is ruled by the kingdom of darkness, because the devil is the ruler of the world/kosmos.

Now we will study the third section in the Gospel of Matthew that speaks about ‘the seven parables concerning the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 13:1–52). Let us glance through Matthew chapters 1 to 12 so that we may understand chapter 13 well. Matthew 1 speaks about the birth and genealogy of Jesus as King. Matthew 2 speaks about the coming of the Magi and their offerings to the King. Matthew 3 speaks about the forerunner of the King and the baptism of the King. Matthew 4 speaks about the temptation of the King and the calling of His four disciples. Matthew 5, 6, and 7 speak about the King’s Sermon on the Mount concerning the laws of His Kingdom. Matthew 8 and 9 speak about the demonstrations and power of His Kingdom. Matthew 10 speaks about the sending of the twelve apostles. Matthew 12 speaks about how Jesus the King was completely rejected by the Jewish religious leaders. Matthew 13:1 states, ‘On that day’, meaning, on the day after Jesus was fully rejected by the Jewish religious leaders—ON THAT DAY JESUS DEPARTED FROM THE MIDST OF THE ISRAELITE FAMILY AND SPOKE IN PARABLES.

The parables of the kingdom of heaven taught by Jesus were not meant to be understood by all Jews. Notice Jesus’ reason for teaching in parables when asked by His disciples: “…To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matthew 13:11). Thus it is clear that Jesus taught the kingdom of heaven in parables so that only those who received His grace would understand. To the Jewish people in general, or what the Gospels call ‘the crowds’, the parables of the kingdom of heaven were given ‘not’ so that they might understand. Their sight and understanding were closed so that the word of God might be fulfilled, in this case the prophecy of Isaiah (Matthew 13:14–15).

This does not mean that the Jewish people will forever be rejected from participating in the kingdom of heaven. But only a few from among the Jews are accepted into the kingdom of heaven ‘in this dispensation’, namely the chosen ones to whom the Father in heaven is pleased to give the kingdom (Luke 12:32). These chosen ones are called “the little flock” in Luke 12:32, in contrast to the “multitude” or “great flock” of the Jewish nation.

Let us begin with the first parable in Matthew 13—the parable of the sower. In fact, this parable does not yet speak about what the kingdom of heaven to be established on earth will look like. The parable of the sower merely speaks about the ‘response’ of people to whom the “seed” of the word of the kingdom, or the “seed” of Jesus as Life (zoe), is sown.

But the other six parables in this chapter are all introduced with the phrase, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” (verses 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47). Therefore, these six parables tell us what the kingdom of heaven to be established on earth will be like.

Let us summarize the parable of the sower. Jesus as the sower—and later His disciples as well—sows the ‘seed of the word of the kingdom’ and receives different responses depending on the “type of soil” (the heart of a person) where the seed falls. There are four types of soil: first, the path; second, rocky ground; third, thorny ground; and fourth, good soil.

The soil on the path represents those who hear the word of the kingdom but do not understand it, so the evil one snatches it away, and it never grows (v. 19). Rocky ground represents those who hear the word of the kingdom and initially grow because they receive it with joy, but they have no root (v. 21). When trouble or persecution arises because of the word of the kingdom, they quickly fall away. Thorny ground represents those who hear the word of the kingdom and begin to grow, but bear no fruit because of the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth (v. 22). Good soil represents those who hear the word of the kingdom and understand it, and thus bear fruit—some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

There are several lessons from this parable. First, Jesus—and of course His apostles—preached the word of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus certainly also spoke about the church, but the ‘focus’ of His teaching was the word of the kingdom. Second, this parable shows that a person’s response determines whether the word of the kingdom will bear fruit or not. But we must not quickly draw the conclusion that everything depends on human response, as is often taught in the Christian world.

Notice again verse 11, which we have discussed: some receive grace to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, while others do not. Thus the conclusion is that everything depends on the will of the Father in heaven—whether He is pleased to give someone the kingdom (Luke 12:32). Human hearts that have fallen into sin are corrupt and no one seeks God (Romans 3:11). If someone understands the word of the kingdom, it is because the Father works in his heart.

The third lesson we must see concerns “fruit.” In the Christian world we often hear about the “fruit” of a Christian—how many souls he wins, his character, or even material blessings resulting from his “ministry.” These are ‘not’ the fruit meant here.

The fruit referred to is what James 1:18 describes as becoming part of the ‘firstfruits’ of creation. The firstfruits in the NT context are the chosen ones who mature earlier and are ready to be harvested by the Lord Jesus to reign with Him in establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth, so that the earth moves toward the new earth. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has sown Himself as Life into His chosen people, and therefore He will receive fruit—those who will carry out the Father’s will with Him on the earth.

Now we enter the second parable in Matthew 13—the parable of the weeds among the wheat. This parable says that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. The Lord Jesus is the one who sows the good seed, and the wheat represents the children of the kingdom. The devil is the one who sows the bad seed, and the weeds are the children of the evil one.

Generally in the Christian world “weeds” are understood as people who claim to be Christians but are not born again or have not received the “seed” of Christ or Christ’s Life (zoe). Such an interpretation does not understand the fall of the church described in Revelation 2–3. The revelation given to John concerns the fall of the church from John’s time onward—throughout church history—as represented by the seven churches of Asia Minor. After the church fell, the Lord calls His overcomers, and we will see that the “wheat” represents these overcomers.

We must understand that the devil sowed the bad seed ‘in the Lord’s field’, so that both weeds and wheat are in the Master’s field. At first, weeds and wheat are very similar, making it impossible to distinguish them. Therefore the Master forbids His servants from pulling up the weeds before the harvest, lest they uproot the wheat as well.

This parable describes what the kingdom of heaven is like, because it begins with “the kingdom of heaven is like…” At the beginning, only Jesus sowed the good seed—the children of the kingdom. When the church was born at Pentecost, only “good seed” was sown. But later the devil sowed bad seed into the church, causing it to split into thousands of denominations—the Christian world today. Initially the church consisted only of “wheat-seed,” but it expanded into the Christian world containing both “weed-seed and wheat-seed.” Within the Christian world there are “weeds,” meaning people who commit lawlessness (Matthew 13:41).

It is interesting that the word ‘lawlessness’ (v. 41) is ‘anomia’ in Greek, the same term used in Matthew 7:21–23, where people say ‘Lord, Lord’ and perform many miracles, prophesy, and cast out demons in the Lord’s name—but are rejected by Jesus because they practice ‘anomia’ (lawlessness). Clearly the people described in Matthew 7:21–23 are from within the Christian world—perhaps even famous figures who conduct large miracle-filled meetings.

Furthermore, verse 41 states that at the harvest, everything that ‘causes stumbling’ will be gathered. We must pay attention to the term ‘causes stumbling’ (Greek: ‘skandalon’) in this verse, also used in Revelation 2:14: “…you have there those who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cause Israel to stumble (skandalon) so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.” Thus, causing others to stumble refers to false teaching (Balaam) sown by the devil into the church, leading God’s people to idolatry and immorality. In fact, there are three false teachings sown by the devil into the church as described in Revelation 2–3: the teaching of Jezebel (usurping the authority of Life in the church), Nicolaitans (subjugating the laity so the church is divided into two classes), and Balaam (a doctrine that legitimizes commercialism in the church).

Such is the condition of the kingdom of heaven, where “weeds” and “wheat” exist together. In truth, the “weeds” are Christians who have been born again but have accepted or even teach the false doctrines of Balaam, Nicolaitans, and Jezebel. But at the time of the harvest, weeds and wheat will be separated, so that “…the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father…” (Matthew 13:43).

Now we enter the third parable in Matthew 13—the parable of the mustard seed (13:31–32): “…the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed… Although it is the smallest of all seeds, when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

We must understand that the mustard seed is a type of ‘vegetable seed’, the smallest of them. And when this vegetable seed is planted, it should produce a ‘vegetable plant’ according to the law of growth God established: “…each yielding seed according to its kind…” (Genesis 1:11). But when this mustard seed is planted in the Lord’s field, it becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches (13:32).

The growth of the mustard seed into a tree is unnatural, abnormal, and violates the ‘law of growth’ established by God. Indeed the kingdom of heaven established on earth begins as merely a ‘seed’ in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the kingdom of heaven then bore fruit into 120 people (the church) on the day of Pentecost. The church should have grown and produced ‘fruit according to its kind’, which in this parable is the type of vegetable. If the church later grows into a ‘large tree’ so that birds nest on its branches, then there is a ‘violation of the law of growth here’.

A ‘tree’ in the Bible is a symbol of people (Psalm 1:1–3; 52:8; 92:12–14; 128:3). Meanwhile, “birds” are a symbol of the evil one in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:4,19). But the Bible also speaks of good birds, as the Holy Spirit is symbolized as a “dove” (Matthew 3:16). Therefore, the church that grows into a “large tree” is the result of both the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of the devil.

God’s chosen people certainly understand how the church has become this big Christian world. The church, which should have manifested the ‘kingdom of heaven on earth’, is now presenting “little kingdoms” (denominations) belonging to their leaders. If someone objects, saying that God also works and blesses within the Christian world, this is indeed true, because the Christian world has become large due to the work of the Holy Spirit, but also due to the work of the devil. On one hand, the church has indeed become large and blessed by the Holy Spirit, just like the Christian world today; but on the other hand, this remains a violation of the law of growth God has established.

Jesus has declared the laws of the kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). At the end of His sermon, Jesus stressed that on the last day there would be many who say ‘Lord, Lord’, and who perform many miracles, prophecies, and cast out demons in His name. But at that moment Jesus frankly declares, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23). The term ‘lawlessness’ comes from the Greek ‘anomia’, which means ‘without law’ or ‘violation of the laws of the kingdom’, which in the parable above refers to the ‘law of church growth’. So this is not ‘evil’ in the sense of murder, adultery, or other crimes, but that these ‘servants of God’ violate the laws of the kingdom of heaven.

The kingdom of heaven on earth will indeed grow, and its expansion will have no end (Isaiah 9:6). However, its growth or expansion must follow the laws of the kingdom established by God. Matthew 15:13 affirms, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.” The denominations, which are the “little kingdoms” belonging to their leaders, are not the “plants” planted by the Father in heaven, even though God indeed blesses them. In the Christian world there is a misunderstanding—one might even call it a “blunder”—that God’s blessings are proof of His approval. The Father in heaven has blessed the whole world by giving His only Son to take away the sin of the world. But this does not mean the Father is pleased with the way of life of sinful people. TO BLESS and TO BE PLEASED are two completely different things. In His time, the Father in heaven will uproot the plants that He did not plant.

Next, we enter the fourth parable of the kingdom of heaven, the ‘parable of the woman and the leaven’ (Matthew 13:33). This parable begins with the expression ‘the kingdom of heaven is like’ a woman who mixes leaven into three measures of flour until all of it is leavened. To understand this parable, we must understand what the “woman” and the “leaven” symbolize here.

Throughout the Bible, a woman always symbolizes the church as the bride of Christ. Meanwhile, leaven appears about 38 times in the entire Bible, and the expression unleavened appears 60 times. In the OT context, Israel understood leaven as something evil before Yahweh, because there were many prohibitions against using leaven. However, Israel did not understand why leaven was forbidden.

But in the NT context, we understand why leaven is something ‘evil’ in God’s sight. Jesus and Paul reveal this. First, Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the ‘leaven’ (teaching) of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:5–12). Luke 12:1 defines leaven as the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Second, Jesus warned about the ‘leaven’ of Herod, which is his wicked lifestyle (Mark 8:15). Third, Paul advised the church in Corinth to celebrate with ‘unleavened bread’, meaning purity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8). Fourth, in his letter to the Galatians, Paul warned about the ‘leaven’ of Judaistic teaching that is legalistic and ritualistic (Galatians 5:9). So clearly, ‘leaven’ always depicts a teaching, lifestyle, or hypocrisy that is displeasing to God.

Thus, the woman who inserts ‘leaven’ into the dough is the church, particularly its leaders, inserting ‘leavened/false teachings’ into it. The NT reveals very clearly how leaders insert ‘leaven’ into the church. Paul in Acts 20:29–30 explains how savage wolves attack the church so that leaders DRAW the disciples of the Lord to themselves with false teaching. Revelation 2–3 also explains to us three false teachings: the teaching of Jezebel (usurping Jesus’ authority), Balaam (commerce/merchandising), and the Nicolaitans (dividing the church into two classes: Priest–People, Pastor–Congregation).

For the “little flock” or kingdom people to whom the Father has been pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, it is not difficult to understand the parable of the ‘woman and the leaven’. We must understand that leaven works secretly, slowly, but inevitably will leaven the whole dough. Since the days of the apostle John, the church has been leavened by the three false teachings above. Therefore, Scripture calls for the overcomers—simple people who do not take part in these three false teachings.

Indeed, the Christian world has been entirely leavened; therefore the Lord calls the kingdom people to “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

We now discuss the fifth parable of the kingdom of heaven, the parable of the ‘hidden treasure’ in Matthew 13:44: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

It is emphasized that the kingdom of heaven is like a ‘treasure hidden in a field’. Thus, it is clear that the ‘hidden treasure’ is the kingdom of heaven. The verse states that this ‘hidden treasure’ or ‘kingdom of heaven’ is found by a man. Who is this man who, upon finding this ‘hidden treasure’, rejoices, sells all he has, and buys the field where the treasure is?

If we remain consistent in interpreting the parables in Matthew 13, then we know that the man who buys the field containing the ‘hidden treasure’ is Jesus Christ. The sower in the first parable is Jesus; the one who sows good seed in His field is also Jesus; therefore it is natural to interpret the man who buys the field containing the hidden treasure as also Jesus. Besides, no one can ‘buy’ the hidden treasure (the kingdom of heaven) except Jesus Christ.

The field in this parable is, of course, the world. Jesus, as the ‘Lamb of God’, has redeemed the sin of the world/taken away the sin of the world (John 1:29). 1 John 2:2 affirms that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Jesus is the Savior of the world—not just of believers. Although Jesus ‘bought’ the field (the world), His attention is directed toward the ‘kingdom of heaven’ (the kingdom people) ‘hidden’ within the world.

Some interpreters say that the ‘hidden treasure’ is the church, meaning the Christian world as a whole. But if we observe all NT teaching about the church and the kingdom of heaven, we know that this is not correct. Jesus indeed said, ‘I will build My church’, but the Christian world is not the church as built by Jesus. The Christian world is the early church that has been fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations by the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3).

So then, who are the kingdom people or the ‘hidden treasure’? Luke 12:32 explains: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” This is the decision and sovereignty of the Father, who has been pleased to give the kingdom of heaven to the little flock. The kingdom of heaven is given by the Father to the little flock ‘freely’, because Jesus has ‘bought’ and fully paid for the ‘hidden treasure’ with His own blood.

One more thing to remember about this parable: Jesus did not only buy the ‘hidden treasure’, but also the field (the world). This means all humanity has been bought and redeemed by His blood. That is why Jesus said in John 12:32, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” All people have been bought and redeemed by the blood of Jesus; therefore all people rightfully belong to Jesus, no longer to the devil. It is only in this present age that Jesus’ focus is on the kingdom people. How will Jesus draw all people to Himself? The Bible teaches that Jesus, together with the “little flock,” will take back the captives of the devil in the ages to come. Hallelujah.

We continue with the sixth parable, the ‘merchant and the fine pearl’, in Matthew 13:45–46: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

This sixth parable is essentially the same as the fifth parable of the ‘hidden treasure’. The fine pearl here is certainly the ‘kingdom of heaven’, and the merchant seeking it is ‘Jesus Christ’. It is emphasized that when the merchant found the pearl of great value, he sold all he had to buy it.

Let us consider briefly how Jesus ‘sold all He had’ to obtain the kingdom of heaven. Philippians 2:6–8 affirms: “He, being in the form of God… emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (ILT). It is affirmed that He existed in the form of God and was equal with God. This speaks of His existence before incarnation—equal with God. But in that equality, He “emptied Himself” by taking the form of a servant. The meaning of “emptied” (‘kenoo’, a verb) does not mean He “abandoned” His divine equality, but rather that He ADDED the form of a servant (humanity) to His divine existence. The apostle John explains that the Word (‘Logos’) became flesh (John 1:1,14). He, who is equal with God, became a human named JESUS. That Jesus died on the cross is the meaning of ‘selling all He had’.

We must always remember that the price of the fine pearl (the kingdom of heaven) has been bought/paid in full by JESUS. The kingdom people, to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, DO NOT PAY ANYTHING TO RECEIVE IT (Luke 12:32). If so, why did Jesus say that those who want to follow Him must take up their cross (Matthew 10:38; 16:24)?

To answer this, we need a correct concept of the ‘kingdom of heaven’ that has been ‘bought’ and paid in full by Jesus on the cross. Christians struggle to understand the kingdom of heaven because in the Christian world it is commonly accepted that “believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” The “heaven” meant here is a pleasant place where the streets are made of gold, where believers merely sing, and even the famous Pastor Erastus Sabdono claims there will still be dogs in heaven—in that pleasant place.

Such a concept of “heaven” is far from the meaning of the ‘kingdom of heaven’ as revealed to John in Revelation. Consider Revelation 5:10: “You have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth” (ILT). The term ‘us’ refers to the kingdom people symbolized as the ‘twenty-four elders’ and the ‘four living creatures’ (Revelation 4:4,6). At the coming of Jesus, the kingdom people, with glorified bodies, will function as kings and priests (according to the order of Melchizedek) and will serve ON EARTH UNTIL THE EARTH MOVES TOWARD THE NEW EARTH AND THE NEW HEAVEN.

In order for the kingdom people to function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek, they must be processed or shaped by the Father in heaven. When the Father processes, trains, and shapes us, we will experience much tribulation (Hebrews 12:11; Acts 14:22). But these trials and sufferings are not the price we pay to enter the kingdom of heaven—they are the shaping of the Father so that we can function as kings and priests when the kingdom

of heaven is established on earth. JESUS DESCRIBES THE SUFFERING OF THE KINGDOM PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW HIM AS “TAKING UP THEIR CROSS.” Thus, it is clear that we pay no price at all to enter the kingdom of heaven, for the price has been paid in full by Jesus on the cross.

We will discuss briefly the ministry of the High Priest, Jesus, symbolized by ‘another angel’ in Revelation 8:1–3. Let us observe verse 3: “…And he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne.” Notice the symbolic action of this ‘other angel’—he not only offers much incense but also the prayers of all the saints. What is the meaning of this symbolic act?

We must look at several NT verses regarding the function of Jesus as our High Priest. John 17:9 affirms, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” This prayer was offered by Jesus on the last night He gathered with His disciples, and Judas—the betrayer—was no longer with Him. Note that Jesus prays only for His disciples—those given to Him by the Father. Here Jesus explicitly says He does not pray for the world. Who is the ‘world’ that Jesus means here?

We must assign the correct meaning to the term ‘world’ according to its context in the writings of the apostle John. If the term ‘world’ appears in John 3:16, then we know that the world here means all human beings, that is, all those whom the Father loves. If the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15–16, where we are forbidden to love the world, then the ‘world’ referred to there is the religious system. Pay attention to the entire context of Jesus’ discourse on His final night with His disciples. When Jesus said that the world hated Him and His disciples, the ‘world’ referred to is the religious world, namely Judaism, which possessed the Torah (John 15:25). Thus, if we observe the entire context of Jesus’ conversation on that last night, we know that the ‘world’ Jesus referred to in His prayer is the religious world—Judaism. Therefore, we understand what Jesus meant in His prayer above: that He was not praying for the world, that is, the religious world (Judaism), which killed Him and hated His disciples.

This does not mean that Jesus, as the High Priest, will not save the religious world, or the world in the sense of all humanity. For in John 12:32, Jesus clearly stated that He will draw ALL PEOPLE to Himself. However, the work of Elohim has its own stages or order, just as written in 1 Corinthians 15:23–28. So, in the end Jesus will save the whole world, as He has been given the title ‘Savior of the world’.

But in this age, as the High Priest, Jesus prays for and forms only those who have been given to Him by the Father. As the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus forms those given to Him by the Father so that they themselves become priests according to the order of Melchizedek. Thus, at His coming, Jesus will be the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek among priests—those given to Him by the Father.

Observe Jesus’ next prayer in John 17:21: “that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE that You have sent Me.” When, at His coming, His chosen people have been formed into priests and kings, and Jesus has become the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek among the priests, and the King above all kings, then the stage will have arrived in which the whole world will be saved.

Thus, the symbolic act of ‘another angel’ offering incense and the prayers of all the saints (priests and kings) is the offering of ‘fragrant’ prayers before the Father for the salvation of the world. The prayers of His chosen ones (the kings and priests) are included in the offering of ‘incense’ that rises as a sweet aroma before the Father, through Jesus Christ as the High Priest.

We conclude the teaching on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13 with a question and statement by Jesus to His disciples (vv. 51–52): “JESUS said to them, ‘Have you understood all these things?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ And He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who brings out of his treasure things new and old’” (LITV).

Here Jesus emphasizes that a ‘scribe’ who receives and understands the teachings of the kingdom of heaven is likened to a householder who brings out treasures both old and new. This means that Jesus’ disciples who understand the teachings of the Kingdom of Heaven are like “scribes” who teach and distribute their “treasures,” both new and old. The treasure of Jesus’ disciples is stored in “earthen vessels,” which is “the kingdom of heaven is within you” (Luke 17:21). These disciples teach the message of the Kingdom of Heaven with an understanding expressed as “the new and the old.”

The Jews understood the expression “the new and the old,” for it appears several times in the Old Testament. Let us take a few examples. First, in the case of Yahweh’s blessing (Leviticus 26:10). Second, in the case of “manna” (Joshua 5:12). Third, in the case of “the beloved” (Song of Songs 7:13). Fourth, in the case of the covenant (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8). Jesus also used the expression “new and old” when He taught (Matthew 9:17; Luke 5:36–39). Therefore, the expression “new and old” carries important meaning in the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us look at two key meanings within the expression “the new and the old” in relation to the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven. First, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Every teacher or proclaimer of the Kingdom of Heaven understands that the OT is merely symbols, prophecies, and shadows, while the NT is the fulfillment or reality of the OT—its fulfillment being “Christ, or the kingdom of heaven within the believer” (Colossians 1:27; 2:17; Luke 17:21). Second, the expression ‘New Heaven and New Earth’ (Revelation 21:1–4). We know that Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ given to the Apostle John in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). The New Heaven and New Earth are actually symbols of the new man, where there is no longer the consequence/wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:4). Therefore, the first (old) heaven and earth created by Elohim in Genesis 1:1 are in fact all human beings who possess the ‘heavenly’ and ‘earthly’ dimensions—the spiritual and the physical. Thus, the Father’s plan is to create humanity (in two dimensions), then through a process of “falling,” bring all humanity to be restored as new human beings. This is the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by its messengers.

Generally, the Christian world does not understand the expression ‘new heaven and new earth’, teaching instead an eternal hell where some human beings who are not chosen (possibly the majority) are cast into a place to be tormented forever. Likewise, the Christian world fails to understand the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven by mixing the worship systems of OT–NT, priesthood models of OT–NT (Aaron vs. Melchizedek), God’s blessings in OT–NT forms, and even doctrines such as a “fairy-tale heaven” far away, tithing and firstfruits (money), ‘visible and invisible church’, and the doctrines of Jezebel, Nicolaitans, and Balaam in Revelation 2–3.

The people of the kingdom will certainly be outside the ‘system (cosmos) of Christianity’ that has been deeply influenced by the teachings above. Just as Jesus, John the Baptist, and His apostles stood outside the religious system of Judaism, so also are the people of the kingdom.

Before we enter the fourth teaching on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew’s Gospel—namely Matthew 18—let us look at the moment when Jesus asked His disciples at Caesarea Philippi about who the Son of Man is (Matthew 16:13–20): “… Simon Peter said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim!’ … ‘You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…’”

Here we limit our discussion to Jesus’ words about ‘the church’ and ‘the kingdom of heaven’. We have learned that Jesus, John the Baptist, and also the twelve apostles (Matthew 10), all proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven is near. Indeed, Jesus would build His church, but His proclamation—the good news—was the kingdom of heaven.

The term ‘church’ appears only twice in Matthew’s Gospel, in chapters 16 and 18, but the term ‘kingdom’ appears about 58 times. Notice Jesus’ words above: “I WILL build My church.” This means that at the moment Jesus spoke, the church He would build did not yet exist. However, as we know, the kingdom of heaven was already present on earth in the person of Jesus Christ. When Jesus cast out demons by the power of Elohim, the kingdom of heaven had already come upon the earth (Matthew 12:28). The church was born at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem.

To bring the church into existence on earth, Jesus had to die, rise, sit at the right hand of the Father, and pour out His Holy Spirit upon the disciples. Many Christians speak of the Holy Spirit as the power of Elohim equipping the church to be witnesses of Jesus. But in truth, the Holy Spirit is the LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT. Note 1 Corinthians 15:45: “… the first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” The last Adam is certainly Jesus Christ, and the expression “life-giving spirit” (Greek: ‘pneuma zoopoieo’) should be translated as THE LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT (the life of Christ = ‘zoe’). This is why John 10:10 affirms that Jesus came to give His life—‘zoe’—and that His disciples may have ‘zoe’ abundantly. This means that this ‘zoe’ life must grow, for indeed this ‘zoe’ life, when given, is still a “seed.” The seed of ‘zoe’ life must grow so that we may know the true Elohim and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3).

Now let us come to our theme: the kingdom of heaven. The parable of the sower, which we previously discussed, illustrates Jesus sowing the life of ‘zoe’. There are two types of soil—stony and thorny—where the seed of ‘zoe’ does not grow or bear fruit. These two soils represent Christians who have been born again, for they have received the seed of Christ’s life (‘zoe’). We will see later that the entire teaching of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew’s Gospel proves that NOT ALL BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS WILL BE RECEIVED INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Unfortunately, in the Christian world it is widely believed that “BELIEVING IN JESUS MEANS GOING TO HEAVEN.” The concept “believe in Jesus, go to heaven” does not exist at all in the New Testament writings—much less the notion of a “fairy-tale heaven” far away. What is true is: BELIEVE IN JESUS, RECEIVE ‘ZOE’ LIFE. In the Gospel of John, there are many expressions stating that believing in Jesus results in eternal life (‘zoe’). Whether the seed of ‘zoe’ life grows or not is another matter altogether.

Furthermore, born-again Christians will not be evacuated (taken away) from the earth to a “faraway heaven.” What the NT writings proclaim is that the kingdom of heaven will be established on this earth to liberate creation, and only those to whom the Father in heaven is pleased to give the kingdom will partake in it (Luke 12:32; Romans 8:19–21).

Let us continue the narrative where Jesus asked His disciples at Caesarea Philippi who the Son of Man is. Matthew 16:21 states: “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” The phrase ‘from that time’ means that from the moment Jesus revealed His identity as the Messiah to His disciples, He then declared that the Messiah must suffer, die, and rise on the third day.

To the average Jew, a suffering Messiah was not the Messiah they expected, for they awaited a Messiah who would liberate Israel from surrounding enemies, bring peace to the world, and of course rebuild the Temple. Therefore, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him, hoping that Elohim would spare Him from suffering (16:22). Jesus’ response must have shocked him. Jesus said that Peter’s human thinking was Satanic and a stumbling block to Him. Jesus then laid down the requirement for anyone who would follow Him: they must deny themselves and take up their cross.

In truth, Peter’s thought was good from a human perspective. Perhaps driven by love for Jesus, he wished that Jesus be spared from suffering. Here we learn that even the best of human thoughts can become a “stumbling block” for anyone following Jesus. Following Jesus means thinking what Elohim thinks. Following Jesus means doing His will, regardless of what humans think about it. Isaiah 55:8 affirms: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the LORD.”

Indeed, whatever humans think, feel, or decide is ultimately an effort to preserve their ‘life’, or to preserve themselves—perhaps their reputation, honor before others, possessions, or anything highly valued. But it is precisely this self-preservation that hinders them from following Jesus. This is why Jesus insists that anyone who wants to follow Him must not preserve themselves or their ‘life’. Each person must deny themselves for the sake of following Jesus.

If so, can the proclamation of the kingdom of heaven still be called good news (gospel)? If following Jesus involves self-denial, bearing the cross, and suffering, can this still be called good news? Yes, certainly—because whether something is good must be determined by Elohim. Humanity, having eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, indeed has its own criteria for good and evil. But in truth, no one is good except Elohim alone (Mark 10:18).

The good news (gospel) of the kingdom of heaven cannot be separated from suffering for following Jesus. Paul states clearly: “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Paul even urges Timothy: “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). If the preaching of the gospel aims to spare humans from all suffering in this world, then it is certainly not the gospel of the kingdom of heaven.

Let us now enter the fourth section of the kingdom of heaven teachings, namely Matthew 18:1–35, concerning forgiveness and the parable of the unforgiving servant. This entire chapter actually concerns fellowship among members of the kingdom, and especially emphasizes how precious the lost or straying member is.

Matthew 18:1 states: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” This question concerns the relationship among members in the kingdom of heaven—and who is the greatest? Jesus answers with several points of teaching. First, one must become like a little child (vv. 2–4). Second, one must not become a “stumbling block” to another member (vv. 5–9). Third, one must not despise even the smallest member, for the Father in heaven greatly values the least and does not will that they perish (vv. 10–14). Fourth, if a member sins, he must listen to the church (vv. 15–20). Fifth, one must forgive other members wholeheartedly (vv. 21–35).

Let us begin with the first. Verse 3 states: “… Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” From this verse we see that a person must repent and become like a little child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Let us see the context of the entire chapter so that we can understand what “entering the kingdom of heaven” means. Notice the term ‘in’ in verse 1. This means that the disciples were asking Jesus about members who were already in the kingdom of heaven. Also note the terms ‘your brother’ in verse 15, ‘the church’ in verse 17, and Peter’s reference to ‘my brother’ who sins (verse 21). All of these show that the context of Matthew 18 is the relationship among members who are already in the kingdom of heaven.

If so, what does the expression ‘enter the kingdom of heaven’ in verse 3 mean? If we look at the parables in chapter 13 that we have discussed—the parables of the sower, the wheat and tares, and the net—we know that Christians who have been born again are already IN the kingdom of heaven, but that on the day of judgment, not all these Christians who are born again will be accepted to reign and ENTER the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth. That is why Christians who are already in the kingdom of heaven in this present age are not necessarily guaranteed to enter the kingdom of heaven in the next age, namely the age of the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4). On the day of judgment, when the Lord Jesus returns, all Christians who have been born again will be judged by the Lord Jesus. Whether a person is found to have repented and become like a little child—this is what determines whether someone enters the kingdom of heaven or not.

From the explanation above, it seems as if entering the kingdom of heaven is determined by the behavior of Christians, namely whether they have repented and become like little children or not. However, we must look at all the books of the New Testament to gain proper understanding of this matter. All the New Testament clearly speaks of grace. Paul testifies that even though he worked harder than the others, he still said that all of this was by the grace of God. Luke 12:32 also clearly states, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.” Therefore, the Father in heaven forms the people of the kingdom in such a way that they can repent and become like little children, meaning fully entrusting themselves to the Father’s care, and thus be able to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Let us continue our discussion regarding the disciples’ question to the Lord Jesus about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (18:1). In verse 3, which we have already discussed, Jesus does not immediately answer who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, He first emphasizes that unless one repents and becomes like a little child, he will not even enter the kingdom of heaven, nor reign with Him in the millennial kingdom on earth.

In verse 4, Jesus finally answers the disciples’ question regarding who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The Indonesian Bible (LAI) uses the word ‘and’, making it appear as if there are two criteria Jesus gives in verse 4—first, to humble oneself, and second, to become like a little child. The translation of the original text should read, ‘humble himself as a little child’. The Greek term translated ‘humble oneself’ here is ‘tapeinoō’, which means to humble oneself both in condition and in heart. Let us consider the meaning of ‘humbling oneself’ according to the context of Matthew chapter 18. We have seen that the context of Matthew 18 concerns the relationships among fellow members of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, humbling oneself here not only means having humility, but also one’s ‘condition’ before fellow members of the kingdom.

What is the meaning of one’s ‘condition’ before fellow members of the kingdom? Scripture explains very clearly why the church has fallen and become tens of thousands of denominations as we see today. The cause is the pride of certain church leaders. Paul explains the beginning or root cause of the church’s fall in Acts 20:28–30. The context of this passage is Paul’s address to the leaders (elders) of the church in Ephesus. In verse 29, Paul emphasizes that he knows—meaning what he says next is certain to happen after he leaves—namely, that fierce wolves will attack some leaders. This attack will cause some church leaders to draw disciples (members of the kingdom) away from the true path to themselves so that they become their followers (verse 30).

What does it mean to draw disciples away from the true path? Notice once more the goal of these leaders in verse 30: “so that they will follow them.” Therefore, the ‘true path’ referred to in this verse is being a follower of Jesus Christ alone. Church leaders must not draw disciples to themselves; they may only ‘equip’ the disciples (Ephesians 4:12). This is the meaning of the ‘condition’ of some leaders before members of the kingdom—drawing disciples to themselves.

Let us apply this matter of ‘humbling oneself’ before fellow members of the kingdom to the context of the Christian world. We know that the Christian world is essentially groups of disciples, some following one leader and some following another. Certainly, this is not only the responsibility of leaders who draw disciples, but also of church members who sometimes proudly mention the leaders they follow. Paul rebukes this behavior in 1 Corinthians 1:10–13.

Paul strongly opposes divisions in the church. For division in the church destroys the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). There are cases where Paul says, “Be imitators of me.” But what he means is to follow Paul’s ‘example’ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Unfortunately, in the Christian world, drawing disciples is not only a PRACTICE by certain leaders but has become a DOCTRINE—the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:15). The doctrine of the Nicolaitans is a teaching that justifies the ‘dominion of leaders over other members’. This doctrine divides the church into two classes: priest–laity (Catholic) and clergy–laity (Protestant). When it becomes a ‘doctrine’ and not merely a practice, it has been taught, widely accepted, justified, and no longer questioned. Whatever justification leaders may give, drawing disciples to themselves is an act of pride—not humbling oneself before fellow members, as Jesus taught.

Let us move on to the second point in the teaching of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 18—do not be a ‘stumbling block’ to fellow members (verses 5–9). Matthew 18:6 affirms, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

The term ‘cause to stumble’ in this verse comes from the Greek ‘skandalizō’, meaning ‘to cause someone to sin’. But we must remember that the entire context of chapter 18 concerns relationships among members of the kingdom. Therefore, the meaning of ‘causing to stumble’ is making fellow members of the kingdom of heaven sin. Specifically, Jesus emphasizes those He calls ‘these little ones who believe in Me’.

This matter of ‘skandalizō’ is extremely serious among members of the kingdom. Jesus even states that any member of the kingdom who commits ‘skandalizō’ should be drowned in the sea. So serious is this matter that Jesus says if your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away (verse 8). Likewise, if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out (verse 9). Of course, this must not be interpreted literally; Jesus is emphasizing the seriousness of committing ‘skandalizō’.

Matthew 18:7 declares, “...for offenses must come, but woe to the one through whom they come.” This is consistent with what Jesus says about Judas: “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man who betrays Him. It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24). Likewise, the Lord has decreed that stumbling offenses will occur among members of the kingdom—but woe to the member who causes them.

We recall the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13). It is said that not only the Son of Man sows seed, but the devil also sows his. What is interesting is that wheat and tares are almost indistinguishable at first. Thus, the member of the kingdom who causes others to stumble is almost indistinguishable from one who does not, at least in the early stages. But at His coming, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks (skandalon) and all who commit lawlessness” (13:41). It is extremely serious for members of the kingdom who cause others to stumble, for they “will be thrown into the blazing furnace; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (13:42). Therefore, we must earnestly seek His grace so that we do not commit ‘skandalon’ or become stumbling blocks to fellow members in the kingdom, whether through our behavior or through our teaching.

Let us continue discussing the kingdom teachings in Matthew 18. It has been emphasized that there are five points of kingdom teaching in this chapter. We have discussed the first two, and now we will discuss the next two: third, do not despise even the smallest member, because the Father in heaven greatly values the smallest member and does not want them to go astray (verses 10–14); and fourth, if a member sins, he must listen to the church (verses 15–20).

Let us consider these two points. Verses 10–14 teach us not to despise even the smallest member of the kingdom, and that we must give special attention so that they do not go astray. Paul also teaches us to give special honor to the members of the Body who seem less honorable (1 Corinthians 12:23). This is emphasized because not only did the Son of Man come to save the lost, but the Father in heaven also greatly cares for the one who is lost and rejoices more over the one who is restored than over those who were not lost.

The next teaching is that we must rebuke our brother who sins (verse 15) privately. The purpose of rebuking is clear—to win him back, if he listens to you. If he does not listen, the rebuke must continue until it is brought before the congregation. The point is clear: do not let our brother be lost. In today’s age of information technology, this “private” rebuke is not always necessary, because anyone can teach errors or misleading ideas on social media, affecting many Christians, especially if they have many followers. In such situations, the member of the kingdom who is moved by God must publicly correct the error, in order to save the person and those who hear them.

In the Christian world, people often equate ‘rebuking/correcting’ with ‘judging’. Rebuking or correcting a fellow member is a command from God. Correcting someone is not judging them. The difference is this: judging is not only pointing out faults but also pronouncing sentence on our brother. In today’s fallen Christianity, judgment is reserved for organizational leaders who have ‘positional authority’ over their subordinates. We will discuss this further in Matthew 23 regarding “Moses’ seat,” because Jesus does not want ‘hierarchy’ (positional authority) in the church.

Verse 19 in this section states, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” This verse is not about prayer in general, because the context is prayer concerning the restoration of a sinning brother. Thus, if two members of the kingdom agree in prayer regarding anything related to the restoration of a sinning member, the Father in heaven will grant it. This shows how precious a lost member of the kingdom is in the sight of the Father.

Let us continue the kingdom teachings in chapter 18 and consider the final point, the fifth—namely, that we must forgive fellow members who wrong us wholeheartedly (verses 21–35). This final point begins when Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive a brother who sins against him. Jesus’ answer—“seventy times seven”—means we must always forgive. Jesus then explains why we must always forgive with a parable.

Matthew 18:23 says, “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.” Many kingdom parables in Matthew emphasize that there will be an accounting or judgment for all members of the kingdom on the last day. For example, the parables of the wheat and tares, the dragnet, the wise and foolish virgins, the talents, and the faithful and wicked servants—all of these teach us that there will be an accounting on the last day. As a result, some members of the kingdom will be accepted, and others rejected. In the parable we are discussing, what determines whether a member of the kingdom is accepted or rejected is whether he always forgives his brother wholeheartedly.

Generally, in the Christian world, there is difficulty in accepting the kingdom teaching that one member of the kingdom may be rejected while another may be accepted. One cause is slogans or expressions that are widely believed, such as “once saved, always saved,” “believe in Jesus, go to heaven,” and other sayings or teachings that prevent Christians from seeing the plan of the Father in heaven. If by God’s grace a Christian understands the plan of the Father, he will not struggle to understand the kingdom teachings proclaimed by Jesus and His apostles.

Let us step back briefly to consider the Father’s plan so that the parable about ‘forgiveness’ above can be better understood. Genesis 1:26–28 tells us that the focus of the Father’s plan is the earth, not heaven. His plan never changes, for He is God who does not change. His plan is that humanity should subdue everything that creeps on the earth. We know that ‘everything that creeps on the earth’ refers to the kingdom of the devil and his evil spirits. Man as an individual cannot subdue the devil’s kingdom; it must be a ‘kingdom of humans’ confronting the ‘kingdom of the devil’. That is why Jesus came as a man to establish His kingdom on earth. This is the plan of the Father—to establish the kingdom of the Messiah on earth in order to subdue the kingdom of the devil. The entire New Testament explains how the Father’s plan unfolds in establishing the Messiah’s kingdom on earth.

One crucial element in how the Father establishes the Messiah’s kingdom on earth is through ‘settling accounts’ with His servants, or with the members of the kingdom. If a member of the kingdom is rejected on the ‘day of accounting’, it means he will not take part in the Messiah’s

kingdom that will be established on earth. This does not speak of whether he is saved or not, nor whether he will be thrown into eternal hell forever, as taught in the traditional doctrine of eternal hell which many Christians widely accept. If there are members of the kingdom of heaven who are accepted on the day of reckoning, then they will take part in the Messianic kingdom that will be established on this earth. This Messianic kingdom will surely conquer the kingdom of the devil, because Jesus as the King has already defeated the devil. All human beings who are captives of the devil will be seized by Jesus and His kingdom. That is why Jesus said that He would draw all people to Himself (John 12:32).

Therefore, on the day of reckoning, the question will be whether Christians will take part in the Messianic kingdom that will be established on the earth or not. May this explanation of the Father’s plan help us better understand the parable about forgiveness above.

Before we enter the final section (the fifth section) of the teaching of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23–25), let us look at several cases or stories. For now we will discuss the case of a rich young man who asked Jesus about how to obtain eternal life (Matthew 19:16–26). In this case there is something very important that Jesus taught about the difference between ‘obtaining eternal life’ and ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’.

Let us first discuss ‘obtaining eternal life’. The young man begins with a question about what good deed he must do in order to obtain eternal life (verse 16). This question is certainly incorrect, because no human being can obtain eternal life through good deeds. That is why Jesus corrected this question with the statement that no one is good except God alone (verse 17).

However, in order to teach this young man that he could not obtain eternal life by his good deeds, Jesus continued by giving him a requirement to obtain life, namely obeying the Law of Moses (verses 17–19). The young man, so proud and unaware of his true condition, replied, “All these things I have kept; what do I still lack?” (verse 20). Jesus immediately exposed the young man’s inability by saying that he must be perfect, sell all he had, and follow Jesus (verse 21). Here the young man’s inability is revealed. It turns out he could not meet the requirement Jesus gave in order to follow Him. The young man was bound to his wealth, and thus he went away sorrowful (verse 22).

The lesson here is that obtaining eternal life (‘zoe’) cannot be achieved through good deeds, but only by believing in Jesus. This lesson is also shown in the people’s question to Jesus in John 6:28–29: “What must we DO…?” Jesus answered, “…that you BELIEVE in Him…” Throughout the Gospel of John there are many statements that by believing, one receives eternal life (‘zoe’). However, the ‘zoe’ received by believers is still only a “seed” and needs to grow. That is why John 10:10 emphasizes that we must receive ‘zoe abundantly’, meaning it must grow to maturity and bear fruit.

Then Jesus continued His teaching to His disciples about ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’ (verse 23). Jesus stressed how difficult it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, to the point that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The point is clear: for man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (verse 26).

Now we come to the important point in this section, namely the difference between ‘obtaining eternal life’ and ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’. In Christianity, these two matters — obtaining eternal life (‘zoe’) and entering the kingdom of heaven — are generally considered the same. A false statement that has long been accepted within Christianity is that BELIEVING IN JESUS GUARANTEES ENTERING HEAVEN. Jesus and His apostles never taught this. What is true is that BELIEVING IN JESUS GIVES ETERNAL LIFE (ZOE). Whether that zoe-life grows and bears fruit is an entirely different issue.

The parable of the sower, which we have discussed, explains that Christians who have believed in Jesus and received zoe-life (categorized as ‘rocky ground’ and ‘thorny ground’) do not grow and do not bear fruit. And other parables about the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel of Matthew — indeed the entire New Testament — also explain that NOT ALL CHRISTIANS WHO ARE BORN AGAIN WILL NECESSARILY BE ACCEPTED INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN THAT WILL BE FULLY ESTABLISHED ON EARTH. Jesus will come “the second time” as the righteous Judge to judge us all (the church). On that ‘day of reckoning’, everything will become clear.

It seems that the Christian world has indeed preached another gospel. Jesus and His apostles preached only one gospel, the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. THERE ARE NOT TWO GOSPELS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, ONLY ONE: THE GOOD NEWS (GOSPEL) OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. At His coming, Jesus and the citizens of the kingdom will fully establish the kingdom of heaven on earth. And the expansion of the kingdom of heaven on earth will not cease (Isaiah 9:6). The kingdom of heaven on earth will subdue all things so that the world moves toward the new earth and new heavens.

Let us continue the story in Matthew 19, where Peter asked Jesus: “…We have left everything and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?... Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (verses 27–28).

We have discussed the previous story about the rich young man in which Jesus stressed how hard it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus’ statement shocked the disciples, and therefore Peter asked what they would receive for following Him. Jesus affirmed that the disciples would receive a reward at the ‘renewal of all things’, namely sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Let us discuss the reward that the disciples of Jesus will receive. This reward is clearly given at the ‘renewal of all things’. The Greek word translated ‘renewal’ here is ‘palingenesia’, which appears only twice in the New Testament. The other occurrence is in Titus 3:5, translated by the Indonesian Bible as ‘rebirth’.

The concept contained in the term ‘palingenesia’ is broader than merely ‘rebirth’ or ‘renewal’. ‘Palingenesia’ also means ‘the restoration of all things’, and even ‘the ending of the old age and the beginning of the new’. Jesus used this term in the sense of the beginning of a total restoration process from the fallen first creation toward the new creation. And this process begins when He comes in His glory (commonly called the second coming) and gives rewards to His disciples.

In the case of the twelve apostles, their reward is sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel. What about the reward for other disciples who follow Jesus? Revelation 20:4 affirms: “Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge…” The people mentioned here are the overcomers of the church throughout the ages. See Revelation 3:21: “To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne…” Thus, the overcomers in the church are the ones given authority to judge.

We must understand that the authority to judge given by Jesus to the overcomers is within the context of ‘palingenesia’, that is, within the context of ‘the renewal of all things’. So it does not mean judging in the sense of declaring condemnation. Consider Isaiah 26:9: “…for when Your judgments come upon the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Therefore, the authority to judge means the authority to carry out ‘the restoration of all things’, so that the world learns what is right.

The reward Jesus gives to His disciples is clearly based on each disciple’s deeds. Revelation 22:12 states: “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each person according to what he has done.” Nevertheless, all of this remains by the grace of God. Paul said that he worked harder than the others, but ‘not I’, he emphasized, ‘but the grace of God that was with me’ (1 Corinthians 15:10).

We are still discussing the reward of following Jesus, which is related to ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’. This matter is important because in Christianity there is a widely accepted belief that all born-again Christians will certainly enter heaven and will only stand before Christ’s judgment to determine the size of their reward. In other words, all born-again Christians will surely receive a reward and enter the kingdom of heaven. Is this true?

Before discussing rewards, we need to be clear about the stages of the Father’s plan in heaven in establishing His Son’s kingdom on earth. First, the kingdom of heaven came to earth in and through the person of Jesus Christ. At His coming, the church had not yet been born, which is why Jesus said, “I will build My church.” Second, through His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit (the Spirit who gives ‘zoe’-life) was poured out upon 120 people in Jerusalem. This was the birth of the church, the ‘called-out ones’. The church becomes the instrument called to bring forth the kingdom of heaven on earth. Third, the kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth at the second coming of Jesus. This is where the judgment of Christ takes place. The parables related to the second coming of Jesus in Matthew are the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant (Matthew 24), the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, and the parable of the talents (Matthew 25).

Let us pay attention to Paul’s statement related to the theme we are discussing. 1 Corinthians 3:14–15 says: “If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss, but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” From these verses we see that some Christians, whose service endures the test of God’s fire, will receive a reward. But others, whose service is burned up, will suffer loss, even though they will still be saved “as through fire.” In other words, some Christians will receive a reward; others will fail to receive a reward. This understanding aligns with the parables we mentioned above (Matthew 24–25), and it also aligns with the revelation of the kingdom of heaven throughout the New Testament.

Therefore, the belief that all born-again Christians will certainly receive rewards and enter the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth has no foundation in the revelation of the New Testament. The reward for Christians at the coming of Jesus is to reign on earth as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek. See Revelation 5:10, which speaks of this: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

The event in which Christians receive their reward is explained by Paul in Romans 8:19–21: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” This is the event in which Christians receive their reward and are manifested on the earth with glorified bodies to liberate creation. This is also the meaning of entering the kingdom of heaven, not in the sense of “a faraway heaven,” but in the sense of the kingdom of heaven that will be fully manifested on earth. This is the beginning of the ‘restoration of all things’, or ‘palingenesia’, the renewal we have discussed.

Let us discuss a bit more about the reward of following Jesus. After Jesus answered Peter’s question about rewards, He continued: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30). Then Jesus explained this statement through the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16).

This parable describes the kingdom of heaven as like a landowner seeking laborers for his vineyard. The parable is very simple, and we will not discuss the entire story, but we will take several important points from it.

First, the landowner — who of course represents the Father in heaven — acts very justly, especially toward the workers who came first. This is because he had already agreed with them on the wage of one denarius for the day. Second, the landowner has full freedom to use his belongings as he wishes (verse 15). This speaks of the sovereignty of the Father in heaven to do whatever He pleases. Third, the error of the workers who came first was that they grumbled against the landowner’s decision. There was envy in the hearts of the first workers. Because of this envy, the parable ends with the conclusion: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last” (verse 16).

In the teaching of the kingdom of heaven, the sovereignty of the Father in heaven is very important — indeed, it may be said to be the foremost. This sovereignty of the Father is evidence that everything is by His grace. There is nothing in humans that can be boasted. Paul also firmly said that whoever boasts should boast in the Lord, meaning boast in what God has done in us.

Let us take two verses to clarify what we are discussing. Luke 12:32 says: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 17:9–10, speaking of service, emphasizes: “Does he thank the servant because he did what he was commanded? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

The teaching of the kingdom of heaven — even our entire lives — becomes simple and easy when we see that everything has been predetermined by the Father in heaven. Psalm 139:16 also affirms the Father’s sovereignty in determining all things: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

In Christianity there is a teaching about free will that has gone “too far.” To prove that humans have responsibility before God, it is claimed that they must have ABSOLUTE free will. This doctrine of “absolute free will” is also what gave birth to the myth about the fall of Satan, from a good angel (Lucifer) into an evil devil. We will not discuss all of that here.

However, by teaching that the Father in heaven determines all things, we do not deny that every creature possesses a will. Angels, humans, animals, and even trees all have a will. That is why Jesus ‘rebuked’ the fig tree that bore no fruit, because even though it was only a tree, it still had “responsibility” to bear fruit. Therefore, all of us must take responsibility because we have a will, but our ‘will’ is determined ENTIRELY by the Father in heaven.

Thus, even our “reward” is entirely determined by the sovereignty of the Father in heaven. Even whether we will take part in the kingdom of heaven that will one day be fully manifested on earth—this too is determined by the decision of the Father in heaven. For those of us who fully trust in the Father’s love, what we are discussing here is not difficult to accept.

We will now examine the story of Jesus and His disciples entering the city of Jerusalem and being rejected by the chief priests and the scribes (Matthew 21). This rejection by the Jewish leaders is recorded in Matthew 21:15: “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did, and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant.” Of course, not everyone rejected Jesus. When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, the crowds welcomed Him, crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” However, since the Jewish nation as a whole was represented by its leaders who occupied “Moses’ seat,” the rejection by the leaders was regarded as the rejection of the entire nation of Israel.

There are several events in Matthew 21 that we need to note. First, Jesus cleansed the Temple, which had been turned into a den of robbers by the Jewish leaders (v. 13). Second, Jesus “rebuked” the barren fig tree, which symbolized the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 24:2,5,8). Third, the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders was exposed when they questioned Jesus’ authority. Jesus asked them about John’s baptism—was it from man or from heaven? And they lied, because they feared the people who regarded John as a prophet (vv. 25–26). All these events prove the corruption of the Jewish religious leaders, and for this reason they rejected Jesus as the Messiah.

Jesus then told two parables: the parable of the two sons and the parable of the tenants. These parables were directed at the Jewish leaders who rejected Him. The parable of the two sons explains that Israel, as the firstborn son (Exodus 4:22), did not do the Father’s will, while ‘tax collectors and prostitutes’, which can be understood as representing the church, did the Father’s will and thus entered the kingdom of heaven (v. 31).

The parable of the tenants was also directed at the Jewish leaders who rejected Him. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven would be taken away from the Jewish nation and given to a people (the church) who would produce the fruit of that kingdom (v. 43). In fact, the Jewish nation had been entrusted with the kingdom of heaven, though only in symbolic form (the Davidic kingdom as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom). But when the reality of the kingdom arrived in the person of Jesus, they rejected Him. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven was taken from them. Until today, the kingdom of heaven has not been given back to the Jewish nation because its leaders continue to reject Jesus as their Messiah.

The consequences of Israel’s rejection of Jesus were immense. In A.D. 70 the Temple was destroyed by General Titus, and since then there has been no Temple, which was the core of the Mosaic covenant. The synagogues scattered everywhere cannot replace the function of the Temple for Israel. Synagogues are merely places for gathering and studying the Law, but sacrificial ceremonies cannot be performed there.

What lesson does this hold for the church, which has now been entrusted with the kingdom of heaven? Has the church produced the ‘fruit of the kingdom’ for the Lord Jesus? Has the church manifested the kingdom of heaven on earth? These questions are extremely important for the church.

We continue our study with the parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1–14). Apparently, this parable continues Jesus’ conversation with the chief priests and the Pharisees in the previous chapter (21:23–46). Jesus begins the parable by saying that ‘the kingdom of heaven’ is like a king (the Father in heaven) who prepared a wedding banquet for his son (Christ Jesus).

The parable emphasizes that those who had already been invited refused to come for various reasons. Therefore, the king sent his servants to the crossroads to invite anyone they found. After the wedding hall was filled, the king entered to meet the guests and found one who was not wearing wedding clothes. It must be remembered that in Eastern custom, the host provided wedding garments for all guests. Thus, if someone refused to wear the garment provided by the host, it was considered an insult. For this reason, the king commanded his servants to bind the man hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness. The parable concludes with the statement, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (22:14).

This parable tells us that those who had been invited but refused to come represent the Jewish nation as a whole. They had been invited to the wedding banquet because they were bound to Yahweh through the Mosaic covenant. Meanwhile, those invited from the crossroads who entered the banquet hall represent the church. But not all within the church who are ‘called’ will partake of the wedding banquet, because only a few among the called are chosen.

The term ‘called’ means having been saved, born again, and having received the seed of Christ’s life (‘zoe’). Passages such as Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, and Ephesians 4:1 clearly show that ‘called’ means made holy—set apart for God’s purposes. But ‘chosen’ means becoming an overcomer who will reign with Christ (Revelation 17:14). Jesus said to His disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit…” (John 15:16). Thus, being called and being chosen are both acts of grace. The “wedding garment” in the parable is also provided by the host. Everything is grace.

Again, we see that not every born-again Christian will take part in reigning with Christ at His coming. Only those who have been granted grace to be called, chosen, and appointed to bear fruit will reign with Him during the millennial kingdom on earth.

We continue with Jesus’ question to the Pharisees who were gathered: “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is He?” They answered, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord’? For he says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’ If then David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be his son?” (Matthew 22:42–45).

In the preceding verses, Jesus had been tested by the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes with questions about ‘paying taxes to Caesar’, ‘the resurrection’, and ‘the greatest commandment’. He answered all of them perfectly, and when it was His turn to ask them a question, they could not answer.

Jesus’ question about the Messiah was meant to correct their concept of who the Messiah is. The Pharisees and scribes understood only the physical aspect—that the Messiah would be the son of David. Therefore, they expected a Messiah who would restore a physical kingdom like David’s, rebuild a physical Temple like David’s (though built by Solomon), deliver Israel from physical enemies, and bring earthly peace.

Such a physical understanding proves they did not grasp the nature of the Mosaic covenant (OT), which consisted of symbols, shadows, and prophecies. The awaited Messiah was to fulfill all those symbols, shadows, and prophecies. The Messiah would be the ‘reality’ of all OT symbols, shadows, and prophecies. Colossians 2:16–17 states, “… with regard to food and drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day; these are a shadow of the things that were to come, but the reality is Christ.” Colossians 1:27 also affirms, “… Christ in you…” Thus, Christ dwelling within the believer is the ‘real substance’ of all OT symbols, shadows, and prophecies.

Notice how the Pharisees equated the Messianic kingdom with the kingdom of David. Yet Jesus affirmed that David called the Messiah ‘Lord’. This means the Messiah is greater than David. Therefore, the Messianic kingdom belongs to a higher dimension than the Davidic kingdom. The Messianic kingdom is heavenly (the kingdom of heaven), while David’s kingdom was earthly (a physical kingdom). This is one of the main reasons the Jewish religious leaders (Judaism) rejected Jesus as their Messiah. While Israel expected deliverance from physical enemies—the Roman Empire at the time—Jesus came to deliver Israel from the bondage of sin, Satan, and evil spirits.

How about the Christian world today? Does Christianity fail to understand that Jesus fulfills all OT symbols, shadows, and prophecies? It appears that much of Christianity is not far different from the religious leaders of that time. Consider the nature of Christian worship today. Jesus said true worship must be in spirit and in truth (reality). This means that worship is the daily life led by Christ within the believer.

Whether a believer is led to work here or there, gather with fellow believers in this place or that, or simply gather with family at home—all must be done based on Christ’s inward leading. This is the real worship in spirit. But Christian worship today has become full of regulations: must do this, must do that… organizational rules, leaders’ rules, and even rules taken from the OT such as tithing, firstfruits, faith pledges, and so on. In essence, Christian worship has become similar to Jewish worship with its rituals and regulations.

As we know, the Gospel of Matthew contains five major divisions of teaching about the kingdom of heaven, while the rest consists of narratives about Jesus and the good news of the kingdom. Let us recall these five sections: first, Matthew 5:1–7:29 (the Sermon on the Mount); second, Matthew 9:35–11:1 (the commissioning of the twelve apostles); third, Matthew 13:1–52 (the seven parables of the kingdom); fourth, Matthew 18:1–35 (forgiveness and the parable of the unmerciful servant)—and we have discussed these four. We now enter the final section, the fifth, in Matthew 23–25—Jesus’ rebukes of the Pharisees and scribes, and His teaching on the end times and the judgment of God’s servants.

Let us begin with Matthew 23:1–12, which is the introduction to this teaching about the kingdom of heaven. Notice Matthew 23:1: “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples.” In this teaching, Jesus is speaking to two groups: the crowds and His disciples. We must clearly see this distinction, because Jesus’ teachings differ between these two groups.

To the crowds, Jesus taught them to obey everything the scribes and Pharisees taught, because they sat on “Moses’ seat,” but they were not to imitate their actions (vv. 2–3). Jesus then explained why the crowds should not imitate the works of the scribes and Pharisees (vv. 4–7).

But starting in verse 8, Jesus spoke to His disciples, for the verse begins with, “But you…” If we carefully observe the context, we will see that Jesus was essentially speaking about “Moses’ seat.” It is this seat that caused Jesus to say the crowds must follow the Pharisees’ teachings, while His disciples were given completely different instructions because they were not under “Moses’ seat.” Understanding what Jesus meant by “Moses’ seat” is crucial.

What is “Moses’ seat”? It refers to the authority of Moses—meaning a religious authority that applied only under the Mosaic covenant (OT). For this reason, the crowds had to obey the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, regardless of their bad behavior. The authority of Moses that the scribes and Pharisees held is what required the crowds to obey their teaching.

But among Jesus’ disciples (the church), there must be no “Moses’ seat.” The church has its own authority. Jesus’ teaching to His disciples is very clear: THERE MUST BE NO AUTHORITY OTHER THAN THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS. We see here that Jesus’ authority over the church is not delegated to ‘church rabbis/teachers’, or ‘church fathers’, or ‘church leaders’. Jesus’ words in verse 8, “You are all brothers,” in context means there must be no “Moses’ seat” in the church. No religious office, no religious authority, no human leader’s authority may exist in the church apart from Jesus. JESUS HIMSELF DIRECTLY GOVERNS EVERY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. In other words, THERE MUST BE NO RELIGIOUS OFFICE OF ANY KIND IN THE CHURCH.

Let us continue our discussion about “Moses’ seat” in Matthew 23:1–12. We have emphasized that “Moses’ seat”—a religious office or religious authority—applied only under the Mosaic covenant (OT) and not under the New Covenant (the church). Therefore, in the church there must be no “Moses’ seat,” no religious office, no religious authority, no authority of leaders, except the authority of Jesus. Jesus directly governs every member of the church through His own authority. Jesus never delegated His authority to leaders. The concept of delegated authority exists only in human governmental systems. So why does the modern church use the idea of delegated authority? This is what we will now examine.

There are two things we must understand clearly. First, how Jesus directly governs every member of the church. When Jesus said, “I will build My church,” it means He Himself will build His church. He Himself directly governs and builds His church. Of course, Jesus uses leaders as His instruments. For this reason, Jesus gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to EQUIP the church so that it may grow to maturity (Ephesians 4:11–12).

We must always remember that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers HAVE NO AUTHORITY whatsoever over the members of the church. So how does Jesus exercise direct authority over His church? Through His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, Jesus has given The ‘Life-Giving Spirit’ to establish His church. On the day of Pentecost, when the Life-Giving Spirit was poured out, the church was born on this earth. Therefore, the authority of Jesus over His church is what we call ‘the Authority of the Life of Christ’. The Life of Christ (‘zoe’) directly governs every member of the church, because the church is an organism (the Body of Christ).

Colossians 2:19 explains to us how the church as an organism can grow: “and not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, through the joints and ligaments, being supplied and knit together, grows with the growth that is from God” (ILT). We see from this verse that the “joints and ligaments” are the leaders of the church (as an organism) who supply and knit the organism together so that the Body (the organism) can grow with ‘the growth of God’.

The Greek expression ‘auxano ho auxesis ho theos’, translated as ‘grows with the growth that is from God’, actually means ‘may increase with the increase of God’. The meaning is that through the function of the “joints and ligaments,” the church grows with GOD’S OWN GROWTH AS LIFE. The growth of the church is the growth of Life because the church is an organism. Thus, through the authority of Life within the organism, Jesus directly governs His church. The leaders merely function as “joints and ligaments” that supply and unify the Body. These leaders are what we call the ‘leaders of the organism’, as opposed to the ‘leaders of organizations’ within the Christian world.

If so, how did the church, which began as an organism, fracture into tens of thousands of organizations? We will discuss this in point two.

We continue to discuss whether leaders have authority over other church members. Why, in the Christian world, is there a notion of ‘delegated authority’, as if leaders possess an authority that can be delegated to subordinates? In the first point, we already explained that Jesus directly governs every member of His church through the authority of Life—His own authority—because Jesus is Life (I am the ‘zoe’). This is why the apostle John said, “But the anointing which you have received from Him remains in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you…” (1 John 2:27). The anointing within the inward being of every believer is the ‘zoe’ (the Life) that Jesus has given. This inward Life of Christ teaches Christians everything. Thus, through His Life, Jesus governs every member of the church, for each member lives being led by Life, or by the Spirit who gives Life.

If so, does the church not need leaders? Of course the church needs leaders, because Jesus Himself gives leaders to the church—but only to equip every member so that all the members may, in turn, build up the Body of Christ by obeying ‘the inward anointing’ (Ephesians 4:12; 1 John 2:27). In this way, the church remains in its essence an organism (a Body) directly governed by the authority of the Life of Christ, even though there are apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, elders/overseers, and deacons. This was the condition of the early church in the Book of Acts, where we find seventy expressions such as ‘led by the Spirit’, ‘the Spirit said’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, and so on. All church members—including the leaders—were governed solely by the Holy Spirit, even as Paul called himself ‘a prisoner of the Spirit’.

Now we come to the second point: how did the church, which began as an organism, become divided into tens of thousands of organizations/denominations? The New Testament explains plainly the beginning of this process, though it is generally not taught by religious leaders in the Christian world. In fact, Christian religious leaders often obscure this by means of the false teaching of the ‘visible–invisible church’, or by claiming that denominations are ‘the church’.

The initial cause of why the church (as an organism) became tens of thousands of denominations is written in Acts 20:29–30: “I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from among your own selves will arise men who speak perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” The context of these verses is Paul’s farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus.

The earliest disease of the church’s downfall is clearly revealed in these verses: the attack of “savage wolves” upon some leaders. The motivation of the “savage wolves” is obvious—they do not spare the church (the flock), and their method is to attack the leaders who can be attacked. The impact of this attack is twofold: first, it caused certain leaders to teach FALSE TEACHINGS; second, they DREW disciples to follow them. Disciples who had previously followed the true way—that is, following the authority of Jesus by being led by the inward Life (the anointing John referred to)—were, after being DRAWN by these leaders, turned into ‘followers of the leaders’. Consequently, Jesus could no longer directly lead them. This is what has occurred in the Christian world. The tens of thousands of denominations are no longer the church built by Jesus, because multitudes of disciples follow this leader or that leader, this stream or that stream; therefore, the denominations are religious kingdoms established by leaders. Or, perhaps more accurately, each denomination is a leader’s kingdom with its respective followers.

We continue discussing Matthew 23:1–12 concerning the “seat of Moses,” yet it seems we must diverge briefly to discuss ‘the blessing of the Father in heaven’. Why so? Because to speak about the “seat of Moses” is to speak about religious leaders—both the religious leaders of Judaism and the religious leaders within the Christian world.

Many of Jesus’ rebukes toward the Jewish religious leaders in chapter 23 can also, in several cases, be applied to religious leaders within Christianity. And it has become a common view among Christians that ‘God’s blessings’ serve as proof that a person’s life is pleasing to God. We often hear statements such as: “See, he is blessed—there is the evidence… that means he is pleasing to God.” This is the issue that requires us to speak about the blessing of God before we continue to the discussion of the “seat of Moses.”

In truth, all humans have already been blessed by the Father in heaven. John 3:16 affirms that God so loved the whole world that He gave His only Son to remove the sin of the world. Jesus did not remove only the sins of Christians, but also the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). This is why John the Baptist said that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). If the Father in heaven has loved the world so greatly, how could He also be cursing the people of this world? Truly, the Father in heaven has blessed all people, but His blessing must not be used as evidence that He is pleased with the way each person lives.

The Father in heaven is a Father who blesses. Consider the following facts. Isaac was blessed, but Ishmael was also blessed (Genesis 17:20). Jacob was blessed, but Esau was also blessed (Hebrews 11:20). Both Ishmael and Esau were blessed by the Father in heaven; nonetheless, the Father made His covenant only with Isaac, and chose Jacob—not Esau. Therefore, the Father’s blessing cannot be used as proof that He is pleased with someone’s way of life.

Let us consider an example of an earthly father—Jacob, who blessed all his sons at the end of his life (Genesis 49). Verse 28 states, “… he blessed each one with the blessing appropriate to each.” When Jacob blessed all his sons at the end of his life, was this proof that all his sons pleased him? Certainly not. Likewise, the Father in heaven, who is the Father of spirits, blesses all humans simply because He is a loving Father.

Is the Christian world blessed by the Father in heaven? Of course. Not only the Christian world—indeed, the entire world is loved by the Father and blessed by Him, much more so the Christian world. But are all His children within Christianity walking in ways that please the Father? This is precisely what must be reflected upon: the blessing of the Father upon a Christian’s life is not proof that the Father is pleased with his way of life. The Father’s blessing merely proves that He is a loving Father.

In the parable of the prodigal son, both the younger and the older son are loved by the Father. This concept is difficult for many Christians to accept. Religious leaders in Christianity usually like to teach: if you give a tithe, you will receive financial blessings; if you attend services regularly, your faith will grow; if you pray much, you will receive many blessings; and so forth. This IF–THEN principle is indeed a religious principle—whether in Judaism or in Christianity, which has fallen into the state of being a religion.

The New Testament principle is not IF–THEN but ALREADY–THEREFORE. We have already been blessed; therefore, let us be a blessing. We are already salt and light; therefore, let us behave according to our identity as salt and light. If these explanations help us understand that the blessing of the Father cannot be used as evidence of His pleasure, then we are ready to continue the discussion concerning the “seat of Moses.”

It seems we still need to speak a bit more about the blessing of the Father in heaven before moving on to the “seat of Moses.” This is because Christians commonly believe that “all worldly pleasures come from the devil because the devil is the ruler of the world.” This statement is only half true. It is true that the devil is the ruler of the world in the sense of the ruler of the ‘kosmos’ (the system), but heaven and earth belong to the Father in heaven. Therefore, every pleasure experienced by humans in this world comes from the Father in heaven—it is the ‘blessing of the Father’.

Ecclesiastes 2:25 affirms, “For who can eat and who can have enjoyment apart from Him?” This verse clearly states that the enjoyment someone feels when eating comes from God—that is the blessing of the Father. Yet if a person steals the food he enjoys, then the devil works as the ruler of the ‘kosmos’, and the flesh (the old man) of the thief gives the devil opportunity to act. Thus, the devil cannot give enjoyment to humans, because the devil is only ‘a liar and a murderer’.

In the Christian world, it has become widely accepted—almost as truth—that the devil was once a good angel named Lucifer who rebelled against God and became the evil being he is. Even further, the story has been embellished with the claim that the devil drew a third of the angels with him.

To understand the blessing of the Father in heaven, we must know accurately who the devil actually is. Jesus states clearly in John 8:44 that the devil is a murderer from the beginning and the father of lies. Thus, the devil was not originally good and later became evil; he has been evil ‘from the beginning’. First John 3:8 also states that the devil has been sinning ‘from the beginning’.

If so, who created the devil, who has been a liar and a murderer from the start? Consider Genesis 3:1, which states that the “serpent” was made by the Lord God. The serpent there could speak, was cunning, and tempted Eve. This is obviously not a physical serpent like one at the zoo. The Book of Revelation, in symbolic language, explains that the serpent (or dragon) is the devil (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). Thus, the serpent of Genesis 3:1 is a symbol of the devil, and he was CREATED BY THE FATHER IN HEAVEN. The Father created a being named the devil to serve as His instrument for processing humans so that they might become His image and likeness.

Many Christians cannot understand why a loving Father would create such an evil being. Therefore, theologians began creating tales about the fall of the devil, misusing verses from Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28—passages that actually refer to the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre. Anyone can create dramatic stories by snatching verses out of context.

These theologians meant well: they wished to absolve God of responsibility for the existence of evil in the universe. According to them, evil, calamity, disaster, or anything that causes human suffering cannot come from the loving Father in heaven. Meanwhile, Isaiah 45:6–7 and Amos 3:6 explicitly state that calamity, misfortune, and darkness come from the Father and are done by Him.

These theologians did not stop with their tales but proceeded to invent the doctrine of absolute free will. Supposedly, since the Father in heaven has granted absolute free will to the angels, the devil rebelled freely against Him. This doctrine of absolute free will is terrifying. What if another angel suddenly rebels? What if the devil hits us on the head, and the Father cannot help us because He has granted the devil absolute free will? This doctrine utterly insults the sovereignty of the Father in heaven. The people of the Kingdom believe only that all things are FROM HIM, THROUGH HIM, caused by Him, and TO HIM—to His glory and His purposes.

We could speak at great length on this subject. But for now, it is enough to understand that every blessing, enjoyment, or anything obtained and experienced by humans comes from the Father—it is the blessing of the Father. The Jewish religious leaders were greatly blessed by the Father. All the pleasures the Pharisees and scribes enjoyed—wealth, position, and human honor—came from the Father and were His blessings to them. The question is not the blessings themselves but how they obtained money, position, and honor—through their ‘kosmos’ (religious system). This is what we will address later.

We have established that the church needs leaders, but these leaders possess no “seat of Moses” or any authority over other members. Now we will look into church history to see how the “seat of Moses” eventually entered the church.

History records that a man named Ignatius (A.D. 117) is regarded as the first to teach a distinction between elders (‘presbuteros’) and bishops (‘episkopos’). Ignatius, a church leader in Antioch (Syria), died as a martyr under Emperor Trajan. He wrote letters during his journey to Rome to be martyred. We will quote portions of his letters that reveal something deeply hidden within the flesh—namely, the desire to rule or to exalt oneself above God’s people.

Here are some quotations in English (so the meaning is clearer), from The Apostolic Fathers (1956) by J.B. Lightfoot:

* Plainly therefore we ought to regard the bishop as the Lord himself (p. 65).

* Therefore as the Lord did nothing without the Father, (being united with Him), either by Himself or by the Apostles, so neither do you do anything without the bishop and the presbyters (p. 70).

* … submitting yourselves to your bishop and presbytery, you may be sanctified in all things (p. 64).

*Be obedient to the bishop (p. 72).

*He that does anything without the bishop and the presbytery and deacons, this man is not clean in his conscience (p. 74).

*Do all of you follow your bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father, and the presbytery as the Apostles (p. 84).

*He that does anything without the knowledge of the bishop renders service to the devil (p. 84).

In the book The History of Christianity, 1990, Lion Publishing, p. 83, Ignatius insisted that there must be one ‘bishop’ who leads each congregation in order to prevent divisions within the church and to ensure that right beliefs are preserved. Ignatius was a leader who followed the Lord until his martyrdom in Rome, but through this teaching the Body of Christ fell into human government with all its hierarchy and organization. When the movement begun by the Lord Jesus and His apostles as an organism became a solid organization, a new era in church history began—an era commonly called the ‘dark age of the church’.

Ignatius’ intention was good, for he desired that each congregation be preserved from false teachings by having one bishop leading it. But the question is: does the Bible teach that one leader should be exalted above the others, or that one person should have authority over the congregation?

Let us take one example: the elders (‘presbuteros’) and the bishops (‘episkopos’) are not distinguished at all and are used interchangeably. In Titus 1:5–7 it is written, “…that you should appoint elders (presbuteros) in every city… For a bishop (episkopos) must be a steward of God’s household…” It is clear here that ‘presbuteros’ is the same as ‘episkopos’. These two terms refer to the same person. Presbuteros means a mature person, while episkopos denotes his function as an overseer or watcher. Thus, a church leader must be mature and able to spiritually “see” the “savage wolves” that will attack the church.

Therefore, it is clear that Ignatius’ view that there must be one bishop who rules over the elders violates the Word of God. This violation continued so that among the bishops of each city there had to be an archbishop; among the archbishops, a cardinal; and among the cardinals, a pope. Thus the “seat of Moses” entered the church, and the dark age of the church came, in which hierarchy or human government ruled over the church.

Let us continue our passage on the “seat of Moses” (Matthew 23:1–12), and close it with the conclusion found in the last verse: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (v. 12). In understanding Scripture, the principle of context is extremely important. Without it, one may interpret ‘exalting oneself’ as referring to someone’s speech, appearance, friendliness, or anything that makes others think he is humble. Such an interpretation is wrong. Jesus is not speaking about someone’s words, appearance, ministry, wealth or poverty, or number of followers.

We need to discuss briefly the meaning of ‘context’. Context comes from two Latin words: con (together) and textus (woven), meaning something woven together. Applied to literature, context refers to the ‘connection of thoughts’ in a work or writing. This flow of thought must be discovered so that one does not interpret a verse—or even a single word—outside its context. The flow of thought in this passage is clearly about the “seat of Moses.” The “seat of Moses” clearly speaks of leadership authority, for Jesus commanded the crowds to obey the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees who sat in that seat. Thus, Jesus is speaking about leader authority.

We have also discussed that in the church there is no “seat of Moses” (vv. 8–10). So when Jesus speaks of ‘exalting oneself’, this is directly related to the issue of the “seat of Moses,” that is, the issue of leader authority. There are two types of leader authority described here: first, the authority of the scribes and Pharisees; second, the authority of church leaders.

The authority of the scribes and Pharisees over the crowds is clearly ‘positional authority’, or ‘hierarchical authority’, or authority based on rank within a hierarchy. This kind of authority must not exist in the church. This is the meaning of Jesus’ words to His disciples—that none of them should be called leader, rabbi, or father. All followers of Jesus are brothers, meaning that there must not be positional authority or hierarchical authority. Anyone who pays attention to the context—both within the passage and within Scripture as a whole—can easily understand this.

Therefore, what does Jesus mean when He says that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted? Clearly, He means that any church leader who holds the “seat of Moses” is exalting himself.

Such church leaders will surely be humbled by Jesus. But this will take place at the judgment seat of Christ, where the church will be judged by Him. This is the clear meaning of Matthew 23:1–12.

Now we will compare Matthew 23:1–12 on the “seat of Moses” with Matthew 20:20–28 on the request of the mother of James and John. The reason for comparing these passages is that both speak of a “seat.” The first about the “seat of Moses,” the second about the “seat of the heavenly kingdom.”

Consider the request of the mother of James and John: “Jesus said, ‘What do you want?’ She said to Him, ‘Command that in Your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left’” (20:21). To sit in the kingdom of Jesus obviously refers to “heavenly seats.” Clearly, this mother’s concept of “the seats of the heavenly kingdom” was very earthly. Perhaps she imagined Jesus’ kingdom to be like David’s kingdom, with close associates sitting beside his throne. Perhaps she imagined that if her sons received power and authority, she too would receive glory.

We will later see that this mother’s understanding is not very different from that commonly found among leaders in the Christian world. Let us demonstrate this. Are not organizational positions or hierarchical ranks in Christian institutions commonly fought over by leaders? Consider the common causes of division in Christianity—are they not because leaders fight over position? And indeed, such divisions will continue as long as the “seat of Moses” exists. Each leader wants the highest position. Why? Because sitting on the “seat of Moses” brings money, facilities, and the respect of the people.

Let us look at three points of Jesus’ response:

First, the church is not like the governments of the nations (20:25). In the church, which is an organism, all are brothers, and the authority at work is the authority of the Life (zoe) of the organism—that is, Jesus Himself, because He is the Life of the church. Therefore, there must be no “seat of Moses” in the church. Some leaders may argue that positions and hierarchy are only tools. True—they are tools… but not tools in the hands of Jesus; rather, tools in the hands of leaders who act as managers of the organization. Indeed, organization is one of the tasks of a manager. But again—there must be no managers in the church; all are brothers. Jesus does not need an organization to govern His church. He governs each member directly through His own Life.

Second, church leaders are free people who become servants to other members (20:26–27). The difference between a servant and a manager needs no explanation.

Third, Jesus as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. This is the example for us who follow Him.

As a closing for this part, consider verse 23: “…it will be given to those for whom My Father has prepared it.” The Father in heaven has prepared those who will “sit on the seats” of the heavenly kingdom. Luke 12:32 states, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.”

Before we discuss Jesus’ rebukes to the Jewish religious leaders in Matthew 23:13–36, let us summarize our study so far on the difference between the “seat of Moses” and the “seat of the heavenly kingdom.” The religious leaders who sat on the seat of Moses clearly had authority over the crowds, so their teaching had to be obeyed. Meanwhile, Christians prepared by the Father to sit on the seats of the heavenly kingdom are ‘servants’ (doulos=slave or servant, Matthew 20:27). Here doulos means servant to God’s people, not servant before God. Thus, the “seat of the heavenly kingdom” is the seat of a servant, and those prepared by the Father to sit there are those who have no authority over God’s people. They do not draw God’s people to themselves as followers, nor exercise authority over them.

Those who receive the grace to sit in the heavenly seat surely understand that the Christian world is the fallen early church, corrupted by the entrance of the “seat of Moses.” The leaders of Christianity are those who sit on the “seat of Moses.” We all understand that they are not doulos—servants—to God’s people. They are managers who govern God’s people with authority they possess because they sit on that seat. The authority of Christian religious leaders over God’s people is clearly ‘illegal authority’. But today it is widely accepted in Christianity, even taught as doctrine. Truly, this is the false teaching of Jezebel described in Revelation 2–3, where Jezebel usurped King Ahab’s authority in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. Likewise, these Christian leaders “usurp” the authority of Jesus over His people.

Now we are ready to examine Jesus’ rebukes to the Jewish religious leaders (Matthew 23:13–36). We needed first to discuss how the “seat of Moses” entered the church because Jesus’ rebukes are directed to religious leaders. To what extent these rebukes apply to Christian leaders today we leave to Jesus, who will judge us all. Our part is to uncover and convey what Scripture says.

There are eight rebukes of Jesus that begin with the phrase “Woe to you… you hypocrites,” except in verse 16, where the word ‘hypocrites’ does not appear. Thus, seven times Jesus uses the term ‘hypocrites’ for the Jewish religious leaders. Let us see what Jesus means by this term. The Greek word for ‘hypocrite’ is ‘hupokrites’, meaning someone who plays a role that is not truly himself—acting or pretending. We will note three forms of their pretense:

First, they pretend to be spiritual by deceiving people with long prayers (23:14).

Second, they pretend to be clean, cleaning the outside while inside are full of robbery and greed (23:25).

Third, they pretend to be righteous, appearing righteous externally but full of hypocrisy and lawlessness inside (23:28). Jesus likens their hypocrisy to a “tomb”—beautiful outside but within full of bones and all uncleanness (23:27).

One major characteristic of these religious leaders is hypocrisy. They pretend to be spiritual (23:14), pretend to be clean (23:25), pretend to be righteous (23:28). Their hypocritical behaviors naturally lead their teachings to be external and not inward.

Let us take one example of their outward-focused teaching. Matthew 23:23 states, “…for you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, but neglect the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These you should have done without neglecting the others.” These religious leaders emphasized tithing rituals, but neglected the inward condition of the heart—mercy, justice, and faithfulness. Their outward teachings and behaviors matched their goal—to be seen by others (v. 5).

Their outward religion is like cleaning the outside of a cup and dish while inside are full of greed and self-indulgence (v. 25). God is concerned with the inward condition and heart. The saints in the Old Testament were people who had faith and love for Yahweh and expressed this by obeying the Law. They were not people who obeyed the Law without faith or love, for in every age Elohim seeks faith. The saints in every age are people of faith. But the Pharisees and scribes in Jesus’ time cared only about outward forms of worship and ignored inward matters. This is the chief characteristic of their behavior and teaching—externality, neglecting the inward.

Let us apply this matter to the Christian context. Jesus said that worship must be in ‘spirit and truth’ (John 4). Worship in spirit means worship must be inward. Paul prophesied that in the last days Christians will have a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5). Many perform outward forms—attending church buildings, giving certain offerings, performing rituals—yet inwardly they are empty, with no spirit burning for the Lord.

Next, worship ‘in truth’, or worship ‘in reality’, means worship that is not in symbols, rituals, and shadows, as worship was in the context of the Old Testament. All regulations concerning food, drink, festivals, new moons, Sabbaths, and others in the context of the Old Testament were merely shadows, while the reality is Christ within (Colossians 2:16–17).

Therefore, worship in spirit and truth is worship in the sense of following the inward leading of Christ in our daily lives. Christian worship is not ritualistic, outward, nor filled with regulations of ‘must this’ and ‘must that’, as in the Old Testament context. But let us reflect on the main characteristics of the teachings of religious leaders in the Christian world: are they inward or outward?

Now we will discuss the second characteristic of these Jewish religious leaders—blindness. Certainly, Jesus did not mean physical blindness, but spiritual blindness, so that they could not “see” the matters of God (Elohim).

Let us examine the blindness of these Jewish religious leaders. First, their blindness caused them to be unable to distinguish what is more important and what is not (23:16–22). They did not understand that the Temple is more important than the gold of the Temple (vv. 16–17). They also did not understand that the altar is more important than the offering on it (vv. 18–19).

Second, their blindness caused them to strain out “a gnat” and swallow “a camel” in their drink (vv. 23–24). We have discussed that they practiced tithing, but neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Some religious leaders in the Christian world “pick out” this verse to prove that Jesus

commands the tithe to His church. These leaders completely fail to “see” the context of the verse. In this verse, it is clear that Jesus is speaking to Jewish religious leaders connected to the Mosaic Covenant, not speaking to His disciples (the church) who are connected to the New Covenant. Why is such an ‘obvious’ truth something they cannot see?

Third, the blindness of the Pharisees and scribes caused them to clean only the outside of the cup and dish, while neglecting the inside (vv. 25–26). The disease of these religious leaders is that they love the honor of man more than the honor of God (Elohim), so their deeds are aimed at being seen by others.

Let us now discuss more deeply this spiritual blindness. The church in Laodicea was also blind, thinking they were rich and lacking nothing, while in fact they were blind (Revelation 3:17–18). Their sickness was because their “eyes” were not anointed with the “oil” of the Holy Spirit. Let us also consider the case of the prophet Balaam, whose donkey had sharper vision than he did. The donkey had already seen the Angel of the Lord, while Balaam—who loved the wages of unrighteousness—could not see Him. The Pharisees and scribes are also said to “devour widows’ houses,” which clearly refers to taking money from the weak—perhaps through tithes, temple taxes, or other means—while they themselves lived in abundance (v. 14). Indeed, the Pharisees were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). It seems that love of money, or receiving payment for ministry, causes leaders to become blind. A prophet who ought to be a “seer,” and church leaders (episkopos = overseer = seer), who ought to see the attacks of “fierce wolves” upon the flock, become blind and dull because they love the wages of ministry.

Another point we should add here is that the key to seeing ourselves or seeing the condition of God’s people is seeing the Lord (Isaiah 6:1, 5). Here, Isaiah received grace to see Him. Everyone is born “blind.” May we receive His grace to see the Lord, and therefore come to know ourselves and the condition of God’s people.

Now let us discuss the next characteristic of these Jewish religious leaders written in Matthew 23:33: “You serpents, you brood of vipers! How can you escape the sentence of hell?” Jesus calls the Jewish religious leaders who “sit in Moses’ seat” serpents and a brood of vipers, and says they cannot escape the judgment of hell.

There are several things we need to understand here so that we may apply Jesus’ words to our present condition. For if Jesus’ words have no relevance to us today, what purpose is there in having them written in Scripture? His words must be applicable to the Christian world, but we must first understand what Jesus meant.

First, we must understand that Jesus was not insulting the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus never insulted any human being, for He loves all people just as the Father in heaven does. Second, the serpent Jesus referred to is obviously not a physical serpent like those seen in zoos, because it is said that these human religious leaders are the offspring of serpents. Third, therefore, Jesus calling the Pharisees and scribes the offspring of serpents reveals a truth or a reality—as it is. Indeed, they truly were the offspring of vipers.

If so, who is the serpent Jesus meant? John 8:44 clearly states that the devil is the father of these Jewish religious leaders. Jesus also reveals here the identity of the devil—he is a murderer from the beginning and the father of lies. It was proven that Jesus was killed by the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus was not killed by Pontius Pilate and the Roman soldiers. They were merely instruments in the hands of the Jewish Sanhedrin, headed by the High Priest Caiaphas, because the Sanhedrin did not have permission from Rome to execute someone regarded as a deceiver.

Now we come to a very important question—what did the devil do to these Jewish religious leaders? Let us first look at the case in which Jesus rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23). In that verse Jesus explains why He said this to Peter: “You are not thinking about the things of God, but the things of man.” We know that Peter’s action came from his affection for Jesus, not wanting Jesus to be killed by the elders, chief priests, and scribes. So Peter was thinking “good thoughts” about Jesus, but these were human thoughts. Here the devil sowed “seeds” of good human thoughts into Peter, which were contrary to the will of the Father in heaven.

Thus, the devil sowed his “seed” into these Jewish religious leaders—whether humanly good thoughts, hatred, or anything else. The clear purpose of the devil is deception unto destruction, for that is his identity.

Before applying this discussion to the Christian world, let us recall the parable of the ‘Wheat and the Tares’, which we have already discussed, where the devil also sows his seed. We see that both tares and wheat are within the kingdom of heaven, and the Lord allows them to grow together. Only at His appointed time—at the coming of Christ—will the Lord separate the tares from the wheat.

In the Christian world there are “tares” sown by the devil and “wheat” sown by Jesus. Revelation 2–3 explains to us that the “seed” sown by the devil includes the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, which have been widely accepted in Christianity. At the coming of Jesus, these “tares” will be cast into the furnace of fire, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42). For now, it is not yet the time for Christians to know who is “tare” and who is “wheat.” What is clear is that both “tares” and “wheat” are born-again Christians and members of the kingdom of heaven. All are in the Lord’s field. At the coming of Christ, all will be made clear.

After Jesus finished rebuking the Jewish religious leaders, He declared, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you… Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, from now on you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:37–39). Here Jesus affirms that the “house” of the Jewish nation is left desolate until they finally welcome Him who comes in the name of the Lord. Because the Jewish nation as a whole rejected Jesus as the Messiah, He left the Temple and began teaching several matters to His disciples. This teaching is commonly called the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24–25).

Jesus’ teaching was in response to His disciples’ question: “…Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus’ teaching in chapters 24–25 speaks about the Jewish nation, about the nations, and also about His coming.

Let us begin discussing His coming. In the Christian world, the expression “the second coming of Jesus” has become very popular. From this expression arises an understanding of a “physical coming” of Jesus—first physically 2,000 years ago, visible to physical eyes, and then a “second time” physically, again visible to physical eyes. In reality, the New Testament never uses the expression “second coming,” nor “the second coming of Jesus.” This “physical” understanding causes us to miss the essence of His coming. We have written about the coming of the Lord elsewhere; here we will only highlight some points necessary for grasping the essence of Jesus’ coming.

There are six Greek terms translated as ‘coming’ in the New Testament. They are:

1. PAROUSIA. This term appears 24 times in the NT and comes from the verb ‘pareimi’, meaning ‘to be present’. The noun means presence. Parousia never refers to the act of coming or arrival, but to the presence of someone who has already come. The term is never used for a physical coming of the Lord. Thus, Parousia means presence. Where two or three are gathered in His name, He is present. That is His PRESENCE. That is His COMING.

2. APOKALUPSIS. From ‘apokaluptō’, meaning ‘to uncover’, indicating a revelation—something formerly hidden being unveiled.

3. EPIPHANEIA. Appears six times. From a verb meaning ‘to bring to light’ or ‘to appear’. The noun means ‘manifestation’. It expresses the manifested glory and splendor of the Lord’s coming.

4. PHANEROO. Meaning ‘to make visible’ or ‘to make apparent’, not in the sense of physical sight, but perceptual revelation.

5. ERCHOMAI. Used for the actual act of coming. Unlike ‘parousia’, which denotes presence, ‘erchomai’ refers to arrival. It is used in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming (an act of coming) with the clouds…”

6. HEKO. This term emphasizes arrival at a particular place, as in Revelation 2:25: “Hold fast what you have until I come.”

These six Greek terms do not indicate six different kinds of comings, but different emphases that help us correctly understand what a passage means when speaking of the Lord’s coming. For now, it is enough to understand that His coming does not have to be physical.

We continue our discussion of the Lord’s coming. As we have seen from the six Greek terms, His coming does not have to be physical. Let us look at an example from Matthew—part of our passage—Matthew 24:27: “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

This verse seems to say that the coming of the Son of Man is a sudden event in the sky, with His coming flashing like lightning from east to west. But that is not the meaning. The key lies in the Greek term translated ‘lightning’, ‘astrapé’. Strong’s defines it as ‘a flash of lightning, brightness, luster’, derived from ‘astraptō’, meaning ‘lightning; by analogy, glare’. Scholars understand the term to refer to the ‘shining rays’ of a source of light, not a physical flash of lightning leaping from one location to another. If the Lord’s coming were like lightning flashing in one particular place, it would contradict verses saying ‘every eye will see Him’.

Before drawing our conclusion, let us reflect: What light shines from east to west? Is it not sunlight? And we know that the Lord is a sun to us (Psalm 84:11–12). His light illuminates our spirit, soul, and body so that all are preserved completely…

Thus the verse should be understood: “For as the lightning shines from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the PRESENCE (Parousia) of the Son of Man.” This means His PRESENCE is like sunlight growing ever brighter, shining upon our entire being. The presence (parousia) of the Lord continues within us until our entire being is fully saturated with Him.

Here again we see that the concept of the Lord’s coming is not physical. His coming is an inward matter. If our understanding of the Lord’s coming is a physical descent of Jesus visible to physical eyes, we lose much of the true meaning of His coming. It is time to see the ESSENCE of the Lord’s coming—it occurs spiritually within our inner being.

Thus, the Lord’s coming is progressive—ongoing and advancing, deeper and deeper, until the Father’s entire plan is fulfilled: the new heaven and the new earth. The Lord has come, is coming, and will come. Where two or three gather in His name, there He is (Parousia).

By stating that the Lord’s coming occurs inwardly in our spirit, we do not mean that His coming, which marks the ‘end of the age’, is something occurring only in the spiritual realm. Next, we will discuss what will take place on earth at His coming, as explained in Matthew 24.

We continue our discussion of the Lord’s coming. As we have seen from the six Greek terms, His coming does not have to be physical. Let us seeing an example that speaks about His coming in the book of Matthew—which is part of our current discussion—namely Matthew 24:27, which says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

At first glance, the verse above seems to say that the coming of the Son of Man is like a sudden event in the physical sky, where His coming happens like lightning flashing from east to west. That is not what this verse intends to say. The key to understanding this verse lies in the Greek term translated “flashes of lightning,” namely ASTRAPE. Strong’s defines it as ‘a flash of lightning, brightness, luster’, where ASTRAPE comes from ASTRAPTO, meaning ‘lightning; by analogy, glare’. Scholars understand this Greek term as referring to a ‘bright ray’ from a source of light, and not a sudden lightning bolt that strikes from one location to another. If the Lord’s coming were like a lightning flash, meaning it occurs only in one specific location, then it would contradict other verses that say “every eye will see Him.”

Before we draw any conclusions about the meaning of this verse, let us consider: what light shines from east to west? Is it not the light of the sun… and we know that the Lord is our sun (Psalm 84:11). His light illuminates our spirit, soul, and body, so that our whole being is preserved perfectly…

Therefore, this verse should be translated as: “For as the lightning flashes from the east and shines to the west, so will be the PRESENCE (Parousia) of the Son of Man.” This means that His PRESENCE is like sunlight that grows continually brighter, shining upon our entire being. Thus, the Lord’s presence (parousia) continues progressively within us until our whole being is fully saturated by Him.

Again, we see here that the concept of the Lord’s coming is not physical. The Lord’s coming is an inward matter. If our understanding of the Lord’s coming is that Jesus descends from heaven in a way visible to physical eyes, then we have lost much of the true meaning of His coming. It is time for us to see the ESSENCE of the Lord’s coming, which occurs spiritually within our inner being.

Therefore, the Lord’s coming is progressive, meaning ongoing and advancing—deeper and deeper—until the entire plan of the Father is fulfilled, namely the New Heaven and the New Earth. The Lord has come, is coming, and will come. Where two or three gather in His name, there the Lord is present (Parousia).

By stating that the Lord’s coming happens inwardly within our spirit, this does not mean that His coming—which marks “the end of the world”—is something that happens only in the spiritual realm. Next, we will discuss what happens on earth at His coming, as explained in Matthew 24.

We continue with the ministry of the seventh angel who pours out his bowl into the air (Revelation 16:17–21), where this ministry is related to the judgment of “Babylon.” Indeed, the explanation of the seventh angel’s ministry regarding “Babylon” continues until chapter 18, and is concluded with the “song of victory in heaven” in Revelation 19:1–5. Why is this section so long? Because after the judgment of “Babylon” is completed, the ‘marriage of the Lamb’ can take place. The true Bride of Christ must be prepared and revealed (19:7). For after the ‘marriage of the Lamb’, the kingdom of Christ (Head and Body) begins to judge and wage war in righteousness to restore all things (19:11–16). It is this kingdom ministry of Christ that ultimately brings forth the New Heaven and New Earth, where there is no more ‘death’, which is the wages of sin (21:4).

Let us now enter into this judgment of Babylon. Revelation 17:1 affirms: “And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters’” (ILT). Who is this “great harlot” who will be judged? Revelation 17:18 confirms that the woman John saw is a “great city,” and that great city is Babylon (18:2). Thus, the “harlot woman” IS the “great city,” namely Babylon.

We must remember that the city of Babylon described in Genesis 10–11 was a literal city that truly existed in history. Meanwhile, the “city of Babylon” in Revelation is a symbol. We can know the meaning of a symbol by considering its historical background. Babylon was one of the kingdom cities built by Nimrod (Genesis 10:8–10). Nimrod was the first person to rule on earth and was “a mighty hunter before the Lord…” (Genesis 10:9).

Many people assume that this means Nimrod served and lived ‘before the Lord’ (Gen. 10:9). But we have seen that Strong’s Concordance reveals that the Hebrew term PANIM, translated ‘before’, has a wide range of meanings. In Genesis 10:9—as in Numbers 16:2—the Hebrew PANIM, translated ‘before’, can literally mean ‘in rebellion against’. And according to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the name Nimrod means ‘he who made all men rebel against God’. The ILT (Indonesian Literal Translation) Bible even gives a footnote for ‘before’, explaining it as ‘stubbornly against’. We may conclude that Nimrod was one who rebelled against God, and Nimrod built his own kingdom, one of which was Babylon.

The harlot woman and the city of Babylon seen by John carry the same meaning. Both symbols refer to the ‘church’, but the church that will be judged. The church symbolized as the “harlot woman” or “city of Babylon” is judged so that the true Bride of the Lamb may appear.

We have emphasized that the essence of the coming (Parousia = presence) of the Lord Jesus occurs ‘spiritually within our inner being’. This does not mean that His presence affects only the spiritual realm. Now we will examine the coming of the Lord Jesus as written in Matthew 24:29–30: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

The coming of the Lord Jesus here is the same as the end of the world (24:3). But we must understand the meaning of “the end of the world,” because otherwise we will imagine the total destruction of the earth. Imagine the stars falling from heaven, the sun darkened, the moon not giving light—surely we would imagine the earth utterly destroyed. But that is not the meaning of these verses.

We must examine the writings of the apostle John regarding the meaning of “the end of the world,” because John’s writings use the term ‘world’ with a highly important theological meaning. The term ‘world’ (Greek: ‘kosmos’) means a system. In dictionaries, a system means a group of elements that work together according to a certain order. In today’s world, there are political, economic, social, and religious systems. All these systems are interrelated, because the ruler of this system is the devil (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 Corinthians 2:6, 8; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12).

If so, what is the meaning of the end of the world? The end of the world means the end of the system ruled by the devil, and its replacement by another system. Consider the following verses in Revelation: Revelation 3:21, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne…” Revelation 5:10, “And You have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the

earth” (ILT). Revelation 20:4, “Then I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was committed to them…” From these verses, we understand that the end of the world (the end of the system) means that the old system, currently ruled by the devil, is taken over by His overcomers, who function as kings and priests. Jesus is the King of kings and the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, leading the priests. Thus is the meaning of the “end of the world,” where the old system ruled by the devil is replaced with a new system ruled by Jesus and His overcomers.

Therefore, the meaning of the stars falling from heaven, the sun being darkened, the moon not giving light, should not be taken literally. Stars, the sun, and the moon are symbols of rulers of the old world-system. The old system is shaken at the coming of the Lord Jesus. It is also emphasized that the Son of Man comes on the clouds. Throughout Scripture, when the term “cloud” appears in singular form, it refers to the cloud of the Lord’s glory, but when it appears in plural form—clouds—it refers to the witnesses or the saints. Thus, the coming of the Lord Jesus occurs ‘in and through His overcomers’. This is the meaning of “the Son of Man coming on the clouds.” Paul explains this event in Romans 8:19–21.

We have seen that the coming of the Lord Jesus (commonly called “the second coming”), or the end of the world, means the replacement of the old system ruled by the devil with a new system where Jesus and His overcoming church exercise the function of kings and priests on earth. Observe Revelation 11:15: “Then the seventh angel sounded, and loud voices were heard in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His anointed, and He shall reign forever and ever.’” The Indonesian translation (LAI) uses a capital ‘His’, as if referring to Jesus Christ. But it should actually be lowercase ‘his’, referring to the overcoming church. This aligns with other verses in Revelation that state that Jesus and His overcomers will reign in the coming age.

Let us now consider the words of Jesus—or the prophecies of Jesus—concerning His coming. First, nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes (24:7). For the Jewish people, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple would occur, which was fulfilled in AD 70. And the gospel of the kingdom must be proclaimed to all nations as a testimony (24:14).

Second, Jesus says that the coming of the Son of Man will be as in the days of Noah (24:37–42). For those who hold to the doctrine of the “rapture,” this passage is often used as evidence that at His coming, the saints will be “taken up” to meet the Lord, while the wicked are “left behind” on earth.

But if we examine this passage carefully, the opposite is actually true. Those “taken away” from the earth by the flood were the wicked, while Noah and his household were saved from the flood and returned to earth, for the earth is indeed the inheritance of the meek (Matthew 5:5).

Third, Jesus affirms that no one knows when the Son of Man will come—that is, when the end of the world will occur. Therefore, Jesus advises us to be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour we do not expect (24:44). How do we stay ready? By being faithful and wise servants, always carrying out the task of giving food to God’s people. Faithfulness refers to our attitude toward God, while wisdom refers to our attitude toward His people.

Jesus also warns the wicked servants, who beat their fellow servants and eat and drink with drunkards. “Beating” here does not necessarily mean physical violence, but treating fellow servants unjustly. Eating and drinking are normal activities, but eating and drinking with drunkards indicates living a hedonistic lifestyle. Servants influenced by prosperity teachings will inevitably lean toward ‘hedonism’—the view that worldly pleasure and material enjoyment is life’s goal. Jesus warns these wicked servants that at His coming He will assign them a portion with the hypocrites (24:51).

We now continue our discussion about what will happen at His coming to earth. We know that the purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth is to establish His kingdom. That is why Jesus proclaimed only the good news of His kingdom (the kingdom of heaven) and taught us to pray for His kingdom to come to earth. Matthew 25:1 emphasizes, “At that time…” meaning that at His coming, the matters of the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth will be like the ‘wise and foolish virgins’, also like the ‘servants entrusted with talents’, and the ‘separation of the nations’.

Let us begin with the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Of course, this story is a parable. Whom do the virgins represent? The virgins clearly represent the saints who believe in Jesus and are born again. Several reasons can be given here. First, throughout Scripture, virgins always represent believers. Sinners are never depicted as virgins. Second, sinners do not long for the coming of the Lord Jesus, as these virgins do. Third, sinners do not possess lamps (light), nor oil (the Holy Spirit). Fourth, sinners would not hear the voice saying ‘the bridegroom is coming’, much less go out to meet Him as all the virgins do in this parable. Thus, it is clear that all the virgins represent born-again believers. The only difference is that some are wise and some are foolish.

What distinguishes these true Christians (the virgins) so that some are called wise and others foolish? Verse 3 explains that the foolish virgins brought their lamps, but did not bring oil. The lamp here refers to the human spirit (Proverbs 20:27), and the “oil” symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The foolish virgins did not prepare oil so that their lamps could continue burning, while the wise virgins prepared oil so that when the bridegroom came, their lamps were still burning.

Thus, from the story above, how do we distinguish foolish Christians from wise Christians who await the coming of the Lord Jesus? Notice that the difference lies only in whether their “lamp” continues to burn or not. Wise Christians always “provide/allow” the Holy Spirit to work in their spirit, so that their spirit remains burning for the Lord. Foolish Christians, although their spirits burn at first, do not endure. Over time, foolish Christians eventually “grow dim,” and their spirits no longer burn for the Lord.

Now we come to a very important question: how can the Christian spirit remain continually burning for the Lord? Let us look at the example of the early church, for the early church is written in the book of Acts to serve as an example for us. In the book of Acts, which has only 28 chapters, we find expressions such as “hearing the voice ‘Spirit’, ‘the Spirit whispers’, ‘led by the Spirit’, ‘the Spirit forbids’, and so on—such expressions appear about 70 times. This means that ALL early Christians, both their leaders and their members, were led by the Holy Spirit. That is why all members of the early church were always burning with zeal for the Lord.

Let us look at the condition of the Christian world today. We are certainly aware that there are many “ID-card Christians” who have not been born again. However, we are not talking about these “ID-card Christians”. What we are discussing are born-again Christians (“the virgins”) within the Christian world. The ESSENCE of the fall of the Christian world is the SEIZURE of the Holy Spirit’s authority over ALL church members by its LEADERS (Acts 20:30). When the Holy Spirit’s authority over the church members is taken away, the members no longer LISTEN DIRECTLY to the voice of the Holy Spirit. No longer can all church members be led by the Holy Spirit as in the early church. Some Christians listen to and follow one leader, while others follow another. These leaders have created “boxes” of denominations, causing their members to no longer be directly led by and hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Such behavior from leaders in the Christian world has created “foolish” Christians whose spirits no longer burn for the Lord. The “lamp” of these foolish Christians goes out because they run out of the “oil” of the Holy Spirit, since they no longer follow the Spirit, but their leaders. Such has been the condition of Christianity throughout the church age.

However, by His grace, the people of the kingdom exist outside the institutional Christian world, so they can follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever He desires to take them. At His coming, Jesus will judge all of us, including church leaders who have seized the Holy Spirit’s authority over His people.

Let us continue our discussion about what will happen at His coming. Matthew 25:14 affirms, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.” In this passage, three servants are entrusted with 5 talents, 2 talents, and 1 talent (Matthew 25:14–30). The number of talents given corresponds to each servant’s ability. Therefore, each of them should have been able to develop what the Lord entrusted to them.

The servant entrusted with 5 talents traded with them and gained 5 more. Likewise, the servant with 2 talents gained 2 more. But the servant with 1 talent did not develop what belonged to his master. When the “day of reckoning” came, both the servant with 5 talents and the one with 2 talents received the same praise from their master: ‘well done, good and faithful servant’. But the servant with 1 talent, because he did not develop what was entrusted to him, was called wicked, lazy, and worthless (vv. 26, 30).

How do we apply the story of the three servants entrusted with talents? One phrase opens our understanding: many things or great matters (vv. 21, 23). We must understand that Christians are called “virgins/brides” because of our relationship with Jesus in terms of Life (‘zoe’). But Christians are also called servants because of our relationship with Jesus in terms of service/ministry. Thus, the greater things mentioned in verses 21 and 23 refer to a ministry or responsibility the Master will give His servants when He returns.

Therefore, when the Lord Jesus returns, He will give great works/ministries in the coming age to His servants whom He deems good and faithful. Let us look at Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 to understand what this future work will be. Revelation 1:6: “and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father…” (LITV). Revelation 5:10: “and You have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (LITV). Thus, when Jesus returns, He and His servants will establish His kingdom on earth, and His servants will function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek, just as Jesus Himself is High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

This means Jesus is not coming to take us to a “pleasant place” commonly called “heaven” in Christian teaching, where there are nice houses, streets of gold, and endless singing. Instead, Jesus comes to assign us a great ministry as kings and priests to subdue the earth, so that the earth moves toward the new earth—and, of course, the new heavens. This is the concept of heaven in the form of a kingdom, as revealed by Jesus to John in Revelation.

It seems that Christians who hold the concept of “heaven” as they have heard it in Christianity will not be prepared to function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek in the coming age. These Christians will become like the “1-talent servant,” deemed “unprofitable,” not because they lack a high position or theological degree, but because they did not develop the grace God gave them to function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek.

We now move to the final section of Jesus’ teaching regarding His coming in Matthew 24–25: the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31–46). Matthew 25:31–32 says: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

Here it is stated that Jesus will come in His glory with all the angels. In fact, not only the angels will be with Him, but we who are chosen will also appear with Him, as Colossians 3:4 affirms: “When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” We will appear with Christ in glory.

This event—our appearing with Christ in glory—is what Paul describes in Romans as ‘glorification by faith’. Note Romans 8:17, 23: “And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him… waiting eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” These verses indicate that when Jesus comes in His glory, we as co-heirs will also appear with Him in glorified bodies.

We must realize that when Jesus returns, the earth enters a new age commonly called the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4). In the millennial kingdom there are three realms or conditions: (1) the earthly realm, where God’s blessing in Genesis 1:28–30 is manifested; (2) the realm of Israel, where saved Israel will rule the whole earth (Isaiah 60:10–12; Zechariah 14:16–18); and (3) the heavenly realm, where the kingdom of heaven is fully manifested on earth, and the overcoming church reigns as kings and priests.

Now, let us enter the passage on the judgment of the nations. In Matthew 25:31–46, we see how individuals within the nations are separated into two categories: sheep and goats. The sheep are those who did good to “the least of Jesus’ brothers,” while the goats are those who did not. We need to understand that this judgment is not the final judgment (the great white throne) described in Revelation 20:11, which occurs after the millennium. The judgment of the nations in Matthew 25 occurs before the millennial kingdom.

This judgment concerns those who are still alive in their physical bodies at Jesus’ coming. This judgment determines who will enter as ‘inhabitants’ of the earth during the millennial kingdom. Those categorized as “sheep” are told: “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (25:34). These inhabitants live in physical bodies, in the earthly realm, and enjoy the blessings of Genesis 1:28–30. Thus is the condition of the earth at Jesus’ “second coming.”

We have now concluded the five kingdom-of-heaven discourses in the Gospel of Matthew. Let us review these five sections, each ending with the phrase, “When Jesus had finished saying all these things…”

1. Matthew 5:1 – 7:29 — the law of the kingdom of heaven, and the judgment of God’s servants on the last day.

2. Matthew 9:35 – 11:1 — the commissioning of the twelve apostles to seek the lost sheep of Israel.

3. Matthew 13:1–52 — the seven parables of the kingdom of heaven.

4. Matthew 18:1–35 — forgiveness and the parable of the unmerciful servant, emphasizing the value of the lost sheep.

5. Matthew 23:1 – 25:46 — the law of the kingdom, the authority of “Moses’ seat,” rebukes to the Pharisees, and end-time teachings.

When we observe these five discourses, we see a chiastic parallel pattern (He Gave Us Stories, Richard L. Pratt, p. 247). Matthew arranges the five teachings in chiastic structure (A–B–C–B’–C’) to create emphasis. That is, sections 1 and 5 parallel each other, as do sections 2 and 4, while section 3 is the “center.” This is the meaning of the chiastic parallel pattern.

We may compare this to the five books of Moses—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy—which are also structured chiastically. We will not discuss this further, but those interested can listen to the explanation on the “Verbum Veritatis” channel titled “Leviticus,” where it is stated that the “peak” of revelation in the books of Moses is in Leviticus, especially chapter 16, which describes the Day of Atonement performed once a year by the High Priest.

It seems the writer of Matthew intentionally compares Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, with Moses, the mediator of the Old Covenant. In Leviticus 16, High Priest Aaron enters the Holy of Holies with the blood of animals to make atonement for all Israel; likewise, Jesus, the High Priest according to Melchizedek’s order, enters the True Tabernacle with His own blood before the Father in heaven to make atonement for all humanity.

Now let us observe the chiastic structure of Matthew’s kingdom teachings:

Section 1 parallels Section 5: the law of the kingdom and judgment of kingdom servants.

Section 2 parallels Section 4: the lost sheep, emphasizing their value.

Section 3 is the central section: the seven parables.

As we have discussed, these seven parables emphasize that deception will occur within the kingdom of heaven; not all born-again Christians—including leaders—will partake in the full manifestation of the kingdom on earth at Jesus’ coming. The teachings of Section 3 form the “peak” or center of Jesus’ kingdom teaching.

In the Christian world it is widely believed that “believing in Jesus guarantees heaven”—a distant place of beauty (“the Father’s house”) where Christians will praise God forever. Such fairy tales do not appear anywhere in Matthew. Instead, the people of the kingdom, by His grace, will partake in the kingdom of heaven which will be fully established on earth. Therefore, they will stay alert and anticipate the coming of the kingdom of Jesus on earth.

We now enter Revelation 20, after Revelation 19 reveals Jesus Christ as He and His overcomers wage war to subdue all things. Revelation 20:1–3 says: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the Abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, locked and sealed it over him, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be set free for a short time.”

We see here that Satan is cast into the “Abyss” so he cannot deceive the nations. The term “Abyss” is from the Greek ‘abussos’, meaning “bottomless pit.” Since this pit has no “bottom,” Satan has no ground or foundation to operate on, thus he cannot deceive the nations.

Let us consider how Satan cannot operate when there is no “ground” in a person’s life. John 14:30 states: “… the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” Although Satan worked through Judas, the Jewish Sanhedrin, and many others involved in Jesus’ crucifixion, Satan could do nothing to Jesus Himself. Why? Because in Jesus there was no “ground” or opening for Satan to attack.

In Jesus there was absolutely no sin or flaw that could give Satan a foothold. This differs from Job’s case. Job 3:25 says: “For the thing I feared has come upon me, and what I dread befalls me.” In Job there was fear and anxiety—these became a “ground” that allowed Satan to afflict him.

Yet we must not conclude that Satan is free to attack anyone he wishes. Satan could attack Job because the Father had a purpose—to bring Job to a true knowledge of God (Job 42:5). Satan is merely a “tool” in the Father’s hand. He cannot attack unless permitted by God (Job 1:12; 2:6).

In our passage, Satan is bound for a thousand years. Afterward he is released for a short time because the Father has a specific plan for him. During the thousand years, Satan is bound because Christ and His overcomers will reign as kings and priests on earth (Revelation 20:4).

We see that with regard to Christ and His overcomers, the Devil can do nothing for a thousand years. What about our lives today? Can the Devil do anything to attack our lives now? By His grace, even now, we can say as Jesus did, that the Devil can do nothing in our lives. What can happen to our lives now is only His will and His plan. For us, THE DEVIL IS AS IF HE DID NOT EXIST. Everything that happens in our lives is the Father’s will; therefore all is good, amen.

Let us continue our discussion about the last supper between Jesus and His disciples in Matthew 26:26–29: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take, eat, this is My body.’ Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood, the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, from now on I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’”

On His last night, Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples. Our verse above emphasizes that while they were eating (eating the Passover meal), suddenly Jesus performed a symbolic act regarding His death. He took bread and distributed it to His disciples, saying, “This is My body.” Then He took the cup and commanded His disciples to drink from it, saying, “This is My blood, the blood of the covenant which is poured out for many.” We see here that Jesus was celebrating Passover and at the same time fulfilling it.

There are two things we must reflect on in this event. First, Jesus spoke of the “blood of the covenant.” Certainly, this refers to the New Covenant sealed by His own blood, as written: “...This cup is the new covenant in My blood...” (1 Corinthians 11:25). Second, Jesus said He would not drink the fruit of the vine again until He drank the new one with His disciples in His Father’s kingdom. These two matters are related, and we will now look at their connection.

What is the meaning of the New Covenant Jesus made with His disciples? Consider Hebrews 8:10–12: “...YAHWEH declares, I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.... For they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.... I will by no means remember their sins anymore...” (ILT).

We see here that the New Covenant Jesus made with His disciples is deeply inward. The Law of Moses in the Old Testament, written on stone tablets, is now written by Him in the hearts of believers. Therefore, we will know Him inwardly, and our sins will no longer be remembered. We are no longer governed by outward rules or regulations, such as worshiping in this building or that building, paying tithes/first fruits/faith pledges, and so on. We worship in spirit and reality,

and are led by the law within our inner being. We become a people belonging to God and citizens of His kingdom (2 Thessalonians 1:5).

Jesus promised His disciples that He would drink again the new fruit of the vine in His Father’s kingdom. What does this mean? It means that Jesus will return (commonly called the second coming) and establish His kingdom on earth, where we who believe will take part in it. We who follow the leading of His inward laws will one day, when the Lord Jesus returns, “drink” together with Him in His Father’s kingdom.

Let us now continue our discussion about the crucifixion of Jesus and its meaning. Let us first consider two facts concerning His crucifixion.

First, Jesus was crucified because He chose the will of the Heavenly Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and struggled to confirm the Father’s will. There was the cup of suffering, and there was also the Father’s will. Certainly, Jesus expressed His desire that if possible the cup of suffering would pass from Him. However, after praying three times, Jesus understood that this cup of suffering was the Father’s will for Him (Isaiah 53:10). That is why, in John 18:11, Jesus said, “...Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?”

Second, Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious court (Matthew 26:57–66). And because the Jewish Sanhedrin did not have the authority under Roman rule to execute someone, they brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate to request permission. Pilate actually wanted to release Jesus, because he knew Jesus had been handed over out of envy (Matthew 27:18). As an attempt to release Jesus, he offered the crowd a choice between Jesus and Barabbas. But through the persuasion of the chief priests and elders, the crowd chose Barabbas (Matthew 27:20). So Jesus was killed by the Jewish religious leaders, while the execution itself was carried out by Roman soldiers. The Apostles’ Creed, which says “suffered under Pontius Pilate,” actually hides an important fact that Jesus was crucified by the Jewish religious leaders — the covenant people under the Mosaic Law.

Now we will discuss the meaning of these two facts. Matthew 16:24 states, “...If anyone desires to follow Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross...” How can we deny ourselves and take up our cross? Jesus’ struggle in Gethsemane teaches us to always choose the will of the Heavenly Father and to bear its consequences — this is our “cross.” This is the meaning of “taking up our cross”: by His grace we are enabled to always choose the Father’s will in our daily lives.

Next, we have seen that the Jewish religion crucified Jesus. Does this mean that religion is always opposed to Jesus? Did Jesus come to establish the Christian religion? Where did religion actually come from? Let us observe the fact that Jesus came to give His Life (‘zoe’) to whoever believes (John 10:10). This ‘zoe’ life (the Life of Christ) is symbolized by the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. Jesus said that whoever eats Him has ‘zoe’ within. Thus, the Tree of Life symbolizes the ‘zoe’ life given by Jesus to us.

If so, what does the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represent? Since Adam and Eve ate of this tree, humanity has been led by its own knowledge of good and evil. Religion is humanity's attempt to approach God, but guided by its own knowledge of good and evil. The holy people of the Old Testament were not “religious people” in this sense. They were people of faith who expressed their faith through obedience to the Law. This is very different from the scribes and Pharisees who crucified Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees were religious people, but they were not like the holy people of the Old Testament.

Now we come to an important question: Has Christianity become a religion? If we receive His grace, we will know that Christianity has indeed become a religion — the Christian religion. Of course, the Christian religion did not crucify Jesus physically, but the Spirit of Jesus is greatly hindered by religious rituals, human regulations, the false teachings of Jezebel, Nicolaitans, Balaam, and the religious rules made by its leaders.

We now enter the final chapter of Matthew and discuss the resurrection of Jesus. Matthew 28:6 states, “He is not here, for He is risen, just as He said...” The resurrection of Jesus is a crucial fact, because “...if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14). From this verse we see that the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of gospel proclamation and also the foundation of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection of Christ, both the preaching of the gospel and Christian faith are meaningless.

However, we must not only believe in the historical fact of Christ’s resurrection. We must understand what the ‘word of God’ says about the resurrection of Christ, because faith comes not from historical facts but from hearing the word of God. Let us discuss 1 Corinthians 15, which speaks about the resurrection of Christ.

The background of 1 Corinthians 15 is that some people in the Corinthian church did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Paul emphasized that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ Himself has not been raised. But the truth is that Christ has been raised as the “firstfruits” (v. 20). Farmers in ancient Palestine understood that if there is a harvest of firstfruits, then more harvests will follow. This means there will be more resurrections.

Let us look at 1 Corinthians 15:22–23: “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward those who belong to Him at His coming.” It is emphasized here that ALL will be resurrected, each in his own order. The reason all will be resurrected is clearly written here: all died in Adam, therefore all will be made alive in Christ. This is a matter of ‘headship’.

In the Christian world, generally, people do not believe that all will be made alive in Christ. If we refuse to believe that all will be resurrected in Christ, then this makes Adam more powerful than Christ. But the truth is that the grace of God is far greater than Adam’s transgression; therefore all will be raised in due order (Romans 5:15).

Another reason all will eventually be made alive in Christ is because the final enemy — death — will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). Yet death is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). Therefore, there will no longer be any ‘trace’ of sin in the universe. All humanity will eventually be resurrected and receive a glorified body. Sadly, most Christians believe that the wages of sin is eternal hell, meaning that some people who are not called by Jesus will be tormented forever. They do not believe that Christ has conquered death. But His chosen ones believe that in the end all humanity will be resurrected and receive glorified bodies, so that the Father may be ALL in ALL (1 Corinthians 15:28). The Heavenly Father will fully express His glory in and through ALL humanity.

Now let us discuss the command to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom — to make all nations disciples of the Lord Jesus — commonly called the Great Commission, written in Matthew 28:18–20: “...All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age.” There are several points we need to discuss from this ‘Great Commission’.

First, the basis of Jesus’ command to His disciples is that ALL authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Many Christians believe that human salvation depends on their “response” to the gospel. This is a strange idea. How can a person respond when he is dead in sin? A “dead” person cannot hear or respond to anything. The truth is that salvation DEPENDS ON THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS.

When Jesus says to someone, ‘Follow Me’, that person will certainly rise and follow Jesus. When Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Follow Me’, they immediately rose and followed Him (Matthew 4:19; 9:9). No human being can refuse the call of Jesus — why? Because Jesus has authority.

Many evangelists like to quote Revelation 3:20 to claim that salvation depends on human response: Jesus “knocks on every person’s heart,” and whoever responds will be saved. Such preaching greatly insults the authority of Jesus. It portrays Jesus as a “beggar” knocking on every human heart to “eat together.” In fact, Revelation 3:20 has nothing to do with evangelism. In that verse, Jesus is speaking to the church in Laodicea, which no longer had fellowship (koinonia) with Him.

The truth is that salvation depends on Jesus’ authority. John 12:32 says: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”

This verse speaks of Jesus’ authority. Jesus has already declared that He will draw all people to Himself. If not all come to Jesus, then only two possibilities exist: either Jesus is unable and lacks authority to draw all people, or He lied. In truth, all people will come to Jesus—but in their own order, as we have discussed (1 Corinthians 15).

Second, many Christians believe that the phrase “I am with you always, to the end of the age” means that grace or evangelism ends when Jesus returns (commonly called the “second coming”). Such a view is held by Christians who believe in eternal hell — that those who are not called by Jesus now will be tormented forever. Here, we are not discussing the Greek expression ‘heos sunteleia ho aion’, translated ‘until the end of the age’. Those who are serious may study Louis Abbott’s book An Analytical Study of Words.

In this writing, we will reflect on two verses related to the matter: Ephesians 1:10 and Revelation 22:17. Ephesians 1:10 states that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, God will unite all things — in heaven and on earth — in Christ. Revelation 22:17 also declares that the ‘water of life’ continues to be offered freely in the New Heaven and New Earth.

God always uses an ‘instrument’ to accomplish His purpose, and that instrument is the overcoming church. Therefore, the overcoming church rejoices, for one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Amen.