Scholars of diverse theological persuasions agree that Jesus' gospel (or good news) centered on the kingdom of God. Proclaiming the gospel was Jesus' main purpose: "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do" (Mark 1.38; compare the purpose for the apostles and others, 16.15, 16.20). What does the Gospel according to Mark tell us about Jesus' concept of the kingdom of God?
1. One reply uses the interpretations and translations to formulate a single answer: the kingdom of God (or kingdom of heaven) is a culminating and dramatically transformative world event coming in the near future. This interpretation assumes that every part of the text is fully reliable, and it leads us to conclude that Jesus was wrong in his prediction.
2. Another line of interpretation is to recognize multiple meanings in the term, "kingdom of God" and to let the translations show the many-sidedness of Jesus' gospel.
"The kingdom of God is at hand"
(1.15). This word announces what has already arrived now.
Entering the kingdom is easy in the sense that a simple, childlike faith and attitude is what is required. "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it" (10.15). Entering as a child can be difficult for those who need to humble themselves or repent (1.15), which may include giving up some major obstacle to joining the way (e.g., the rich man who held on to his wealth when that was the one thing required of him [10.21]): "How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God" (10.24). Consider another teaching: "When Jesus saw that he [the scribe who had asked about the greatest commandment] had answered wisely [by speaking of loving God and loving the neighbor], he said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God" (12.34). Thus it is possible to be close to the kingdom, but not quite in.
The kingdom takes time to ripen--in an individual and on our planet. The parable of the sower symbolizes the fact that people respond differently to the gospel. The parables of the growing seed and the mustard seed indicate the process of growth (4.1-32).
The kingdom was coming in the (then) near future.
"There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has come with power" (9.1). If we think of Jesus as one who knew the truth of what he promised, this cannot refer to any apocalyptic event (though Jesus did warn his followers about the Roman armies coming to Jerusalem bent on destruction). Another interpretation is that Jesus is referring to the coming of the Spirit of Truth at Pentecost, which empowered his followers--indeed all people ("all flesh"), insofar as they would cooperate in faith--to proclaim the new way by their lives.
There is a heavenly kingdom.
"Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (14.25).
The gospel of personality relationships underlies the great commandments. The first [great commandment] is, 'Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'" (12.29-31). The gospel is not a commandment, but a proclamation of good news, of saving truth. That truth, however, has moral implications. It should be possible to infer the core of Jesus' gospel from his central moral teachings. What basic truth about relationships is implied by the two great commandments? Intelligent worship and loving service are the first practices of the kingdom. "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all" (9.35). "Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be servant of all" (10.43).
"Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother" (3.35).
Jesus uses the terms "God," "Father", and "Abba" (8.38; 11.25; 13.42; 14.36, an intimate, but not infantile term--"Daddy" is not a correct translation). What quality of relationship is expressed by these words?
Is talk of the kingdom the best vocabulary to use today? Mark emphasizes how often Jesus was misunderstood. Part of the challenge was the newness of Jesus' message and the many-sidedness of his teaching. But part of the problem was presenting the gospel in terms of a kingdom. Jesus accepted the term to adapt to the vocabulary required to reach the people of his place and time. Jesus, who had taught, "Give to God what belongs to God and to Caesar what belongs to Caesar" (12.17), seemed to put himself on a direct collision course with worldly power by the use of the term, "kingdom." The idea of Jesus as a king was a phrase of cruel irony used by those who put Jesus to death (15.12; 15.18; 15.32).
Jesus' own gospel was not centered on himself. Jesus repeatedly tells people not to proclaim about him as a healer, Messiah, or Son of God (1.44; 5.19; 5.43; 736; 8.30). It was the purpose of the author of Mark, however, to present Jesus as the Messiah (Christ), the Son of God, so he naturally emphasized every element conducing to his purpose, including healings and exorcisms. Mark focuses on Jesus' actions and interactions, showing surprisingly little interest in the actual teachings of Jesus. Thus it is to be expected that Mark's gospel contrasts with Jesus' gospel. This is not to say that Mark's beliefs about Jesus are false, but it does raise a question. What could have been Jesus' reasons for not leading with a message about himself?
Most recently revised, 06/11