Isn’t Christ’s Kingdom In This World?
John 18:36 “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this
world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting,
that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the
world.””
This passage is far too often misunderstood as Jesus teaching
that his kingdom is not on earth but in heaven, which is not true and is taking
the verse out of contexts, something we must be very careful not to do.
When Jesus said this, he was being questioned by Pilate who
had pointed out that he was a Roman official while Jesus, in his eyes, was just
a religious leader, which was Pilate’s political view but Jesus pointed out the
truth, that his kingdom and power did not come from the people or the
earth; his power comes from God [we discussed the handing over of the kingdom
in Question 62] and his kingdom is here on earth as Christians are a part of
his kingdom.
If that were not true and his kingdom did come from
this world, then it would be as Jesus said “my servants would have been fighting, that
I might not be delivered over to the Jews,” because Jesus would have been a
popular figure to the people but would not have had authority as the son of
God.
John 18:33-38 “So Pilate entered his headquarters again and
called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered,
“Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered,
“Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to
me. What have you done?” Jesus answered,
“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants
would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But
my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for
this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone
who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?””
Luke 17:20-21 “Being
asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The
kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look,
here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.””
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