Mysteries of the Kingdom

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke Jesus spoke of the mystery of the kingdom.

Matthew 13:1-17
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him... 3 And he spoke many things unto them in parables... 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (see also Mark 4:11 and Luke 8:10)

In Matthew 13 this mystery is so closely linked to his teaching in parables that it is hard to separate the two. In this post I am only considering the mystery of the kingdom and not why Jesus taught in parables.

There is something about the kingdom of heaven that God had not revealed to the prophets, which Jesus now revealed to His disciples through seven parables. What is it?

The Jews knew the kingdom of God was coming, but their expectation and hope was what we expect of the second coming – that Christ would come, set up the kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy on earth, as well as deliver them from all their enemies. In other words, the kingdom would be visible and irresistible in its power. Through these parables Jesus reveals something startling, something the prophets did not know - when the kingdom comes it will first be spiritual, invisible, even resistible. (Mat 12:28; Luke 17:20-21; Rom 14:17; Heb 6:5)

Praise God, the kingdom of God has come. With salvation, deliverance, and healing it has come! But it is in the Holy Spirit. The fullness awaits His return. Maranatha!


NEXT: Mystery of blindness in part to Israel