Faith Theological Seminary Manakala

A Seminar on
Basileia Teaching and The Parabolic Teaching of Jesus Christ

Submitted To: Rev. Alby Thomas Mathew

Subject: Synoptic Gospel

Submitted By: Nidheesh S. L

Class: BD 2
Date: 23/1/2023

1. INTRODUCTION

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In this seminar paper is going to present about the Basileia and parabolic teaching of our lord and
saviour Jesus Christ. Kingdom of God is basically the rule of God Its Gods reign, the Devine
sovereignty in action .We are going to look about the term kingdom of God in the old testament ,
The Qumran community, The Zealots, In the Rabbinic literature, and In The New Testament .Next is
the jesus teaching about the kingdom of god , Jesus Christ and the kingdom of god, and what is the
difference between kingdom of heaven and kingdom of god . Both are same? It has had any
difference etc. And also we are going to discuss about the parables, teaching of Jesus about the
parables etc.

2. KINGDOM OF GOD

The phrase 'the kingdom of God' is a translation of the Greek term, 'He Basileia tour Theou. 1 The
literal meaning in Greek is 'kingship,' 'royal rule' or 'sovereignty. 2 The OT also speaks about it. The
term kingdom of God also known as kingdom of heaven. The term frequently in the New Testament.
Primarily the term used Our LORD Jesus Christ in the first three gospel’s. However the Kingdom of
God is a key concept in the teaching of Jesus Christ And it is the possetion of the one who Turned to
be childlike Matthew 19:14.3.3 In the Synoptic Gospels, we find about 80 references (about 15 times
in Mark; about 35 times in Matt; about 30 times in Luke) but only two/three times in John to the
kingdom of God.4 Next we are going to discuss about the different views of kingdom of god in Old
Testament and New Testament .they are:

2.1 Kingdom of God in the Old Testament

The term kingdom of God is not used in the Old Testament to describe the new order that is
introduced by the day of the lord, but the idea is running throughout the prophet. In the Old
Testament the expression, kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven, is nowhere found. Nevertheless,
the idea is predominant.5

2.2 Kingdom of God in The Qumran community

The Qumran community expected for the eschatological appearance of the kingdom through a
Messiah in which their enemies would be vanquished. They are the sons of light, and the enemies
are the sons of darkness.6

2.3 Kingdom of God the In Zealots

The Zealots, the revolutionary party among the Jews, wanted to hasten the arrival of God's kingdom
through sword. They were always ready to use force.7

2.4 Kingdom of God in the Rabbinic literature

1
H. Joseph Lalfakmawin. Jesus In The Synoptic Gospel, BSC Study Material :NT.(Kolkata:SCEPTRE,2013),82
2
Ibid., page 82
3
B. Varghese, Synoptic Gospel: A study on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (Adoor: EL Shalom Publishers,
2014),144.
4
Menjiwapong Jamir. Understanding The New Testament, BSC Study Material.(Kolkata:SCEPTRE,2021),42.
5
B. Varghese, Synoptic Gospel: A study on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (Adoor: EL Shalom Publishers,
2014),144.
6
H. Ringgren. The Faith of Qummran.1963, page152.
7
G.D Dalman. The Words of Jesus.1909, page 91-101.

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In the Rabbinic literature the phrase, 'kingdom of heavens' appears often. God is recognized as a
warrior, and he exercises his sovereignty through the Law.8

GE. Ladd comments, "throughout all Judaism, the coming of God's kingdom was expected to be an
act of God- perhaps using the agency of men- to defeat the wicked enemies of Israel and to gather
Israel together, victorious over her enemies, in her promised land, under the rule of God alone".9

2.5 Kingdom of God in the New Testament

In the New Testament, when John the Baptist came preaching, his first words were, "Repent, for the
kingdom of the heavens has drawn near" (Matt. 3:2). When the Lord Jesus went out to preach, He
said the same thing: "Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near (Matt. 4:17). When
the Lord Jesus sent out the twelve disciples in Luke 9 and the seventy disciples in Luke 10, He told
them to preach concerning the kingdom.

We need to see the matter of the kingdom because it is very much related to the inner life and also
to the church life. If we would realize and experience the proper church life, we have to see
something concerning the kingdom of the heavens. Also, if we would experience the inner life in a
practical way, we must know something of the kingdom of the heavens.11

3.JESUS TEACHING ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Jesus’s teachings about the kingdom of God is through the parables.

4.JESUS CHRIST AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

The contemporaries of Jesus were in a mood of eager expectancy. They longed for deliverance and
hoped that divine intervention would occur anytime. They were politically oppressed and religiously
dissatisfied. To such people Jesus comes with a message: The kingdom of God is at hand (K.1:15;
Mt.4:17)., the kingdom of God has come upon you (Mt. 12:28), or the kingdom of God is in the midst
of you (K. 17:20). In the person and work of Jesus the kingdom of God has broken into history.

There are two aspects in Jesus' teaching of the kingdom: present and future. It is a present reality in
the person of Jesus (Mt. 12:28). At the same time, it is the eschatological realm in which God's rule is
enjoyed (Mt. 10:17-31).

4.1 Aspects of the Kingdom of God

4.1.1 The Present Aspect of the Kingdom of God:

This aspect is very apparent in the sayings of Jesus. He was conscious that in him and in his ministry
the O.T hope of a Messiah was fulfilled. In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus read a messianic
prophecy from Is.61:1-2 and in the end, he said, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your
hearing" (Lk.4:21). This is often called the Nazareth Manifesto. The words poor, captives, blind and
oppressed indicate the categories of people in the society. Thus, in Jesus the O.T expectation is
fulfilled.10

The same thought comes out in the answer which Jesus gives back to the messengers of John the
Baptist (Mt. 11:2-6). The present aspect of the of God must be interpreted with this in mind. In Mt.
8
B. Varghese, Synoptic Gospel: A study on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (Adoor: EL Shalom Publishers,
2014),145.
9
G.E Ladd. New Testament Theology.page63.
10
B. Varghese, Synoptic Gospel: A study on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (Adoor: EL Shalom Publishers,
2014),145.

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12:28. (Lk.17:20f) Jesus announces since the strong man is bound i.e., the devil's powers are curbed.
In the person of Jesus evil has been checked. Yet the final annihilation of the devil takes place only in
the future. These two verses declare that in Christ the kingdom has come.

4.1.2The Future Aspect of the Kingdom:

There are certain sayings in which the kingdom is spoken of in the future. For example, "Thy
kingdom come" (Mt.6:10). It means the consummation of the kingdom because the kingdom is at
work in the resurrection of Jesus in and through the church in fulfilment of Dan. 7:13 (Mk.:1). In the
Lord's prayer Jesus implies that entering into the kingdom is a future reality (Mt.7:21). Then we read
about an eschatological banquet with Jesus (Mt.26:29). Thus, the kingdom has a future dimension
too. It is the rule of God to be enjoyed in the future.11

In short, in Jesus the kingdom has appeared partially, and its final manifestation comes only in the
future. Then we will enjoy the kingdom realities such as joy, peace, and liberty in its fullest measure.
Kingdom of God is the sovereign rule of God. It begins in our personal relationship with God in
obedience in which he becomes our king and we become his subjects. 190 That is, it is not everyone
who says, 'Lord, Lord' but the one who does the will of God enters the kingdom of God.12

4.2 Inauguration of the kingdom of God

The kingdom of God has been inaugurated by Jesus in the present, and it will be fully accomplished
in the future." According to this, the kingdom has begun, but its final fulfilment is in the future.13

4.3 The Kingdom of God and the Humankind

Jesus insists that people should enter the kingdom. It is not forced upon humankind. "Come unto
me" is his call but the decision should be made by each person. The kingdom is God's gift. He takes
the initiative first. It is the grace of God and not any human merit. Jesus calls sinners, welcomes
them and forgives them (Mk.2:1-12; 10:27; 411f; Mt. 11:25;16:17)

4.4 The Kingdom of God and the Church

The kingdom of God and the church are two different realities. It is a broader concept than the
church. The kingdom is the rule of God realized throughout the cosmos whereas the church is only a
crescent in the Kingdom as the assembly of believers in Christ. In other words, the kingdom is the
message, and the church is the messenger.

5. KINGDOM OF GOD AND KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

In the Gospels, two terms are used for basileia tou theou: the kingdom of God (in Mark, Luke and
John) and the kingdom of heaven (in Matthew). In the Synoptic Gospels, we find about 80 references
(about 15 times in Mark; about 35 times in Matt; about 30 times in Luke) but only two/three times in
John to the kingdom of God. The terms "kingdom of God" and "kingdom of heaven" do not mean
different things, but they are interchangeable or synonymous term (e.g., Matt. 13). Matthew's
preference for "heaven" to "kingdom" does not mean that "kingdom of heaven" is something
different from the "kingdom of God". Matthew was written to a Jewish community who knew that

11
Idbi., page 145
12
B.M. Metzger. New Testament: Background.page149
13
D. H. Johnson, "Life," in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, ed. Joel B. Green and Scot McKnight (Downers
Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 470

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pronouncing the name of God was a curse. Keeping this Jewish sensibility, Matthew uses "heaven"
which was a well-known Jewish euphemism for God (e.g., Lk.15:21).14

6.PARABOLIC TEACHING
6.1What is parable?
The word parabola is derived from Greek word paraballo. Etymologically it signifies 'a placing of two
or more objects . usually for the purpose of a comparison." 15In the OT Hebrew, the equivalent word
is Mashal. It means a saying containing a comparison. In the NT parabolé occurs only in the Synoptic
Gospels (48 times) and in Hebrew (twice).16

6.2Meaning of Parable

Parable is one of the methods Jesus used in his teaching. More than 35% of Jesus' teaching is given
in parables (Mk.16%, Q 29%, Mt.43%, Lk.52%). What is meant by a parable? The traditional
definition is "Parable is an earthly story with heavenly meaning". On the same line Dean Inge has
said, "Parable is comparing the unknown with the known, the simple with the familiar". 17 In the O.T
the Hebrew word, Mashal, with the Aramaic equivalent mathla, is derived from a verb meaning 'be
like'. So, this word has a wide range of meaning.

6.3Purpose of The Parables

Jesus' Parables can be both preaching and illustrations about the kingdom of God. However, they
need interpretation. Parables demand interpretation because they point to something else. They are
not merely stories to enjoy. They contain one reality to serve as a mirror of another, that is, the
kingdom of God. When Jesus used parables, his purpose seems to be to simplify the message of the
Kingdom of God for his audience. He used parables to expound the Kingdom of God to quicken
understanding by putting truth in a vivid and challenging and memorable way.18

6.4The Content of the Parables

In most of the parables Jesus used, the main content was the kingdom of God. In Mk.4:11 Jesus said,
"To you the mystery of the kingdom has been given". A.M. Hunter classifies the parables according
to their kingdom theme into four: a) the coming of the kingdom, b) the grace of the kingdom, c) the
men of the kingdom and d) the crisis of the kingdom.

6.5Types of parables

Scholars typically classify Jesus' parables into four groups.

(a) Aphorisms which are short clever sayings intended to express general saying. For example, "a
new piece of cloth on an old garment and "new wine in old wineskins" (Matt. 9:16, 17; Mk. 2:21, 22),

14
Menjiwapong Jamir. Understanding The New Testament, BSC Study Material.(Kolkata:SCEPTRE,2021),42.

15
C. H. Peisker, "Parable, Allegory, Proverb," in New International Dictionary of the New Testament Theology,
ed. Colin Brown (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, [1967], 1971), 743.
16
Idbi. Page 743.
17
B. Varghese, Synoptic Gospel: A study on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (Adoor: EL Shalom Publishers,
2014),130.
18
Archibald. M. Hunter, Interpreting the Parables (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), 13.

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(b) Extended parables which are the predictable unfolding of who is implicit in aphoristic parables.
Synonymous and antithetical formations characterise them. For example, the Wise and Foolish
Builders (Matt. 7:24-27; Lk. 6: 47-49).

(c) Narrative Parables are the most famous parables Jesus used. The story of the prodigal son and
the good Samaritan are examples of Jesus' Narrative parables Narrative parables have a beginning, a
middle, and an ending Similarly, there is some amount of surprise and unpredictability in the
narrative parables.

(d) Example Stories in which Jesus presents an example to be emulated or avoided. The parables of
the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37) and the Pharisee and the Tax-collector (Lk. 18:9-14). 19

6.6 Parable of Jesus

6.6.1 The Parable of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37)

It is about a traveller (implicitly understood to be Jewish) who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left
half dead alongside the road. First, a Jewish priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the
man. Finally, a Samaritan happens upon the traveller. Although Samaritans and Jews despised each
other, the Samaritan helps the injured man. Jesus is described as telling the parable in response to a
provocative question from a lawyer, "And who is my neighbour?", in the context of the Great
Commandment. The conclusion is that the neighbour figure in the parable is the one who shows
mercy to their fellow man.

6.6.2 The Parable of The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-6, Matthew 18:12-14)

The Parable of the Lost Sheep is one of the parables of Jesus. It appears in the Gospels of Matthew
(Matthew 18:12–14) and Luke (Luke 15:3–7). It is about a shepherd who leaves his flock of ninety-
nine sheep in order to find the one which is lost. As in the analogy of the Good Shepherd, Jesus is the
shepherd, thus identifying himself with the image of God as a shepherd searching for stray sheep in
Ezekiel 34:11–16. These parables are fundamentally about God, ... their aim is to lay bare the nature
of the divine response to the recovery of the lost. The rejoicing of the shepherd with his friends
represents God rejoicing with the angels. The image of God rejoicing at the recovery of lost sinners
contrasts with the criticism of the religious leaders which prompted the parable.

6.6.3The Parable Of The Lost Coin (Luke 15:7-10)

In it, a woman searches for a lost coin, finds it, and rejoices. It is a member of a trilogy on
redemption that Jesus tells after the Pharisees and religious leaders accuse Him of welcoming and
eating with "sinners. Jesus came to the earth of find the sinners and give redemption to them. Jesus’
love each and every single person. All persons are important in front of God.

6.6.4 The Parable of The Prodigal Son and His Brother (Luke 15:11-32)

19
J. Dominic Crossan, "Parables," in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 5, odi by David Noel Freedman (New
York: Doubleday, 1992), 148-149

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In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father forgives his son when he returns and welcomes him
home. In the same way, God waits for humans to realise what they have done wrong and ask for
forgiveness and welcomes them back when they do. It is the willingness to ask for forgiveness and
change one's behaviour that is central to the idea of forgiveness. In the same way that God forgives
humans, so humans have to forgive those around them. If people fail to do so, they cannot expect to
be forgiven by God.

6.6.5 The Parable Of The Great Dinner (Matthew 22:1-10,Luke14:15-24)

The classical interpretation of Matthew's version of the parable is that the king is God; the king's
son is Jesus himself; the original invited guests are the Jews; the king's servants who are attacked are
God's prophets; and the new guests are the Gentiles and other "unworthy". 20 The original invitation
to the Jews is extended to also include gentiles. In Luke, the invitation is extended particularly to the
"poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame" (Luke 14:21), evidencing explicit concern for the "poor
and the outcasts.

6.6.6 The Parable Of The Mustard Seed ( Luke13:18-19,Matt 13:31-32 Mark 4:30-32)

In Mark and Matthew, the point is the contrast between the tiny size of the mustard seed and the
big plant that results. Luke does not explicitly mention the size of the seed. Here the point is the end
result: the plant grows so big that the birds nest in its branches the power inherent in the seed. The
birds roosting in the branches often serve as a symbol of the nations of the earth (Ezek. 17:23; 31:6;
Dan.4:12,21). The kingdom will be universal.21

7.EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION

The Kingdom of God is a place of love. It is a place where we can express our love for one another
freely and without fear. It’s a place where we can be open and honest with each other, and where
we can build relationships based on trust and respect. The Kingdom of God is a place where we can
all be our true selves, and where we can find acceptance, understanding, and love.

8.BIBLIOGRAPHY

20
Ehrman, Bart (March 2016). Jesus Before the Gospels: How the Earliest Christians Remembered, Changed,
and Invented Their Stories of the Saviour. Harper One. p. 107
21
Brain Wintle. Synoptic Studies, A Primer. (Bangalore: Theological Book Trust,259.

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