For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16: 27-28)

This is one of several verses sometimes used to assert that Jesus was mistaken regarding the kingdom of heaven's timing.

This assumes that everyone listening to Jesus died without seeing the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

Several - probably most - were still alive when Jesus died. Some encountered a resurrected Jesus.

Isn't the death and resurrection a reasonable expression of a coming - erchomai - of the kingdom? This is to arrive, arise, appear, show forth, become known, or influence.

Is it posssible that the kingdom comes when any one of us fulfills God's intention?

Above is a Russian Orthodox icon of the risen Christ.

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)

Jesus is speaking to Peter.

What are those verbs: bind and bound, loose and loosed?

Deo is to bind, tie, knot, weave or knit.

Luo is to loosen, dissolve, melt, and destroy.

Whatever we do in this kingdom is reflected in the other kingdom.

How we experience and engage this reality is how we open ourselves to the reign of God.

He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old." (Matthew 13: 52)

Have we now been instructed about the kingdom of heaven?

I do not have the depth of knowledge that a teacher of the law would need.

But even with such limited instruction I certainly perceive both new and old.

It is an old understanding that the kingdom of heaven is still to come. It is well-known that with its coming the good and bad will be distinguished.

It is not as well-known - even perpetually new - that the reign of God is already present, emerging as you read this, and a cause for reconciling every opposite.

Dear God may I perceive your pearls, your hidden treasures, your yeast, and your seeds.

May I do my part to mix the yeast, spread the seeds, and harvest the field with care and creativity.

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. (Matthew 13:47-48)

Inclusive and exclusive. Gathering and separating. Good and something else.

The good are very good indeed. The Greek is kalos. This is beautiful, refined, excellent in every way.

The others are not kalos. They are separated from the kalos. The Greek suggests a careless tossing.

But that which is separated is something other than the opposite of kalos. In Greek literature kakoi is the recurring opposite of kalos.

Instead the parable tells us the other are sapros. This can mean spoiled or overripe or...

The Greek poet Hermippus describes a mature wine as "smelling of violets, roses, and hyacinth." It is sapros, he said.

Above is an ancient Etruscan mural of fishing and hunting.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13: 45-46)

We are to seek. We must be able to recognize the value. We must be willing to act.

With pearls, even if I began to look, I am not sure I would recognize the greater value of one over another.

I am looking for the kingdom of heaven. I lack confidence in my ability to perceive it's presence. Very seldom have I been ready to act.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44)

Hidden, unexpected, and worth everything.

Jesus came from an obscure village, practically hidden-away far from Jerusalem.

He came with a message of forgiveness, love, and reconciliation with God, instead of the expected message of national liberation.

The reign of God - like this treasure - is already present, yet like a seed or yeast hidden in its potential.

Once recognized and received the power of God can transform.

Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 13: 36-43)

Over the last 200 years many scholars have argued these are not the words of Jesus. It is instead the interpretation of early Christians living through a profoundly troubled time.

I agree with many scholars that the act of tranforming the purposefully implicit into the simplistically explicit would seem to defeat the value of the original parable.

The scholarly arguments are profound, but I don't read this book as I might a historical or mathematical text. I am not seeking simple truths. I come to these stories to struggle with Truth. I am reluctant to exclude.

In embracing the text I can imagine Jesus speaking these words to the "harvesters," to God's messengers standing there before him. "Do you realize I am speaking of you?" he says. Even to us?

This Greek word for furnace is used only four times in scripture, twice in Matthew. This is a particular sort of furnace for baking, for smelting, and for firing clay. In such a furnace something unfinished is refined and fulfilled.

Above is a Russian orthodox depiction of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego in the Firey Furnace of the the third chapter of Daniel.

He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." (Matthew 13:33)

Yeasts are even smaller than seeds. We know - at the time of Jesus it was impossible to know - that yeast cells are 5-10 micrometres in diameter.

Yet yeast will totally transform the dough. The same wild yeasts can ferment wine and beer.

Historians speculate that yeast was originally discovered when a mixture of meal and water was left longer than usual on a warm day. The natural contaminants in the meal began fermenting. When the dough was baked the transformation was complete.

It was a mysterious, even miraculous result. How it happened or why was in those days entirely beyond knowing.

Gradual, even incremental, and very surprising: such is the kingdom of heaven.

But for the yeast to fully transform the large amount of flour in the parable, the woman had to work it through and through.

The kingdom of heaven depends on our contributions too.

He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." (Matthew 13:31-32)

The reign of God is paradoxical. It is something very small, barely discernible, seemingly insignificant. Yet from this source can grow surprisingly large results.

Like Jesus, we live in a time inclined toward the apocalyptic. It is all too easy to imagine a dramatic and violent denouement.

But instead we are told that God comes as seeds are scattered, as seeds are harvested, and as the tiniest of seed grow.

Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' " (Matthew 13: 24-30)

The kingdom of heaven is apparently productive, a source of good, has enemies, has servants, is unusually careful, and wastes nothing.

The enemies can complicate, but they do not distract, frustrate, or even seriously delay the kingdom's harvest.

And even the enemy's dried weeds can be put to good use in kindling the oven in which the good grain will be baked.

Above is from "Evangelicae Historiae Imagines ", published 1593, planned by Jerome Nadal (1507-80), produced by Bernardino Passeri, Marten de Vos, and Jerome and Anton Wierix. Republished in 1594 and 1595 entitled "Adnotationes et Meditationes in Evangelia".

The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them." (Matthew 13:10-11)

Jesus had just completed the parable of the sower, one of my favorites.

Often the disciples respond to Jesus' teaching with as much - or more - confusion as anyone else.

But here Jesus suggests the disciples know something that the crowds do not.

The disciples know - ginosko - the mysteries - musterion - of the kingdom of heaven.

This is knowing as experience, as profound discernment, as being one with what is known. This is the same word used idiomatically for sexual intercourse.

Musterion literally means to shut the mouth. The disciples know what cannot be put into words.

The disciples know what it is to be initimate with Jesus. This is the secret of the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." (Matthew 12:25-28)

Jesus has just healed a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees accuse him of being able to do so because he is Satan's servant.

Jesus refutes the charge with incisive logic. He then makes an extraordinary claim: in his actions the kingdom of God has come.

The kingdom of God (not heaven, as is typical of Matthew) has come upon the Pharisees.

The text does not suggest the presence of the kingdom in anyway effects the Pharisees. In fact, they have mistaken it as Satanic, rejected it, and - even after Jesus has used impeccable logic to clarify its presence - refused to accept that they have experienced the kingdom of God.

How often, I wonder, have I done the same?

It is difficult for an American to read this passage without hearing Lincoln's house divided speech.

I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. (Matthew 11:11-12)

The kingdom of heaven is biazo biastes harpazo.

Biazo: pressing, suffering, dragging, forcing its way. It is a verb that derives from the Greek for life or living.

Biastes: strength, force, violence. It is a noun form of biazo: a state of pressing, suffering, dragging or the person, place, or thing causing the action.

Plato uses biazo to describe how the body drags the soul into illusion:

"And were we not saying long ago that the soul when using the body as an instrument of perception, that is to say, when using the sense of sight or hearing or some other sense (for the meaning of perceiving through the body is perceiving through the senses)--were we not saying that the soul too is then dragged by the body into the region of the changeable, and wanders and is confused; the world spins round her, and she is like a drunkard, when she touches change?" (Phaedo 81)

Harpazo: seize, carry off, catch, pluck, take, claim, redeems.

Three Greek words have been translated into nine English words. This does not suggest an easy or confident transfer of meaning.

Perhaps we can read the "reign of heaven redeems the marauder's violence."

Jesus emphasizes the present power of the kingdom of heaven, "until now" which the Greek suggests is just now, this very moment, and for this time onward.

There is in any case a sense of a very present authority taking charge of a disordered and violent context.

Above is Saint Matthew from the Lindisfarne Gospels.

As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. (Matthew 10:7-10)

The kingdom of heaven is near. This is the same message that John the Baptist proclaimed. But his was prophecy. Jesus brings something more.

The kingdom of heaven is eggizo - at hand, close, approaches. It is a verb. There is a sense of two objects being brought together, two bodies each approaching the other. The most common use of eggizo is in the carpenter's craft of joining corner-pieces.

Is the healing, cleansing, and more related to the joining of the heavenly and earthly kingdoms? Is this the act of joining? Or is this outcome of joining? Or is it a mistake to see a direct relationship?

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (Matthew 9: 35)

Jesus was leading (periago), teaching (didasko), healing (therapeuo), and kerusso (proclaiming, serving as a royal herald, announcing something that has already been done) the euaggelion (glad tiding, good news, reward, joy) of the kingdom.

Kerusso euaggelion is a kind of redundancy, presumably to give emphasis. Emphasizing what?

Jesus is formally and officially announcing (kerusso) the reward for having announced glad tidings (euagellion). In the ancient world the royal messenger who brought news of a great victory, or the birth of an heir, or the marriage of a princess, or some other good news would be rewarded.

For example in Homer's Odyssey, the hero has already returned home but has not yet declared his identity. In a conversation with a swineherd who is sure Odysseus is dead, the King-in-disguise offers, “Friend, since you do utterly deny, and declare that he will never come again, and your heart is ever unbelieving, therefore will I tell you, not at random but with an oath, that Odysseus shall return. And let me have a reward for bearing good tidings, as soon as he shall come, and reach his home; clothe me in a cloak and tunic, goodly raiment."

The reward for bearing good tidings is the euagellion of Matthew.

Jesus is no longer in disguise. He is publicly proclaiming the good news of something that has already happened: the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus is also claiming the reward for bringing this good news.

What is the reward?

I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8: 11-12)

A Roman Centurion seeks the intervention of Jesus to relieve a servant's suffering. Jesus is surprised by the man's faith.

The kingdom of heaven - whether present now, or emerging, or still to come - shall encompass all as at a great feast. This great feast is still in the future.

But some - subjects of the kingdom, sons of the reign, children of authorty - will not join the feast. Instead they will be ekballo: driven out, deprived, excluded, rejected...

Some who might be expected at the feast - they clearly belong to the kingdom - are instead in a very unhappy place.

The inclusion of many in the feast is clear. The who and why of exclusion is not clear.

Above is by Hildegard of Bingen. She wrote, ""Then I saw a huge object, round and shadowy. Like an egg it was pointed on top...Its surrounding layer was bright fire. Beneath this lay a dark skin. In the bright fire hovered a reddish, sparkling fireball."

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:18-21)

Talk is cheap. So is writing.

It is what one does that matters. It is what we make and create that fulfills.

Prayer, study, meditation, and other spiritual or mental disciplines are preparatory to action. Without action the disciplines are meaningless.

In doing what God intends we can - if only for a moment - experience the kingdom of heaven.

Say less. Do more.

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)

Do not worry. This is my particular failing. I worry entirely too much.

The Greek is merimnao. This is worry that distracts and divides. The Greek root is merizo meaning to separate into parts, cut into pieces, or split into factions.

In worry I tend to focus on one part of life rather than the whole. I look at what is threatening or outside my control or ugly, rather than see opportunities, creative potential, or beauty.

Jesus encourages seeking after, aiming at, striving for the wholeness of God's reign and identity.

God's righteousness (dikaiosune) is being as we ought to be, intended to be, created to be. In seeking God's identity we will find our own identity.

Elsewhere Jesus encourages vigilance, readiness, watchfulness, action, and much more. But worry takes the whole reality and divides it into illusory parts. We are to attend to the whole, not the parts.

This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

What are we saying in the Lord's prayer? For what are we asking?

Your kingdom, reign, power, authority...

Come, arise, become known, find influence...

Your will, desire, intent, purpose, delight...

Be done, emerge, begin, become, appear...

Come and done are both in the present or imperfect tense. Greek (and Hebrew) are more action oriented than time oriented languages. Where English has past, present, future, Greek is organized around finished or unfinished action.

So we might more accurately read the instructions of Jesus as, "Your kingdom coming, your will emerging on earth as in heaven."

Above is Cultivating the Cosmic Tree by Hildegard of Bingen.

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. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5: 17-20)

This is a very conservative sounding preface for a radical reform of the law. In the sermon that follows Jesus "fulfills" an eye for an eye with turning the other cheek, transforms neighbor love into loving one's enemies, and teaches non-resistance, non-anxiety and much more.

The implicit goal set out by Jesus is entering the kingdom of the heaven. The goal is achieved by practicing and teaching the fulfilled commandments.

Our righteousness - the Greek is dikaiosune - must exceed that of the most religious to enter the kingdom of heaven. Religion and righteousness are contrasted, even set in opposition to one another.

Again, Jesus was probably not speaking Greek but Aramaic and his Aramaic preaching was influenced heavily by the Hebrew scriptures. The Aramaic that we would translate as righteousness is tsidqah, the Hebrew is tsedaqah. Very close.

In the Hebrew bible Isaiah is the great prophet of righteousness. In Isaiah tsedaqah is social justice and individual potential fulfilled. Equality and freedom are both achieved. Tsedaqah is also - and crucially - the fundamental character of God. Righteousness is something that only God can bring about. "The Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations." (Isaiah 6:11)

But if God is the only source of righteousness, how can we practice and teach what we cannot achieve?

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5: 10)

Congratulations to those who are dioko - made to run, seek after, eagerly follow - because of dikaisune - integrity, virtue, innocence.

Once again the present tense is used,

Are all of the Beatitudes kingdom sayings? Are the characteristics of the blessed the principal features of the kingdom of heaven?

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-11)

If these are all kingdom sayings the shift in tense is interesting. Verses 3 and 10 are present tense. Those in between are future tense. How might the kingdom be already present yet still unfinished?

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:1-3)

Jesus has now chosen Peter, Andrew, James, John and other disciples and "his fame spread throughout all Syria." (Matthew 4:24) We do not know how long he had been teaching and healing before he went up on this mountainside.

Jesus begins his sermon on the mount by congratulating - even proclaiming happy - those who are ptokhos pneuma. This is not just being without. The Greek ptokhos is to be destitute and entirely dependent on others, reduced to begging.

In other gospels ptokhos will be the object of the sentence, here it is an adjective. Poor in spirit, or mind, or in living. Pneuma is the breath, wind, source of being.

The Greek tense is present indicative. The nuance of Greek tenses is beyond my expertise. But there is clearly a sense of the action being finished. Those who are spiritually destitute and/or dependent are - already - in possession of the kingdom of heaven.

It is possible - but unusual - to translate this as, "Happy are the poor in spirit they are the kingdom of heaven."

Above is an image of heaven by Hildegard of Bingen.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (Matthew 4: 23)

In Matthew's original Greek this "good news of the kingdom" is euaggelion basileia.

Euaggelion is a noun for good tidings or a reward for good tidings. You can spy the English "evangelism" in this Greek root.

Basileia is a noun for dominion, reign, power, or territory. It is literally the one who walks. Perhaps emerging from the leader who has the courage to walk first.

But Jesus was almost certainly teaching and speaking in Aramaic, not Greek.

The Aramaic for kingdom is malkuw closely related to the Hebrew mulkuwth. Rather than first mover this suggests careful deliberation or wise counsel.

What did Jesus intend with this good news of the kingdom? Is it the reign of a courageous first mover? The power of consideration and wisdom? Or something else?

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 4: 17)

At the arrest of his teacher, John the Baptizer, Jesus withdrew to the largely non-Jewish city of Capernaum, beyond the reach of Herod Agrippa.

It was here, before choosing his disciples and among strangers, that Jesus began his ministry by urging repentence - metanoeo, changing of one's mind - and pointing toward the proximity of the kingdom of heaven.

This is a recurring theme of his teaching and arguably the core theme. In the weeks ahead we will consider what Jesus may have intended in regard to the nearness of this kingdom.